Looking for stocking advice for a 40g

[NaughtyCashew]

Hey Everyone,

I'm looking to finish stocking my 40g tank + 20g sump with fish.

So far I have:

2 Percula Clowns
1 Hi-Fin Red Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes)

and the following inverts

1 RBTA
1 Crocea Clam (planning on getting one)
1 Pistol Shrimp (for the Goby)
1 Cleaner Shrimp
Usual Clean-Up Crew (Scarlet Hermits, Nass., Astrea, Cerith Snails)

I know I would eventually like a Six-Line Wrasse, but I want to add one more fish before the Wrasse stakes his claim on the tank.

I've been evaluating a few fish for the tank, but can't decide which would be a good fit:

Clown goby
Barnacle Blenny
Tailspot Blenny
Red-Headed Goby
Neon Goby

I'm really looking for an interesting character that will perch on my rockwork, not get eaten by a hungry RBTA, not jump out (I run a completely open top) and get along w/ the rest of my fish.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just for fun, here is my tank thread on N-R

NaughtyCashew 40g

 

[reefpeep2004]

Clown gobies are cute, perch on coral and very peaceful. That said, if you plan to have SPS some of them irritate the corals when they try to nest. Neon gobies are definate potential jumpers.

 

[Hans-moleman]

I have a barnacle blenny and he stays in the barnacle all day(hence the name) with his head sticking out and only darts out for food and returns back to the piece of barnacle. Fun to watch during feeding time.

 

[JN Reef]

CLown gobies and red headed gobies are awesome.
However, becareful b/c the clown gobies I had frequently drifted into the oveflow and wound up in the sump...

If you don't mind waiting a few months, grow your pods so you can get a Mandarin Goby.

A Yasha Hashe goby or a Golden watchmen goby are interesting to watch when they commune with a Randall's shrimp. But the Yasha Hashe don't really perch.

JN

 

[NaughtyCashew]

Do Mandarins Perch? I thought they primarily scuttled across the floor.

I'm kind of thinking clown goby is the way to go. I plan on putting some gutter guard and a top to my overflow, so getting them sucked in shouldnt be a problem.

I already have a randalli/goby pair, but do you think I could get two of them? I'm thinking in a 40 that might be way too close for comfort.

Thanks for the input so far!

 

[Hunter_Cal]

ive heard that the clown goby perches on corals, and can be somewhat of a neusance...i personally like the neon gobies, they are really small, and are awsome looking... you might even get 2 of them

 

[NaughtyCashew]

Thanks guys, this helps narrow the decision down a bit. Any Blenny fans out there? I tried a tailspot before, but the poor guy didnt make it.

 

[karl~23]

im a blenny fan. Get a bi-color blenny they are fun to watch.

 

[klhscooter]

I recently bought a scooter blenny and I lucked out because he eats anything I put in the tank. Books say they can be fussy eaters. He is great fun to watch and he has really done a great job of sand sifting. I hope to have him for a long time but he will probably out grow the small tank. Good thing I have friends with big tanks !!

 

[NaughtyCashew]

Thanks for the input folks!

I ended up winning a Lawnmower Blenny from the SCMAS meeting last night. I still want to add a couple neon gobies, and a six-line. Think that would be too much for my tank?

BTW, my wife calls the new blenny "Blugly"

 

[So Cal shaggy]

blennies

blennies

I am a blenny fan I have 3 in my 135

1 black sailfin
1 starry blenny
1 bi-color blenny

The starry is my favorite he hides when I approach the tank but as soon as I walk away he is out and swimming all over the place perching on my cabbage coral or on the powerheads he might get a little big for your tank but a bi-color would fit just fine here is a pic of my starry

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/shaggyman/starryblenny.jpg" border="0" alt="Image hosting by Photobucket"></a>

 

[tmplge]

The sixline will harass the hell out of the neon goby and clown forsure. Your best bet is to go with a blenny. I have a sixline myself and im going to get rid of it.

 

[NaughtyCashew]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but my wife would really like to add one more fish to the tank, and I promised I would let her get more involved by choosing one.

So considering the following stocking list in a 40g, what else would you guys recommend:

2 Percula Clowns
1 Hi-Fin Red Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes) & shrimp
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Sixline Wrasse (eventually)
1 ?????

I also have the following restictions:

I run a completely open top
I love my pistol shrimp (so hawkfish & such are probably out)
I will be getting a clam eventually

Would a Royal Gramma work in this tank, what are your suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[So Cal shaggy]

How about a clown goby they have pretty good character