Considering 3rd fish

[rough eye]

so my tank will be a year old in a month and a half. Still never added a protein skimmer, no dosing, a few softies plus the purple stylo and small trumpet. Because I have nearly no algae and low nitrates I'm considering adding a 3rd fish and have been for a while. Had my eye on a few grammas that just came in the local fish store last week. Any thoughts as to adding a 3rd with the clown and tail spot? Any warnings? Of course all the fish I'd love to add are out of the question - scooter or filefish or some other weird looking specimen. Both fish I have now are pretty active and wouldn't want anyone to feel cramped.

[banasophia]

I’d vote for a second (smaller) clownfish, or for a yellow clown goby, of course. 

[rough eye]

1 minute ago, banasophia said:

I’d vote for a second (smaller) clownfish, or for a yellow clown goby, of course. 

i like the idea of a clown goby but wouldn't it eat the stylo? i'm resisting the idea of a 2nd occelaris clown because of the potential for drama. as a divorcee i know how couples can be 🙂

[banasophia]

Hmmm… yes, it could potentially be an issue with the YCG and the stylo… good point. 

 

I’d take a chance with the clownfish, maybe they will find true fish love. I really like my fish to have mates when possible. 

[Chutsk10]

I think a Royal Gramma should be fine. In my experience they are all bark and no bite. I keep one with a pair of clowns and a firefish in a 20 and aside from a few open mouth in your face moments he hasn't harassed or attacked anyone.

 

I've been eyeing the small wrasses lately myself. Either a pink streaked wrasse or possum wrasse. Just a few other options for you.  

[banasophia]

1 minute ago, Chutsk10 said:

I think a Royal Gramma should be fine. In my experience they are all bark and no bite. I keep one with a pair of clowns and a firefish in a 20 and aside from a few open mouth in your face moments he hasn't harassed or attacked anyone.

 

I've been eyeing the small wrasses lately myself. Either a pink streaked wrasse or possum wrasse. Just a few other options for you.  

Yes, I was just going to suggest a possum wrasse too. 👍

[Jaren45]

I love my sailfin blenny!

[rough eye]

does a possum wrasse eat bristleworms? because that might be a plus.

[Tired]

A possum wrasse may go after bristleworms, yes. Make sure you have lots of hiding places available, especially if you go for a gramma. Grammas need a cave they can defend, and will lunge at things around that cave. 

[mcarroll]

15 hours ago, rough eye said:

does a possum wrasse eat bristleworms? because that might be a plus.

Are you culturing bristle worms as food items or something?  Pretty cool!

[Jakesaw]

What size tank?

 

 

[rough eye]

52 minutes ago, Jakesaw said:

What size tank?

 

 

EVO 13.5

1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

Are you culturing bristle worms as food items or something?  Pretty cool!

not deliberately but seems my tank has decided to culture them. I've been seeing them more frequently on the surface of the sand or poking out of rocks.

[DevilDuck]

I'm going to 2nd the Possum Wrasse. I love how they look, always hovering and poking around at rock and crevices looking for pods, flat worms, etc, they have these huge expressive eyes for such a small fish. 

 

I don't think they will go after adult bristle worms, but definitely clear your tank of flat worms, micro fan worms, tiny baby bristles.

[mcarroll]

50 minutes ago, rough eye said:

EVO 13.5

not deliberately but seems my tank has decided to culture them. I've been seeing them more frequently on the surface of the sand or poking out of rocks.

Those are just your natural cleanup crew getting up to speed.   They will grow to the population size that your tank needs and go no further.

 

I don't recommend doing anything to control them.

[rough eye]

i might have to visit a couple other stores to see if anyone has possum wrasses. i don't remember seeing one at the place i frequent.

 

as for the worms, if the tank can control its populations i'd rather that than meddle. i had a bunch of tiny feather dusters that i miss, but lately there's been an increase in stars and bristle worms.

[Tired]

If you don't hugely overfeed, the bristleworms will stay at whatever level is reasonable for the tank. And anything that eats bristleworms will more than likely eat feather dusters. 

[mcarroll]

39 minutes ago, Tired said:

anything that eats bristleworms will more than likely eat feather dusters. 

 

worms are worms after all!!! 😋

[rough eye]

i think the peppermint shrimp or hermit might have eaten the dusters. and i've been feeding more heavily, both because i don't want them cannibailzing corals and to try and get nitrates up

[banasophia]

Well my tank has to be fed heavily due to the livestock I keep, and my bristleworms spawn, so that’s always fun. Hopefully your bristleworm population won’t ever reach the epic proportions mine have.
 

But I also think that in general adding “working fish” to do specific jobs like controlling pest populations is good and sensible. I love my sixline wrasse in my 32, but I think your tank is too small for a sixline, so a possum wrasse is a good choice for a smaller tank. They are hard to get though, so you may have to wait a while to get one.