species tank...

[Zerandise]

Well i figure 10 months with no fish its time to start thinking about adding a SMALL one.

So far my fish list for the future holds one fish a Madarin goby. Im thinking i would llike maybe 1 more to go with him. I just have not seen the one that catches my eye yet. Not into large or cute fish lol

Here is my basic setup (in about a week. the 55 is moving into a 140).

140 gal acrylic tank (60x18x30)
195 lbs of LR (a mix of Fiji, tonga and aquaculture from fllorida)
33g refugium
20g sump
2x 250w MH with 10k bulbs
1x 175w 10k bulb
4x 110w VHO Actinic

As for corals I only have Softies, LPS, Mushrooms and zoo's.

For inverts i have:
2 blood shrimp
2 cleaner shrinp
2 pepermint shrimp
1 sally lightfoot crab
3 crabs that came in with the rock (all seem ok)
3 serpent stars
mass amoutns of snails/hermit crabs

Now i really only want an invert tank but think a madirin and one amazing small fish would be nice.

Just lookin for some ideas!

I tend to find beauty in the most ugly critters

Thanks for the help guys.

[Bob I]

Just as an idea. I have a Mandarin who has lived in my 33G semicube for close to a year. His companions are two True Percula Clowns, one yellow Clown Goby (Gobiodon okinawae), and one Purple Firefish. It makes a nice community.

[Quinn]

Supposedly mandarins are toxic and many otherwise predatory species recognize this and will not eat them. If this is true, this gives you some options that would otherwise not be available. The invertebrates you have of course will have to be taken into consideration. Have you thought about a marine betta (Calloplesiops altivelis)? They do well in quiet tanks apparently.

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by teevee

Supposedly mandarins are toxic and many otherwise predatory species recognize this and will not eat them. If this is true, this gives you some options that would otherwise not be available. The invertebrates you have of course will have to be taken into consideration. Have you thought about a marine betta (Calloplesiops altivelis)? They do well in quiet tanks apparently.

They may be toxic, but that did not keep my sixline from tearing up my Mandarin. , and Ross had a Cardinal that killed his Mandarin, which was much bigger than mine.

[Zerandise]

The inverts are a MUST. I get more joy sitting and watching the rocks than anything else. If i could turn my front into a magnifying i would! One reason i want a madarin. Just to watch his slow hunts and wandings.

I thought about a small group of fish might be nice. watch them swim in formation and what not.

I really just dont want the swimming mass of tangs and blennies that fill most tanks. I think each item should be a show piece of its own

Thanks for the ideas! Keep'em comin!!!

[Zerandise]

now that i think about it a couple small fish spotted around the tank might be nice. gobies of some type. would have to be the right ones tho. small and hiding

more of a pleasure when they do come out

[dirtyreefer]

How about Blackcap or Swissguard Basslets? Those are nice.

Pseudos are a no. Will eat your inverts.

Sifter or Sleeper gobies need a LARGE established sandbed, you might be able to support these guys.

Jawfish are cool, but I've heard that they are sometimes hard to keep fed.

Clown gobies are reef safe as well.

[Seamonkey]

Go for a bangaii cardinal, they are kinda wierd looking with the 2 fins, I've had one for 3 years, very hardy too!