Help MrX build a livestock list!

[FinsUp!]

I would never put an angel fish in one of my reef tanks again. My tanks are more reefs then fish tanks. The fish come 2nd to my coral. I have heard many people say they can be reef safe but Jeremy from Coral Reef always told me that with angels its a matter of when and not if. the one I bought that was supposedly safe most of the time was nOt for me, had to tear my whole tank apart to get him. This is your choice and have to decide what comes first for you.

That is true, you do have to decide which is more important. I'm more of a fish person and my corals come second. If my angel started nipping at coral, I would say oh well and let him continue on as is. Although none of my cherubs have paid any attention to corals, so Ive never had to worry about it. I have a lot of fun watching mine swim around and do his wiggly dance when he wants food

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[Cjtabares]

That is true, you do have to decide which is more important. I'm more of a fish person and my corals come second. If my angel started nipping at coral, I would say oh well and let him continue on as is. Although none of my cherubs have paid any attention to corals, so Ive never had to worry about it. I have a lot of fun watching mine swim around and do his wiggly dance when he wants food

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If you are like finsup and you like fish over coral then I would suggest an angle. They are really cool fish and if i am lucky enough someday to have multiple large tanks there will defiantly be a fish only tank with an angel or 2.

 

[jeremy052274]

I can add my .02 on the six-line and the goby/shrimp pair.

Preface: I have a 29 gallon tank! Much smaller.

The six line is great in a lot of ways, very colorful and active. But when I added a tiger pistol shrimp he attacked it immediately. The shrimp got away and burrowed, but the six-line's obsession was apparent for the next week....until he died. Still don't know why he died, but I wasn't upset. Was kind of happy to have him not harassing my shrimp. Maybe the tank size has something to do with it, but I'm not all that keen on a six line for my mixed tank.

I have a yellow watchman and a tiger pistol shrimp. They came paired from the store and are totally inseparable. Note: I have very fine sand, and I think the shrimp and goby like this, the goby sifts sand in his mouth and the shrimp spends his entire life digging it around...his job never ends.

The pros: Absolutely fascinating interaction. Every time I hear the clicking sound from my aquarium from the pistol, I get up and watch those two. The goby pokes out of the hole they've got under all my rockwork and the shrimp does his thing. It's cool - the shrimp keeps a feeler on the goby so he knows when danger is coming and then they bolt. The goby, in turn, gets a sweet home under the rock. They are both beautiful and model citizens.

The cons (well, just the one): They disappear for days at a time! One time it was a full six days. It can be a day or two between sightings. The goby is at the mercy of the shrimp to tunnel out from under the rock (maybe because my sand is so fine - maybe coarser sand won't cave in as much).

Overall, I love them. I think you'll find the interactions amusing, and your tank is large enough you have other things to keep you entertained when they go on one of their private vacations underground.

 

[BoArDwAxStYlE]

I would 86 the pincushion, go right for the tuxedo, i have a blue one and hes a backpacker for sure, but he does not eat my corals. He'll actually make his way around or between them. I watch it all the time, he has no interest in them unless he can pick a plug up and walk away with it. However mine does have a taste for coraline, Doesnt always eat it, but will.
Ive heard of pincushions going to town of corals. Just a heads up.

 

[RadReefer]

Unless you epoxied all your rock scape I would nix the pistol watchman. I have a pair and wont be getting another in the future. Before I upgraded I had several avalanches and corals toppled from shifting rock work, I epoxied this time around but they also move a ton of sand which is another negative secondary to the fact that I can't really keep clams, brains, or have a mat of zoos on the sandbed cuz they get buried, flipped, or moved.

 

[MrX]

MrX's Ever-evolving Livestock List

Current Residents as of 04/30/2012

• 2x A.ocellaris Clownfish
• 1x Pink Emerald Crab
• 1x Longnose Hawk
• 1x Yellow Tang
• 1x Yellow Eye Kole Tang (currently in QT)
• 1x Cleaner Shrimp
• 1x Halloween Urchin
• 2x Sand Sifter Starfish
• 15-20x Snails (cerith, nassarius, astera)

Potential Residents (somewhat ordered by interest/desire)

• 4-5x Firefish: Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) | Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) | Helfrichi | Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
• 5x+ Barnacle Blennie
• Tribal Blenny (?)
• 1x Cleaner Shrimp (for two total)
• 4x Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 3 female)
• 2x Cardinals: Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni) | Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
• 1x Cherub Angel (note: potentially more than 1 if very different like lemonpeel or a flame and a cherub)
• Goby: Yellow Watchman | Diamond Watchman (Valenciennea puellaris) | Goby/Shrimp pair (Yellow Watchman/Pistol)
• 4-6x Chromis: Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis) / Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) [More research required]
• 2x Wrasse: leaning towards something other than a Six Line(Pseudocheilinus hexataenia); suggestions were a M/F pair of Fairy or Flasher
• 1x Scribbled Rabbitfish
• 2x Chalk Bass
• 1x Royal Gramma

Moved off list, similar/competing item in residence

• 1x Urchin: pincushion | Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus) [Not interested in long spine]
• 1x Tang: Convict | Bristletooth [More research needed on whether a 48x24x24 is acceptable]
• 1x Blue Hippo Tang | Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus var.)

Ruled Out

• Dottybacks [Aggressive]
• Pencil urchin [Not reef safe]

Past Residents

• 1x A.percula Clownfish (RIP/ICH)
• 2x Four-stripe Damsels (RIP/Yellowtails)
• 2x Yellowtail Damsels (Good Riddance!)

