PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[MoonPie88]

Please do not use colors to ask questions, I cannot easily see them. Thanks. That means that your yellow colored questions were not answered because they are invisible to me.

Ups sry, did not know that.

Originally Posted by snorvich View Post
Here is my fish - wishlist for 30gal:

2x Tomato Clownfish or Pink Skunk Clownfish These fish will own this sized tank once sexually mature and will preclude other fish due to their aggressive nature
Switch them to 2x true percula?

2x Two Spot Goby difficult, impossible in this sized tank
They are too small for 30gal? Even german sites say about 150litre minimum?
Are there other gobys for the ground which fit in 30gal? Perhaps watchman goby + pistol shrimp?

2x Green Mandarin difficult, improbable success in this sized tank
Heard that most of them accept frozen food and they don't move very much?


optional:
Six Line Wrasse very aggressive
Are there less aggressive Wrasse which fit in 30gal?

Flame Angel
Too big for 30gal?

Tail Spot Blenny / Bicolor Blenny
?

 

[snorvich]

Ups sry, did not know that.

Originally Posted by snorvich View Post
Here is my fish - wishlist for 30gal:

2x Tomato Clownfish or Pink Skunk Clownfish These fish will own this sized tank once sexually mature and will preclude other fish due to their aggressive nature
Switch them to 2x true percula? better, less aggressive by far but once mating will still be aggressive towards water column fish

2x Two Spot Goby difficult, impossible in this sized tank
They are too small for 30gal? Even german sites say about 150litre minimum? You can always take their advice if you prefer it; very difficult fish in the best of circumstances which a small tank is not
Are there other gobys for the ground which fit in 30gal? Perhaps watchman goby + pistol shrimp? many commensal gobies and pistol shrimp will work, just pick what you like

2x Green Mandarin difficult, improbable success in this sized tank
Heard that most of them accept frozen food and they don't move very much?

Unless you are feeding constantly, even the ones that do eat frozen (which not all do) they will almost always perish long term


optional:
Six Line Wrasse very aggressive
Are there less aggressive Wrasse which fit in 30gal? look at the possum/pygmy wrasses

Flame Angel
Too big for 30gal? no, they should be fine, but a 30 gallon tank will not easily sustain a lot of fish

Tail Spot Blenny / Bicolor Blenny either but not both.
?

 

[MoonPie88]

Thanks snorvich for your advice.

I think I will try with this:

2x true percula
Watchman goby + pistol shrimp
1-2 pygmy/possum wrasse
1 flame angel, or other dwarve angel
1 tail spot / bicolor blenny

optional after about a year, if I think there is still free space in the tank:
2x red mandarin

Think this is a good plan for me and the fishes

 

[BabyGirl143]

A dragonet is a low success fish in your sized tank without a LOT of extra effort.

I dont mind extra effort, can you be more specific as to what i would have to do to keep this fish. I really like the mandarin dragonet but i dont want to have it die either so would like to know more before i decide. Would this apply also to the Scooter Blenny (neosynchiropus acellatus) somewhere on the info page if referred to it as a dragonet. I was considering both of these fish. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[snorvich]

Thanks snorvich for your advice.

I think I will try with this:

2x true percula
Watchman goby + pistol shrimp
1-2 pygmy/possum wrasse
1 flame angel, or other dwarve angel
1 tail spot / bicolor blenny

optional after about a year, if I think there is still free space in the tank:
2x red mandarin

Think this is a good plan for me and the fishes

Looks fine to me except the mandarins

 

[snorvich]

I dont mind extra effort, can you be more specific as to what i would have to do to keep this fish. I really like the mandarin dragonet but i dont want to have it die either so would like to know more before i decide. Would this apply also to the Scooter Blenny (neosynchiropus acellatus) somewhere on the info page if referred to it as a dragonet. I was considering both of these fish. Thanks again for all the help.

Scooter blenny is really a dragonet but is easier than a mandarin. Mandarins can be kept if you get a healthy wild caught one (ORA mandarins have problems) and you are willing to culture copepods, ideally with a refugium. But remember that dragonets eat constantly.

 

[AZBigJohn]

Scooter blenny is really a dragonet but is easier than a mandarin. Mandarins can be kept if you get a healthy wild caught one (ORA mandarins have problems) and you are willing to culture copepods, ideally with a refugium. But remember that dragonets eat constantly.

Okay, I am tired of feeling like a newbie... I've looked all over the acronyms pages, and read these threads almost everyday, but what does ORA stand for?

I have read ORA is great, ORA has problems and a million things in-between. I just don't know what it is...

