Suggestions for livestock in 27G cube

[larcomak11]

I have a Marineland 27G cube, 40lbs fiji pink and around 35-40lbs of mixed live and dry rock, reef octopus HOB BH-90 and 1 ecotech MP10 for flow and reef breeders nova A4 light, also have netting over top

current livestock:
2x black and white ocelaris clwons ( both around an inch in size)
Midas blenny (close to 4 inches)
Yellow watchman goby and tiger pistol shrimp paired (goby almost 2 inches shrimp close to an inch)
1 cleaner shrimp

everyone gets along great, but obviously the goby and shrimp are always digging and hiding, the blenny sits around and explores every so often and the clowns just kinda hang out lol

i'm just looking to see if anyone has any suggestions of 1 or 2 more small fish that would get along with the rest but stay out in the open and stay really active with some bright colors preferably. I have a couple in mind i think but i just wanted to see what others might come up with!

thanks in advance!
alex

http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz332/lowNslow_2010/photo4.jpg (http://s841.photobucket.com/user/lowNslow_2010/media/photo4.jpg.html)

[RayL]

Firefish, you have a few to chose between, will normally just hover around the centre of a tank, they dont swim too much, but in a tank that size, you probably cant have a really active swimmer

or maybe a nice yellow assesor

[carriej]

Yes, if you're not scared of spending a bit a helfrichi firefish would look great.

[larcomak11]

thanks! Do firefish school if i were to get 2 of them?

[doublejhunter]

Not unless they are a mated pair.

[mcrbar910]

Yes, if you're not scared of spending a bit a helfrichi firefish would look great.

This type has much more personality too I have three if the reds and they are boring 2 paired up isolating the 3rd. A pair stays together:)

[larcomak11]

Thank you! Ill have to do a little research on them, never really considered them before

[mcrbar910]

Thank you! Ill have to do a little research on them, never really considered them before

They are so cute. They sleep in the rock work and they have a little antenna thing on top that they flip up and down. My reds have the long antenna and they leave it up my daughter calls then unicorns. They are still cute but when we see the others in the fish store we wish we went that direction.

[larcomak11]

Can anyone play I-spy with my midas blenny in the picture? Lol I just noticed where he was at a minute ago haha he has got the most personality out of any fish I've ever seen

[mr.maroonsalty]

I'm not absolutely sure a firefish is right as they are rather passive. If I were to plan on a $150-200 pair of fish for my nano, they would be the fish I would plan all my stocking around. The first fish that comes to my mind is a liopropoma basslet maybe a swalesi, though the one I kept was more a twilight active fish. The next i think of is a twin spot candy hog. Another choice I would make is a dottyback pair. Just my thoughts.

[DopeCantWin]

Helfrichi are on sale at LA http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=747+871+171&pcatid=171

[DopeCantWin]

I'm not absolutely sure a firefish is right as they are rather passive. If I were to plan on a $150-200 pair of fish for my nano, they would be the fish I would plan all my stocking around. The first fish that comes to my mind is a liopropoma basslet maybe a swalesi, though the one I kept was more a twilight active fish. The next i think of is a twin spot candy hog. Another choice I would make is a dottyback pair. Just my thoughts.

-1 On the Candy Hog. I have one and I feel they are too large for this tank and can get aggressive.

[RayL]

I know I was the first one on here to suggest a firefish but after doing some research I have to agree with mr. Maroonsalty, they might not be the best fish for you. I was reading that in a tank your size that you might have issues with the Midas blenny nipping at him, this will cause the firefish to hide in a rock and most likely not come out often which will be pointless. I never personally experienced this behaviour from a blenny but I have had a 70 gallon or larger tank for a long time now.

[larcomak11]

So far my blenny seems rather passive but appreciate all the responses! Ill have to look into the candy hog, and I definitely was thinking about some sort of basslet since quite a few of them are extremely bright in color, especially the royal gramma and other variations of it

[jaa1456]

A possum wrasse would fit the bill, they are active and do not get to large. I would look into a royal gramma and you might get away with an Argi angel. But it would have to be small to start off with and you most likely wouldn't be able to add any other fish afterwards.

[Iowafisher]

I have kept a coral beauty in a 29 for years.

[mr.maroonsalty]

-1 On the Candy Hog. I have one and I feel they are too large for this tank and can get aggressive.

I think you are wrong! This is a peaceful fish capable of holding its own with not so peaceful fish like Black and White Ocellaris; the chance it will ever beat or bully any of the other fish in this tank is near to none IMO. While B Bimaculatus is not a passive fish, it's not semi-aggressive either, and is very suitable with most peaceful tank mates, but if a pair of rowdy clownfish want to get pushy I'm rather sure it will have no problem pushing back. 27g may be a couple gallons tight for a fish that I have never seen longer than normal finger length, but so it is also for an equal size goby and blenny; I think it could be completely doable.

[DopeCantWin]

I think you are wrong! This is a peaceful fish capable of holding its own with not so peaceful fish like Black and White Ocellaris; the chance it will ever beat or bully any of the other fish in this tank is near to none IMO. While B Bimaculatus is not a passive fish, it's not semi-aggressive either, and is very suitable with most peaceful tank mates, but if a pair of rowdy clownfish want to get pushy I'm rather sure it will have no problem pushing back. 27g may be a couple gallons tight for a fish that I have never seen longer than normal finger length, but so it is also for an equal size goby and blenny; I think it could be completely doable.

