New tank, which fish as tank-star?

[Sjd]

hi, i'm going through a tank change, and the new tank is 55-50-36h (centimeters), what would you suggest as tank-star fish? I'd like a centropyge but they are not reef safe at all... so? 

[AshCom]

Well it depends what you mean by "reef safe".

Depending on who you ask, reef safe can mean invert safe but not coral safe, vise verse, both, or neither. A Dwarf Angel (centropyge genus) may be reef safe, depending on the species. Flame angels and other Dwarf Angels, in my experience, have personalities and it really is depending on the fish.

 

You have another issue at hand though.

 

Dwarf Angels, no matter the species, will dominate a 26g/100l. I personally think its too small to house any angel, let alone any butterfly, tang, or any "popular fish". I'd say putting a dwarf angel in anything short of a 40 or even a 30 is a tragedy waiting to happen. Sorry bro! 

 

Here's an awesome list that I think will help with your tank!

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f181/tank-sized-fish-list-fish-stock-guide-212071.html

 

[1967type1]

Six line wrasse are always a good choice but do get territorial.

[Sjd]

thank you 

[Thunder Goose]

Second the no-angels/ tanks/ butterflies in that size tank.

 

There are lots of really good reef-safe fish that stay small. Depends on what you want out of the fish. Color? Royal Gramma are great. Activity? Hard to beat clowns. Behavior? Gobies!

 

Or you could have the "crowd jewel" of the tank be something else - a skunk cleaner shrimp is colorful, active, and often out. Or a particularly "large" and spectacular coral. Sponges (if you're careful about where you buy them and how you handle them) or a gorgonian forest can be interesting.

 

Let us know more specifically what you're thinking about and folks here are very helpful!

[Sjd]

1 hour ago, Thunder Goose said:

Second the no-angels/ tanks/ butterflies in that size tank.

 

There are lots of really good reef-safe fish that stay small. Depends on what you want out of the fish. Color? Royal Gramma are great. Activity? Hard to beat clowns. Behavior? Gobies!

 

Or you could have the "crowd jewel" of the tank be something else - a skunk cleaner shrimp is colorful, active, and often out. Or a particularly "large" and spectacular coral. Sponges (if you're careful about where you buy them and how you handle them) or a gorgonian forest can be interesting.

 

Let us know more specifically what you're thinking about and folks here are very helpful!

 

hi, thanks for the answer

 

Actually i'm moving my actual tank (50/32/35) in the new one (55/50/36) so now i have this fishes in the tank:

1 ocellaris (i'll add another one in the new tank to have a pair)

1 kauderni (maybe i'll do the same)

1 amblygobius rainfordi 

 

1 lysmata amboinensis 

 

i have different coral, lps and soft ones and i want to add something particular, also for example particular snails (cyprea?) 

 

this is a pic of my actual tank (quality is not good)

 

 

[AshCom]

2 hours ago, Sjd said:

hi, thanks for the answer

 

Actually i'm moving my actual tank (50/32/35) in the new one (55/50/36) so now i have this fishes in the tank:

1 ocellaris (i'll add another one in the new tank to have a pair)

1 kauderni (maybe i'll do the same)

1 amblygobius rainfordi 

 

1 lysmata amboinensis 

 

i have different coral, lps and soft ones and i want to add something particular, also for example particular snails (cyprea?) 

 

this is a pic of my actual tank (quality is not good)

 

 

I think the lineup you're planning is great! Adding another clown might be interesting so make sure the new guy is smaller! They'll fight a little but it'll boil down after a week or two. They'll fight like a married couple! A good rule of thumb that I've followed for years, take the gallons (or liters) and half of that is how many inches/cm of fully grown fish should be fine.

 

You could probably throw a second banggai cardinalfish(Pterapogon kauderni) to pair with your pre-existing one (but if its old enough check its sex so you can properly pair them), a single SCS (lysmata amboinensis) is perfect, and a single rainford goby (amblygobius rainfordi) will be perfect for a 26g/100l. A wrasse could be a fun addition but Id stand clear of a 6-line. They're ass hats by nature.

 

If you really want a show stopper, I'd look at maybe a dragonet maybe a year or so down the road once you have a thriving pod population. The smaller the tank, the longer it will take, if a stable population can happen at all.

[Sjd]

45 minutes ago, AshCom said:

I think the lineup you're planning is great! Adding another clown might be interesting so make sure the new guy is smaller! They'll fight a little but it'll boil down after a week or two. They'll fight like a married couple! A good rule of thumb that I've followed for years, take the gallons (or liters) and half of that is how many inches/cm of fully grown fish should be fine.

 

You could probably throw a second banggai cardinalfish(Pterapogon kauderni) to pair with your pre-existing one (but if its old enough check its sex so you can properly pair them), a single SCS (lysmata amboinensis) is perfect, and a single rainford goby (amblygobius rainfordi) will be perfect for a 26g/100l. A wrasse could be a fun addition but Id stand clear of a 6-line. They're ass hats by nature.

