Stocking a Deskmate 4.8 Gallon AIO

[Chris's Fishes]

Hello all,

 

I picked up a 4.8 gallon AIO and an Aquamaxx Prism CC II today to upgrade my existing 1.5 gallon pico tank into. Current inhabitants in the 1.5 are as follows:

 

• Pom Pom Crab
• Several Small Nerites
• Assorted Softies
• Lots and lots of pods

 

I'd like to include a fish in the 4.8 once things are stabilized. I'd really love to get something that will eat dried foods - I do feed frozen frequently but when my girlfriend needs to feed it's easier to just have a canister of flakes or pellets. I've seen lots of Gobies and Blennies recommended for this tank, but I've known those types of fish to be picky and not like dried foods. I could do a small damsel, but I'd like to find something that can live in here long-term.

 

Any suggestions?

[Murphs_Reef]

For that size not a damsel. Something like a yellow coral goby or neon goby would be nice but consider going fish free and having inverts only with coral. It could look very interesting without fish in that size

 

in fact I might get me a neon goby for perching purposes  😁

[Chris's Fishes]

40 minutes ago, Murphs_Reef said:

For that size not a damsel. Something like a yellow coral goby or neon goby would be nice but consider going fish free and having inverts only with coral. It could look very interesting without fish in that size

 

in fact I might get me a neon goby for perching purposes  😁

I've had Clown Gobies (coral gobies) before and have found them difficult to feed - every time, every specimen. I love them, but not really what I'm looking for right now. I've had an ORA Neon Goby before, and I seem to recall him being pretty easy to feed. But I think he mainly ate frozen foods, not so much dried. Have you had success feeding dried foods 3-4 days a week and frozen a couple times a week with these guys?

[Murphs_Reef]

2 minutes ago, Chris's Fishes said:

I've had Clown Gobies (coral gobies) before and have found them difficult to feed - every time, every specimen. I love them, but not really what I'm looking for right now. I've had an ORA Neon Goby before, and I seem to recall him being pretty easy to feed. But I think he mainly ate frozen foods, not so much dried. Have you had success feeding dried foods 3-4 days a week and frozen a couple times a week with these guys?

I've never had any trouble with coral or neon gobies that I can remember but I have always had a refugium with live pods in it... 

[Chris's Fishes]

13 hours ago, Murphs_Reef said:

I've never had any trouble with coral or neon gobies that I can remember but I have always had a refugium with live pods in it... 

This AIO has a compartment that could be used for a fuge with some mods, but I'm probably not looking to do that right now. I've had lots of personal experience with clown gobies and they've always been finnicky. I'm reading that a lot of green-banded gobies are known to take NLS pellets, so maybe they are an option after all.

[mcarroll]

16 hours ago, Chris's Fishes said:

Hello all,

 

I picked up a 4.8 gallon AIO and an Aquamaxx Prism CC II today to upgrade my existing 1.5 gallon pico tank into. Current inhabitants in the 1.5 are as follows:

 

• Pom Pom Crab
• Several Small Nerites
• Assorted Softies
• Lots and lots of pods

 

I'd like to include a fish in the 4.8 once things are stabilized. I'd really love to get something that will eat dried foods - I do feed frozen frequently but when my girlfriend needs to feed it's easier to just have a canister of flakes or pellets. I've seen lots of Gobies and Blennies recommended for this tank, but I've known those types of fish to be picky and not like dried foods. I could do a small damsel, but I'd like to find something that can live in here long-term.

 

Any suggestions?

IMO, I agree with Murph....sticking with inverts (including corals) would be the most ideal for a tank so small.

 

But go with a captive bred fish like (e.g.) ORA's Neon Goby if you want the maximum chance for it to eat prepared foods like flake or pellet.

 

Personally I think a neon goby (or similar) would be one of the more ideal fish choices if you feel like you have to do a fish.  👍

[Chris's Fishes]

8 hours ago, mcarroll said:

IMO, I agree with Murph....sticking with inverts (including corals) would be the most ideal for a tank so small.

 

But go with a captive bred fish like (e.g.) ORA's Neon Goby if you want the maximum chance for it to eat prepared foods like flake or pellet.

 

Personally I think a neon goby (or similar) would be one of the more ideal fish choices if you feel like you have to do a fish.  👍

I see that ORA breeds sharknose gobies. That could be my pick, right there. Any of the ORA-bred Elacatinus gobies seem like a good choice, but I like the color on the Sharknose the best.

 

 

[Tired]

A trimma goby should do well in there. You can get them captive-bred, or can go to your LFS to see one eating in person.

 

You might actually not have to feed it at all- before I upgraded, I had a tank about that size with a trimma goby that I fed maybe once every few months. The algae growth and coral food fed various copepods and amphipods, and the goby stayed fat on those for the couple years I had it. Since they're so small, and they move around so little, they just don't need that much to eat. I did have the tank up for awhile before adding the goby, and I started with live rock, but you could also start off feeding the little guy daily until the tank matures enough to support the aforementioned lots and lots of pods.

[jambon]

I would look for a barnacle blenny, they are not often available but would do well in a small setup. Mine was happy eating flake foods and would hang out in a small hole in the rockwork.

[Chris's Fishes]

Alright, scape is done and tank is running. I tried to make sure the scape had plenty of perching spots for the fish, since I'm definitely going with perching fish at this point.

 

 

[Murphs_Reef]

4 hours ago, Chris's Fishes said:

Alright, scape is done and tank is running. I tried to make sure the scape had plenty of perching spots for the fish, since I'm definitely going with perching fish at this point.

 

 

Looks good 👍🏼