Fish Selection Guide

[nxb161]

HI All, Is there a website for Fish Selection? For example you can set different parameters like, size, invert safe, reef safe, compatability, etc?
I've done a few searches, but so far have some up empty handed. I don't think it'd be that hard to create such a database if there isn't one already.

 

[pat8you]

liveaquaria.com has a chart that can be used for general rules. It should not be used as end all be all compatibility though.

Marine Compatability Chart

 

[nxb161]

Thanks pat8you, I printed out that guide before I had bought my first tank. What I was thinking was more of a database with all known (easily acquired) saltwater fish. For example you'd say show me all with that grow to be 3" Max & Reef Safe. Having compatibabity added would be nice too, but a bit more complicated. I noticed in LiveAquaria if you are focused into a certain type of fish they let you search by tank size and such, but not for saltwater fish as a whole.

 

[pat8you]

Hmm never seen anything like that. Sorry. If you give us a little info about your tank and what you are looking for people usually start throwing out ideas though.

 

[nxb161]

Oh, I really don't know what I want. Its a 38G w/ 10G sump. I have a lawnmower blenny (fairly typical he stays at the bottom and in the rock work most of the time) and a Leopard Wrasse (that hides in the in the sand a lot, and comes out to eat) and lots of coral and inverts. I'm looking for something that will be quite active & peaceful. I have a clown, sixline wrasse, royal gramma, and chromis in my 29G, so I'd like something different. It'd be neat to have something that would breed easily (not that'd I'd expect lots of fry or any to survive, but just another neat aspect, and free food of course)

 

[thominil]

Take a look at cardinals. Mandarins when ORA releases the captive bred/frozen trained mandarins to stores. Watchman goby or any other type of goby. Chalk bass. About all I can think of right now.

 

[nxb161]

I was leaning toward cardinals, haven't had any before, would it be best to get two? or the good to mix? I don't think I'll go for Mandarins until I get a bigger tank, even if they do come out with supposed trained prepared eaters. Gobys are neat, but I want more of a swimmer, they'll end up staying toward the bottom with my blenny I bet. I'll have to look up Chalk bass, I don't know much about them, do they frequent LFS?

 

[thominil]

Depends on the type you get, Pajama cardinals are fine in large groups in any sized tanks, banggai/kaudern cardinals should be kept singly in smaller tanks. There are gobies that swim in the upper levels such as clown gobies. Not sure how often you would see chalk bass in stores, LiveAquaria has them. They need to be kept in small groups though.

 

[nxb161]

Yesterday I got a pajama cardinal. He's pretty neat looking. I talked with my LFS guy and said he had kept one single before for years and it did very well. Its a little shy still, staying mainly in the back corner, but at least he's eating. Leopard Wrasse doesn't bother him (no surprise there)