Help me pick a fish

[sage_commander]

I have a clownfish, a scooter blenny, and a lawnmower blenny. We know that we eventually want to get a flame angel, but we're going to be adding that last. So we're looking to get one more fish in between. It needs to be one that swims in the whole water column, and won't force the scooter to compete with it for food. I wanted to get a sixline, but I know that's not a good idea since they'll eat pods too. Any suggestions? And please, no lectures on the scooter - newbie mistake. He seems to be doing pretty well anway. Thanks!

[rlee81indy]

I really like the flame hawk, lots of personallity, good in a 46g, and very pretty

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

[sage_commander]

Thanks for the quick reply. I like that one too, but it reminds me that maybe I should have listed my other critters:

1 anemone (not sure of type)
~5 hermits
1 emerald crab
1 porcelain crab (hitchhiker)
1 peppermint shrimp
~10 snails, various types.

I thought the flame hawk might be good to control the bad crabs that are in my tank, but they would also attack the shrimp, right?

[Lotus99]

Maybe something like a pajama cardinal or two would work. A chalk bass might be another good choice.

[sage_commander]

My friend has a baby Kaudern's Cardinal that he wants me to take, but I believe they eat pods. If only I had a fuge...

Do pajama cardinals eat pods? I should research that. I didn't see any chalk bass on Live Aquaria. I'll look elsewhere and see what they are about.

[Lotus99]

Here's a link to the chalk bass: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pCatId=1700

Most small fish will eat pods to some extent. I've never really seen my pajamas looking for them, though. They're happy to eat frozen mysis and pellets. Kaudern's cardinals (also known as banggai cardinals) will also eat a pod occasionally, although I've never seen mine looking for them. They're a little pickier, and mine don't generally like any dry food (flakes or pellets).

[Saltwaterstart]

Any type of flasher wrasse would work perfectly with that combination of fish. I don't think they eat pods either.

You could always do a tiger pistol shrimp, goby combination. They are great to watch, and I don't think they eat pods either.

[sage_commander]

I was going to avoid gobies, even though I like 'em. It seems like they won't get alond with the scooter blenny, and they generally occupy the bottom of the water column, don't they?

I really wanted a sixline, so another type of wrasse would be really cool.

[kau_cinta_ku]

banggai cardinals are on the threatend list just so you know. as they are a hard fish to get to eat. they prefer live brine shrimp. but will eat frozen shrimp later on.

the bass would be a good fish also IMO

[dhnguyen]

What about some firefish? Especially the purple ones that are always out mid tank

[dhnguyen]

Originally posted by sage_commander
I was going to avoid gobies, even though I like 'em. It seems like they won't get alond with the scooter blenny, and they generally occupy the bottom of the water column, don't they?

I really wanted a sixline, so another type of wrasse would be really cool.

That's not true at all. Scooter blennies aren't really blennies anyway but are actually dragonets.


I have had a yellow watchman goby AND a mandarin dragonet for years now with no issues

[wrasseguy2]

if you want a wrasse i would say a fairy or flasher wrasse..i had a sixline before and he was just mean..but i have seen that alot of people say that the ones they kept were very good.....i also think that chalk bass are good too

[coast2coast7390]

do like a six line and 5 or 6 small chromis

[dhnguyen]

6 line will eat pods and compete against his scooter blenny.

[harryk]

An anthias might be a good choice. they are colorful, stay in the water column. A dispar or Bartlett would be a good choice. they dont get too big and they eat mysis and other meaty bits

[szgppl]

I have a 6 line and scooter blenny, the scooter only eats pods, the 6 line eats what every hits the water.
banggai cardinals would be a good choice, just try for 2, mine are always out and about, day or night.

[mwwhite]

We vote for the Bangaii (kaudern's) cardinal with a HUGE caveat -- ONLY buy one that has been TANK raised. You will pay more for them but they have a much better survival rate.

After going through two that were wild-caught and wouldn't eat and died within 4-5 days. We gave it one more try when we found out our local LFS only gets in tank raised bangaii's - we paid twice as much but he was eating frozen blood worms and mysis shrimp..... that was several months ago and he is still eating like a pig.

So only tank raised, they are cool fish - when the lights go out we seem him chasing down some pods but then he settles down behind a rock until the lights come back on.

Great fish.

[macronut]

chromis are nice and will school and swim in the mid water column. I'd try to remove the bad crabs some way.