Help selecting fish!

[dmitry]

Hello to all! I'm new to the hobby and am approaching the end of the cycling period. The live rock has been in the tank for over a month - it never smelled too bad, the nitrites and ammonia are nearly 0. (Though the live rock seems to have all kinds of algae on it - I guess that's normal for new rock and tank?) Anyway, it'll be over a month before I start getting fish for the tank (I'll be away for a few weeks in April and plan to get the fish once I return), and I could use some advice on what fish to get. I have only a 29G tank (30x12x18). My dream list includes two Ocelaris Clownfishes, a Yellow Tang, a Mimic Saddle Puffer Filefish (because I think the actual Valentini Puffer may not be too popular with the other fishes), a Royal Gramma, a Bangaii Cardinal, and a Coral Beauty Angel. Now, the Yellow Tang - while I really want one - I have doubts about getting because the tank is probably just too small for it.

The others are all small enough I figure, and all either peaceful or just mildly aggressive. So, what do you folks think about the Yellow Tang??? And do you have any comments or suggestions for the other fish fish? I'd like a multi-colored and multi-shaped population that will get along. (Well, in addition to the fish, a bunch of snails, a hermit crab, and a Blood Red Cleaner Shrimp. Cucumbers and worms freak me out. :scared: )

 

[bean 1]

I would avoid the yellow tang for now. You will need a larger tank before keeping a tang. Yellow tangs get around 7-8" and usually require alot of open space. If you placed him in there, he would most likely get stressed out and develop a disease like ich. The 2 clowns would be ok. A royal gramma would be ok. I would hold off on a dwarf angel for at least 6-7 months until your tank is well established otherwise they don't tend to do well. The are constant grazers of your LR and it usually takes several months for the LR to become real productive. Most of the dwarf angels can get up to 3-4" and are ok as long as thank isn't overstocked otherwise they can become a little ill tempered. Don't know much about the valentini toby as I've never owned one but if I remember correctly, they stay real small but can kill inverts. Will have to defer to someone who knows more. The cardinal would be ok as well but you wouldn't want to keep all of the fish you suggested in the same tank because it would be a little overstocked. There doesn't appear to be any compatability problems with any of those fish either. Take a look at the sixline or fourline wrasse also, they are an awesome fish! Good luck!
Bean

 

[rubberduck]

how big is the tank?

 

[dmitry]

29G - 30x12x18.
Thanks for the suggestions and advice! :jumping:
Based on my readings the Filefish I want in place of the Puffer is reef-safe...but if anyone knows something different, speak up! :happyfish

 

[promisetbg]

Filefish get huge and are not reef safe.{maybe the one you are talking about stays small??}Do not put a tang in a 29 gal tank...no matter what size he is.Bangaii cardinals get pretty big too.

 

[dmitry]

Yeah, I think my Yellow Tang will have to wait for a bigger tank...

From what I've read Bangaii Cardinals only grow to 3-4 inches. The Mimic Saddle Puffer Filefish grows to 4 inches. But it appears to not be invertebrae-friendly. So, no cleaner shrimp?

 

[bluehippo9]

you might like the clown gobies- the citron,green and the rusty.
they are 1 in and are all very cute also the dragonet goby is sweet. all of the fish i reccomended to you are samll, peaceful easy and not carnivores...also i would've really wanted to reccomend you the copperband butterfly but your tank is way to small.

 

[peter78]

I would the fire shrimp over the file fish because it will go after crabs as well. You will need the shrimp and the crabs to help clean the tank of algae unless you would like to to it yourself with a tooth brush. Plus if you get two shrimp they will hatch larve which would provide food for your tank. Plus the shrimp will get any extra food that doesnt get eaten. I also have a 29gal and f. perculas, royal gramma and a scooter dragnett. With the dragnett you will need to wait for your rock to make a lot of food for him. Plus if you start putting fish in to your tank to fast then it might have a bio over load because too much too fast. Take your time adding fish and do more reseach.

 

[dmitry]

When you say "Dragonet Gobby" do you mean like Mandarin Dragonet? I thought those were pretty difficult to take care of...
It seems like my first choice fish are all falling by the wayside!! No real Puffer and now look-alike Filefish are out.

Okay, I'm a little better now.
How about Chromis fish? I know they prefer to be in schools - I'd say three should be enough? But is it ok to mix the different colored ones???
Does anyone have experience with a Banded Possum Wrasse? They seem cute....
By the way, how sensitive are crabs and snails to salinity? I'm considering adding some to my tank shortly (before any fish, to see how they do), but since I'll be away for a week at the end of April there'll be no one to top-up the evaporated water, which will raise salinity a bit. Do you think they'd survive a week's worth of increasing salinity?
As far as not adding fish quickly - I'll definitely be taking my time. I'll set up a small quarantine tank (5 gallons) and only ad 1 fish at at time. So there'll be time for the system to adjust. One question is, though: the longer you wait the more familiar with the tank the existing fish get...and the more territorial? Isn't there more chance of the older ones picking on the newcomers the longer one waits?? :nervous: