Making 1st fish purchase, recommendations?
- Thread starter mdeleon1
- Start date
johnc99
New member
+1.
When coming up with a stock list, I think you need to take fish size, tank surface area/footprint, amount of hiding spaces, biological capacity, and the desired fishes' behavior all into account - especially since you mention that your tank is a column. Typically column tanks have less carrying capacity than the more traditional rectangular tank.
A good deal of fishes we typically keep are territorial to some degree and so footprint/line of sight is a factor in keeping territorial disputes to a minimum. For example biologically 2 pygmy angel fish would fit in a 30G but behaviorally that would be asking for trouble.
Also you need to select fish based upon their fully grown size. One of the other forum members has a saying "buy fish for the tank you have now, not the tank you want to have 2 years down the road" - that is sage advice.
Looking at the pic in your avatar - I think you need to focus on fish that stay mostly in the water column rather than stick close to the live rock. If I were in your shoes (and I prefer to understock) I would be looking for a couple of the smaller fairy or flasher wrasses and perhaps a dwarf angel for some color and activity around the live rock.
As for specific fish - I think you need to browse LiveAquaria, SaltwaterFish.com, Blue Zoo Aquatics, etc to get an idea of what appeals to you aesthetically.
lacosta28
Premium Member
Get a blenny! I got my first blenny this week and that fish is awesome! Instead of swimming around the tank like most fish they perch on rocks, sometimes go into holes on the rocks and peak out. The funny thing this guy does is poke his head up from a rock, look around for a while and then go back down. I may be weird by saying this but this fish reminds me of a little person more than a fish.
