re-stocking 30 gallon

[jesseatam]

So long story short many months ago I had an ich wipeout, the tanks been fishless for an extra two months over the normal fallow period so it should definitely be safe by now. I'd like to avoid getting the same exact fish that I've had before if possible because I was pretty attached to most of my previous fish and I'd hate to feel like I'm just replacing them. Also as someone new to saltwater I'd like to get experience with as many different fish as possible. Also I will mostly likely be purchasing from LiveAquaria since I just recieved a gift certificate for them for christmas.

 

Anyway some of the fish I have been considering are:

- Any of the ORA Filefish: I would 100% get a bristletail but they're not in stock, also concerned about the small mouths of all the other species

- ORA Assessor: Would also definitely get one but not in stock

- ORA Fang Blenny:  Just worried about jumping as the tank is mostly but not completely covered

- Clowns: I've had ocellaris before but with all the different morphs I'd have them again, I've looked at other species but they all seem to get bigger than I'd like and get mean as they grow.

- Dottybacks: Theres just something about these fish that I love. Every time I see a decent sized one at a store I'm just immediately drawn to it, not considering any pictichromis though. I would love to try a splendid but since they get to a decent size I'd worry about it going after my fire shrimp eventually but I might risk it. I was also maybe thinking about a pair of some kind or even converting the tank to species only for a single pseudochromis steenei.

- Basslets: I loved my royal gramma, a lot of the other species have a pretty high price tag though which is a bit off putting.

- Damsels: post ich destruction I tried a talbots but it didn't make it through qt, but I would try another. I also like Springeri, azure, starcki, and rolland's damsels.

 

If you guys have any experiences with these fish or have any other ideas please share, thank you 

[1.0reef]

Definitely a lot of good choices in there, I'm bias to species tanks but I think a species tank for a pair of a larger dottyback species would be awesome. For a community tank a pair of clowns with a smaller pseudochromis/assessor and a couple other small fish would work well too. 

Theres a few neat Liopropoma species that aren't too common that won't break the bank, swalesi is a good example. 

For clowns, there's plenty of Occy/Perc morphs, and Skunk clowns are a good option as thy tend to stay relatively small. 

[jesseatam]

Ending up getting a Link's goby and a Blackline blenny to start off with. Final stocking I'll probably end up with 4 fish, I'm thinking a bristletail filefish and an elongate dotty or yellow assessor as the last two but who knows what will catch my eye next.

[malacoda]

Nice to see someone else giving a fang blenny a try. Very underrated fish IMHO. Great curious personalities and always out and about in the water column.

 

With regard to jumping, each fish is different of course, but typically the only thing you need to be careful of is spooking it in the middle of the night. Since they tend to sleep vertically against the tank glass, if they get spooked while sleeping their reflex response will be to swim away ... upward ... fast. 

 

My wife turned on a bright hallway light to get ready for work early one morning. My tank is in a room just off the hallway. It wasn't the first time, but some reason that particular morning the light from the hallway suddenly spilling into the room with the tank spooked my green canary blenny.  Found him shriveled up on the floor a couple hours later when I got up and went into that room to feed the fish.

[jambon]

I had a barnacle Benny in the past.. long story but I would recommend one of these. Liveaquaria carries them. Tiny fish with large personality. They pop out of there home for food and back. And just hang out with there face looking out  for food or danger. Mine lived in a little hole in my live rock.

[jesseatam]

1 hour ago, malacoda said:

Nice to see someone else giving a fang blenny a try. Very underrated fish IMHO. Great curious personalities and always out and about in the water column.

 

With regard to jumping, each fish is different of course, but typically the only thing you need to be careful of is spooking it in the middle of the night. Since they tend to sleep vertically against the tank glass, if they get spooked while sleeping their reflex response will be to swim away ... upward ... fast. 

 

My wife turned on a bright hallway light to get ready for work early one morning. My tank is in a room just off the hallway. It wasn't the first time, but some reason that particular morning the light from the hallway suddenly spilling into the room with the tank spooked my green canary blenny.  Found him shriveled up on the floor a couple hours later when I got up and went into that room to feed the fish.

Yeah I've been wanting one for a while, I actually originally wanted a kamohara blenny as my first fish but ending up getting a royal gramma.

 

I think that must have happened with the royal gramma I had, it's a terrible way to lose a fish. Also, mind me asking what your fang blenny first ate when you got it? Mine hasn't eaten yet but I think it's still recovering from shipping stress. Currently it's the morning of the third day as I'm typing this and the little guy is the most active I've seen which is promising, I'm going to trying offering some mysis and cyclops again later as the little guy pays no mind to the pellets the link's goby has been eating.

[malacoda]

The green canary (aka tonga blenny) was wild caught. When I first got it, it ate LRS Reef Frenzy. But it didn't take more than a week or so of seeing other fish eat NLS Marine Pellets (1mm) before it caught on and started eating them too.

 

The current ORA blackline that I have eats both LRS and most any pellet or flake as long as it's no bigger than 1-2mm.

 

If it's an ORA fish, it'll know what pellets are ... but a little 'fresh' food may provide the scent needed for its instincts to kick in and overcome any lingering shipping stress, so your plan of continuing to offer the mysis or cyclopeeze sounds like a good one.