Suggestions for 5th fish?

[Schraufabagel]

My 25 gallon tank is currently stocked with 2 clownfish, 1 banggai cardinalfish, and 1 sharknose goby. Does anyone have suggestions for a good fish to add? Preferably something that explores the tank or is an active swimmer.

 

[reefz]

Six line wrasse would be good. They eat pests and are very active.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

My 25 gallon tank is currently stocked with 2 clownfish, 1 banggai cardinalfish, and 1 sharknose goby. Does anyone have suggestions for a good fish to add? Preferably something that explores the tank or is an active swimmer.

Active swimmers typically need more length, unless you have a cylinder tank so they can go round and round without stopping.

I'd suggest a firefish/red dartfish, but they are Olympic Carpet Surfers so you need to ensure your top is screened or otherwise closed. If there is an opening, they will find it. Mine have always been out, always swimming but

 

[Schraufabagel]

Six line wrasse would be good. They eat pests and are very active.

Would it be fine in a 25 gallon tank? Liveaquaria recommends a 55 gallon tank

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Six line wrasse would be good. They eat pests and are very active.

Six line wrasse need more space as they are active swimmers. It would be sad to put a six line wrasse in only a 25g tank unless it is a very short thin 'bookcase' type custom tank 4 or 5 feet long - or you have a cylinder so it can go round and round and round. If you have enough space for a six line wrasse, then you'll also need sand or crushed coral substrate so it can sleep in your sand (and spit on your rocks - mine loves to spit from great heights)

 

[Schraufabagel]

Six line wrasse need more space as they are active swimmers. It would be sad to put a six line wrasse in only a 25g tank unless it is a very short thin 'bookcase' type custom tank 4 or 5 feet long - or you have a cylinder so it can go round and round and round. If you have enough space for a six line wrasse, then you'll also need sand or crushed coral substrate so it can sleep in your sand (and spit on your rocks - mine loves to spit from great heights)

It's a 2 foot AIO peninsula with sand substrate

 

[reefz]

Would it be fine in a 25 gallon tank? Liveaquaria recommends a 55 gallon tank

Six line wrasse need more space as they are active swimmers. It would be sad to put a six line wrasse in only a 25g tank unless it is a very short thin 'bookcase' type custom tank 4 or 5 feet long - or you have a cylinder so it can go round and round and round. If you have enough space for a six line wrasse, then you'll also need sand or crushed coral substrate so it can sleep in your sand (and spit on your rocks - mine loves to spit from great heights)

Ive kept sixline wrasse in my 30cube for a year no problems. Thats just my experience.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

It's a 2 foot AIO peninsula with sand substrate

Bet it is gorgeous!

Unfortunately too short for six line wrasse

 

[reefz]

Bet it is gorgeous!

Unfortunately too short for six line wrasse

They are a nano fish mate.

 

[happyhourhero]

Six line wrasse need more space as they are active swimmers. It would be sad to put a six line wrasse in only a 25g tank unless it is a very short thin 'bookcase' type custom tank 4 or 5 feet long - or you have a cylinder so it can go round and round and round. If you have enough space for a six line wrasse, then you'll also need sand or crushed coral substrate so it can sleep in your sand (and spit on your rocks - mine loves to spit from great heights)

So six line wrasses don’t sleep in the sand and they actively swim in and out of the rock work. The exterior shape of the tank would have minimal impact. This fish would be fine in op’s tank.
I would suggest a possum wrasse or pink streaked. Same body type without the possible aggression down the road.

 

[ks2509]

Yellow clown goby. Stay small lots of personality.

 

[Chrisv.]

What about a cherub angel. they really weave in and out of the rock work. One issue I have with fish is that the wrong fish-- a fish that needs more space-- can totally throw off the whole effect by acting "aware of the glass"

This is why I REALLY like the cherubs. I have kept them in smaller tanks than the tang police would ever condone, but I have never had them swimming against the glass. Always weaving in and out of the rocks, eating micro algae. Really a fantastic fish. I have only had one that ate any coral and that one only ate sarcophyton... and not enough to kill it. just to annoy it.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

So six line wrasses don’t sleep in the sand and they actively swim in and out of the rock work. The exterior shape of the tank would have minimal impact. This fish would be fine in op’s tank.
I would suggest a possum wrasse or pink streaked. Same body type without the possible aggression down the road.

I will tell my six line wrasse to stop sleeping in the sand... that he's done all his 10+ years ... but I don't think he will listen to me.

FYI he does seem to prefer sand to crushed coral argonite. Less than a month ago I changed over half the substrate to see how he would take to the change, but my diamond gobies are mixing the sand with the crushed coral so eventually I'll have both mixed together everywhere

 

[Schraufabagel]

What about a cherub angel. they really weave in and out of the rock work. One issue I have with fish is that the wrong fish-- a fish that needs more space-- can totally throw off the whole effect by acting "aware of the glass"

This is why I REALLY like the cherubs. I have kept them in smaller tanks than the tang police would ever condone, but I have never had them swimming against the glass. Always weaving in and out of the rocks, eating micro algae. Really a fantastic fish. I have only had one that ate any coral and that one only ate sarcophyton... and not enough to kill it. just to annoy it.

I probably should've added a picture above, but my rock work only has a small cave in back. So anything that likes to hide would have to be small enough to be fine with that. In the picture below, the cave is inside of the rear portion with the anthelia on top, the feather duster in the middle, and the green rock flower anemone. I'd say that the cave is probably 7" W x 4" D x 2" H.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Yellow clown goby. Stay small lots of personality.

I had a black clown goby during my original stocking. It disappeared 5 months ago (during the same week it was added) and was presumed dead. I still have no idea what may have happened

 

[happyhourhero]

I will tell my six line wrasse to stop sleeping in the sand... that he's done all his 10+ years ... but I don't think he will listen to me.

FYI he does seem to prefer sand to crushed coral argonite. Less than a month ago I changed over half the substrate to see how he would take to the change, but my diamond gobies are mixing the sand with the crushed coral so eventually I'll have both mixed together everywhere

I’ll have mine send yours a postcard since they sleep in mucus cocoons.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I’ll have mine send yours a postcard since they sleep in mucus cocoons.

WOW - does yours make that mucus cocoon anywhere? sounds cool

Mine does a swan dive into the sand for the night 5-15 minutes before lights out. Its normal sand dive during the day to catch something is messy, but its bedtime dive is usually neat and if we aren't looking in that place it can be missed. Mine also likes to sleep in during the mornings (like me!). It can spend the first hour or so after waking with sand still on its face (also reminds me of something I would do if I slept in sand)

Now I have to go lookup mucus cocoons six line wrasses so I can see picture and tell my +10 year old grandpa wrasse what all the young six line wrasses are up to these days!