Reef safe fish

[aznbob]

I'm looking to get some fish for my new tank but don't know which to get. I plan on having corals and anemones, and my tank is only 29 gal so I know the list might be limited but I'm looking for maybe at most 5 fish for the tank. Does anyone have any suggestions on what fish would be good to have?

[Fluff]

Five fish would be pretty crowded in a 29g tank. But, there are alot of choices of small reef friendly fish. Chromis, clowns, damsels, firefish, royal gramma, clown gobies, shrimp gobies, basslets, and jawfish to name a few.

[austinsdad]

Good list provided by Fluff.

The Blue/green chromis swim out front near the top and will school together. Firefish will hang out front near the botton. Damsels and clowns will do like the chromis, but don't school to my knowledge. My clown goby hangs out on the front glass. Shrimp goby will be at the bottom guarding the caves.

So, with the limits on your tank size, you're gonna have to pick the color fish you want in there and maybe even consider the space they'll take up (top, bottom, middle, rock dweller, etc.).

So maybe a clown for the anenome, a pair of firefish, and a shrimp goby (and a pistol shrimp maybe). That way you got your high swimmer, low swimmer and rock/substrate dweller.

[MT79]

and a shrimp goby (and a pistol shrimp maybe).

I had a Randalls goby w/ a tiger pistol shrimp in my first tank, a 29gal, and they were very entertaining and colorful. Incase you don't know, they pair up and form a symbiotic relationship. It's like a 2 for 1 deal since shrimp, and all invertebrates for that matter, generally don't factor into the bio-load of a tank.

[quarryshark]

Go here, this should help.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/SWCompatibility.php

[aznbob]

Originally Posted by MT79

I had a Randalls goby w/ a tiger pistol shrimp in my first tank, a 29gal, and they were very entertaining and colorful. Incase you don't know, they pair up and form a symbiotic relationship. It's like a 2 for 1 deal since shrimp, and all invertebrates for that matter, generally don't factor into the bio-load of a tank.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. Symbiotic relationships to keep the tank fun. So I guess my list would be clown and anemone, randalls goby and tiger pistol shrimp, and royal gamma (because I like their colors).

Any other symbiotic fish/inverts that I should look at?

[Fluff]

Check out the boxing crab. A small, very colorful little scavenger. They carry a small anemone in each claw and wave them when threatened. Also look at fire shrimp or cleaner cleaner shrimp who set up cleaning stations to clean the fish.

[Jermz79]

Originally Posted by Fluff

Check out the boxing crab. A small, very colorful little scavenger. They carry a small anemone in each claw and wave them when threatened.

Do these crabs require any special lighting!

[Fluff]

I don't think. I searched around a bit and have come up with nothing saying they need special lighting.

[MT79]

So I guess my list would be clown and anemone,

Just keep in mind anemones require very stable, pristine water parameters along w/ proper lighting. It's important that the tank is matured enough to handle an anemone. Generally it is not recommended to place an anemone in a tank that is less than a year old. Take it very slowly. As for the pom pom crab(AKA boxing crab) they should be kept w/ some caution in a reef. The anemone(s) it carries can sting other corals/sessile inverts. As for any other symbiotic animals for a 29 gal, there are crabs that live in some SPS corals (Acropora, etc.) for protection, but they are fairly difficult corals to keep and require HIGH light. Definitely not a good coral for someone starting out. Best of luck.

[Fluff]

Originally Posted by MT79

As for the pom pom crab(AKA boxing crab) they should be kept w/ some caution in a reef. The anemone(s) it carries can sting other corals/sessile inverts.

What information I've read says they are reef safe and, from the pics I could find are of them in reef tanks. Here are a few links with pics of them in reefs, and others links with some general info on the crabs.

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef...b/img_5931.htm

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4


http://www.ictoadd.com/gallery/nanoreef/reef_085

http://www.petsolutions.com/Pom+Pom+...-16113-C-.aspx

http://www.astec.ac.uk/staff/goudket.../reefcrabs.htm

[MT79]

What information I've read says they are reef safe

"Caution should be used when adding this crab to a reef aquarium as the anemones could sting sessile invertebrates and corals." Quoting liveaquaria.com

Generally, from what I've heard, they don't cause problems. However the potential is there. I have not added one to my tank for this reason, it's not worth the risk to the SPS I keep IMO. Maybe if my tank was bigger I would reconsider it.

[Fluff]

Could you please post a link to liveaquaria for them? I searched there and couldn't find them listed. I'm curious as to what they have them listed under if not marine inverts/crabs. Thanks.

[MT79]

On allot of sites if you do a search you will find things that aren't listed in the main galleries. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...fm?pcatid=1474

[Fluff]

Cool. I did do a search. I didn't try the latin name though, maybe I should have. Thanks.