Yellow Fish recommendation?

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evil Nick

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MY tang sadly passed. Wasnt old nor did he look sick. Im honestly not sure what happened. Water seems fine but again Im using my freshwater kits. I think my attempt at algae fix and a blackout messed a few things up with my tank. Anyway. Im looking to replace him eventually and would like something yellow and reef safe

I like the yellow dwarf angel but keep reading they are not very safe with soft corals.

Id like something that doesnt get huge but is a swimmer. Its kind of a centerpiece so a goby or blenny just wouldnt work since they really just sit there.

Its a 29 gallon, anyone have any thought?
 
Tang and dwarf angels simply aren’t met for such small tanks. These should be ruled out right away.
If this was me and there wasn’t anything else in the tank I’d put in a frogfish. Really neat, many colors.
EDIT: I was struggling to think of the name, but clown goby would work in smaller systems and provide the color as well.
I would suggest some large water changes with ro/di water to get the nutrients under control. Having a tang in there wouldn’t have helped matters along with the algae indicating the nutrient issue. I’d want to get that under control before attempting another fish.
 
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Tang and dwarf angels simply aren’t met for such small tanks. These should be ruled out right away.
If this was me and there wasn’t anything else in the tank I’d put in a frogfish. Really neat, many colors.
EDIT: I was struggling to think of the name, but clown goby would work in smaller systems and provide the color as well.
I would suggest some large water changes with ro/di water to get the nutrients under control. Having a tang in there wouldn’t have helped matters along with the algae indicating the nutrient issue. I’d want to get that under control before attempting another fish.

Ive been battling this so called "nutrient issue" forever it seems but my nitrates are always low. I run a good skimmer (tunze 9004), plus a DIY phos reactor and even started using purigen in there with my phos ban. The Tang was VERY juvenile (small) and I already expected to swap him when he got to large.
I had a clown goby but again they just kind of sit there. The tang was actually my other halfs fav fish because of its bright yellow coloring and high energy. He/she used to love to swim in the current against my powerhead.
I kind of think the process of me removing rocks, scrubbing and putting them back in may have stressed it a little to much.

I do weekly water changes with RODI at about 5 gallons. Thats a 20% WC as the amount of rock/sand in my tank is pretty substantial. I just cant see that I have had a real nutrient issue this long with the amount of water changes plus equipment Im using. I know I do not overfeed by any means, it just seems very odd. Honestly Im getting very disenchanted with marine anyway. Wishing I just kept my planted fresh there, so does she actually. Most of the livestock you can put into a 29 is a bit meh (at least no better than anything fresh) and its just a LOT of aggravation. The inverts are much cooler but the corals I could honestly take or leave. I have to decide what to actually do with it all.

a frogfish is actually even to hideous for me and will more than likely eat most of my shrimp

Im thinking maybe a canary wrasse might be decent event though they say 50 gallons minimum but I worry it will just fight with my purple dotty
 
Not too many good yellow colored free swimming "centerpiece" fish for a 29 gal tank. :( The wrasses suggested won't stay yellow so you need to keep that in mind and because they will grow, a 29 is not the best tank for even the juvies if that is going to be their only tank while in your possession.
I would suggest, if you are doing soft corals, get a yellow colored one of those to be your centerpiece ( stick it right in the middle of the tank ;) ) and then go with other yellow colored fish that you will see off and on ( ie clown goby, Canary blenny, yellow watchman's goby, etc). There's just not a lot of swimming space in a 29 gal tank to get any fish that is an open water swimmer.

Hope this helps. (y)
 
Have you looked into designer clowns? They have some pretty sharp looking varieties out there. Think it was "storm" I recently saw.. oooo lah lah. Or get a bigger tank!
 
could do a small group of 4 of these guys
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like said above your limited because of tank size
 
The Yellow Clown Goby is fun and comes to the side of the tank as a puppy dog does to get fed. Not a big fish but sooo cute and fun in a smaller tank.
 
I had a clown goby. It unfortunately passed. It was right after the cycle, so a mix of probably sickly from store (which it looked) and too soon after cycle for his weak immune system to kick in. Either way he was not a very active fish and kind of hid 95% of the time.

I cant do a designer clown because 1) they are super expensive 2) I have regular clowns so I know they will NOT get along.