 

[banshee1]

Personally I would get those sand sifting stars out.they can desimate a thriving sandbed.I was having problems with the sandbed looking like crap all the time and then someone told me that those sand sifting stars eat all the good stuff in the sand like worms,pods and other good stuff so that the sandbed was not naturally churning.I took them out and bam!sandbed looks great now!just my .02

 

[MrX]

Well, one sand sifter gone, though not quite the way I would have preferred to do it. When I bought it from Aquatic Wildlife in Manchester, CT it was 1/2 the size of the other, missing a leg, and a tip of another looked like it was coming off. I should have refused that one to begin with; lesson learned. It had been moving around the tank and seemed ok. This morning I found in partially against the front glass, pretty much melted. I got what I could of it out of the tank, took some pictures of the deceased one and the bigger one (still looks perfect).

I know I don't have a lot of 'life' in the sandbed yet so I've been making sure to put a little food on the sand figuring they would get that. Fingers crossed the remaining one continues to do ok.

New list:

MrX's Ever-evolving Livestock List

Current Residents as of 04/30/2012

• 2x A.ocellaris Clownfish
• 1x Pink Emerald Crab
• 1x Longnose Hawk
• 1x Yellow Tang
• 1x Yellow Eye Kole Tang (currently in QT)
• 1x Cleaner Shrimp
• 1x Halloween Urchin
• 1x Sand Sifter Starfish
• 15-20x Snails (cerith, nassarius, astera)

Potential Residents (somewhat ordered by interest/desire)

• 4-5x Firefish: Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) | Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) | Helfrichi | Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
• 5x+ Barnacle Blennie
• Tribal Blenny (?)
• 1x Cleaner Shrimp (for two total)
• 4x Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 3 female)
• 2x Cardinals: Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni) | Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
• 1x Cherub Angel (note: potentially more than 1 if very different like lemonpeel or a flame and a cherub)
• Goby: Yellow Watchman | Diamond Watchman (Valenciennea puellaris) | Goby/Shrimp pair (Yellow Watchman/Pistol)
• 4-6x Chromis: Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis) / Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) [More research required]
• 2x Wrasse: leaning towards something other than a Six Line(Pseudocheilinus hexataenia); suggestions were a M/F pair of Fairy or Flasher
• 1x Scribbled Rabbitfish
• 2x Chalk Bass
• 1x Royal Gramma

Moved off list, similar/competing item in residence

• 1x Urchin: pincushion | Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus) [Not interested in long spine]
• 1x Tang: Convict | Bristletooth [More research needed on whether a 48x24x24 is acceptable]
• 1x Blue Hippo Tang | Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus var.)

Ruled Out

• Dottybacks [Aggressive]
• Pencil urchin [Not reef safe]

Past Residents

• 1x A.percula Clownfish (RIP/ICH)
• 2x Four-stripe Damsels (RIP/Yellowtails)
• 2x Yellowtail Damsels (Good Riddance!)
• 1x Sand Sifter Starfish (melted; don't think it was in the best of health from the LFS)

 

[MrX]

Updated my list to include my new Banggai Cardinals, removed the starfish (both melted *frown*), added a second cleaner shrimp, and to add the angel suggestion.


MrX's Ever-evolving Livestock List

Current Residents as of 04/30/2012

• 2x A.ocellaris Clownfish
• 1x Pink Emerald Crab
• 1x Longnose Hawk
• 1x Yellow Tang
• 1x Yellow Eye Kole Tang
• 2x Banggai Cardinals (tank bred locally) [Currently in QT growing a bit more, only 3 months old]
• 2x Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
• 1x Halloween Urchin
• 20-25x assorted snails (cerith, nassarius, astera, red-banded trochus, blue-legged hermits)

Potential Residents (somewhat ordered by interest/desire)

• 4-5x Firefish: Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) | Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) | Helfrichi | Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
• 5x+ Barnacle Blennie
• Tribal Blenny (?)
• 4x Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 3 female)
• 1x Cherub Angel (note: potentially more than 1 if very different like lemonpeel or a flame and a cherub) -- alternate suggestion was genicanthus angels as being truly reef safe, whereas pygmy angels are a flip of a coin
• Goby: Yellow Watchman | Diamond Watchman (Valenciennea puellaris) | Goby/Shrimp pair (Yellow Watchman/Pistol)
• 4-6x Chromis: Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis) / Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) [More research required]
• 2x Wrasse: leaning towards something other than a Six Line(Pseudocheilinus hexataenia); suggestions were a M/F pair of Fairy or Flasher
• 1x Scribbled Rabbitfish
• 2x Chalk Bass
• 1x Royal Gramma

Moved off list, similar/competing item in residence

• 1x Urchin: pincushion | Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus) [Not interested in long spine]
• 1x Tang: Convict | Bristletooth [More research needed on whether a 48x24x24 is acceptable]
• 1x Blue Hippo Tang | Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus var.)
• 2x Cardinals: Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni) | Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)

Ruled Out

• Dottybacks [Aggressive]
• Pencil urchin [Not reef safe]

Past Residents

• 1x A.percula Clownfish (RIP/ICH)
• 2x Four-stripe Damsels (RIP/Yellowtails)
• 2x Yellowtail Damsels (Returned to LFS/Good Riddance!)
• 2x Sand Sifter Starfish (RIP/melted; don't think it was in the best of health from the LFS)