 

[snorvich]

Okay, I am tired of feeling like a newbie... I've looked all over the acronyms pages, and read these threads almost everyday, but what does ORA stand for?

I have read ORA is great, ORA has problems and a million things in-between. I just don't know what it is...

ORA sells captively bred mandarins (which theoretically eat prepared foods) and also propagates and sells corals.

 

[bwhite33]

This is a pre-aquarium build, check pre-fish purchase check:

Other than the ocean, what is the ideal setup for a Randall goby and shrimp?
Do you need a DSB? and if so what type of sand and how deep?
Are they the same requirements for a jawfish, and could they be kept in the same tank?

My thought was a DT with a sump for the protein skimmer and heater, and stuff.
maybe a higher than DT refugium for the fun.

Thank you.

 

[snorvich]

This is a pre-aquarium build, check pre-fish purchase check:

Other than the ocean, what is the ideal setup for a Randall goby and shrimp?

live rock, sand, rock rubble, some empty shells. A 30 gallon tank would be sufficient.


Do you need a DSB? and if so what type of sand and how deep?

No. With the rubble and shells sugar sand is quite fine.

Are they the same requirements for a jawfish, and could they be kept in the same tank?

A jawfish requires a deeper sand bed; I recommend burying some PVC homes and they also need rock rubble and empty shells (infrastructure issues). You could have both assuming sufficient real estate.

My thought was a DT with a sump for the protein skimmer and heater, and stuff.
maybe a higher than DT refugium for the fun. should be fine

Thank you.

 

[bwhite33]

Thank you, for your rapid response. What amount of real estate for a goby/shrimp and a jawfish, would you expect to allow the 3 critters to thrive but not destroy a bank account?

Thanks again.

 

[snorvich]

Thank you, for your rapid response. What amount of real estate for a goby/shrimp and a jawfish, would you expect to allow the 3 critters to thrive but not destroy a bank account?

Thanks again.

Difficult to say but probably a 40. Not expensive.

 

[jeffreed39]

I hope you get online tonight snorvich, I was wondering if you knew the difference between a male and a female powder blue tang? My LFS guy said the females have more faded colors especially in the face while the males are more solid black... is this true? my LGF (local girl friend) wanted our powder blue to have a "girlfriend" ... haha... so now I'm suck frantically trying to find info on a male and female conformation but no single picture of either can i find.... If I let "her" go tonight i'm afraid something may go wrong... very wrong before i get up in the morning....

 

[snorvich]

I hope you get online tonight snorvich, I was wondering if you knew the difference between a male and a female powder blue tang? My LFS guy said the females have more faded colors especially in the face while the males are more solid black... is this true? my LGF (local girl friend) wanted our powder blue to have a "girlfriend" ... haha... so now I'm suck frantically trying to find info on a male and female conformation but no single picture of either can i find.... If I let "her" go tonight i'm afraid something may go wrong... very wrong before i get up in the morning....

Unfortunately there is no known way to sex them. And if you are wrong, one will kill the other.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

I have the following:

• 55g with ~20g sump
• ~60lbs live rock
• Purple Firefish (Currently in QT)
• 40lbs sand which is about 2 - 3".

I was considering a Candy Cane Pistol shrimp / yellow watchman goby as my next purchase. All the live rock is sitting on egg crate I have buried in the sand. Are they reef safe and is my tank an acceptable size for them? I don't currently have any corals but plan on buying some soon.

I'm looking at purchasing some Snowflake clowns down the road. Other than that, just some turbo snails, nassarius snails, cerith snails and some hermit crabs.

 

[snorvich]

I have the following:

• 55g with ~20g sump
• ~60lbs live rock
• Purple Firefish (Currently in QT)
• 40lbs sand which is about 2 - 3".

I was considering a Candy Cane Pistol shrimp / yellow watchman goby as my next purchase. All the live rock is sitting on egg crate I have buried in the sand. Are they reef safe and is my tank an acceptable size for them? I don't currently have any corals but plan on buying some soon.

I'm looking at purchasing some Snowflake clowns down the road. Other than that, just some turbo snails, nassarius snails, cerith snails and some hermit crabs.

No problem at all.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

Awesome. Thanks for your time Steve.

 

[bwhite33]

Difficult to say but probably a 40. Not expensive.

Yes, not bad at all.

thanks again...can you recommend a good thread on sump sizing?

 

[snorvich]

Yes, not bad at all.

thanks again...can you recommend a good thread on sump sizing?

Try the equipment forum for best results.

 

[bwhite33]

Try the equipment forum for best results.

Will do, thanks again for your time.