24G invert aquapod fish suggestions

[mndfreeze]

After being out of reefing for 8 years or so I'm getting back into the game.  Building a mixed reef.  I'm an invert lover first and foremost with my last tank being a Ternatensis mantis tank.  This time around though, at least for now, I want a wider variety of things.

 

I have a tiger pistol and watchman goby.  I'm going to add more inverts (beyond just common hermits and snails) like sexy shrimp, porcelain crabs, pom pom crabs, etc etc.  

 

The thing I'm stuck on is what other fish to put in.  I need something that fully reef and invert safe that can work in a 24G cube.  Bonus points if it has weird behavior or some strange relationship with something or personality.  If I have to I'll end up defaulting to a pair of fancy clowns or something.

 

For coral the system will be mostly SPS and LPS.  I'm not big into softies though at some point I might end up with some bounce mushrooms or something..

 

Hopefully you guys can throw some compatible sugestions my way as the list in the beginning forum hasn't really shown me anything that I'm sure on yet.

 

I'm sort of considering a flame angel.  

[1.0reef]

Flame angel would be a bit big in a 24 gallon, if you can find one a golden aurinatus dwarf angel could work, as they’re a smaller and more cryptic species.

For inverts, a squat lobster would be cool, and there’s tons of obscure anemone shrimp. Periclimenes and Urocaridella shrimp are great options. Blue coral shrimp will also work, and they aren’t as aggressive as their relatives. If you get an sps colony, a Trapezia crab would be a cool addition.

Other options include urchins, certain nudibranchs, certain star fish, anemones, and feather dusters.

[jambon]

Barnacle blennys are quite interesting they dart out of there hole for food and just hang out on there doorstep checking things out.

  Assesors are colorful and don't harass there tank mates.

   Possum wrasses or similar open swimmers.

   I would avoid the angelfish... The tank may support it but it could get aggressive to the tank mates

  Some interesting predators out there as well. I had a "gumdrop coral croucher" it is in the scorpionfish family.

[mndfreeze]

That gumdrop looks cool, but won't it eat any small shrimp I get?  Thats sort of the predicament I'm in.  I'd like to get some shrimp and crabs that are all pretty small.  Anemone shrimp and sexy shrimp are fairly tiny.  Scorpionfish are notorious for eating anything and everything they can fit in their mouths. lol

 

There will be SPS in the tank.  I haven't picked any up yet but I do currently have a hydnophora drag, hammer frag and and leptoseris.  

 

Ohhh I like that possum wrasse though.  I was sort of avoiding looking much at wrasses because they are generally known for eating various inverts.

[Clown79]

Purple firefish.

 

Very beautiful fish with a peaceful personality.

 

It will also stand out due to its colours.

[mndfreeze]

Yeah, I've had the regular and purple firefish before.  They were fairly neat tho skittish as ####.   I'm going to hunt around for a possum wrasse for a bit first and if I don't find one in the next few weeks (or someone suggests something amazingly better that I can find) then I'll probably default to something like a fire fish or a small clown, or perhaps something like a barnacle blenny though I would prefer a fish thats swimming around more.

[mndfreeze]

So I finally got a possum wrasse.  I got the white lined one.  However I'm having issues getting it to eat.  It ate in the fish store but they use some whack custom made food.   Anyone have any ideas?

 

I've tried mixed flake that has mysis in it.  I've tried pellets.  I've tried reef stew which is basically 4 species of phytoplankton, copepods, and brine shrimp all live, nothing.

 

 

[1891Bro]

30 minutes ago, mndfreeze said:

So I finally got a possum wrasse.  I got the white lined one.  However I'm having issues getting it to eat.  It ate in the fish store but they use some whack custom made food.   Anyone have any ideas?

 

I've tried mixed flake that has mysis in it.  I've tried pellets.  I've tried reef stew which is basically 4 species of phytoplankton, copepods, and brine shrimp all live, nothing.

 

 

I didn’t read enough into detail to see how long you had it. Give it a few days at least. Little ####er will get hungry. 

[mndfreeze]

Yeah it's only been 2 days.  Just concerned it's a picky eater and I'm missing something obvious.  I talked to the fish store after posting this and their mix has a bit of everything in it.  Apparently the other white banded possum (the one I didn't buy) picks the blood worms out so I'll go pick some of those up tomorrow I guess.

 

[mndfreeze]

Still not eating, at least not in front of me.  He spents all day and some of the night eyeballing the rocks but I never see him pick at it.  He seems to get 'excited' when I put food in the water but just looks at it and chases it around but doesn't actually eat.  Damn you wrasse.  Now I need to do a pre-emptive water change because I've been feeding so heavy trying to get him to eat something lol.

 

I guess starvation is what he's gunna get. 😕

[jambon]

If he is healthy he shouldn't starve to death. Give it time. Is this your first fish in the tank? Oops i missed the YWG... the wrasse was likely wild caught. He is learning a whole new way of life. They are used to cruising around there reef looking for there favorite foods. 

   This is irrelevant but  I saw a cool wrasse the other day. It was a black belt wrasse juvenile, it was black with yellow dots on the fins. It will be a predator when it's an adult. He is still in the store.