Damsel dilemma

[Fin2you]

Right now I have the 2 baby clownfish, yellow prawn goby, lawnmower Blenny with the Azure Damsel & then a few snails & 1 Scarlet reef Hermit crab plus an unknown number of macro Brittle starfish. Not sure what else to add! I had a few fish in mind (hawkfish, a Helfrichi firefish, 6line wrasse, Mandarin Dragonet) but for 1 reason or another I keep taking them off the list.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Fin2you

Right now I have the 2 baby clownfish, yellow prawn goby, lawnmower Blenny with the Azure Damsel & then a few snails & 1 Scarlet reef Hermit crab plus an unknown number of macro Brittle starfish. Not sure what else to add! I had a few fish in mind (hawkfish, a Helfrichi firefish, 6line wrasse, Mandarin Dragonet) but for 1 reason or another I keep taking them off the list.

Your current fish are a good combo. I wouldn't put a 6-line Wrasse is a tank that size. They are one of the fish that can be VILE in smaller tanks. A Mandarin probably won't get enough food in a tank that size unless you train it to eat frozen food in a quarantine tank before introducing it. If your Damsel is still fairly small then the Firefish and the Hawkfish would probably do just fine. They stick to the rocks like the Damsel (and Yellow Prawn Goby), so their territories would overlap, but the Damsel should get over it as long as it's not so big that it will kick everyone's butt.

[Fin2you]

I took the hawkfish off b/c I didn't want more lower rock dwelling fish out of risk for issues. The wrasse b/c of size & aggression. & Mandarin b/c of Feeding issues.
I would like something maybe that swims out in the open a bit more?

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Fin2you

I took the hawkfish off b/c I didn't want more lower rock dwelling fish out of risk for issues. The wrasse b/c of size & aggression. & Mandarin b/c of Feeding issues.
I would like something maybe that swims out in the open a bit more?

Cardinals, Royal Grammas, and Firefish will all hide lots at first and while small, but once they are comfortable and bigger they will swim in the open lots. Bangaii Cardinals are often quite shy, and I wouldn't pick them.

[Fin2you]

The yellow striped Cardinal looks kinda neat & Liveaquaria lists it as 10+gal tank.. May just have to see if anyone sells them in Calgary!