Fish Compatibility

[rsw686]

I'm looking at adding one or two more fish to my 56gal tank. I had a bad experience with a purple pseudochromis wanting to eat my shrimp. Getting the purple pseudochromis out was a major pain. I had to pull the liverock as it kept hiding. I'm looking for advice on what fish have a good possibility of getting along with what I have.

2 cleaner shrimp
2 false percula clownfish
1 diamond goby
1 yellow tang
various snails
hermit crabs

I know the yellow tang will eventually need a larger tank. Its only 2-3 inches right now and I rescued it from a small petco tank. It had depressions in its belly from being underfeed. Its looking a lot healthier now.

I also have some zoos and mushrooms as well and am looking into getting more coral later so I think that rules out angelfish from what I've read.

[Gooli]

there are plenty of reef-safe fish that can be added to your tank, too many to list. I recommend checking out liveaquaria.com to get some more info on the fish. Each fish is designated as reef-safe, with-caution and Not reef-safe. For the most part, the info there is fairly accurate.

[darkcirca]

We've done that. The thing was all these things say they are compatible, but they really aren't (take the pseudo for example, it is said to be fine but started beating up on everyone). We're more looking for what could be housed with these, like what others put in there. I'd rather not have to play go fish again with 50 some pounds of live rock, all those hermits and whatnot. That's a pain!

[rsw686]

Heres a pic of my tank so far.

http://wgnrs.dynalias.com:81/myweb/CIMG3676.jpg

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9653642#post9653642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by darkcirca
We've done that. The thing was all these things say they are compatible, but they really aren't (take the pseudo for example, it is said to be fine but started beating up on everyone).

Nobody is going to be 100% accurate all the time. And alot has to do with the individual specimen. You could very well get another pseudo that does marvelous for ya. Each set up is different is some way, even if modeled identically to each other. Same with fish, each specimen of a single species may act differently. Alot of trial and error in this hobby. Instead of reading up on specific species, read up on the general family of fish, such as pseudo's in general. Or blennys, gobies, ect. ect. See how that particular group tends to rate with behavior and compatibility. May find some information useful there. It also doesn't hurt to learn where a particular fish comes from and what area of a reef they may inhabit as compared to other species. Being in a non-natural setup may be stressful and lead to aggression to the other fish. Just some thoughts for you to ponder over.

[darkcirca]

Which I've done, which is how we got a diamond goby, a tang, and 2 clownfish. They've all done good together as well. I've been doing a lot of research but wanted some ideas on what other people have been housing together. I've looked up on specific fish, I've looked up on their families, and I've done a lot of research all together.
Research isn't the only answer, because you come up with 50 different answers from all sorts of places. First hand experience is how to go. I am just looking for advice and suggestions, not being told to research more and more, because frankly, I've done a lot of it, and it's getting annoying being thrown in different directions when all I want is to have an idea on who houses what together. I know pseudos are fine sometimes, and others aren't, we had a bad experience and I wouldn't want to deal with that again. I'm making a trip to Lancaster, PA to go to That Fish Place as that is the only decent place to buy fish, as we only have 2 small decent places here in Northern Virginia. I figured while I'm up there visiting family I'd look into fish, get a healthy one rather than a bad one like a lot of the places here have.

[pom xenia]

I think that research has it's place,but I have found that poeple in the hobby have better info.Because they have tried and it's worked or it didn't.Also in what little time I've had my tanks up.According to research some of the fish that I've had should not be in the same tank.And some ohter things like lighting for corals.Afar as fish I love yellow gobys they get a long with anything.

[papagimp]

Darkcirca, either you are posting under two screen names or ya just being rude. My comments are directed towards the original poster of this thread, and research is the answer here. What do you think asking for advice or suggestions is? Your researching information for your tank. If first hand experience is the way to go, then go out buy a fish and get your experience. Asking us to tell you what works isn't first hand now is it. Forgive my rudeness but "frankly" i'm getting annoyed at people asking for suggestions and getting rude when it's not the answer they wanted. You may not like getting 50 different answers when doing your research, but that's exactly what you are going to get asking people what fish will get along. There are far too many options to list and ya didn't help us narrow it down by telling us what you are interested in so either take the advice or don't, but don't get rude when help is offered to ya.

rant over, please proceed productively people.

[handapanda]

Get a reef safe wrasse. They are peaceful, colorful, and have personality. Just my two cents; take it or leave it as you like.

[rsw686]

darkcirca is my g/f. Sorry if she came off rude.

The thing is that people ask about building stands, plumbing, etc and they get advice from those who have done it. They could do research as well.

We have both done research, but I should be able to ask about fish and get response based on people's experience. Then I can combine that with the research I have done to decide what I want to do.

In my opinion asking a question and getting a response to do research isn't very helpful. The whole point of a forum is having interaction between people. They can post I have such and such fish and this is what they did. One the other hand research is one sided.

Most sites either state information about fish or they show their tank and what they have. They do not state how their fish interact with each other.

I'm just looking for first hand experience from people with similar livestock and what the outcome was.

[darkcirca]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9654983#post9654983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by handapanda
Get a reef safe wrasse. They are peaceful, colorful, and have personality. Just my two cents; take it or leave it as you like.

