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1-2 inch fish for 30 gallon?


Lynaea

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I recently started a 30 gallon (36"x12"x16") and have been thinking about how to stock it. At first I considered the standard beginner fish (bicolor blenny, firefish, shrimp gobies) but the more I look at my tank the more I think 2-3, 4 inch(ish) fish will 'fill it up', and look too big in it.

 

I have been searching online and so far have come up with:

Pair of Rusty Gobies

Dusky yellow streak blenny

Yellow or citron clown goby

12+ Sexy shrimp

 

I am still going to just do macro's, zoa's and paly's (maybe ricordia).

 

Does anyone have any experience with my choices they could share?

 

Anyone have any other suggestions for small, peaceful fish? I feel like I need a bottom dweller or two as well.

 

I'm coming from freshwater planted tanks so most of these fish look really big to me anyway so also feel free to tell me if I should go about this differently :)

 

This is my tank at the moment, thanks for any info.

 

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most hawkfish are great, plus are larger, have personality, and are usually inexpensive. you could also do a royal gramma, you could also do a six line wrasse

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Thank for the ideas,

 

 

This might seem weird to some but I'm looking for ideas of fish that are less active and don't act like standard, swimming fish. I have kept freshwater forever and have plenty of active, swimming fish.

 

 

Any ideas for small goby/blenny type fish, or even something oddball?

 

Thanks!

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Sugardaddy1979

Any of the shrimp gobies. Yasha or a twins pot are really cool. Pajama Cardinals stay put and are neat.

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MirandaCaine

Neon blue, clown, two spot, Catalina, red head, cave transparent, prawn, high fin red banded (all gobies) and I agree with tetraodon hawk fish are cool and have awesome personalities

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most hawkfish are great, plus are larger, have personality, and are usually inexpensive. you could also do a royal gramma, you could also do a six line wrasse

Hawkfish will go after shrimp one did in my friends tank..

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Tail spot blennies are quirky and have good personalities (but they jump so need a lid).

A dwarf angel would be nice too. They swim but hang near the rocks and aren't open water swimmers.

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Hawkfish will go after shrimp one did in my friends tank..

 

Easy fix, dont have shrimp, its their natural prey, my friend will put in ghost shrimp couple times a month in addition to regular food

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meganmcguppy18

Hawkfish will go after shrimp one did in my friends tank..

Hawkfish will go after shrimp? Shrimp is a part of the Hawkfish's diet so duh its gonna go after shrimp, do the research, i'm still a rookie reefer and even I knew that. Having a Hawkfish means you cant have shrimp, so what? I have a Hawkfish and I wouldn't trade him for any other fish in the world. They're cool looking, smart, personable, and a great hardy beginner fish, I highly recommend a Hawkfish to anyone who asks.

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How about a fuzzy dwarf lionfish? Or my faves Fu Manchu. Definitely odd ball. I think with the macros and zoas you should be fine. I hear they become very personable and pet-like with their owners. Like many puffers can be.

 

Again, an invert eater tho.

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Thanks for all the ideas, I'll start researching some of these.

 

I'll read more about the hawk fish, but I really want some shrimp :)

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My longnose hawk never bothered my skunkcleaner shrimp or my peppermint but it did love to grab my blue-legged hermits(left the red legs alone). How about a couple of neon gobies always move around and look cool,not much of a bioload either can probably count 2 as 1.

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Be aware that all those sexy shrimp might decide to eat your zoas' skirts off. Mine also ate the polyps off my gorgonians. And take the food out of my anemones' mouths. This is despite the fact that I try to target feed them. I still think they are adorable, but they are jerks! I won't be getting sexies again.

 

I have had a long nose hawkfish before, and I will add they are awesome fish. Hawkfish > Sexy shrimp!

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Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

I have been doing lots of research and have come up with a wish list :) :

 

Pair of Rusty gobies

Pair of yellow clown gobies

Dusky yellow streak blenny

Saddled blenny (??maybe??)

Priolepis nocturna

Tangaroa shrimp goby

Yasha shrimp goby

Coral croucher

3-4 masked gobies - Coryphopterus personatus

Maybe a red scooter ........ eventually

 

I'm also considering going with periclimenes yucatan (an anemone cleaner shrimp) instead of sexy's. I really like the peppermints though so I may still get 1-2 of those too.

 

This seems like a lot when I put it all together but all of these fish are under 2" max, I won't end up stocking all of them anyway. I have tried to find fish that inhabit different regions too.

 

Anyone have any experience with any of these fish/inverts? Besides the YCG's they are somewhat rare and I can only find minimal info on them.

 

Also what would be a good stocking level (36" x 12" x 16" high)?

 

Thanks for reading!

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Yellow clown gobies can have some trouble taking to prepared food so make sure you buy some with a nice full belly.

 

Another fish that I think would fit well are the possum wrasse or cryptic sixline, they are tiny little peek-a-boo fish are fun to watch.

 

What exactly is the saddled blenny? Sciencey name?

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What exactly is the saddled blenny? Sciencey name?

 

Malacoctenus triangulatus. They are an Atlantic fish. I'm curious as well if anyone has experience with them. They look like a neat little fish to go into my Florida biotope tank I am planning.

 

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Lynaea -- been pursuing Sealifeinc.net for fish ideas? A lot of the fish on your list are fish they stock. :)

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Haha, yeah that's were I found several of them. From the info there it sounds like the saddled might inhabit a slightly different niche then the yellow streak blenny. I need more info though.

 

I'll look up the fish you mentioned Squared, they sound like what I'm looking for :)

 

Thanks!

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