No fish for me :(

dalo78

dalo78

Member
I am starting a new 26g BF reef tank. I have just started cycling it w/ ~30lbs LR. I am starting to look at fish options now but it is really difficult because everytime I see one I like (blue hippo tang, ect) I dont meet the minimum tank requirement. Other than clownfish, gobies, firefish, or blennies I don't know of any fish that are ok with a smaller tank. Could anyone list off some fish that would be ok to choose ?
Thanks
 
fraggle_a

fraggle_a

Member
Heh, you just listed them yourself.
In something that small, you dont really want fish. Just go for some great corrals.
Soft ones that move, pretty hard ones, clams and such.
Id go with a pair of clowns and a goby myself.
Some shrimp perhaps.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
I think you can keep a couple of pajama cardinals or Banggai's?
Those are cool looking out in the open type fish.
 
atrialfib22

atrialfib22

Member
You can always go with a sixline wrasse. They are colorful (although can be aggressive - so add last). I like gobies personally...pair them with a pistol shrimp and you can get an interesting relationship to observe in your tank.
+1 on cardinals
 
fraggle_a

fraggle_a

Member
Ooh really?.
I have always kept a Goby to deal with the sand. Pistol shrip too though?.
Would that play well with my corral banded??
 
oceanlover

oceanlover

Member
Hey, didn't they tell you when you got into this hobby that all you would want to do is keep getting bigger and bigger tanks!?!?!? You can have more corals, inverts, and assorted fish and kiss your cash goodbye!
Don't overlook the personality packed into gobbies. They are really fun although they are not the most striking fish in the ocean. My personal favorite is the Midas Blenny but they are somewhat difficult to find. The diamond gobbies are inexpensive, lots of fun, never shy, but sometimes they will re-arrange your tank.
Or if you have sand you could consider a jaw fish. They must have sand and some little rocks to collect and they can be aggresive with other fish, but they are fun. I'll bet you could have a couple of damsels and a jaw fish.
Don't overlook damsels for a smaller tank. The blue or green chromis are pretty in their little pods and they are not real aggressive. You can keep the agressive damsels if that is all you have in such a small tank.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
alot of diiferent dottybacks; orchid, indigo, springeri, Royal
Banggai cardnals are great one.
Royal Gramma
 
L

lsu

Guest
Dwarf lions are messy eaters/large bioload for that size tank. I personally would not keep one in a 26 although it could be done(it will eat inverts and small fish).
 
rldavisou

rldavisou

Member
Dwarf lions are cool, but don't really do much. They pretty much sit around all day, waiting for your other fish to swim by so they can ambush and eat them

Cherub angel and a jaw fish would be my picks.
 
dalo78

dalo78

Member
Okay so I think we have decided. The gold stripe maroon clown, the coral beauty, and after the tank is established... a mandarin dragonet. Obviously it will be a couple months before we add any fish but I'm very excited nonetheless.
 
hlcroghan

hlcroghan

Active Member
Okay there are some major problems with your selection unfortunately. The gold stripe maroon is a rather large and I don't know if they would be very happy in that size tank. They are also very aggressive and territorial and every other fish would prolly be lunch once they got bigger, although if you were very careful you may be able to keep them by themselves.
Second, a mandarin dragonet is not acceptable for a 29 gallon even though they are little fish. Their main source of food is copepods which are little creatures that live in your sand and live rock. They very rarely will take prepared foods and they generally starve to death after a short time in tanks that are much less than 100 gallons and very well established. Most people that want a dragonet have a refugium that will allow the copepods to reproduce easily.
Third, I believe even a coral beauty is too large for this tank. Let others chime in here and see what they think though.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
Originally Posted by hlcroghan
http:///forum/post/2731572
Okay there are some major problems with your selection unfortunately. The gold stripe maroon is a rather large and I don't know if they would be very happy in that size tank. They are also very aggressive and territorial and every other fish would prolly be lunch once they got bigger, although if you were very careful you may be able to keep them by themselves.
Second, a mandarin dragonet is not acceptable for a 29 gallon even though they are little fish. Their main source of food is copepods which are little creatures that live in your sand and live rock. They very rarely will take prepared foods and they generally starve to death after a short time in tanks that are much less than 100 gallons and very well established. Most people that want a dragonet have a refugium that will allow the copepods to reproduce easily.
Third, I believe even a coral beauty is too large for this tank. Let others chime in here and see what they think though.
+1 ^
 
hlcroghan

hlcroghan

Active Member
You could prolly do a pair of false perculas.........they are not as large or aggressive and are nice hardy fish.
 
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