 

If you really want a show stopper, I'd look at maybe a dragonet maybe a year or so down the road once you have a thriving pod population. The smaller the tank, the longer it will take, if a stable population can happen at all.

thank you

so you won't for a 6-line wrasse ? and which one would you choose?

 

for the banggai how can i check the sex  (i maybe have to buy a female)? i'd like to havea pair but i think mine it's a male, cause he killed the one who i bought with him (the other one was smaller than this one and got killed; i read that this happen with two male) 

 

for the clownfish i will buy another one, but smaller.

 

maybe i'd add some particular shrimp dunno.

 

here is another pic 

 

 

[AshCom]

1 hour ago, Sjd said:

thank you

so you won't for a 6-line wrasse ? and which one would you choose?

 

for the banggai how can i check the sex  (i maybe have to buy a female)? i'd like to havea pair but i think mine it's a male, cause he killed the one who i bought with him (the other one was smaller than this one and got killed; i read that this happen with two male) 

 

for the clownfish i will buy another one, but smaller.

 

maybe i'd add some particular shrimp dunno.

 

here is another pic 

 

 

Gorgeous tank! For wrasses I'd say my favorite, the melanurus wrasse!

 

Here's an awesome article from Advanced Aquarist that I've used once or twice to check banggai cardinal's.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/how-to-determine-the-sex-of-banggai-cardinalfish

 

For a 26g/100l, a beautiful shrimp I always suggest is a CBS but they can be a little territorial so when introducing, make sure to place him where you'd like him best. Gorgeous shrimp and they definitely have a personality! You could even go with a pistol shrimp/goby pair, if you come across one!

 

How the rainford behaving? I have a trio set to arrive on tuesday!

[Sjd]

2 minutes ago, AshCom said:

Gorgeous tank! For wrasses I'd say my favorite! The melanurus wrasse!

 

Here's an awesome article from Advanced Aquarist that I've used once or twice to check a banggai cardinal's.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/how-to-determine-the-sex-of-banggai-cardinalfish

 

For a 26g/100l, a beautiful shrimp I always suggest is a CBS but they can be a little territorial so when introducing, make sure to place him where you'd like him best. Gorgeous shrimp and they definitely have a personality! You could even go with a pistol shrimp/goby pair, if you come across one!

 

How the rainford behaving? I have a trio set to arrive on tuesday!

for the melanurus wrasse i think my tank is a little bit small

 

the rainfordi is a little bit shy but little by little is being more confident (still he doesnt eat except for something from sand/rocks)

 

are you going to put 3 rainfordi together? 

[AshCom]

20 minutes ago, Sjd said:

for the melanurus wrasse i think my tank is a little bit small

 

the rainfordi is a little bit shy but little by little is being more confident (still he doesnt eat except for something from sand/rocks)

 

are you going to put 3 rainfordi together? 

For a 26g a melanurus shouldn't have issues. I've kept several in a 30 when I had a flame. A yellow or christmas wrasse could also be an option. Tank size ratings are a generalization and really more of a prediction than a fact. Obviously don't put a tang in a 10g cube but, even though a yellow tang is rated for 125+, I've seen them thrive in 40 breeders for years. Its honestly, at the end of the day, your tank and your fish. As long as they don't fight each other, all should be good.

 

Yep the 3 rainfords are going into the same tank. Any suggestions?

[1967type1]

You could do a small melanurus wrasse but back when I had my Christmas wrasse he got huge. 6” and was meaty. He definitely needed more space then my 40 could give him. But as small babies you’ll be fine.

[Sjd]

22 minutes ago, AshCom said:

For a 26g a melanurus shouldn't have issues. I've kept several in a 30 when I had a flame. A yellow or christmas wrasse could also be an option. Tank size ratings are a generalization and really more of a prediction than a fact. Obviously don't put a tang in a 10g cube but, even though a yellow tang is rated for 125+, I've seen them thrive in 40 breeders for years. Its honestly, at the end of the day, your tank and your fish. As long as they don't fight each other, all should be good.

 

Yep the 3 rainfords are going into the same tank. Any suggestions?

no, it's my first experience with these guys 

[1.0reef]

Instead of a six line get a possum or pink streak wrasse. 

[Sjd]

7 hours ago, 1.0reef said:

Instead of a six line get a possum or pink streak wrasse. 

thank you

[R_Pierce]

Helfrichi Firefish.  Pair of Davinci or Picasso clowns.  I was never a huge fan of firefish until I got one, and now its one of my favorite fish.  Hes always out and always swimming around.

[Sjd]

2 minutes ago, R_Pierce said:

Helfrichi Firefish.  Pair of Davinci or Picasso clowns.  I was never a huge fan of firefish until I got one, and now its one of my favorite fish.  Hes always out and always swimming around.

a pair of helfrichi too, but first i have to cover the tank, since they like to jump out