Back to square 1 on livestock plans

[Gobynose]

Hi all,

 

it seems that the fish I thought would be available for my tank are not actually available so I’m back with more questions.

 

I have a 20 gallon tank that is 2ft x 1ft by 16”. I am interested in having three fish at the very most, but really I’d like to stick with two. 
 

This is my first saltwater tank and since I’m totally new at this I only want captive bred fish. I don’t feel right pulling something out of the ocean and then potentially killing it because I haven’t learned enough.

 

I’re read Igreens thread for fish recommendations.

 

Here are my questions.

 

1) Besides Pacific East, LiveAquaria and AlgaeBarn is there anywhere a person can purchase one or two captive bred fish online? I have found several wholesalers but my LFS doesn’t have an account with a couple of them.
 

2) I frequently see Yellow Watchman Gobies recommended for small tanks. Could I really keep one in my 20 gallon for its entire life and have it be happy? If you have one of these fish, how long have you had it/how old is it and how big is it?

 

3) I can definitely get captive bred ocellaris. I’m nervous about their aggression as they mature. I want to be as sure as possible that I can care for whatever fish I get for it’s entire lifespan in my tank. I’ve read a lot of reports of the female beating up the male to the point where one fish has to be moved once they reach maturity and I don’t have the space or money to set up a second tank. Have you had a pair of clowns develop issues? Can a single clown be kept happily? If I got a single clown would I ever be able to put another fish in the tank?

 

4) Pacific East seems to have tiger gobies (tigrigobiua macradon) available and I do like them a lot but I also would love to have fish that interact with each other. Does anybody know if these guys will pair with each other in a small tank?

 

5) For anybody who has had a stable fish population in a 20 gal nano reed for at least a year and a half...what do you have?  I’m worried about fish (of many species) turning on each other as they age.

 

thanks!

 

 

 

 

[Clown79]

Each fishes personality is different.

 

I've had clowns that had to be returned, I've had docile clowns, I've added clowns after 7 months, I've had individual clowns, I've added other fish after them, some were fine with additions whereas others weren't happy with certain fish but fine with another. 

 

Unfortunately captive bred or wild, death sometimes happens and it can happen for various reasons.

[Tamberav]

2. Yes, they don't need a ton of space, a 20g would be fine. They pair with pistol shrimp but a shrimp isn't necessary for their health. 

 

3. Clowns are individuals and some don't work out, and some get mean as they age. Others are totally docile.

 

4. Most gobies change sex and can pair but sometimes this doesn't always work and you end up with two that just don't get along. 

 

You may want to check out whitespotted pygmy filefish. they stay small and Diver's Den sells pairs of them. Mine are peaceful, the female only gets a little snotty at times when she has eggs to guard. 

 

 

[mcarroll]

On 2/21/2020 at 7:24 PM, Gobynose said:

is there anywhere a person can purchase one or two fish?

If you don't have a LFS that you can go to in a pinch, or at least have some friends nearby that are into reefs, I'd definitely have second thoughts about getting into the hobby.  But the LFS is where you buy one or two fish, to answer your question directly.  👍

 

If you're on your own, I would suggest starting off WITHOUT fish. 

 

Instead start with just live rock and give it a few months to develop.  Add some cleanup crew as needed....should take a month or few.   Add some corals...take as long as you like. 

 

If you do all that and take plenty of time in between all steps  you take (as you should), then it can easily be more than a year before you have to think about adding fish to the tank anyway.

 

By that time you'll have a lot more experience -- and the tank will be a MUCH healthier place for a new fish to move into.

 

With that experience you also might be OK just staying fish-free (I did that for lots of years).

 

Or, with that experience, you might change your opinion from how you think now on a number of topics.

 

You might even find a way to set up a bigger tank that'll allow you a wider selection of fish to choose from.  Who knows!

 

FYI, I ended up living with my 37 Gallon for about a decade (and grew crazy amounts of SPS) before I upgraded to a larger tank where I could more comfortably house fish.  (125 Gallons.)  I have one Yellow Tang and one Black Damselfish now.  No real plans to add more, but I might eventually.  👍

 

P.S.  I would also strongly suggest reading at least a book or two before you go much further with anything else.  There's a range of essential knowledge covered in a good book that rarely  or never comes up online.   There are TONS of great books, but IMO start with Martin Moe's two main books....lots of copies out there used.....great info.   You can look in my reading thread for more book ideas:  Chime in with your reef-oriented reading list!

[Gobynose]

Oops sorry! For some reason some of my text got cut out when I posted. I meant to ask if there is a place where one can order captive bred fish online as an individual customer rather than having to have a wholesale account. I do have two LFS and they can get in some fish as a special order, I’m just trying to make sure I’m not missing some option.

 

I do also have a quarantine tank and will get a breeder box so in a pinch I will be able to separate fish at any time, and at least one of my LFS will take back fish (I haven’t asked the second one yet) but I would still like to do my best to pick fish that I can care for for their whole lives.

 

I have read some arguments towards getting coral first but I’m really more interested in macroalgae, fish and non-sessile invertebrates. My tank has been running for 2 weeks (I already have my live rock in it) and it’ll be at least another two before any fish arrive and then they’ll be in quarantine for at least a month so the tank will be 1.5-2.5 months old before fish go in.  Thanks for the book recommendations!

[mcarroll]

Are you already good at growing freshwater plants, or houseplants, or a garden, etc?

 

IMO they are not easy to grow on purpose unless you're talking about he weediest, most aggressive, most tolerant types. 

 

I think most saltwater macro algae will be on the harder side of that equation if you don't already know what you're doing with green plants. 

 

 

I would still roughly keep with the plan I mentioned.....substitute macro algae for corals.  I would make sure the tank is humming along growing the algae well before you introduce the "complication" of fish and fish feeding.

 

This will also make the tank much more ready for fish by the time you do get around to adding them.

 

Check out Sustainable Aquatics....they are a wholesaler/breeder/importer that also sells on eBay and from their retail store in TN.  I'd still try to order through one of your LFS's if they'll bring the fish in for you.