Searching for a Large Bottom Dweller

[kingfisherflesh]

Hey guys, you may have seen my last thread, but decided I need a new one for discussion on a couple different fishes.

I am considering three different fish at this point for my reef. I want something that is unique. I have them listed in order of interest.

Brotulina fusca
http://www.qualitymarine.com/Products/Fish/Wild/Gobies/Brotulina-fusca/Lycopod-Yellow

Acanthocepola indica
http://www.qualitymarine.com/Products/Fish/Wild/Gobies/Acanthocepola-indica/Pouter-Blushing-False-Eye

Pholidichthys leucotaenia
http://www.qualitymarine.com/Products/Fish/Wild/Gobies/Pholidichthys-leucotaenia/Engineer

I really dont want the engineer goby...but it seems the safest bet, and right now it is my last option choice. I can get all three of these fish.

If you have a different suggestion of a large bottom dweller that is reef safe, and can live in 2-3 inches of substrate, please mention it.

The tank is stocked with:

ORA extreme misbar pair
Clarkii Pair
Mystery Wrasse
Midas Blenny
Navarchus Angel
Blue Hippo Tang
Purple Tang

I am getting three anthias in with this fish...bimacs probably.

Then the tank (6' 125g variety) will be stocked.

Thanks

[ReeferBill]

I like your second choice but I also would recommend a red scooter blenny....
Happy Reefing!!!!:bounce2:













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[kingfisherflesh]

I like your second choice but I also would recommend a red scooter blenny....
Happy Reefing!!!!:bounce2:


Do you have any experience with the second fish?

A scooter blenny isnt going to be able to compete for food in my tank I dont think. Being 3" long...its going to be hard. I dose pods that I harvest at work...but I dont think that is going to be enough.

[SushiGirl]

Bicolor Goatfish (Parupeneus barberinoides) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+46+688&pcatid=688)? Would be like having a sandsifting goby in your tank as far as sand bed infauna goes, if that's a concern.

Not sure what you consider "large" but here's a more rare sleeper goby that gets 5" Sleeper Green Banded Goby (Valenciennea randalli) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1536+3037&pcatid=3037)

Diamond Watchman Gobies get to 7", but they're not uncommon.

[kingfisherflesh]

Bicolor Goatfish (Parupeneus barberinoides) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+46+688&pcatid=688)? Would be like having a sandsifting goby in your tank as far as sand bed infauna goes, if that's a concern.

Not sure what you consider "large" but here's a more rare sleeper goby that gets 5" Sleeper Green Banded Goby (Valenciennea randalli) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1536+3037&pcatid=3037)

Diamond Watchman Gobies get to 7", but they're not uncommon.

Hmm. I really need this fish to be reef safe. I have always thought the bi-colors were cool though.

I also would like it to be smaller than 10". I probably should have specified its a 125g, so I cant have any more BIG fish, but...I meant larger than most of the gobies you see in the trade. Sorry.

I havent had good luck with sleepers. My 75g had finer sand, and it was a deeper sand bed 3-4" and the sleeper, even though I got it onto prepared foods, still starved to death.

If I end up having to settle for something common...it will be the convict I am thinking at this point. Although I had a convict in at work for a year or so, and rarely ever saw that fish either...so I might as well get the brotulina if I go that route. :headwallblue:

[SushiGirl]

I have a 6-spot sleeper that is doing well so far (6 months), but I had to switch to feeding twice a day in the beginning (the first one didn't last a week, was at the store too long). He's gotten to the point where he doesn't get up to eat in the morning, but now my other fish expect the small morning feeding darnit! LOL

From what I can tell on the bicolor, the only "reef safe with caution" warning is the depletion of the sandbed, which is true also of any sifter. I almost linked to the yellow goatfish, good thing I didn't since they get a foot long! They're more non-reef safe than the bicolor though, eating shrimp & even fish as adults.

I've had 2 Diamond Watchmen in the past (2 years each, 2 tank crashes killed them), though common they were by far my favorite & most entertaining fish.

I do like your first 2 choices, but know absolutely nothing about them.

I'll keep looking around to spend your money for you, it's fun LOL.

[kingfisherflesh]

DO IT! I can get most stuff pretty cheap, I have several wholesalers, so go crazy.

The goat probably wouldnt work...I have a hard enough time giving sleeping areas to my other large fish, having dove/spearing with goatfish...I have no idea where a 10" one would sleep.

We will see. Its on the list now...I dont have anything in the sand bed...as I said, its pretty shallow, and get siphoned very well once a week.

Find me a crazy awesome jawfish that isnt the blue spotted one.

It also has to be able to defend its cave from tangs that want a free spot to crash at night - they like nothing more than holes that they dont have to make themselves.

[SushiGirl]

hahaha! Will do.
A local LFS has some quite large jawfish, but I have no idea what they are. Actually I don't even know how long they are, I just know I've seen 3" of each and they have big fat heads! They're also quite defensive. I'll try to figure out what kind they are.

[SushiGirl]

Tiger Jawfish (Opistognathus sp.) (http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=463&cid=30) 8"

Same thing, I think Opistognathus lonchurus "Moustache Jawfish" (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/206862/product.web?lct=s)

That might be what they are. They definitely have the dark heads like that, and are certainly more than 3 or 4 inches. I guess they could be Duskys, but I don't remember the mottled look, just kinda more stripey behind the dark head.

Diver's Den stuff:

Red Head Jawfish (Opistognathus sp.) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=120626) from Diver's Den. 5" (currently 2")

Harlequin Sandperch (Parapercis maculata) (http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=120055) 8" & reef safe. Very odd looking!

[kingfisherflesh]

Tiger jawfish, and mustache jawfish are the same fish I am pretty sure.

Now looking to see what my wholesalers can get me...red head also being considered. Hopefully they turn up something crazy.

