Stocking Ideas

[BlindZide]

Morning Reefers!

I was just thinking this morning that I would like to expand my fish horizons. I am looking to change things up a bit from what I have had which are mostly common fish.

What I have now is:

2 Clowns
1 Yellow Tang (inherited from tank purchase, wanting to trade it to LFS)
1 6 Live Wrasse
1 Red Scooter Blenny
1 Lawnmower Blenny (willing to trade to LFS)
1 Serpent Star
1 Emerald Crab
3 Red Legged Hemits
1 Turbo Snail
3 Cerith Snails

I like the coloring in the 6 Line and the Red Scooter Blenny. My wife would be pretty upset if I lose the clowns. So I am basically willing to forfeit the Lawnmower and the Tang for some other fish ideas.

Tank I am working with is a 54g Corner. I currently have LPS, Softies, and Mushrooms. I do not plan on SPS anytime soon.

Thanks in advance!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Sixlines are pretty aggressive so that means no other wrasses or peaceful fish that hang out around the rocks. Some ideas include some of the less belligerent damsels such as talbots or azures. Grammistes blennies have venomous fangs so most fish leave them alone. Pistol shrimp and watchman goby would probably work too.

 

[BlindZide]

The goby / shrimp combo has always intrigued me. Would the Red Blenny be ok? He is fairly still small in size.

 

[Badbrad8500]

If you can catch and sell/donate the Six-Line, there are very colorful Fairy Wrasses that are excellent reef-safe additions to tanks. Pigmy Angelfish would also do fine in that size tank (one only), but they are hit or miss on attacking coral.

 

[Xavibear]

The six-line could starve out the scooter blenny with time. Getting rid of him would be better the blenny & the other fish in your tank.

 

[BlindZide]

If you can catch and sell/donate the Six-Line, there are very colorful Fairy Wrasses that are excellent reef-safe additions to tanks. Pigmy Angelfish would also do fine in that size tank (one only), but they are hit or miss on attacking coral.

I had a Coral Beauty in my 75 when it was up and man was that fish awesome! Never bothered my corals but I did keep her pretty fed. Thanks for the suggestion.

The six-line could starve out the scooter blenny with time. Getting rid of him would be better the blenny & the other fish in your tank.

They have been tank mates for roughly a year. I did not know the 6 line would starve them out. The 6 does eat the pellets I put in for the clowns. Any chance with the 6 line eating the pellets the others may not starve?

 

[Xavibear]

They have been tank mates for roughly a year. I did not know the 6 line would starve them out. The 6 does eat the pellets I put in for the clowns. Any chance with the 6 line eating the pellets the others may not starve?

The six-line can out compete the scooter blenny for pods. As far as the other fish, they are just pias.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Six lines may have an issue with you adding a new fish as well. I have had one and will never again. All wrasses eat pods no matter how well fed they are. As it gets older and bigger it will eat more. In time it could outcompete the scooter. You may get lucky in both counts though and get the ever ellusive peaceful six line.

 

[BlindZide]

So if I dump the 6 Line, Tang, and Lawnmower Blenny, that would open up more tank space being left with just 2 clowns and a scooter blenny. While the Goby/Shrimp combo intrigues me I am unsure it would work with my tank because I do not keep a DSB. Any other suggestions?

 

[Xavibear]

I would keep the lawnmower blenny. While not the prettiest fish, they have great personalities. You don't need a deep sanded for a shrimp/goby pair. My tank has 2 -3 inches of sand & my pair do fine.

 

[E46Twist]

I still enjoy opening these threads and seeing all the sixline from hell stories and I have a model citizen that gets along with 4 gobies and a scooter. I do think it helps having one, now two fish that are huge in comparison. While on the topic of risky fish, flame angles are beautiful but about 50/50 chance they will at your LPS, even if kept fat and happy.

 

[BlindZide]

My 6 line has been an awesome fish. I got him to help with my flat worm problem and he did the job almost instantly. I haven't seen a flat worm in months. He also added some nice coloring to the tank and never bothers any other inhabitants. I think my focus on fish is going to get side tracked with my new interest in SPS. Most fish I find I like aren't reef safe or get too big for my tank....

 

[Crooked Reef]

I would keep the lawnmower blenny as well. They will have little effect on your bioload anyway and the niche it serves usually has other fish mostly ignore it. Plus they can eat algae and benefit your system. Just look at it as an interesting part of your clean up crew.

 

[Sk8r]

Goby-shrimp pair didn't work for me. As the shrimp grew larger, he became aggressive and killed his goby partner, and several other fish. had to take my tank apart to get him out. Tiger pistol with yellow watchman.