Stock Suggestions

[Beginneraquariumowner]

Hello all,

I've had my 36 gallon tank set up since the tail end of January and have it relatively stocked how I envisioned it. That said I am now itching to add some other fish to it. My current stock list is as follows:
two ocellaris clowns
One yellow headed jawfish
One yellow clown goby

I really enjoy what I have already but am interested in obtaining one to two more fish. I want something that will be as visible/active as my two clowns are. Do not want anything that will not move around a lot. I am planning on doing some corals eventually so that plays a part in the decision making of course. Any ideas would be welcome thank you !

 

[Rutrag]

How about a skunk cleaner shrimp or two? They are colorful, and nce established tend to stay out and about in the tank. Also, they have a very small bioload.

Maybe a blenny of some sort? I think Midas blennies are too big for that tank, but there are several that woul probably work.

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

I would definitely enjoy a skunk cleaner shrimp! That's a good idea but I'm still kinda thinking about fish. What's your opinion on getting a fish that I know will outgrow my tank, but when it's real small to start with? My lfs has some bicolor Angels for dirt cheap. If I got one it would be with the understanding that I would have to sell him down the road.

 

[Rutrag]

It's easier to say you'll upgrade or trade out than it is to actually do. Life gets in the way, and it's a complete pain in the butt to catch anything but a sick and almost dead fish out of a display tank. I have to move stuff to get a trap into my tank, and some fish are smart enough they'l have none of it and you end up tearing up the tank to catch something. If you've grown attached to the fish, there's that component too. Plus, it's difficult to determine (maybe impossible) when a fish begins to be adversely affecting by being kept in too small of quarters.

You mentioned you wanted to keep corals. Dwarf angels are hit and miss for being reef safe. Bicolors are also often difficult to get to eat. If you want to take the risk, what do you think about a pygmy angel?

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

I agree that the angel may be a bad idea indeed. I just would really like some more color and activity in the tank. The clowns I have are my favorite and they swim and dance all throughout the water column. Just don't know anything else that would be like that.

What do you know about the filefish? Active? Docile?

 

[woody390]

I really like puffers they are very active, hand feed, and seem more intelligent to the point where when my valentini is hungry and im in the room he blows bubbles up the the top of the water and makes a clicking noise by biting above the water, however if you intend on inverts and corals there are risks. six line wrasse ,might be a good one as good colours, very active but I have heard of them being a nuissence before

 

[Beengirl]

What about a couple of blue reef chromis? They're more colorful than the blue-green ones and chromis swim all the time. The blue reef can be a little more difficult to find at the lfs, at least around here, but they're pretty. The green are more common. Firefish are cute, I have one, but they're not extremely active, more like they hover in one spot a lot.

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

Yea I can't do any puffers because of tank size and I do have some inverts already, and yea I've been toying around with the Chromis but I dunno about them. I've read that they do best in groups of three so that might be pushing the capacity of my tank. Also in relation to the firefish when you say they just hover do they hover in the water column or do they do it near the substrate ?

 

[woody390]

You can have puffers in 30 gallon I have 2 clowns 2 cleaner shrimps 2 peppermint shrimp and a valentini puffer in my 34

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

Are they reef safe?

 

[woody390]

There's debate over it but I've know a few people keep them with inverts and no problems I think hard corals might be an issue though although soft should be ok

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

Okay thanks I'm going to look into it, but I'm now looking at a Flame Angel

 

[woody390]

They're not reef safe from what I've read up on just to let you know

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

I know it but I've seen a fair amount of folks with them in there tanks, what about a tang of some variety

 

[Bectan01]

Is that supposed to be a trick question? lol

 

[woody390]

You'd be struggling to get many tangs that would go in a tank 3 times that size definite no sorry

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

Haha maybe it was a trick question! And okay I think I've settled on doing a firefish and maybe a couple blue chromis as per Beengirls suggestion. Just kind of concerned whether or not the bio load would be too much! I am however great at doing my weekly PWC since I'm running a cannister filter

 

[Bectan01]

Love my firefish and also my latest addition, a court jester goby. Both active colourful little guys

 

[woody390]

If you add a skimmer will help the bio load if your worried and fish only you should be looking at about 1 inch of fish per 2 gallon and reef 1 inch fish per 5 gallon although som fish have bigger bio loads than others as messy eaters etc

 

[Beginneraquariumowner]

Yea ideally ill get a skimmer for my birthday in May. So I should be okay for the time being. My lfs is getting a new shipment of fish in today so we will see what all they got in.