Im not looking for an open swimmer in the way of a tang but at least the clowns. The goby's just kind of plop there. I have a warpaint goby and while hes a cool fish he just hides until I feed then pops out and in really quick. A watchman goby just plasters itself to the side of the tank most of the time.

I wont go bigger. Im still trying to debate on how I will successfully break down my 55 planted.

Im just a bit discouraged. I think I listened to a couple friends instead of doing my own research first and got myself into something Im just not super into. I really feel on the fish end of things, freshwater has a more versatile selection. Marine has corals and inverts beat hands down but its almost impossible to find most of the really cool ones and they are crazy expensive.

Most of the smaller fish in marine are pretty much no fancier than an african cichilid, some even blander.
 
Why not just switch back to fw then? It looks to me like you find fw fish more attractive and manageable.

I️ mean personally id take any smaller marine fishes personality and color (even my banggai cardinal) over any fw fish but that’s my opinion! :p. After all my wife does say our planted tank is more relaxing than the reef tanks but she loves the chaoticness of the reefs!

I’d take a moment and try to realize if you really want a reef tank? As a person who has only had smaller marine tanks I️ understand how hard it is not to want tangs or large angels or such but it really isn’t fair to those fish to put them in small tanks. You gotta find the beauty in the little reef fishes personalities!
 
Sadly, a reason either many small tanks fail or why many of us just keep upgrading. Just 5 years ago I started with a 36 bow front. Now here I am over 100 gallons because tangs were the goal. Smaller salt systems are limiting for fish and not for everyone. Those that get into them love them, but it just isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
 
I understand guys, trust me I never want to limit a fish (or any animal) which is why I anticipated trading the tang when he got too large. The reason I even set up my 55 was for one stupid Angel we had that I just didnt want to trade in. Now I have to rehome a few angels, one discuss and a juvi black ghost knife (that I LOVE). the smaller guys in that Tank Ill keep.

As for a small marine. I wanted to build a small seahorse mini reef for upstairs so that might have been my better option to venture into marine. I just wish I didnt buy any equipment, even though I usually go cheap first then upgrade.

My girl likes the fresh planted better as well. to be honest she kind of hates the reef setup. Id like to redo everything to 20 longs since my 29 equipment will work with them and go from there.

My 55 light Ill sell cheap (since I didnt really pay much) and the tank itself I could just give away as I bought it at one of those $ per gallon sales. Me and a friend talked about building a frag tank so maybe thats an experiment for it.

Its not even the thought of tangs but it just seems almost every cooler fish for marine is just a 50 gallon minimum. I mean we have clowns but, I mean, EVERYONE has a clown and I wont find justification in spending $70+ on a fish let alone a clown fish. Regardless of its species, its still a "clown fish".

Maybe Ill try the watchman, but then thats ANOTHER fish Ill have to rehome if I decide to swap back.

I mean there are so many cool inverts that could brighten the tank up but you can only find them online and then you are paying more for shipping than the stupid animal. Ive tried to get a couple buddies to go in with me for the free liveaquaria shipping but they are always broke.

Id love to find some people locally off the forums who might be into a bulk liveaquaria buy.
 
Does the fish have to be yellow??? Is that a breaking point? You could do a royal gramma. Not open water but once settled in mine used to be out 90% of the time. Neat personalities as well, as mine used to try and bully my potters angel and clowns if they got to close to his rock.

I️ know the invert struggle! I’ve been looking for sexy shrimp to add to my 3 I️ already have for about 6 months locally and no one ever has them!

I’ve ordered shrimp and corals from uniquecroals.com and shipping is only $20 rather than $40-50. Healthy stock and frags too
 
Does the fish have to be yellow??? Is that a breaking point? You could do a royal gramma. Not open water but once settled in mine used to be out 90% of the time. Neat personalities as well, as mine used to try and bully my potters angel and clowns if they got to close to his rock.

I️ know the invert struggle! I’ve been looking for sexy shrimp to add to my 3 I️ already have for about 6 months locally and no one ever has them!

I’ve ordered shrimp and corals from uniquecroals.com and shipping is only $20 rather than $40-50. Healthy stock and frags too

Yellow just REALLY pops. I like the gramma (almost bought one a while ago) but it basically looks just like my orchid dotty. I try not to keep similar fish if they may fight plus its just more bioload for essentially the same thing. I might just go that route for now.
 
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