JuiCE_1080's 5.5 Gallon Reef Diary

fuz_munky

Member
i have a four-wheel drive goby in my 29G they're great! don't grow more than an inch,sifts the sand and is very calm with other fish. i don't recommend getting a pair in such a small tank cause they'll nip at each other!
Good luck,
Joe
 

juice_1080

Member
Originally Posted by Krista921
http:///forum/post/2457085
i think a snowflake eel would be a little more size appropriate juice...
I wasn't serious....no eels can be housed in anything this small. Snowflake Eels grow to at least 2ft my dad had one that was over 2ft and pretty big around.
Any eel in this small of a tank would have to be coiled like a snake to fit and would not last long.
Unless I am forgetting about some fish the only real options for this tank are gobies and damsels
 

juice_1080

Member
I don't really care for Sixlines otherwise that might be an option.
I found a couple really cool looking fish that I wouldn't mind having:
Stonogobiops yasha - Yasha Hase Shrimp Goby only suppose to grow 2-3"
Discordipinna griessingeri - Flaming Prawn Goby only suppose to grow 1" (also $100-150 range)
Stonogobiops nematodes - High-Fin Red-Banded Goby 3-4"
Paragobius lacunicolus - Panda Goby 1-2"
Assessor macneilli - MacNeill's Basslet 2-4"
The Yasha Goby would be my first pick if I could manage to find one and also find a Randall's Shrimp Goby coming in with it to pair up with. But I have a feeling that pair would be almost $100 unless someone knows something I don't
 

keri

Active Member
Green clown goby? Not really "exotic" but didja see the silly face on 'em? And they stay small.
 

paintballer768

Active Member
Originally Posted by juice_1080
Maybe a nice Achilles Tang and a Green Moray Eel?

Just Kidding

Dont worry, the tang police are here! Hahah
Originally Posted by juice_1080

Stonogobiops yasha - Yasha Hase Shrimp Goby only suppose to grow 2-3"
Discordipinna griessingeri - Flaming Prawn Goby only suppose to grow 1" (also $100-150 range)
Stonogobiops nematodes - High-Fin Red-Banded Goby 3-4"
Paragobius lacunicolus - Panda Goby 1-2"
Assessor macneilli - MacNeill's Basslet 2-4"
Okay heres what I think. Yasha have to be the only fish in the tank due to its size, and even then it might be a tid bit cramped. I have not read anythign about the Flaming Prawn Goby, other than it looks totally BA. High-Fin Red-Banded Goby I think would honestly be too big. And the Panda Goby does not do well unless it has some sort of polliciopora (species of SPS) in the tank with it. Its really weird, but theres some kind of relationship there and it requires. I know nothing about the basslet.
Good luck. I would go with the yasha, just because I really like those. If you want to invest the lights, which I think wouldnt be the smartest idea on a 5.5 gallon tank, you could keep a polliciopora and a panda goby. Good luck
 

juice_1080

Member
Originally Posted by paintballer768
http:///forum/post/2457911
Dont worry, the tang police are here! Hahah
Okay heres what I think. Yasha have to be the only fish in the tank due to its size, and even then it might be a tid bit cramped. I have not read anythign about the Flaming Prawn Goby, other than it looks totally BA. High-Fin Red-Banded Goby I think would honestly be too big. And the Panda Goby does not do well unless it has some sort of polliciopora (species of SPS) in the tank with it. Its really weird, but theres some kind of relationship there and it requires. I know nothing about the basslet.
Good luck. I would go with the yasha, just because I really like those. If you want to invest the lights, which I think wouldnt be the smartest idea on a 5.5 gallon tank, you could keep a polliciopora and a panda goby. Good luck
The Flaming Prawn would be my first pick but.....I am not going to spend that much on one fish until I am out of college and actually making decent money.
The Yasha is my second choice with a Randalli Pistol Shrimp....I noticed I said Randalli Shrimp Goby earlier so you might have though I meant 2 fish. I remember the Polliciopora thing with the Panda now I just looked at so many fish descriptions yesterday I forgot that that was the one when I went back through. I am curious what the relationship is and would like to watch it but I am not going to be putting enough lighting on this tank for SPS I will leave that lighting for my 75 Gallon. I don't think I would ever want a Panda in my 75g though, I wouldn't put one in there anyways, I would never see him........This is what I found in several places about the McNeill's Basslet
Originally Posted by Another Website
The McNeill's Basslet is the most reef safe and peaceful fish in the industry. It is more likely harassed than the one causing the harassment. This fish prefers overhangs and caves. Will often be seen hanging around upside down against walls, overhangs and caves. Prefers less light and may come out more after the bright day lights turn off. This fish is happiest in a very peaceful reef setting without any large fish.

