What order to add fish to avoid aggression

[Bishopsnet]

These are the fish I'm going with:

Ocellaris clown
Tail spot blenny
Watchman/pistol pair
Cherub angel

May or may not add a 5th fish later. Banggai or royal gramma. It's a 28 gallon nano cube, so the space is limited. I hear clowns can be aggressive. I wanted to add that first, but I'm worried he will attack the tail spot, which I want to add second. I heard tail spot blenny can get bullied.

 

[Half Vaped]

Ocellaris Clowns are usually not too bad if they're not mated. Put the Clown second to last and the Angel last to minimize possible aggression issues. I keep a Flameback Angel in my 28 Cube and it's surprisingly very well behaved, even with fish added after it. But better to stack the odds in your favor.

 

[A sea K]

These are the fish I'm going with:

Ocellaris clown
Tail spot blenny
Watchman/pistol pair
Cherub angel

May or may not add a 5th fish later. Banggai or royal gramma.

Ive never had issues with Ocellaris or Perc pairs with a Tailspot in systems down to 30 gal, that said it would be better to err on the side of caution and go with the tailspot first.

If you have any inkling of adding a fifth fish wait on the Cherub and add it last. They can be very rough on new additions and especially so in smaller tanks.

 

[schnebbles]

If the pistol pairs with the watchman is it safe to have cleaner shrimp? I'm looking at that as well

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[AboutAcans]

A. That seems like a lot of fish for a 28 gallon nano B. The dominant fish are going to going to be aggressive no matter what order you add them in. If it's in a fish' nature, no order of adding is going to change that. C. I hope it's not a reef cause the Cherub will usually pick at corals.

 

[scooter31707]

I do not recommend putting that Dwarf Angel in that size tank.

 

[Half Vaped]

If the pistol pairs with the watchman is it safe to have cleaner shrimp? I'm looking at that as well

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In my 28 Cube, I keep a Wheeler's Goby paired with a Tiger Pistol and they get along fine with both a Fire and Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp.

 

[Bishopsnet]

I do not recommend putting that Dwarf Angel in that size tank.

I was reading up on the pygmy Angel. It said you could put it in a 30 gal. The flame and coral beauty have to go in a 50 gal or bigger. Are you saying it's too big for the tank or it will eat coral?

 

[AboutAcans]

NO angel belongs in a 28 gallon nano. They are extremely active fish even if they remain smaller.

 

[devimik]

I agree, I would not put any Angel in a 28g Nano. Can you? Yes - should you? I think not - they are extremely active. The other fish are ok - you could add a Pygmy Wrasse or Royal Gramma. Just my $0.02.

 

[scooter31707]

I was reading up on the pygmy Angel. It said you could put it in a 30 gal. The flame and coral beauty have to go in a 50 gal or bigger. Are you saying it's too big for the tank or it will eat coral?

Both. They can become jerks as they mature and if they are the dominant fish in the tank which it will be in your case. IMO, I would say a 40 gallon breeder would be the minimum for them. Also there is a 50/50 chance they will nip at corals. IME, I have not seen them nip.

 

[Hyp81]

Sorry to interject, but do you have to buy the goby together with the shrimp, or will they pair naturally if placed in the same habitat together?

 

[Bishopsnet]

Ocellaris Clowns are usually not too bad if they're not mated. Put the Clown second to last and the Angel last to minimize possible aggression issues. I keep a Flameback Angel in my 28 Cube and it's surprisingly very well behaved, even with fish added after it. But better to stack the odds in your favor.

It sounds like adding fish like flamebacks and six line wrasses are just gambles. They either work or they don't

 

[Half Vaped]

It sounds like adding fish like flamebacks and six line wrasses are just gambles. They either work or they don't

Yes that's correct. I had some reservations about putting the Flameback in the 28G, but was prepared to take apart the rock to remove him if I had to. It's actually been a complete Angel the whole time I had him and I consider him the centerpiece of the tank.

I also have plenty of rock in the Cube so it has ample caves and crevices to explore. And I feed my tank three or more times everyday, which I believe suppresses aggression. So it's a fat, friendly Angel constantly exploring the tank.

But if I happened to have a nasty Angel, I might be one of the guys yelling "Never put any Angel in a tank less than 50G!" But it's been good so far. Haven't even touched any of my softy, LPS or SPS in the tank.

 

[Bishopsnet]

I also have plenty of rock in the Cube so it has ample caves and crevices to explore. And I feed my tank three or more times everyday, which I believe suppresses aggression. So it's a fat, friendly Angel constantly exploring the tank.

3 times a day? That's a lot. Do you have a big bio load?

 

[Half Vaped]

3 times a day? That's a lot. Do you have a big bio load?

I consider my 28 Cube to be at max capacity. Heavy wet skimming and dosing NOPOX keeps my NO3 around 1 ppm and PO4 around 0.1 ppm.

Did you end up getting the Tunze?

 

[Bishopsnet]

I consider my 28 Cube to be at max capacity. Heavy wet skimming and dosing NOPOX keeps my NO3 around 1 ppm and PO4 around 0.1 ppm.

Did you end up getting the Tunze?

I opted for no skimmer. Live rock and setup has cost me a pretty penny. There is such little room back there. What to do. I may go lidless, upgrade my light and add a sump later if I can get the overtime at work. Little at a time. I'll have plenty of room for a skimmer with no lid and my filtration moved to the cabinet.

 

[Half Vaped]

Ahh, with no skimmer I would recommend you skip the Angel. I believe heavy feeding is a requirement to keep them from getting nippy and with no skimmer, the nutrients in your tank will be very hard to manage and you will likely have a heavy algae infestation.

I think the rest of your stock list should be fine with smallish, once a day feeding.

 

[Bishopsnet]

Ahh, with no skimmer I would recommend you skip the Angel. I believe heavy feeding is a requirement to keep them from getting nippy and with no skimmer, the nutrients in your tank will be very hard to manage and you will likely have a heavy algae infestation.

I think the rest of your stock list should be fine with smallish, once a day feeding.

Yeah. By the time I add the 4th fish I'll probably add a skimmer. I am gonna take it slow with adding fish.

 

[Bishopsnet]

Are tail spots considered a hardy fish I could add first?