Top 10 Nano Reef FIsh

[iFisch]

Do you have coral in your tank now? Will you cautiously introduce coral and what are your plans there?

It is my understanding, that they and others, pick at coral, etc. because they are hungry, not because coral anger them or anything.

If properly fed, I believe they shouldn't pick at any coral. I don't know if "picking at coral" is genetic or not. If it is, then there's really nothing you can do.

 

[powers2001]

Saltwater catfish!? Like the common ones caught in the ocean, or is there a special "reef" catfish?

I remember 10 years ago when my dad was into reef tanks, there was a small reef catfish.

 

[Korrine]

If my memory serves me right, I think the catfish available now-a-days get pretty big.

 

[Korrine]

here ya go:

One Of A Kind

Plotosus lineatus is the only true Catfish that occurs in marine waters

http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/marine/swcat.shtml

 

[cherubfish pair]

The only "thing" I know that eat's Cheato is long-spine urchins.

Really...Have you experienced this? I would love something to eat my chaeto other than pods. If I had some urchins eating this I wouldn't need to harvest it as often. It would be nice to have something in my refugium.

 

[cherubfish pair]

How about a longnose hawkfish? They have a minimum tank size of 30 gallons.

According to liveaquaria.com

 

[iFisch]

Really...Have you experienced this? I would love something to eat my chaeto other than pods. If I had some urchins eating this I wouldn't need to harvest it as often. It would be nice to have something in my refugium.

No, but there are MANY records of LS urchins doing so.

I wasn't aware pods eat cheato, or any hawkfish, for that matter.

 

[Elysia]

I think that cherubfish was asking about the longnose hawk as a good nano fish... to sort of get this thread back on topic. I have not kept a longnose before, only have observed them at the LFS and read about them, but IIRC Scott Michael recommends a 55 gallon minimum for one. They can grow to 5" in length and have a large mouth that could swallow many good nano-appropriate tankmates. I think that your best bet for a hawkfish in <35 gallons is the Falco. Its the smallest hawk and the least aggressive. I have one in an Aquapod, and it does not appear to be unhappy or uncomfortable there. It is a bit of a glutton, though, so I suppose one should watch the water quality when adding a hawkfish. The tank my Falco is in has a lot of rock in it, which gives the hawk lots of places to perch and crevices to swim in and out of. A scarlet/flam hawk may be okay in a larger nano; I'm not sure how much those guys like to swim (seems like they might like a bit more room than, say, the Falco) or how aggressive one might be if kept in a smaller tank.

 

[iFisch]

I think that cherubfish was asking about the longnose hawk as a good nano fish... to sort of get this thread back on topic. I have not kept a longnose before, only have observed them at the LFS and read about them, but IIRC Scott Michael recommends a 55 gallon minimum for one. They can grow to 5" in length and have a large mouth that could swallow many good nano-appropriate tankmates. I think that your best bet for a hawkfish in <35 gallons is the Falco. Its the smallest hawk and the least aggressive. I have one in an Aquapod, and it does not appear to be unhappy or uncomfortable there. It is a bit of a glutton, though, so I suppose one should watch the water quality when adding a hawkfish. The tank my Falco is in has a lot of rock in it, which gives the hawk lots of places to perch and crevices to swim in and out of. A scarlet/flam hawk may be okay in a larger nano; I'm not sure how much those guys like to swim (seems like they might like a bit more room than, say, the Falco) or how aggressive one might be if kept in a smaller tank.

Falco's are probably the only fish I'd put in anything under 30g, unless you are getting a small flame.

Falco's are very unique fish.

 

[Elysia]

Just to update, I did not remember correctly about what Scott Michael recommended for the longnose hawk's minimum tank size -- his book actually says either 30 or 20 gallons (hmm, I still can't remember.) Still, that seems small to me. He lists the falco as minimum 15 gallons; I think that a 20 long or 24 square is more appropriate. That is just my opinion, though.

 

[iFisch]

Just to update, I did not remember correctly about what Scott Michael recommended for the longnose hawk's minimum tank size -- his book actually says either 30 or 20 gallons (hmm, I still can't remember.) Still, that seems small to me. He lists the falco as minimum 15 gallons; I think that a 20 long or 24 square is more appropriate. That is just my opinion, though.

Yes. I know two people with Falco's in a 14g, but it's just the Falco, a single clown and a goby.

I too wouldn't recommend a longnose in anything smaller than a 20l or 24g cube, like you mentioned.


:fish1:

 

[cherubfish pair]

How about we make this the thread of the month for November?

 

[iFisch]

How about we make this the thread of the month for November?

What exactly are the rules?

 

[Jim96SC2]

How exactly are puffers reef safe? LA says they eat inverts, so no shrimp, crabs, etc.

 

[cherubfish pair]

What exactly are the rules?

I will ask in the Feedback and Questions forum.

 

[cherubfish pair]

What does it take to get a thread nominated for thread-of-the-month?

I suppose it goes without saying an interesting topic for starters, one that has been contributed to and participated by RC members that is an example of the RC Mission Statement.

 

[iFisch]

How exactly are puffers reef safe? LA says they eat inverts, so no shrimp, crabs, etc.

Not all puffers can eat inverts, shrimp, crabs, etc. They may nip, and disturb, but that's it. How can a 3" fish eat a 2" shrimp with a 1/4" mouth?

I wouldn't at all be surprised if they eventually, once in a while nipped at shrimp, or crabs. They may nip a shrimp enough times, that its alive, but immobile, where the puffer just starts to attack it, eventually eating it. With enough hiding places, I believe it can be done.

 

[affordableocean]

clowns are a nice bet...small fish like goby's and one of my favorites...a six-line wrasse

 

[iFisch]

clowns are a nice bet...small fish like goby's and one of my favorites...a six-line wrasse

I'd rather have a Tody puffer in a nano than a six-line. Six-lines can get super aggressive and territorial in a small tank. Of course this doesn't apply for all, but they are notorious for chasing tankmates. At least a Toby won't cause chaos in your tank.

 

[Dino]

I'm bumping up this thread just because I've seen a couple people suggest tail spot blenny's and have a question about them. Been doing a lot of research on them and am just wondering how likely it is that they'll be coral nippers? All the threads I've read seem to go from one end of the spectrum to the other, from saying they're the best fish in the tank to decimating corals.

Tank doesn't really have much in it yet but I'd like to have some large colonies of Euphyllia eventually.