Help me pick some fish!!

[benthicBarbarian]

Okay. I’m planning on doing my first ever saltwater aquarium soon (yay!)
So right now I’m on my fish stocking chapter of my journey. Ive narrowed the types of fish I want to the individuals I’ve doodled bellow. I’ve heard a lot of conflicting information on these fish through my research, so that’s why I have little questions pointing to each fish.

I just need help picking the upper-middle swimming fish(es) that can go in the tank.

For my tank, I have chosen an Innovative Marine, Nuvo, 20 long AIO, starter kit. The tank measures 2ft in length, holds a total of about 20 gallons, with about 16 gallons making up the display. I’m planning on having a macro algae tank with some hardy softies here and there. Let me know if I’ve missed any crucial info. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[TX_REEF]

Welcome!

I’m a little unclear on the fish plan - there’s no way you can house all of those successfully and sustainably in a 20 gallon tank.

 

[benthicBarbarian]

Welcome!

I’m a little unclear on the fish plan - there’s no way you can house all of those successfully and sustainably in a 20 gallon tank.

OOHHHH NOOOO!! If I housed all these fish together, the tank would turn red… I just need help picking a few! I’m soooo sorry if I didn’t make that clear!!! ;(

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

The clown and a goby in a 20 would do. As would the pink streak wrasse with more diminutive gobies.

Every fish you posted is kind of a jerk except the pink streak and the forktail. Maybe even the forktail.will get a little surly in a 20.

The angel needs way more space.

After a year or so, the clown will turn into a stone cold killer.

Grama, damsel, dottyback; all mean.

Bangai, mean

P-jam card, questionable personality once it matures. But rest assured it will be the ugliest fish in your tank.

I've never kept a filefish.

I like your drawings.

 

[benthicBarbarian]

The clown and a goby in a 20 would do. As would the pink streak wrasse with more diminutive gobies.

Every fish you posted is kind of a jerk except the pink streak and the forktail. Maybe even the forktail.will get a little surly in a 20.

The angel needs way more space.

After a year or so, the clown will turn into a stone cold killer.

Grama, damsel, dottyback; all mean.

Bangai, mean

P-jam card, questionable personality once it matures. But rest assured it will be the ugliest fish in your tank.

I've never kept a filefish.

I like your drawings.

Yeahhh I figured i majority of these weirdoes would be total stinkers. Even though I love clowns, it and a goby just seems a bit boring.

I was personally thinking of having a single clown, a file fish, and a fang blenny (or gramma)

Also, don’t oc clowns become most aggressive when they’ve paired? Or would a single one turn into a tyrant? If males are the least aggressive, and all clownfish are born males/sexless, would a single one be not as aggressive compared to paired ones or post transition females? (I’m so sorry if I’m bombarding you with questions)

Also, ALSO, why would a wrasse of all things be more suited to a small tank compared to a lone angelfish? Angelfish are very active, but compared to wrasses, angelfish have designated territories. Wrasses pretty much only descend in the water column to hide and peck at food. Angelfish have compressed bodies maneuver throughout the living maze that is a reef.

Also, ALSO, ALSO….yeah cardinals are ugly but that’s what I find so cute about them!! >_<

 

[benthicBarbarian]

Yeahhh I figured i majority of these weirdoes would be total stinkers. Even though I love clowns, it and a goby just seems a bit boring.

I was personally thinking of having a single clown, a file fish, and a fang blenny (or gramma)

Also, don’t oc clowns become most aggressive when they’ve paired? Or would a single one turn into a tyrant? If males are the least aggressive, and all clownfish are born males/sexless, would a single one be not as aggressive compared to paired ones or post transition females? (I’m so sorry if I’m bombarding you with questions)

Also, ALSO, why would a wrasse of all things be more suited to a small tank compared to a lone angelfish? Angelfish are very active, but compared to wrasses, angelfish have designated territories. Wrasses pretty much only descend in the water column to hide and peck at food. Angelfish have compressed bodies maneuver throughout the living maze that is a reef.

Also, ALSO, ALSO….yeah cardinals are ugly but that’s what I find so cute about them!! >_<

I stand incorrect!!! Pink streaks are a lot less active than cherubs!!! I realized that I’ve been looking at this mostly from the perspective of the Atlantic cherub angel, whom I sometimes encounter on dives. Compared to the wrasse species in the west Atlantic…cherubs are a lot less active. A cherub compared in a small wrasse in the pacific…cherubs are the more active fish. U_U

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I have a clown and a goby in a 25. It's almost like not having fish. I'm on the hunt for nano goby's now. Trimma goby, neon goby's, Hectors, all that. I'm in the middle of a single neon and a hectors goby both around an inch long. Gonna see how that goes then maybe round out the crew with 3 or 4 more neons. Something to get some action in there.