Maybe I've got the one bad one from the bunch, but I've seen it be very aggressive. To a 6 line and a baby Blue Tang I added in a 210. In a 90 I watched it chased a Fairy Wrasse. Recently I watched it kill my Blood Red Shrimp. Obviously that's just my experience. Awesome fish, here is my picture

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/9310659842_46f322f9cf_z.jpg

[larcomak11]

It would be awesome to have a baby dwarf angel of some sort or a small mccoskers flasher wrasse because I will be upgrading to a large tank when I Settle down in a house in less than 2 years but its one of those things would it stress the fish out too much. I might be leaning towards a basslet of the sorts but once again I'm not sure, it takes me a long time to make a decision lol especially when it's the last fish ill be putting in this tank not wanting to over stock it

[larcomak11]

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/9310659842_46f322f9cf_z.jpg[/IMG]

That's a beautiful fish

[larcomak11]

Maybe I've got the one bad one from the bunch, but I've seen it be very aggressive. To a 6 line and a baby Blue Tang I added in a 210. In a 90 I watched it chased a Fairy Wrasse. Recently I watched it kill my Blood Red Shrimp. Obviously that's just my experience. Awesome fish, here is my picture

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/9310659842_46f322f9cf_z.jpg

That's a beautiful fish

[mcrbar910]

It would be awesome to have a baby dwarf angel of some sort or a small mccoskers flasher wrasse because I will be upgrading to a large tank when I Settle down in a house in less than 2 years but its one of those things would it stress the fish out too much. I might be leaning towards a basslet of the sorts but once again I'm not sure, it takes me a long time to make a decision lol especially when it's the last fish ill be putting in this tank not wanting to over stock it

I would not do a Mcckosters in that small of tank I have one in my 50 cube and he really needs more swimming space. Even dwarf angels are not advised in nano.

[larcomak11]

I would not do a Mcckosters in that small of tank I have one in my 50 cube and he really needs more swimming space. Even dwarf angels are not advised in nano.

gotcha, thank you! yea i'm going off of what i have been told in the past and trying to piece it together with everything that you all have been helping me with. I appreciate all the advise I can get. I'm 5 months new to this an loving every minute of it and taking in what i can get

how about putting either a mccoskers or a dwarf angel in a 55 gallon long. i started one up about 3 weeks ago and cycling it for my parents as a gift as a FOWLR tank most likely.

thanks,
alex

[mcrbar910]

gotcha, thank you! yea i'm going off of what i have been told in the past and trying to piece it together with everything that you all have been helping me with. I appreciate all the advise I can get. I'm 5 months new to this an loving every minute of it and taking in what i can get

They would be fine in a 55 be careful with dwarf angels as they can nip at corals we really want one but we are Zoa addicts so not chancing it.

how about putting either a mccoskers or a dwarf angel in a 55 gallon long. i started one up about 3 weeks ago and cycling it for my parents as a gift as a FOWLR tank most likely.

thanks,
alex

[mcrbar910]

Not sure why but my answer is in the middle of your post

[mr.maroonsalty]

Maybe I've got the one bad one from the bunch, but I've seen it be very aggressive. To a 6 line and a baby Blue Tang I added in a 210. In a 90 I watched it chased a Fairy Wrasse. Recently I watched it kill my Blood Red Shrimp. Obviously that's just my experience. Awesome fish, here is my picture

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/9310659842_46f322f9cf_z.jpg

I'm sorry, but I don't know what fish that is; it's not Bodianus Bimaculatus.

[mr.maroonsalty]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=1157

[mr.maroonsalty]

That sooo reminds me! I think 3-4 Chalk Bass all added together would make an awesome little display!

[larcomak11]

hmm, i actually really like those and never considered them before. Are they more open water swimmers or do they hide a lot?

[mr.maroonsalty]

At times they should shoal together like anthias. All fish are different; I've a pair of tilefish for nearly five weeks now and they have been neither passive nor at all shy.

[larcomak11]

yea i gotcha, that would be awesome if they did. appreciate the advise!

[DopeCantWin]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/detailed_image.cfm?pCatId=1157

It is the Candy under a lot of Blue Leds I can take a picture with the white leds if you'd like to be sure.

[mr.maroonsalty]

I think I can see that now! Wow! What a bully. Mine was in a 40 with fairies and flashers, a gmc and a L. swalesi.

[BlueFyre]

I would suggest not getting a firefish. My purple firefish and my midas blenny bicker quite a bit in my 65 gallon.

For a tank that size I would look into some little clown gobies or a neon blue cleaner goby. They don't add much to the bioload and are cute little fish.

I also second getting a chalkbass or few. They are such underrated fish. I have one and he's very peaceful and a good eater. Mine would most likely be out more if my springeri damsel didn't hate him so much.

[larcomak11]

I would suggest not getting a firefish. My purple firefish and my midas blenny bicker quite a bit in my 65 gallon.

For a tank that size I would look into some little clown gobies or a neon blue cleaner goby. They don't add much to the bioload and are cute little fish.

I also second getting a chalkbass or few. They are such underrated fish. I have one and he's very peaceful and a good eater. Mine would most likely be out more if my springeri damsel didn't hate him so much.

yea i keep thinking about chalk bass and candy hogs, but as much as i like the clown goby and other gobies, i would just worry about having too many goby like fish and them fighting others that look alike and also i would like to find a fish that would stay out in the open and not lay on rock since i think i have enough of those lol