Yea I looked at a few wrasses but I haven't seen any in the stores here, I'm going to try to look up in PA when I'm there.

I'm looking for a blue, purple or pink fish, something with more color (as I have yellow, orange, white and red). I'm not into aggressive fish either, I like peaceful fish, as I want a peaceful environment. The only other thing I saw that would likely be compatible was blennies or dragonette, which I am looking into as well. I like the green mandarin, but have heard some difficult things about them.
So basically I'm in search of a peaceful, not eating shrimp, reef safe fish. I'll be looking at some Wrasses hopefully, they might make a good addition, thanks for the comment back :).

[papagimp]

Rsw, I understand completely, but after recieving many answers to my own questions only to find out later on that the advice given was incorrect or has no basis other than "assumptions". Doing your own research is the first advice and best advice I can give.

But all that aside, let me contribute something more useful to you then: I would second the recmmendation for a nice fairy or flasher wrasse. Excellent additions. I have a yellow wrasse (bananna wrasse according to my source, but may be yellow coris) He's the most friendly fish I have ever bought. I even catch him playing with my Ocellaris Clown pair all the time. He'll get right down into their "host" mushroom and rub around with em. He also likes to follow my regal tang around the tank. Not harrasing by any means, more of following along like a little brother.

[rsw686]

A flasher wrasse looks like a good option. I like the color of the fish as well. Based on your opinion and what I read on various sites it should get along well in my tank.

I was also looking at a dragonet either the spotted mandarin or green mandarin. Any opinion on them?

Do you use a quarantine tank, or do you just fresh water dip the fish. I have done the latter with the fish I have, but have read more and more about needing a qt tank.

I am probably going to setup a qt tank with a 10gal tank I have and a hob filter. What do people do in terms of cycling the tank. I know if the tank is just left sitting there it will uncycle due to no ammonia being present. Or is it better to just perform water changes when ammonia is detectable?

[Wett Hands]

Hi rsw:

Try: FishProfiles.com (http://www.fishprofiles.com/).

They have a database of fish with a section listing compatible species.

Hope that helps.

As far as the dragonet goes I also want one, and everything I have read and all the advice I get from people leads to a few key points:

1) You want a well established tank (1 year old min) since they are a little delicate and need very stable enviornment.

2) The tank needs plenty of pods since thats their sole food source.

As far as the the QT tank cycle goes, I would like to hear some cover that too.

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9655971#post9655971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rsw686
I was also looking at a dragonet either the spotted mandarin or green mandarin. Any opinion on them?

My first fish was a gren mandarin. Rookie error on my part, but he has done well regardless of sticking him in a 29g to begin with, no refugium and tank less than a month old. I had to do plenty of water changes to keep the water quality up, had to add pods on a monthly basis until I had my refugium setup properly. Since getting him, I've stuck him in a 55g, with another dragonette (well stocked fuge keeps em both fat and happy for over a year now). You just have to know what signs to look for when they are starving, keep em fed well. As for compatibility, this fish is going to pretty much ignore anything else in the tank. As long as it's tankmates are calmer fish and not to rambunctious, shouldn't be a problem. Some have had luck getting them to eat prepared foods, but don't "plan" on your fish doing the same. It's not often they will eat non-live foods. I'd also recommend the green over the spotted mandarin. He gets a tad bit bigger. Not much, but every bit counts with tiny fish.

[cristhiam]

I like that truck!! gives me an idea to glue zoas to it :)

[darkcirca]

haha that would be a good idea. Everyone likes to hang out in the bed of the truck though. The clownfish will stop in there, there is usually always a snail sitting in it (or somehow inside the door..).

[handapanda]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9655971#post9655971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rsw686

I was also looking at a dragonet either the spotted mandarin or green mandarin. Any opinion on them?

Do you use a quarantine tank, or do you just fresh water dip the fish. I have done the latter with the fish I have, but have read more and more about needing a qt tank.


Dragonets are a difficult species to keep. Your tank is probably big enough to support one but not for quite a while. I would wait at LEAST 6 months. They feed primarily on copepods and you will need to wait for their population to grow. Also, pods need a safe place like a refugium or sump where they can multiply.

I use a QT always. I learned the hard way that a FW dip is not enough of a precaution. Set up a qt with some cover for the fish and keep the water quality very good. I keep new fish in qt for 4 weeks at least. This ensures that they are healthy (or if they are not, they can be treated) and eating properly. You should only be adding fish to your tank one at a time. If you want to add several fish to your tank, buy one, put it in qt for 4 weeks, add it to the tank, and then get another fish into your qt. This gives the tank and the current fish time to adjust to the new friend. :)

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9661812#post9661812 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by handapanda
Dragonets are a difficult species to keep.

Difficult to feed. You get the food part down, everything else with them is a piece of cake. If you have a fellow reefer with a well established tank, see if you can find some larger amphipods (grammarus shrimp) in a fuge or something. Just enough to help jump start their numbers in your tank. These are large enough to support a mandarin just fine and in fact, provide a larger piece of food for them to munch on. Mine gets ferocious when hunting these critters down.