Thanks for the info all, much appreciated.
The tank will be up and running for at least 6 months before adding fishes... actually, the tank will be up and running for 6 months before I even plant the seagrass! After reading up a bit, seagrass seems to do best in tanks that have been running for a while to build up some sediment and nutrients in the substrate. The mud will help, but since
Halophila and
Halodule spp. are difficult to find (I have been unable to find a source in Canada on the internet) I would like to give them the best chance possible.
After the grasses are planted, I'll let them get growing before I add any fish... so it will likely be a year before I even get the pipefish. The Bumblebee shrimp will go in when the grasses are planted, the pipefish when the grasses have started to grow, and the goby later if the tank can support it. The real reason I wanted a small goby was to have a different colored fish in there, but in the end the tank is for the pipefish and shrimp, and the goby was an afterthought.
I kinda figured there was a way to tell male from female, I'm just hoping that I end up getting lucky and they don't send me 2 males
