Help me choose a fish...

[Anonymous]

I've kept a red firefish in a 6 gallon tank, and it did fine. And the helfrichi's is the type of uncommon, pretty fish I'm looking for...problem is that it's an open top, and they're jumpers.

I feel sick recounting this story...
I ordered 4 Eviota gobies and got them this week, to the tune of $20 apiece, plus shipping. I decided to house them in a critter keeper in my 12 gallon tank while my 20 gallon finishes its cycle. Big mistake. Huge. I got to enjoy these gobies for about half an hour.

Critter keeper sank, top came off, gobies dashed out before I could put it back on, and became basslet food in seconds. These things were TINY. My clown goby ate one of them! I wouldn't advise putting them in any tank with exposed powerheads (not even with a strainer...it would have to be a sponge), overflows, or even with any other fish! I was going to initially add them to a friend's 10 gallon who is raising some 2 week old (? maybe older) Banggai cardinals, but I was afraid the babies would eat these gobies. That's how small they were.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Matt, what about a Candy Hog. They stay small 3.5" is the biggest I have seen. I have had one in my 40 g breeder, with open top, for quite a while with no problems. Pretty fish, peacefull. Andy

 

[GSchiemer]

You can get six purple firefish (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=173) for the price of one Helfrichi firefish. They're arguably a prettier fish as well.

Greg

 

[Tackett]

no one man, IMO helfrichi's are one of the best looking fish period. That picture on liveaquariua is even a bad picture. Like I siad though, this is only my opinion, you are entitled to yours too. I have a purple and it is also a beautiful fish.

Matt. If it is open topped you could extend the top of the tank with thin acrylic so that it would be a barrier if it did try to jump. If that makes any sense. might be kinda ugly that way though.
I dont know if you would want to take the chance with a 200 dollar fish, but it might not jump out. Ive never seen any of my fires attempt to jump out. (not to say that they dont ever try.) you would just have to be extra gentle when you get your hands in the tank. I know of a few more weird fish (not as pretty though.) ill do some more research and give you the web pages.

 

[Anonymous]

AFAIK Candy hogs are jumpers too, not that I didn't consider one. I thought about doing eggcrate or glass or acrylic on top, but it would ruin the look of this particular tank.

I'll see if I can post a pic of the tank itself. It doesn't have a brace, and the light is from a pendant. I meant for it to be looked at from above as much as from the sides. When you look at it from the top and front it looks like one continuous piece of reef, if that makes any sense.

adinsxq took some great photos of the same tanks in this thread:

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=56021&start=0

 

[Anonymous]

Oh btw, after seeing all 3 firefish in person I still think the red firefish is the most attractive. The tapered dorsal fin just looks very cool to me, and the purple's and helfrich's looks like it got chopped off. Just my 2 cents.

 

[GSchiemer]

Matt,

Just to confirm what you said. The candy hog (Bodianus bimaculatus) is a jumper, especially when it gets larger. This is not an appropriate fish for a nano-reef aquarium, IMO. It gets too large (~ 6 inches) and becomes very nasty, especially towards other wrasses. They don't call it a hogfish for nothing!

Greg

 

[Anonymous]

I will give it one more try Matt, How about a Signigobius biocellatus Twinspot goby. Like most fish it may jump and I hear they may be hard to feed but It is a cool little fish though. Andy

 

[Anonymous]

I will give it one more try Matt, How about a Signigobius biocellatus Twinspot goby. Like most fish it may jump and I hear they may be hard to feed but It is a cool little fish though. Andy

Neat goby, but from what I understand they needs lots of live sand or they starve to death

 

[Anonymous]

True.

 

[Anonymous]

Discordipinna griessingeri Spikefin goby. Great fish, cost me about $150.00 from my lfs. Small, took awhile to settle in but has been a solid addition to my clam tank. There is another fish in this same family that looks more like a watchman with broad gold and brown stripes very pretty. Maybe I can find the name of that one. Andy

http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1& ... htm&e=8092

 

[Anonymous]

I'd go for a blue tang, they are a really attractive fish and quite active.

 

[ReefingRob]

I agree with âne duvet. I think a twelve inch long Pacific Blue Tang would look spectacular in your ten gallon tank. 8O


Dang it. My first post and it's a sarcastic reply.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 10 gallon and I have succesfully kept a number of tangs in there over the past year. When they get too big for the tank, just replace them with a smaller one.

 

[Tackett]

This wont fit in that tank but take a looksee at the price.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pCatId=280

Here is another beutiful dart although this is too big for what you want, just fyi.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... CatId=2108


This is a very interesting species, read and you will understand why if you have never heard of them.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... CatId=2106

ok starting to get carried away here, this has nothing to do with this post, but have you ever seen a chevron tang?
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... d=335&cc=1

If you like the long dorsal fin red fires you will probably love these guys, might be just what you are looking for.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... =1768&cc=1


Will look some more for ya.

 

[Anonymous]

Only problem I've heard about the Discordipinna is that it's very reclusive. Is that true Andy?

Tackett,
I considered a Meiacanthus blenny for awhile but decided it needed more swimming room.

 

[Tackett]

true, true. On both accounts to my knowledge.

 

[Anonymous]

It took it a while, 4 or 5 days before I saw it eat. Then he would dart out and right back behind the rock. Prob. a month before he was comp. settled in. The tank he is in does not get a lot of "traffic" walking by so he may be more shy than if in an active part of the house. I would say he is no more reclusive than a dart goby. Very pretty, kinda cocky but not aggresive. At 100 - 150 they are not cheap, seem to be hardy, draw a lot of looks. Check out this other one. I do not know much about it But I would love to have one.

http://www.korallenriff.de/lexikon/discordipinnasp.html

 

[Tackett]

coolness.

 

[Anonymous]

how 'bout Cypho purpurescens?

too big?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=1743