What type of fish for a 30g reef tank?

[Katjianna]

I have only had large 125g+ FOWLR systems in the past. This is my first reef tank, it's only a 30g. So far I have 1 perc clown, 1 sapphire damsel (who is mellow!), 1 Royal Gramma and 1 cleaner shrimp.

I would like to add one or two more fish. Must be reef safe of course and small. Tank has been up and running for several months.

Thing is, it is really hard to find reef safe small fish that will be OK with what I have in there already! The only two I can come up with would be a 6 line wrasse and a firefish. The 6 line I would really like to have in the tank, but I am too worried that he's going to be a bully. The firefish I like, but the shyness and the jumping factor turn me off a bit.

Any recommendations for free-swimming (not bottom dwellers) that are bold and colorful and compatible with what I have now, plus reef safe and OK in a smaller system? I can't seem to find much!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lexusman25]

You could gamble with a flame angel! Some other options would be a couple green chromis who swim alot and shimmer under good light. Maybe even a cool citron clown goby? I was in the same situation cause I only have a 28g peaceful reef and I went with a mandarin who is awesome and comes to the front of the tank alot!

 

[El Dude]

Banggai Cardinalfish. Not too colorful but beautiful regardless.

 

[Katjianna]

Thanks for the responses. Yeah I have been thinking about the flame angel but just seems the tank is too small, he would get bored and pick on my zoas I bet! Love the mandarin and currently looking for a pellet/brine eating one (if the exist?) Lexus, does your mandarin only eat pods? Dude, I agree I like the banggai's too, was thinking about one of them!

 

[ep3n3wp]

How bout a goby and pistol shrimp pair?

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[Lexusman25]

When I qt'ed him for like a day I fed him mysis and he picked at it haha I got impatient and put him in my dt and all he does is eat 24/7. I tried finding a pellet trained one or one that eats frozen foods and it's impossible and IMO not worth the money for an Ora one. So I just bought a really fat one that eats pods non stop.

 

[baherrick]

I have a couple of black and white oscellaris in my 28 gallon nano. I even have a large anemone. Once they settle in they generally stay in one area. You just have to be careful with other corals being close by.

 

[Katjianna]

I found an AWESOME brine eating Mandarin today! He's an ORA and worth the $20, I am so happy! They fed him brine at the store, he gobbled it up! He is one of the spotted mandarins. They had a regular one too, but this one was alot smaller and fat and looked happy, i'll post a picture when he settles in!

 

[thedevilscandy]

Midas Blennies and Pearly Blue Jawfish are 2 of my faves. The Pearly Jawfish is shy at first, but once they acclimate and get their cave figured out they are a really cool addition! Beautiful fish too. I've heard 6 Lines can be bullies, but I bought mine small after I had a few fish in the tank and haven't had a problem. Yellow Coris wrasse are another great addition.You could possably get away with a small Kole Tang as well. They're fun to watch and kinda ditzy lol

 

[Lexusman25]

Good find! Ora's usually run about 65$ and if he's eating that's the best 20$ fish you can buy!

 

[Katjianna]

Well they told me he is ORA, not sure, but he gobbled up the brine, thats all I know! He's social too, if I approach the tank he just sits there, he isnt skittish. When they went to catch him he nearly swam up to their hand. I bet I could get him to hand feed very easily. I'm happy, I have wanted one of these for a very long time!

 

[Aah061211]

Well they told me he is ORA, not sure, but he gobbled up the brine, thats all I know! He's social too, if I approach the tank he just sits there, he isnt skittish. When they went to catch him he nearly swam up to their hand. I bet I could get him to hand feed very easily. I'm happy, I have wanted one of these for a very long time!

They had a brine shrimp eating mandarin at the LFS near me for $25. I shoulda picked it up. If you're a laker fan, go for a bicolor pseudochromis..., mine worked well in my 30g

 

[Katjianna]

They had a brine shrimp eating mandarin at the LFS near me for $25. I shoulda picked it up. If you're a laker fan, go for a bicolor pseudochromis..., mine worked well in my 30g

Haha, not a Laker fan...well not so much Lakers, just anti Kobe. I'm from Phoenix, and now you guys have Nash, that hurts...

But anyways yeah that bicolor pseudochromis is awesome looking! Just too similar to my RG I think, so worried they may fight.

 

[MedicBMC]

I say find a colorful wrasse like a mystery wrasse, a blenny of some type like a tailspot or bicolor or maybe a chalk bass...I really want one I haven't been able to find one for the life of me though

 

[Persell13]

Should get some sort of fairy wrasse if you have a lid and look for a randals goby those are cool haha

 

[BeanMachine]

I think a goby and pistol would be a good choice for your tank. Avoid the psuedochromis and dottybacks as they are generally pretty aggressive. Especially a bicolor with your gramma, probably not a good idea you are right.

Cardinals are just so boring, although Bangais are beautiful, they just sit and hover.

Oh and get rid of that damsel he is only playing nice now...

 

[AINOKEA]

I had a royal gramma and a single perc in my 24 gal. Those 2 bullied any other fish i would put in. My six line was the only fish able to stand up to the 2. Fyi, My six line jumped out of my topless chasing food. Good luck

 

[Katjianna]

I'm not a huge fan of gobys in this tank because it is so small. Got a diamond goby and had to break teh tank down to get him out, he was shifting so much sand it drove me nuts. Yeah thinking bangaii might be good.

I know "all" damsels are terrible, hoping this one plays nice for awhile. I'll pluck him out when I do my 75g upgrade, but for now he's getting picked on by the perc and gramma! Hes a very beautiful "passive" sapphire damsel, I really like him. Plus, he eats flatworms...lol

 

[Persell13]

Diamond gobys are a pain but only like 4 or 5 kinds of gobys sift the sand which is a very small % compared to all the others haha there a realy good nano fish and I wouldnt rule them out theyd fit in your tank good along with blennys and alota fish seem to ignor them

 

[Katjianna]

Good to know Persell, thanks. Yeah I was scared of the gobys for a bit after that guy dug holes to China in my sand