Gobies and more

[Matt.D]

I was wondering, in a 55 gallon aquarium with alot of live rock and the only corals would be Xenia forests, shrooms and zoo's........could you get away with say a fish setup of this?

Two Black and White Perculas (Amphiprion ocellaris var.)
Green Clown Goby (Gobiodon atrangulatus)
Purple Firefish (Nemateleotris decora)
Green Mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus)
Yellowhead Jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons)
Pygmy Cherub Angelfish (Centropyge argi)
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)


I'm kinda thinking that this fish selection would be a bit much on a 55 gallon, but my plan would be to have another 55 gallon under it growing alot of algae and pods and things like that. Prob. have the 55 gallon (fuge) filled with LS and LR and mangroves and stuff. Anyways what do you think about that fish selection? All together it would be about 100-110 gallons of water......well i'm not sure how much is displaced by all the LR and sand. Think they would all get along? Thanks for the help!

[FishinInTheDark]

With that much water, I don't think you will be overcrowded. You should probably choose between the jawfish and the mandarin. While jawfish will eat other food, they prefer pods. Mandarins generally only eat pods. They will be competing for the same food, and both will suffer. Once might starve. Whichever you choose, wait until the tank is at least nine months old (including the refugium) to add a pod-eater.

Sounds like a really interesting setup!

[hlama]

i second that. add one thing the jaw fish like a DSB.

[Doctor_Reef]

I like the sound of what you are trying to do...I personally wouldn't put a mandarin in a 55 gal...no matter what you have in it...but that is just me...I have seen way to many of these really cool fish starve to death... the rest of your system sounds great...I guess I would like to know if the fuge is going to be higher than the tank...if not the pods are not going to make it into the main tank...unless you move them...so that food supply is not valid....by what you say the fuge would be under the main tank???? the return pumps would more than likely kill the critters and you would get little benefit from the pods... most will remain in the bottom tank....

[hlama]

humm, my tank remains full of pods, mysids and stuff with the refugium under the tank.

[Doctor_Reef]

It probably remains full of pods because it has enough life to sustain reproduction with out the fuge supplying the pods...Do you have a mandarin??? Or pod eater...They consume tons of pods...I doubt very much if you get very much transfer from the tank below...it just doesn't work that way!!!! I had a fully functioning 40 gal fuge full of pods with my 125 and 150 lbs of very Live Rock that produced tons of pods... I had a mandarin and it consumed tons of the pods in my main tank...the pod population was able to sustain the mandarin but I could definitely tell a difference...my fuge stayed full of pods and my display would fluctuate...The best plan is to have a fuge above the main display that would allow gravity to feed the display so the pods can make the trip undamaged and ready to be that live food source...

[hlama]

no mandarins but 2 scooter blennys and couple wrasse.

[Doctor_Reef]

They like the little critters that is for sure...Sounds like you have some good stuff going on...and plenty of food...for them...The nice thing is that the wrasses will eat other things so your scooters should have a good supply....

[hlama]

yeah one thing i do is put 2 rubble piles on each side of the display tank. plus this has 165lbs of live rock. i think the biggest thing is waiting for IMO 1yr for the tank to mature before adding these kind of fish anthias too. hard to wait but its the only way to have long term success with them.

[Matt.D]

Thanks for all the info guys, I guess since this is just a dream tank for when I can get it, I could have the display tank in the wall and the other 55 fuge right next too it and just have a powerhead pump water from the display tank to the fuge and have a tube connect the two so water from the fuge can get to the display tank you know, to balance the tanks water level. That would let the pods move. I didnt know the Yellowhead jawfish eats pods too. I'd skip out on him then and get the Mandarian only if I saw that the Pods were there to provide food. That would work huh? I would never get the Mandarian unless I was sure the pods could stay high. Thanks everyone for answering, I think the tank would look good with all the dif. vars. of Xenia as large xenia forests and stuff. Thanks

[Doctor_Reef]

We are looking forward to seeing it all in action.... Agree with hlama on the 1 year to get a good pod base....

[Matt.D]

Thanks. I'll prob. make my own live rock and buy about 10 pounds of real live rock to seed it and everything. Let it sit a couple of months before actually thinking of getting some fish in there. Thanks for all the help.

[DizziDezi2]

scooters eat pods too. Its hard to have the refug above hte aquarium in most cases. If you get going good enough you can just scoop some up and threw them in the display.

[Doctor_Reef]

Yes, it is hard....and you certainly can scoop them up...but having a fuge above the tank is the best way to do it...But if your tank is large enough and has enough LR...you will be fine with out the fuge supplying the food source....The problem is that many people try to keep these kinds of fish in to small of a tank with to little LR and Sand...so they end up starving....I guess IMHO, if your tank can't provide what is needed then just don't get the fish....don't rely on your abilities to catch the critters and move them to the display...Mandarins as well as other pod eaters need a constant food source to be happy and unstressed!!!

[hlama]

no worries with mine. but an idea, my friend doesnt have a refugium. has a 55gal with about 30lbs live rock and some chaeto in the display. he took a straw berry basket cut it in half tall wise and placed it upside down covered with rubble, just looks like the other rocks. its a mini refugium for pods and things to cultivate. he has had his mandrine for a couple years now. he calls his refugium pod island hehehe. i agree with doc its best with the refugium above tank if possible. but you can keep them if this is not an option. just need to plan it out for them. if you go with something like the basket thing just watch the crabs and thing make sure they dont move the rocks off, and expose the creatures home and open it up to preditors.

[Matt.D]

My fuge wouldnt be for food sorce, it would be to house algae and such to help the water quality. Plus if the pods wanted to make it there home, its ok with me.