Help with ideas

[Musika]

Hi all,
I have a 25 gal with about 12 lbs lr. It contains 2 hermits, 1 CBS, a lawnmower blenny and a firefish.
Any ideas? I was considering a royal gramma or some other small dottyback.
Thanks in advance,
Musika

[Musika]

Hi all,
I have a 25 gal with about 12 lbs lr. It contains 2 hermits, 1 CBS, a lawnmower blenny and a firefish.
Any ideas? I was considering a royal gramma or some other small dottyback.
Thanks in advance,
Musika

[Musika]

Hi all,
I have a 25 gal with about 12 lbs lr. It contains 2 hermits, 1 CBS, a lawnmower blenny and a firefish.
Any ideas? I was considering a royal gramma or some other small dottyback.
Thanks in advance,
Musika

[Musika]

Hi all,
I have a 25 gal with about 12 lbs lr. It contains 2 hermits, 1 CBS, a lawnmower blenny and a firefish.
Any ideas? I was considering a royal gramma or some other small dottyback.
Thanks in advance,
Musika

[Mez]

Hi muskia.
What lighting + filtration do you have?
How long has your tank been setup?
If you dont have a filter (using your LR as filtration) i would get another 10lbs or so...
If you have decent lighting, you could maybe look into some corals.
A few more (10 or so) dwarf hermit crabs would be good, too. I reccomend the dwarf red leg, as they dont fight as much.
And maybe a serpent or brittle starfish? Though, they have been known to eat shrimps...you could also try a Orange Si-Lankan linkia starfish.
As for a fish...have you considered a fale/true percula clown?
If your tank has been set up longer than 5 months, and you had (or you got) a good lighting system, you could have an Anemone with it too. The partnershhip is very intresting. Though, if you do not have good lighting, do not try this, as they need very intense lighting. The clownfish DO NOT need an Anemone to survive! If you did get some good lighting, or do have some good lighting, you should try to obtain a wild percula clown. Or alternativly, go with another peacefull species of clown, such as a small fire clown aka red saddleback, these are a particular favourite of mine.
Let us know what you get!
James

[Musika]

Oh, ummmm... I have a huge powerfilter on the back (not to sure about size, it came with the tank) plus a big airpump and two huge airstones.
Tha setup has worked well for me. As for lights, I have 1 18,000k bulb.
I would like to get an anemone, but I don't think the lighting is sufficient for that.
I could try a clown, although my luck hasn't exactly been with me with clowns, I think I know why...
I was wondering about a damsel, although I really want the fish that is best for my tank...
Anymore ideas?
Thanks,
Musika

[Mez]

Ok..sounds like you have a HOB filter..Hang On Back..
No, that lighting is definatly not enough lighting for an Anemone. Skip those..
A damsel could work, but they are very territorial, so in the long run if a fish passed away, or you sold it, or whatever, and you wanted to add another fish, the damsel would attack it when it went it..i wouldnt advise..
What substrate do you have?
If you have fine grain sand more than 4" deep, and you got some rubble LR to mix with the substrate, then you could add a Yellowhead Jawfish. These are very intresting fish - they actually make burrows in the sand, hence the need for the deep sand bed. You would also need to make sure your rocks are secured properly, because otherwise the digging jawfish might send them tumbling!
You could try another clownfish as mentioned..
Maybe a royal gramma as you previously stated..
Or maybe 3 Green Chromis? These are small, peacefull members of the damsel fish family..
It is 12:30am now, and am going to bed, so i will think of more fish tomorrow, and post a reply for you!
James

[Musika]

Okay thanks,
The chromis would be great, I know where I could get them too.
My substrate is crushed coral, about 2 inches definatly not for jawfish.
Can you suggest any more inverts? (to be specific, crustacians) I like them, but I was told that my Coral Banded Shrimp wouldn't like them, although emerald crab was an idea. I saw an arrow crab in the lfs once, how about those?
Plez help this young newbie!
Musika

[Mez]

Yep, chromis would be a good idea then.
Hm, more inverts.
Well, you mentioned arrow crabs. Arrow crabs tend to eat other fish, and emerald crabs can, but very rarely do..
The CBS is an aggressive shrimp, so i wouldnt put any other shrimp in there.
You could add some turbo snails, they will keep the algae down, and look good too!
You could also add a starfish as previously mentioned.
You could try a decorator crab, they are pretty cool looking, but again, can catch and eat very slow moving fish...
Actually, most crabs will eat what they can - meaning fish that are too silly to lie next to the crab. However, i think that the fish you mentioned should be ok with an Emerald or Decorator crab..
I reccomend you get a few more dwarf hermit crabs too...
James

[Musika]

Aww I am having an awful day...
I came down the stairs when I woke up and found that the shrimp was in the process of killing/eating the firefish...
The worst thing was, there wasn't a thing I could do about it.
So I am firefish free now...
I am considering just damsels, hopefully they are mean enough that the shrimp wouldn't bother them..
Well, seeya...
Musika

[Mez]

Yeah, coral banded shrimp WILL eat what they can.
Chromis are too quick for the CBS, and will be fine. Now you dont have the firefish, you could probably get 5 green chromis, but no other fish..

[Mez]

Oh, and by the way, the fish dosnt need to be mean to avoid the CBS, just quick!

[Musika]

Oh okay.
I guess chromis are my best bet.
I wish I had not gotten the coral banded shrimp.
I thought it was a cleaner shrimp...
Oh well..
Thanks so much,
Musika

[Musika]

Oh I was wondering..
What about 3 chromis, and a small clown or yellow tail damsel? Or would I be better with just a bunch of chromis.
Also:
Can I get a tubeworm? They look cool...
Thanks again,
Musika

[Mez]

Yes, you can get a few tubeworms.
Er..can try 3 chromis and a percula/ocelleris clown.
James

[Musika]

Well, I would prefer the YTD, because I have had nada luck with clowns. I had 2, but they died of ick.
Well thanks,
Musika

[Mez]

The reason i dun suggest damsels is because they are so aggressive..If you really wanted a yellow tail damsel, you could get one i suppose, but be warned, they are aggressive!
Just becuse your 2 clowns died of ick dosnt mean you shouldnt try them again, it probably wont happen this time!

[Musika]

Well, okay, if ya say so...
I'm just a tad overprotective of my fishies, I would hate to see one of them suffering..
Bye then,
Musika