Stocking Open Top Rimless Tank

[souperman]

I just got back in the hobby again after moving and getting rid of my 90G reef. My new tank is smaller cubish 29x19 and rimless, I think it is around 50G.

I really like the rimless look and want to avoid a mesh top if at all possible. The tank already came with a pair of snowflake clowns. I need fish that will be safe for coral and can tolerate a bare-bottom.

From what I know wrasses will be off the list and possibly dart fish because they are jumpers.

I am interested in cardinals, blennies, gobies, royal grammas, and maybe a yellow eye kole tang. Are any of these known jumpers?

Sand may be an option later I am still not sure how much I like it without. I love the idea of getting a clear top-down view of my corals with the tank in feed mode. My 90G had a canopy so that was not easy to do.

[BigBlueTang]

I just got back in the hobby again after moving and getting rid of my 90G reef. My new tank is smaller cubish 29x19 and rimless, I think it is around 50G.

I really like the rimless look and want to avoid a mesh top if at all possible. The tank already came with a pair of snowflake clowns. I need fish that will be safe for coral and can tolerate a bare-bottom.

From what I know wrasses will be off the list and possibly dart fish because they are jumpers.

I am interested in cardinals, blennies, gobies, royal grammas, and maybe a yellow eye kole tang. Are any of these known jumpers?

Sand may be an option later I am still not sure how much I like it without. I love the idea of getting a clear top-down view of my corals with the tank in feed mode. My 90G had a canopy so that was not easy to do.

I completely understand how the view you want, and rimless tanks look amazing. But, I don't think it's right to not have a top, and mesh top's are as low profile you can get, look into artfully acrylic tops, they aren't cheap but I think thats the best of both worlds.

Coming back to your question, most fish can and will jump. I think a 50g crosses out any tangs. Jawfish and dartfish are very good jumpers. Clown's are usually pretty safe to not jump. My royal gramma, to my knowledge has never jumped. It's a pretty tough question to answer especially because I don't want to be responsible if a fish does jump. I think your best bet is get a low profile lid and stock what you want to stock.

[marleesan]

Any fish can jump. I highly recommend adding a lid. I have also read that clowns are prone to jumping

[souperman]

I was just looking at lids from Artfully Acrylic. They are really nice. I could probably deal with something like that. Having the freedom to stock what I really want might be worth it.

Any suggestions besides a Kole Tang for a "center piece" to the tank?

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[BigBlueTang]

I was just looking at lids from Artfully Acrylic. They are really nice. I could probably deal with something like that. Having the freedom to stock what I really want might be worth it.

Any suggestions besides a Kole Tang for a "center piece" to the tank?

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Kole tang is a bad idea in your size tank. I would say a dwarf angel like a coral beauty or a Flame Angel, or if you get a lid a flasher wrasse would be awesome, especially with a trio.

[souperman]

Kole tang is a bad idea in your size tank. I would say a dwarf angel like a coral beauty or a Flame Angel, or if you get a lid a flasher wrasse would be awesome, especially with a trio.

I'd be worried about an dwarf angel nipping at polyps. Is this pretty rare?

[BigBlueTang]

I'd be worried about an dwarf angel nipping at polyps. Is this pretty rare?



Unfortunately not. Dwarf angels are a hit or miss, some are model citizens and some destroy tanks. But I would highly advise against any tang with the footprint your tank has.

Maybe a small fairy Wrasse in your tank would work...


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[Gweeds]

You could go for a lemonpeel angel... most herbivorous of the dwarf angels and least likely to nip at corals IME.

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[NilsRenstrom]

I belive you can house "jumpy" fish without a lid. I myself house a yellow wrasse and two fire gobys, all of them are known jumpers. Although they only jump when they feel threatened. As long as the gobys have a hideout to which they quickly retreat, they won't jump out. The same goes for the wrasse. As long as it knows that it can hide in the sand or between the rocks to avoid conflict, it will do that. What that means is that there is a break-in period to such fish right at the introduction and with each new addition to the tank. After a while, they learn how far from their cave they dare to travel...

Don't be afraid to add jumpy fish, just take time to understand the cause of the behavior and adress the issue within the tank, and the fish will happily stay in the water :).

Good luck!
//N

[BigBlueTang]

I disagree. You're playing Russian roulette without a top. And I personally would not want the guilt of the death of one of my pets because I didn't want a top.


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[scooter31707]

I would still be timid to add a Flame or Coral Beauty to that size tank. maybe a Pygmy dwarf would be better.

[NilsRenstrom]

I disagree. You're playing Russian roulette without a top. And I personally would not want the guilt of the death of one of my pets because I didn't want a top.


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Well, I can really understand your point of view... To me this isn't a clear yes/no question. One could also question why a well kept and cared for fish wishes to flee? In my experience, a happy fish (well, at least what we thing.. can't really ask 'em) is at peace with its environment, tank mates, feeding routines, dosent feel the need to hide or flee...
If a fish tries to jump all the time, or often, i bet there is something in the environment thats causing discomfort or fear. Putting a lid on that tank is sort of addressing the symptoms while ignoring the cause of the problem... Of course a lid often saves a jumping fish's life, but might just keep it in a stressful environment, and i bet you wouldn't want that either.

Now, you can obviously do both, having both a lid and a happy fish, but i hold a firm belief (backed up by experience) that you can do fine without a lid if you make shure all your inhabitants are well cared for.

//N

[BigBlueTang]

Well, I can really understand your point of view... To me this isn't a clear yes/no question. One could also question why a well kept and cared for fish wishes to flee? In my experience, a happy fish (well, at least what we thing.. can't really ask 'em) is at peace with its environment, tank mates, feeding routines, dosent feel the need to hide or flee...
If a fish tries to jump all the time, or often, i bet there is something in the environment thats causing discomfort or fear. Putting a lid on that tank is sort of addressing the symptoms while ignoring the cause of the problem... Of course a lid often saves a jumping fish's life, but might just keep it in a stressful environment, and i bet you wouldn't want that either.

Now, you can obviously do both, having both a lid and a happy fish, but i hold a firm belief (backed up by experience) that you can do fine without a lid if you make shure all your inhabitants are well cared for.

//N

To each their own. I respect that you have a different opinion :)

Although in my experience, my lid has saved the lives of my leopard and my Solorensis wrasse. If you are keeping wrasses, a lid is a must...