Need suggestions on what to get

schulz1616 · 05-25-2002, 05:01 AM

I want at least one more fish, or possibly a pair of fish for my tank. I have been trying to work very hard on finding fish and inverts that leave eachother (and my corals) alone. I have some corals, a long tenticled anemone, a carpet anemone, some sponge, a mandarin, bicolor blenny, cleaner shrimp, brittle star, Black banded star, and an ocellaris clown. My tank is 35 gallons, I have compact lighting, any suggestions for a fish or invert that would be a good FRIENDLY addition to my current stock? I was leaning towards a pair of decorated firefish, but I am looking forward to other suggestions and input.

Thanks

MontanaRocknReefer · 05-25-2002, 05:44 AM

Hi schulz1616!
I would say you have quite a bio-load in your 35 gallon reef tank already. I think you are pretty much maxed out on fish but maybe a little goby of some sort could be added!
I have a pair of maroon clowns, a banggai, a sharpnosed puffer and a small purple goby in my 80 gallon reef tank and do not dare to add any more fish!
Do you have a refuguim? The reason I ask is because of your mandarin! They require alot of pods to survive! They can deplete your infauna quite quickly and then slowly starve to death!
I hope to have a mandarin again after I upgrade my tank to a 125 with a sump and a refugium so I can give this beautiful fish a fighting chance to survive! HTH Johnny

Alice · 05-25-2002, 02:39 PM

Just a word of caution on that carpet anemone; it will eat your fish. Mandarins are frequent victims as they are so slow moving but a healthy carpet anemone of even moderate size can and will kill fish as large as half grown tangs. They will also sting your corals. And carpet anemones get large; I'd trade it in if I were you, it will soon take over your 35.

Gotta agree with Johnny, you're about maxed on fish load and I wouldn't try any small fish with the carpet

Alice

MontanaRocknReefer · 05-25-2002, 04:33 PM

Hey Alice! Glad you caught that about the carpet anenome as I must have been sleeping since I have been up since 3AM. Johnny

GSM · 05-25-2002, 05:36 PM

I wouldn't add any more fish. If you must, maybe a very small goby? Here is a pic of one of my Threadfin gobies, they are about an inch long and completely docile...

schulz1616 · 05-26-2002, 04:15 AM

Well everybody thanks for your input. On second consideration I don't think that I will be taking on any more fish. In regards to your questions about my mandarin... he seems to stray far away from my carpet. I've had my carpet for a couple weeks now and the mandarin since Feburary. It seems to me that everything is getting along fine together. I was well prepared for my mandarin's coming, I have no refugium really. I have 70 lbs of live rock in my aquarium and I have a small 10 gal. tank in another room that I have pods breeding in undisturbed. Every so often I run an algae scraper across the glass, catch a hundred or so pods and transfer them into my big tank. This works out pretty well for me since my tank isn't ported. And I beleive that he is eating some of my fish roe that I've been feeding my fish, they all really love that. I plan on getting a larger tank in a couple years, the carpet will not take over my tank in that much time will it? I really got my tank originally to have a clown take a host. I do not want to give up any of my fish do you suggest that I try substituting the carpet for a frogspawn coral instead? Is that a more mandarin friendly trade?

Thanks
Jesse

FishDaddy · 05-26-2002, 09:11 AM

Jesse,
I think trading the Carpet for a Frogspawn would be a fine idea. Carpets are interesting, but as already pointed out; can be hazardous to fish!

I love my Frogspawn! Since I don't keep an anenome, it's my Clowns favorite hangout.
Dick

tdwyatt · 05-26-2002, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FishDaddy
I think trading the Carpet for a Frogspawn would be a fine idea. Carpets are interesting, but as already pointed out; can be hazardous to fish...

Not to mention what it will do to your arm if you accidentally get a bit too close (heh, voice of experience). These anemone pack quite a punch with their sting, and it will eventually catch your mandarin. If you have good lighting (and if the anemone is doing well, you must) then the Euphyllia will do quite well, probably better than the anemone would have done. Keep in mind that some spp. of Euphyllia (heck, even different specimens of almost all spp. of Euphyllia) will produce sweeper tentacles that will be capable of stinging most creatures within 6 inches of a specimen, so placement of nearby corals will be a consideration.

HTH