Up and running for 3 months and Dory needs a friend...Ideas?

[Cafe Jeff]

Well, we finally took the saltwater plunge.
Our little 20 gallon with about 15lbs of base rock, 15 lbs of live rock and more circulation than you can shake a plastic frond at has been up and running for about 3 months now. After a month of staring into the salty-emptiness, we added a peppermint shrimp, a few little crabs -- forget which types --, a brittle star and a yellow tail damsel. Two months later, everyone is doing well -- better than I had ever expected -- but as my three year old reminds me each day, Dory needs a friend... Feeling smug at our success, I am now liable to agree.
What would my aquarium advice friends suggest would be suitable co-tankist for Dory and her invertebrate friends. We just want something sturdy, colorful, ideally with a bit of a personality and who won't eat shrimpy or be cowed to death by Dory. Jeff

 

[fishfreek]

Oh thank goodness I started reading and you said Dory I was thinking you ment the tang dory vs having a yellow tail named dory. For a 20 gal tank and the fact the damsel has been in the tank for a few month by itself you might find it hard to get a companion thats not going to be harrassed. A sand sifting goby would be a good addition that might not get harrassed to much. Other possibilities would include a fire fish or maroon clown.

 

[Cafe Jeff]

No. Just a yellow tail damsel.
I like your suggestions. The clown can be Marlin and the sand shifting goby can, well, shift some sand. I may even spring for both as I think my LFS will have both in stock.
May rearrange the live rock to shake things up a bit. Jeff

 

[Phyl]

I'd steer clear of the maroon in a 20, but that's JMHO. I have one and she's pretty big now (about 3yo) and they can be kinda mean (though she isn't). They also like to stir the sand a LOT when they mature. A very undesireable behaivor. In spite of all of that I love mine, I just wouldn't recommend one for a small tank.

LOL. I thought the same thing about the tang in the 20g. Glad to hear it was just a damsel! I'm not sure what fish I'd put in with the damsel. I'd personally like a flame angel and a gramma (not sure the gramma would fare so well against the damsel though).

 

[Cafe Jeff]

I know enough from lurking in the Saltwater forums that if I put (and admitted to the world) a tang in a 20, Aquariumadvicers would come and hunt me down.
I can have a flame angel? I had thought that a 20 precluded any sort of angel bar a fresh water one. Will have to look into that one. I'd love to have a flame angel. Jeff