What do you think I should get?

B

Betta132

New member
I have a 29g Biocube that I just remodeled. It's going to be a macroalgae tank with a few nice zooanthid colonies, nothing fancy or picky.
I used to have this nice rooster waspfish, but I lost him to what I believe was old age. He showed no signs of ill health, then just vanished. Rearranging the rockwork revealed no sign of him, and he can't have gotten into the filter.
I considered another rooster waspy, but I'm trying to decide.
I want to add a molly at some point, just a little back or dalmatian molly.
I wanted a bluestripe pipefish, but I decided that my blue damsel would probably pester it. Constantly.
Current stock:
1 Wheeler's goby
1 tiger pistol (will probably add another
1 yellowtail blue damsel (not overly agressive, just kind of a bully towards little things)
Possibly one very old sand snail - can't tell if he's still there.

What I'll probably add:
Scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
Maybe a couple of little hermits
Possibly a porcelain crab
Molly (not a sailfin)

Options:
Bluestripe pipefish.
Pros:
ADORABLE.
Nonaggressive
Low bio-load
Cons:
Potential food for some fish
Needs constant food supply
Could get into filter
Might be pestered by damsel

Rooster waspfish
Pros:
Neat
Display fish
Personality
Cons:
Eats smaller things (shrimp, Hector's goby, blah)
Venomous
Probably just eats frozen foods

Hector's goby
Pros:
Adorable
Personality
Nips algae
Looks pretty
Cons:
Might nibble macroalgae
Small ones will be pestered by damsel (experience)

Any other ideas? Has to be fairly small, can't tear macroalgae up, and can't be mean. It also has to be something that won't die at the slightest sign of anything.
You're welcome to suggest fish or inverts that fit this! One more thing for inverts: They can't tear pistol shrimp burrows up. The pistol will wake me up at night with its shooting at the intruder.
 
The damsel needs to come out no matter what fish you get. The pipefish probably won't live long in a tank that size with no sump and you mentioned above can't die at the slight sign of something. The waspfish is a fit. Clown goby maybe? If you had a deep 6" sand bed some garden eels would be something different? Don't think your going to have the sand bed though
 
I actually love the damsel. I know they can get really mean when they grow up, but he's stopped growing and isn't too mean. He's got a lot of personality, too.
Hmm... Clown gobies are a good idea. They taste nasty, which means nothing will bother them.
I researched garden eels a while ago, and they have more requirements than just the deep sand from what I've seen. I'm leaving them alone for now.
I'm adding a 7g sump/fuge fairly soon, but I think I'm going to avoid the bluestripe.
 
That damsel will douse you problems down the road. They are mean.

I think the clown goby idea is a good one.
 
I've had this damsel for several years and haven't seen an increase in aggression. He's just a bit nippy with small things. If they turn around and go at him, he leaves them alone. Unless he starts actually hurting things or causing problems besides making something hide for a day or two when I first get it, he's going to stay. He's a little booger, but he's pretty and I like his personality.
Clown gobies... Can those guys be kept with other clowns?
 
I meant, can they be kept with other clown gobies?
I had my damsel go after one once... He nipped it once, then kind of backed away mouthing like a cat who'd eaten something nasty. Clown gobies apparently taste horrible.
Hmm... I hadn't considered a clown. Ocelliaris (sp?) are usually fairly nice, aren't they?

Hey, my damselfish is eating the C. Prolifera I have in there! Biting it, at least. Cool, I didn't know they did that.
 
You could get a pair of occies. They would max out the stocking in your tank, but would make a nice fit for what you have in there now.

You can have more than one clown goby in a tank. They'll pair up I think.
 
Would just one occie be happy, or do they need groups? I'm trying to leave the tank with some space open, just in case my LFS comes up with something awesome. They do that sometimes... Rhino blennies, unusual gobies, or that waspfish.
Note for compatibility: Fish that dart like crazy when startled should not be kept with waspfish. I had a beauty of a rhino blenny impale himself on my waspfish's spines and die.
 
The yellowtail blue damsel is on the peaceful side for a damsel. He may be a bit territorial to a new clownfish, as they are in the damselfish family too, but if you get a female occellaris that has been in the store for awhile she should be able to stand her ground.

A single clown will be just fine on it's own.
 
I think I'm going to see if I can find a rooster waspfish, maybe.
I'll keep the occy in mind... I'd kinda like to see my wasp go after one. He'd go after it, but then he'd totally freak as soon as it turned and moved at him. He's a bit of a coward... I've seen him hide from a feather caulerpa leaf because it moved in the current and whacked him.

Waspfish
Clown goby or two
Occy
Hector's goby

Any other ideas, folks?
I considered another couple of damsels, but I'm not sure if my established one would attack them.
 
I've caught my damsel twice (both times accidentally) in a bottle trap. I don't think I have to worry, especially for now. The only thing for him to go after is a shrimpgoby that's very thoroughly protected. The damsel used to pester the goby when it was tiny, but then he got shot in the face by the pistol and now he's terrified of the burrows. Sometimes he'll make a dash for the goby, but then he sees the pistol and I can practically hear him screaming as he runs away!
 
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