Maroon clown and gobies

[HiFinFan]

First off I'm pretty noob with saltwater (fish especially), but my first tank is currently a standard 10 gallon reef I've had for little over 6 months. Currently only have a red-banded hi fin goby in there (roughly 1.5-2" currently) my girlfriend decided today that she wanted to put another fish in there so here comes the complications... She bought a very small (1-1.5") white striped maroon clown that had been getting picked on pretty bad and was hiding in a corner. He's got pretty nipped up fins. My question is how compatible are Hi fins and maroons specifically? It's a longshot, I know the reputation maroons have for agression but is the fact that this guy was bullied gonna make this guy more timid/less aggressive? My priority is my Hi fin I'd rather keep him than the clown but both if at all do-able. I don't wanna risk my goby though /:

[Clown79]

Maroons are very aggressive fish. It may go after the goby as it becomes larger and more territorial.

 

Its also too big of a fish for a 10g. They grow to 6". Suited for tanks 30g and up.

 

A small tank with large fish may cause more territorial issues and water quality issues as well.

[HiFinFan]

Thank you. I assumed this was gonna be the case unfortunately. It was a impulse/guilt buy from my girlfriend she doesn't care much for research lol

[uwharrie]

Maroons are b--chs mine lives in a 29 gal with a flame hawk. ( bigger than the maroon) can't add anything else to the tank as she will kill it

[Clown79]

Unfortunately i have learned to never impulse buy. Did it once with regret. I google everything i can't remember right in the store now.

 

The other issue is, the fins being torn up may not be from being bullied but rather the maroon possibly fighting or even an illness.

[Jigsaw]

Young Maroons shouldn't be too bad, but as they get older, boy do they get mean. Make sure you have plenty of rock work in case the goby needs it! I'd be cautiously optimistic about the relationship.

 

Also, rule of thumb: Don't get fish that look beat up, as @Clown79 mentioned, they could be sick/have a weak immune system.

[jestep]

It really depends on the clown though. I had a maroon that was the most tame clown I've ever seen, you could probably pick her up out of the tank with your hand. Was not aggressive towards other fish either. Probably the exception but I've seen very timid maroons, clarki's, and other normally aggressive clowns. Juveniles are generally safe and sometimes if the are in a tank with other fish when they're young, they may accept all the fish in there and just get aggressive when you add anything new. But, you're going to have a heck of nutrient problem with a maroon in that tank at all. Unless you like to do water changes, the potential for stocking a 10 gallon is very low.