[SushiGirl]

Good call. I looked into the sandperch more...uglier as an adult & may eat small crustaceans and fish LOL.

Definitely post what you end up with. And thanks for the challenge. It got me outside the box and thinking about stocking the 140 that we got a couple weeks ago. I've never gotten to pick bigger fish before LOL.

[kingfisherflesh]

Good call. I looked into the sandperch more...uglier as an adult & may eat small crustaceans and fish LOL.

Definitely post what you end up with. And thanks for the challenge. It got me outside the box and thinking about stocking the 140 that we got a couple weeks ago. I've never gotten to pick bigger fish before LOL.

Well you have been very helpful. I have gone from telling my guys: "Get whatever is the weirdest." To: "Look to see if you have any of these."

We will see. Have fun with that 140...I got this 125g and was super excited to stock it with tangs etc...now it looks small and I just want a 210g. :D

[kingfisherflesh]

If everything goes to plan financially...there should be pics in the next three weeks.

Thanks...and still open to more / different information, fish and opinions.

[thelizardkin]

Not sure how big the area is but I would get a flounder

[kingfisherflesh]

Not exactly what I am looking for. I want like a cave dwelling/digging fish...it has to be gobyesque ha

[SushiGirl]

Have fun with that 140...I got this 125g and was super excited to stock it with tangs etc...now it looks small and I just want a 210g. :D

The 140 is a stepping stone to the 210, according to my boyfriend anyway.
Don't know how I'm going to stock the 140, I don't like clowns or tangs.

Can't wait to find out what you get!

[BlueFyre]

If it were me I would go with some sort of jawfish or a scooter blenny. Though I like the choices you have already picked out. Look forward to seeing what you go with :)

[kingfisherflesh]

The 140 is a stepping stone to the 210, according to my boyfriend anyway.
Don't know how I'm going to stock the 140, I don't like clowns or tangs.

Can't wait to find out what you get!

What a lucky girl to be in a relationship where the other person is pushing you onto bigger tanks! How fortunate!

[kingfisherflesh]

If it were me I would go with some sort of jawfish or a scooter blenny. Though I like the choices you have already picked out. Look forward to seeing what you go with :)

Thanks, wont be a scooter, because they wont get big enough to hold their own, get food, and defend the home. More than likely going to be the convict "blenny" or a jawfish at this point...and leaning toward jawfish.

[Angel*Fish]

We will see. Its on the list now...I dont have anything in the sand bed...as I said, its pretty shallow, and get siphoned very well once a week.

Find me a crazy awesome jawfish that isnt the blue spotted one. Don't jawfish need a deeper sand bed and quieter tank?

[kingfisherflesh]

Don't jawfish need a deeper sand bed and quieter tank?

The sand bed Im not too concerned with.

They can dig themselves a cave underneath a rock etc...tons of jawfish tanks out there with similar situations.

In order for them to build their vertical burrows...they need like 4-6" of crushed coral/mixed grain sand. Not many people are doing this either.

The busy tank thing is a concern...its looking more and more like whatever I get might not come out bc of the tangs.

[Monkeyfish]

IMO, avoid a goatfish. They need to be fed a lot and often in order to survive. This could wreak havoc on a 125g reef. Brotulas are supposedly very difficult to keep. Not sure why, I've just read that they generally don't fare well in home aquaria.

[kingfisherflesh]

IMO, avoid a goatfish. They need to be fed a lot and often in order to survive. This could wreak havoc on a 125g reef. Brotulas are supposedly very difficult to keep. Not sure why, I've just read that they generally don't fare well in home aquaria.

Thanks eric...at this point the door is wide open.

Still searching for some suggestions people!

Im at a loss and want something unique!

[Sigmund]

Loved your 2nd option in your original email. Do not have any experience with it though.

I did have the Yellow Brotulid for a few years, this fish is cryptic to the extreme, you will never see it. Plus mine would eat cleaner shrimp when they molted.

I love jawfish, but you may have some worries with the other tank mates and how big bold they are. May want to consider an Orange Throat Pike Blenny, have a pic of one in my avatar. You can do a search in this forum for other info I have shared about this species.

[kingfisherflesh]

Loved your 2nd option in your original email. Do not have any experience with it though.

I did have the Yellow Brotulid for a few years, this fish is cryptic to the extreme, you will never see it. Plus mine would eat cleaner shrimp when they molted.

I love jawfish, but you may have some worries with the other tank mates and how big bold they are. May want to consider an Orange Throat Pike Blenny, have a pic of one in my avatar. You can do a search in this forum for other info I have shared about this species.

You are talking about the indica?

I have decided against the brutulid.

Have you kept the indica?

We are still completely up in the air...I would love to hear anything you know about that second option from my original post though.

[Monkeyfish]

"We are still completely up in the air...I would love to hear anything you know about that second option from my original post though"

From wetwebmedia
They get to be about 10 inches long and eat benthic crustaceans; i.e. sand-bed critters


From Monsterfishkeepers
...but the info on them in captivity is basically non existent. I only know one other person in the world that had them and he lives in Sweden

From Wikipedia
They dig burrows in sandy or muddy seabed and eat zooplankton.

Haven't found any other info as of yet. I'll ask a friend over at Atlantis Marine World Aquarium if he knows anything about them.

[kingfisherflesh]

Well, as lame as this sounds - I ended up buying a tiny little engineer goby.

I got him from an LFS at less than 2" and he is now probably close to four. That being said, I have only seen him once (earlier this week) since I bought him.

Now I know where he lives, and I was kinda hoping that I would see him out again today as I fed, but being a carbon doser I guess that enough stuff gets to him that he doesnt have to show himself. Either that or his burrow allows him to get food at other locations as well. Hope to see him more as he gets larger.