Advice on what fish to add next?

Fishdisease · #1 03/09/2007, 11:33 AM

Hey Everyone,

I'm just wondering what I should / can add next to the tank.

As mentioned below I have a 33g with about 60lbs of LR. My current stock list is:

2 small false percs
2 peppermint shrimp
2 cleaner shrimp
1 pink cucumber
5-7 blue legged hermits
A bunch of nassarius, margarita and trochus snails

I want to get an orchid dottyback but I know that I should add him last.

The other fish I'm considering are

red or bi-color blenny
purple or red firefish

I have alot of pods and I like them so I'm hesitant about the blenny and I dont know about compatibility of the dottyback and the firefish. Can I get a pair of firefish or are they solitary? Are there any special considerations with those fish?

What do you think - any other suggestions? Its a small tank so I have to watch biomass and I want something thats not too complex. Maybe even something that eats dying xenia (its a sad story...there's a post somewhere in here about it!)

Thanks!
Dave

sir_dudeguy · #2 03/09/2007, 12:53 PM

honestly, i see no point to trying to keep the pod population up unless you are trying to feed a fish with a specialized diet that requires them. I mean...why try to keep the pod pop really high if all you have is clowns, or anything else that doesnt require them. Just my opinion.

But that gets us to the blenny...i had a bicolor blenny. He'd pick around a lot but i'm not sure if he was going for pods or not...but he ate anything i put in the tank so it didnt matter. But my point above is...if you're worried that the bicolor blenny would be eating up the pods...why else are the pods there in the first place? They're meant to be fish food. I mean ya, they'll clean up a little bit, but they're not gonna clean a whole tank like snails would.

But i would highly suggest the bicolor blenny. Fun fish to watch hop around. Or any little gobie/blenny for that matter.

Sk8r · #3 03/09/2007, 01:00 PM

Dottybacks are cantankerous and prone to pick on other fish. If you dont' yet have one, I'd say a 33 is too small for the ambitions of a dottyback and he'll be worse than usual. Stick to gobies and blennies, maybe a firefish with that crowd: they don't threaten the clowns and they have a very low biological load in the tank, since they eat algae and detritus quite helpfully. THe clowns are going to be the dominants, and they can get several inches long, so give them plenty of room: they'll take most of the tank.

prplfirefish · #4 03/09/2007, 01:21 PM

Firefish if you have a top on your tank because they are jumpers-I have a 36 corner and I have 3 firefish in there- I prefer the purple ones- but they are all fun to watch.

Fishdisease · #5 03/09/2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sir_dudeguy
honestly, i see no point to trying to keep the pod population up unless you are trying to feed a fish with a specialized diet that requires them. I mean...why try to keep the pod pop really high if all you have is clowns, or anything else that doesnt require them. Just my opinion.

Yeah, I have no real reason to want to keep my pods pop up. Other then I'm a marine biologist and I think they're neat! (yes, I'm a geek).

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
Dottybacks are cantankerous and prone to pick on other fish. If you dont' yet have one, I'd say a 33 is too small for the ambitions of a dottyback and he'll be worse than usual. Stick to gobies and blennies, maybe a firefish with that crowd: they don't threaten the clowns and they have a very low biological load in the tank, since they eat algae and detritus quite helpfully. THe clowns are going to be the dominants, and they can get several inches long, so give them plenty of room: they'll take most of the tank.

Cool, thanks for the advice. I had heard that Orchids were the most docile of the dottybacks, especially if you get one that has been tank raised. But I'll research some gobies/blennies and see what I like.

ionredline0260 · #6 03/09/2007, 02:43 PM

Have you looked into a wrasse? very colorful and neat to watch!
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/s...fm?pCatId=1378

petoonia · #7 03/09/2007, 05:07 PM

You could try a black cap basslet. They are similar in coloration to the orchid dottyback, but they have much better personalities.

FishHick · #8 03/09/2007, 08:25 PM

I second the wrasse. I have a six line that I LOVE. He has such a personality. Its really fun to watch him zip through the tightest spaces between the rocks. And he gets along great with my Ocellaris.

johnstires · #9 03/09/2007, 11:25 PM

I have a 33G with 2 percs, a yellow watchman goby and a Purple Stripe Pseudochromis. They all get along fine. Been that way for years.