Originally Posted by Krista921

http:///forum/post/2457946
i wasnt serious either...
Sorry it sounded like you were
 

juice_1080

Member
same fish it has different common names thats why I put the scientific name down as well. I wish I could get. I am going to check my LFS price but I will not pay that much for a fish, I am in college and have other priorities. Sometimes I think my fish live better than I do. I end up eating ramen and my own special blend of insanely spicy chicken pasta (which is amazing) because its pretty cheap and easy to make. My tank gets flakes, mysis, greens, rotifers, brine, phytoplankton, etc. They get a better variety than I do. lol
I can only hope that the "Spikefin Goby" is cheap enough that I feel that it is worth it.
 

krista921

Member
Originally Posted by juice_1080
http:///forum/post/2458115
Sorry it sounded like you were

yea sorry its kinda hard to be sarcastic on message boards
even more so when everyone knows youre young and assumes youre a moron
ahahah:)
but im still lovin the tank, specially the aquascappin
 

juice_1080

Member
Originally Posted by Krista921
http:///forum/post/2458689
yea sorry its kinda hard to be sarcastic on message boards
even more so when everyone knows youre young and assumes youre a moron
ahahah:)
but im still lovin the tank, specially the aquascappin
Thanks, I am still deciding if I want/need more LR in the tank or not. I am loading the fuge with a pound or two but I don't know if I want more in the tank itself.
I am sure I come off as a prick on this site but thats just how I word things when I type. I notice that most of what I type when I proof read it seems somewhat angry but thats not the intent. O well.
I will hopefully be heading to my LFS Friday if I feel up to it between class and work otherwise I will be going Saturday to check out prices for the goby/shrimp. I don't know how soon I will be able to buy them though. My car is starting to act up and its kind of a priority since I am a delivery driver. No car=no money
so hopefully my tax returns will cover the cost to fix it.
The LFS guy says he still owes me for a $40 fish I took back so we will see what I can work out with him.
 

juice_1080

Member
Well my pump has already managed to clog and stop. I will be switching substrate because of this. The sand I am using now gets blown everywhere. My return line is right at the top of the tank but already less than a week later the return chamber has a 1" Sand bed. Its not supposed to have any. I think this is what killed my pump since it sits on the bottom. I have it running in a bucket of fresh RO water right now to try to break the sand loose.
Off to the LFS to see what the prices are and what is coming in today.
 

juice_1080

Member
Yasha=$60 So I am still deciding. He is going to to see what he can do for prices on the others as well.
I am taking the tank down today to change the substrate. This sand is too fine. I have about a 1" sand bed in my pump chamber that isn't supposed to be in there. I picked up a 10# bag of arag-alive today and I will replace it tomorrow hopefully.
 

juice_1080

Member
Here are some updates on the tank. I didn't get the chance to switch the LS until earlier today. Here's what it looks like when if cleared up. Along with some pictures of how exactly this system works. For those interested. I did break the seal a little bit between the main area and the refugium but it is a very slow leak and shouldn't really effect anything at all.
I still need the glass to make the lid but hopefully a trip to the hardware store will be in my plan tomorrow as long as they are open.
I didn't even realize how much of the old sand was blowing around till I switched to the new stuff. All the way up to the time I changed it today the tank was never as clear as it is now and I can still tell it will get a little clearer than it is now.
I fragged a Discosoma and a Yuma today from my 29 gallon that will find there new home in this little guy once I feel it is stable enough. I also have a nice variety of zoas that need to be fragged and make there way into this tank. I finally have a valid reason to frag corals.

I will shut up now and let you look at the pics. There is that I am holding a quarter to give a size perspective for you.






Any questions go ahead and ask. BTW I will be painting the "sump" area tomorrow as well hopefully to make it look a little nicer.
 

juice_1080

Member
I forgot to mention that I will be adding another 10# of LS whenever I get the chance to make it to the LFS again. The weather has been pretty crazy lately and I don't feel like driving 45 minutes each way on a snow covered backroad for a bag of sand.
From what I understand Pistol Shrimp need a DSB to build a burrow.
Man its nice to think that 20# LS will create a decent DSB.
 

matt b

Active Member
Originally Posted by juice_1080
http:///forum/post/2464819
I forgot to mention that I will be adding another 10# of LS whenever I get the chance to make it to the LFS again. The weather has been pretty crazy lately and I don't feel like driving 45 minutes each way on a snow covered backroad for a bag of sand.
From what I understand Pistol Shrimp need a DSB to build a burrow.
Man its nice to think that 20# LS will create a decent DSB.
I have a pistol and he just has a tunnel in a rock. and never burrows. but thats just mine.
 

juice_1080

Member
Good to know. I always heard they burrow a tunnel so they need at least 4" of sand. Still in a 5gal its not too expensive to achieve that depth of sand in it.
I do have a question for anybody that might have been through this already.
I have 2# LR from the LFS
10# Agra-Alive LS from the LFS
3/4 of the water is out of my DT
1/4 is fresh made
Am I going to see a initial cycle or can I start adding things to the tank already. I have a hermit in there right now that has been banished from my 29g for causing too much trouble. He seems to be just fine crawling around the rocks and grazing.
I also have a couple Zoas that hitchhiked on some LR that also appear to be fine and opened up.
I have yet to test the tanks parameters. Mostly because all I have right now for tests are: Calcuim, Carbonate Hardness, Nitrate, and Phosphate. I know I need to pick up more tests like: pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, etc. and if the weather permits I will do that tomorrow.
 

juice_1080

Member
So after a little more research the Spikefin Goby is not a shrimp goby they just like to "borrow" the Pistol's burrow and the pistol usually gets mad about it. So it looks like I am going to try to find a Yasha at a reasonable price. Wish me luck!
 
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