Moving: Which Fish to Keep??

[bvanhoveln]

I am moving and will need to take down my 180 gallon reef tank and keep a smaller subset of my fish in my 30 gallon until I can move and re-setup my 180 gallon reef.

I need some advise on which fish I can keep in my 30 gallon for the time being (probably a year or so - we are building a new house so this is going to be for quite some time)

The one fish I have to keep is my Saddle Back Clown (4 inches)- I got this fish the day we brought my daughter home from the hospital. All others are up for grabs:

3 Pajama Cardinals - Full Grown (about 2.5 inches each)
2 Green Chromis - Small
1 Tomato Clown - Medium (about 3.5 inches)
1 Flame Angel - Medium
1 Sailfin Tang - about 3 inches long 4 inches tall (I know I can't keep him)
1 Yellow Watchman Goby - obviously small
1 Royal Gamma Basslet - Medium
1 Fairy Whip Wrasse - Small
1 Anthias, not sure exactly which type - small

I am planning on keeping all of my coral in the 30, as well as most of my snails.

Thanks for the advise - btw, I was thinking my Clown, Angel, Goby, Chromis or Cardinals (I will be changing the water frequently and attempting to keep things in line, but I have never kept such a small tank, my current 180 has an extra 60 gallons in the sump)

 

[iloveinn]

Which of those fish (other than the clown) are you particularly attached to?

 

[zachfishman]

Which of those fish (other than the clown) are you particularly attached to?

Ditto. It's time to play favorite(s).

 

[vwtanker]

I'd only keep 2 others with your saddle back. With more fish the nutrient levels will be harder to control. My personal picks would be the watchman and wrasse. The angel could cause problems in that size tank, and the chromis and cardinals are easily replaced.

 

[IFbettas]

Honestly, out of those fish I would only keep your saddle back clown if any. None of those fish are hard to get, and IME keeping fish during a move usually doesn't work out so well. The move will be a lot easier if you don't have more fish to worry about, and you can always buy new ones after your tank is going again.

If you really want to keep some of your current fish I think the saddle back clown, watchman goby, and royal gramma will be the most likely to succceed.

 

[agreeive?fish]

the fish i would keep in order of prefrence(my personal prefrence) but dont know if it would actually work in a 30g or not

1) your saddle back clownfish (because you said it is a must)
2) flame angel (might be a coral issue or a temperment issue)
3) royal gramma basslet
4) yellow watchman goby

 

[bvanhoveln]

Thanks for the input -

I don't really have any other favorites; although the Cardinals, Clowns, and Flame Angel have all been with me for about 4 years - They were in my 90 together before setting up the 180.

My favorites are the flame angel and my daughter LOVES the watchman goby (I think because he is rarely in the open, so its a fun game to stand still and watch his cave until he is brave enough to come out).

Not sure about the Flame Angel in a tank that small NICU (my saddleback) seems to chase only one fish in the tank and thats the Flame.

Clown, Goby, and Basslet might just be the best combination.

 

[sslak]

I would keep the Flame Angel if you can...especially if it behaves with your corals.

They can be hit or miss, and it's nice to have one that doesn't eat your polyps.