So far the clown isn't paying any attention to the small gobies. As to which is the nicest clown, I will go to my grave saying none of them. Female clowns are definitely nasty. My female is a widow because she killed her mate. She has killed a flame hawk fish, helfrichi firefish, clown, yellow corris wrasse, carpenters wrasse. All of those over the 7 years I've had her. She keeps killing. I feel like there has been a attitude shift for the positive once I let her in with a nem. But I'm not ever again introducing anything nearly her size that she can see as competition

Dwarf angels will range out all over. More than territory they need space to stretch their legs and zip around. But the pink streak is a small fellow. I had one that did great in my 25 until I added my 7 year old clown.

 

[benthicBarbarian]

I have a clown and a goby in a 25. It's almost like not having fish. I'm on the hunt for nano goby's now. Trimma goby, neon goby's, Hectors, all that. I'm in the middle of a single neon and a hectors goby both around an inch long. Gonna see how that goes then maybe round out the crew with 3 or 4 more neons. Something to get some action in there.

So far the clown isn't paying any attention to the small gobies. As to which is the nicest clown, I will go to my grave saying none of them. Female clowns are definitely nasty.

Dwarf angels will range out all over. More than territory they need space to stretch their legs and zip around. But the pink streak is a small fellow. I had one that did great in my 25 until I added my 7 year old clown.

You sound like you have Lovely tanks!

If that’s the case with clowns, is it possible I could keep a single tomato clown in the 20 long with NOTHING else? I like fish with flat/disc/bulky bodies and since tomatoes are extremely territorial I was thinking maybe I could keep the one?

That really sucks with the dwarf angels! I’ve seen an handful of other reefers successfully keep one in as small as 5-10 gallons! I guess there also needs to be a certain level of experience when it comes to them Womp Womp I guess.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my silly questions!!! <3

 

[TX_REEF]

Yeahhh I figured i majority of these weirdoes would be total stinkers. Even though I love clowns, it and a goby just seems a bit boring.

I was personally thinking of having a single clown, a file fish, and a fang blenny (or gramma)

Also, don’t oc clowns become most aggressive when they’ve paired? Or would a single one turn into a tyrant? If males are the least aggressive, and all clownfish are born males/sexless, would a single one be not as aggressive compared to paired ones or post transition females? (I’m so sorry if I’m bombarding you with questions)

Also, ALSO, why would a wrasse of all things be more suited to a small tank compared to a lone angelfish? Angelfish are very active, but compared to wrasses, angelfish have designated territories. Wrasses pretty much only descend in the water column to hide and peck at food. Angelfish have compressed bodies maneuver throughout the living maze that is a reef.

Also, ALSO, ALSO….yeah cardinals are ugly but that’s what I find so cute about them!! >_<

Good points but I disagree with angels having designated territory - my coral beauty will chase its foes to the ends of the earth

 

[littlefoxx]

Filefish and cherub angel should be taken off the list, 20 gallons is not big enough for either of those

 

[benthicBarbarian]

Filefish and cherub angel should be taken off the list, 20 gallons is not big enough for either of those

Ohhhh c’mon!! I understand the cherub angelfish now but i didn't think the ORA Pygmy white spotted file fish would need much in terms of swimming room! I thought they just hovered around. I’ve seen a guy keep one in 10 gallons! Ughhhhh I guess it’s off the list too

 

[TX_REEF]

I do have to make this argument. Have you considered a larger tank? I know budget is a factor, but you will waste far more money in the long term trying to accomplish unrealistic goals, especially for fish, with a smaller than ideal system. This waste includes livestock death, extra equipment, and time. Just food for thought.

 

[benthicBarbarian]

I do have to make this argument. Have you considered a larger tank? I know budget is a factor, but you will waste far more money in the long term trying to accomplish unrealistic goals, especially for fish, with a smaller than ideal system. This waste includes livestock death, extra equipment, and time. Just food for thought.

I have considered a larger tank, but as you said, cost is a factor for me. I originally wanted to go with a IM Nuvo 15g AIO but went with the 20 long specifically because i wanted more variety in what fish I can keep. Space is also a problem for me.

The only electric based equipment I’m planning on spending money on is the light, the pump (two come with the tank, I’m gonna splurge on a better one), and a heater. In terms of time wasted…I’m a chronically at-home fish obsessed weirdo, with 5 freshwater planted tanks…I don’t think I’ll take the ups and downs of saltwater as time wasted. LOL

Now you do have a VERY good point with money wasted on dead fish. it’s just that I’ve spent a lot of time researching and learning about all these cool fish and the wonders of the saltwater hobby! don’t want to end up settling for fish I don’t find even find interesting. I think a fish dying from lack of interest is far worse than a fish dying because I tried to keep it alive. If fish in both scenarios are doomed from the start, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to put more effort into the one you actually wanted?

