Pick my fish!!

[Spiffyguy]

Well now that I am mostly done with vacationing, and the fact that most of the cyno is gone I think it is time for a fish or two. I am not really sure what to toss in there so I am making a list of the types of fish I want. Then someone can fill in the blanks lol.

The tank, in case some don't know, is a 55 gallon with built in filtration so it is only 40 inches long, but every thing else is normal. I have decent filtration. Good flow and lots of nooks and crannies. I do have a Condy anemone too though. That may be an issue. I would like to have lots of fish, so that will probably mean little fish. I would like a pair of sand sifting somethings. Something to cruise along the bottom. I am a big fan of pairing fish if possible. Makes them less lonely.

I would also like a pair of floaters. I was thinking Bangali Cardinals possibly. Something along those lines though. And then the midline fish. Bunch of rock dwelling, neat looking, friendly type chaps. Maybe some neon gobies or something similar. Anyway any good suggestions? I am making a list and letting my wife help pick in an attempt to get her interested in the tank; and devert more funds to it

Thanks
Scott

 

[frenchie]

i got some other schooling fish called bar gobies, nice fish swim alot non aggresive. dragon or sometimes called banded gobies are good sand sifters, diamond gobies are way to messy with sand and will cover up corals with sand.

 

[Spiffyguy]

I have seen the dragon ones I think down at Marine Solutions. THe pink bar gobies are nice looking too. My sand is a little larger than most though so that may be an issue. maybe not though lol.

 

[Nanook]

Here is a good place to start:


http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=2124

 

[JxMetal]

I'm going with a yasha hase/pistol shrimp pair for my 6 gallon. Love the little bugger

 

[Spiffyguy]

Here is what I got as a list so far. I know I have at least 1 pistol shrimp possibly another, not sure how large they are.

Floaters

Banggai Cardinalfish
Spotted Cardinalfish
Blue Reef Chromis
Purple Firefish


Rock dwellers


Clown Goby, Citrinis
Clown Goby, Panda
neon Goby
Greenbanded Goby
Tail Spot Blenny
Starry Blenny
Horned Blenny


Sand Sifters

Yellow Watchman
Diamond Watchman
Hector's Goby
Rainford's Goby
Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
Jawfish

 

[Nanook]

Rainford's Goby needs a cooler tank than our reefs. Jawfish need a deep sand bed and rubble zones to make their holes.

My Blue Reef Chromis were about 3-4" when fully grown...pretty decent sized for a smaller tank.

 

[Spiffyguy]

BAH what about those hectors? They are neat looking fish. There are plenty of sand sifters I guess. Question is which one stays fairly small. I know the watchmans can get a tad large.

 

[Reggae Fish]

If you're worried about staying small and pairing go with the neon gobies. Plus, they're good cleaners

 

[Spiffyguy]

yeah I do like them. I would like a larger gropu though. Not sure how they do in large numbers. I suspect ok though since they are gobies. Fairly peaceful.

Another big question is what order to add fish. I know some fish can be territorial if they are the first in the tank.

 

[JxMetal]

I' just do largest last. That's been my theory. It's worked fine IMO.

 

[Reggae Fish]

I'm weird. I literally took almost all fish and put them on an excel spreadsheet and then labeled all categories such as size, temperment, how much I like them, ect... and then sorted that way. I literally made a list and have not gone off that yet. No impulses, etc... I knew what I couldn't have and I knew what I wanted. As time progressed, I altered it a bit but it's been pretty close.

 

[Spiffyguy]

well that is kinda the idea. get a list and get an order. I need to make a screen top for the tank though in case of jumpers. Need to find some nice looking screen material though. Egg crate reflected entirely too much of my light. Made looking at the tank painful.