 

[littlefoxx]

I have considered a larger tank, but as you said, cost is a factor for me. I originally wanted to go with a IM Nuvo 15g AIO but went with the 20 long specifically because i wanted more variety in what fish I can keep. Space is also a problem for me.

The only electric based equipment I’m planning on spending money on is the light, the pump (two come with the tank, I’m gonna splurge on a better one), and a heater. In terms of time wasted…I’m a chronically at-home fish obsessed weirdo, with 5 freshwater planted tanks…I don’t think I’ll take the ups and downs of saltwater as time wasted. LOL

Now you do have a VERY good point with money wasted on dead fish. it’s just that I’ve spent a lot of time researching and learning about all these cool fish and the wonders of the saltwater hobby! don’t want to end up settling for fish I don’t find even find interesting. I think a fish dying from lack of interest is far worse than a fish dying because I tried to keep it alive. If fish in both scenarios are doomed from the start, wouldn’t it be more meaningful to put more effort into the one you actually wanted?

No. The hobby is all about the FISH and their care not the hobbyist so much. Because what I heard you say is “well its okay that the fish I really want is unhappy because I want it”. Not sure if thats what you meant but thats how it comes off as. Pick fish appropriate for your tank period. If you really want fish that are not appropriate for a 20 gallon maybe hold off on the hobby until you can get an appropriate size tank. Remember these are animals and they require proper care just like a dog or a cat and that trumps shoving fish in a tank that is too small for them is just like keeping a dog in a crate thats too small for him.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO you should not have more than 4 fish in that tank. For a peaceful tank I would keep it to 2 clowns and maybe a goby and a blenny. A damsel or dottyback or wrasse in that size tank might claim the whole tank to themselves and bully other fish.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Okay. I’m planning on doing my first ever saltwater aquarium soon (yay!)
So right now I’m on my fish stocking chapter of my journey. Ive narrowed the types of fish I want to the individuals I’ve doodled bellow. I’ve heard a lot of conflicting information on these fish through my research, so that’s why I have little questions pointing to each fish.

I just need help picking the upper-middle swimming fish(es) that can go in the tank.

For my tank, I have chosen an Innovative Marine, Nuvo, 20 long AIO, starter kit. The tank measures 2ft in length, holds a total of about 20 gallons, with about 16 gallons making up the display. I’m planning on having a macro algae tank with some hardy softies here and there. Let me know if I’ve missed any crucial info. Thanks in advance!!!

I love what you’ve done here. Very creative.

Unfortunately the cherub angel, pink streaked wrasse, and filefish will not be okay in that size tank.

The azure damsel should not be kept with the rest of the fish you are planning. Very territorial and the rest are mostly peaceful.

The royal gramma is not an aggressive fish! And. A great addition to the tank. There’s a very similarly colored fish that is very aggressive so the royal gramma is unjustly deemed aggressive because of that.

In a tank that size, a single cardinal fish would probably do better.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I love what you’ve done here. Very creative.

Unfortunately the cherub angel, pink streaked wrasse, and filefish will not be okay in that size tank.

The azure damsel should not be kept with the rest of the fish you are planning. Very territorial and the rest are mostly peaceful.

The royal gramma is not an aggressive fish! And. A great addition to the tank. There’s a very similarly colored fish that is very aggressive so the royal gramma is unjustly deemed aggressive because of that.

In a tank that size, a single cardinal fish would probably do better.

My first and only royal gramma went on the war path in a 40 breeder with a falco's hawk fish, juv perc clown, and a solandri puffer. I replaced the hawk fish with a pajama cardinal and it nipped the long fin's constantly. Gave it away and never went back.

 

[crazyfishmom]

My first and only royal gramma went on the war path in a 40 breeder with a falco's hawk fish, juv perc clown, and a solandri puffer. I replaced the hawk fish with a pajama cardinal and it nipped the long fin's constantly. Gave it away and never went back.

Interesting! The ones I’ve had have all been peaches. I thought the royal dottyback which is easily confused with the gramma is supposed to be the aggressor. Guess every fish is its own man and can be terrible.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Interesting! The ones I’ve had have all been peaches. I thought the royal dottyback which is easily confused with the gramma is supposed to be the aggressor. Guess every fish is its own man and can be terrible.

See that makes me want to give them another chance.

 

[littlefoxx]

See that makes me want to give them another chance.

Mine is peaceful too