Please Help Choose Fish

fish addict

AC Addict
Mar 6, 2005
215
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Wilmington, NC
I have a 30 gallon long aquarium that is well established and currently houses a Valentini Toby, Golden Wrasse, and Cryptic Sixline Wrasse. I do have some mushroom corals, but otherwise the tank isn't a reef. I want to add one more fish or possibly a school. I have narrowed my search down to: Harlequin Basslett, Fu Manchu Lionfish, Longnose Hawkfish, or 3x Threadfin/Orange Striped Cardinalfish.

I have weighed the options and thought about compatability and space requirements, and these are the best options that I have found. What does every/anyone think?
 
I think you are stocked as it is, 30g doesn't provide a whole bunch of room and that is generally the maximum amount of fish you want in that size tank.
I would definitely not go with the Fu Manchu, they are specialized and the Valentini would tear it to shreds (remember only the dorsal rays are venomous, the rest are completly viable to be bitten/eaten). Plus the Lion would eat your Wrasse.
If it were my tank I wouldn't add another, remember those fish are going to go. If you had to add another fish I would go with the Harlequin Basslet they stay a bit smaller and would just be better. Anyway hope this helps and good luck!
 
Mono, I figured that overstocked might be a reaction to this thread. I agree that it is close to maxed out, but I think that one more fish, most likely the basslett, will work with my setup. The sixline is maxed out at barely an inch, and the puffer and golden wrasse are both about three inches. All are peaceful and the tank has about 50lbs LR. Here are a few pics to give a better description.

Reef.jpg


30gallon.jpg
 
They are that size right now but, they're going to get much bigger. I know it's hard to look at an empty tank but, I'd just wait or maybe add some shrooms or something that your puffer won't mess with. As your fish reach sexual maturity you'll find that their attitudes will change. They will be less tolerant of others puffer is one of the more chilled out ones but, well that ain't sayin a lot . When it gets older you'll find the proper spelling of puffer is really a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e. I'd even worry some about it's tank mates because if it ever figures out they are made out of lovely meat it'll be all she wrote. I hope Mono will pipe in on this again she has a lot more exp with them than I do but, I've found it's generally the best if they are a lot smaller than their other tank mates.
This is just IME and probably not worth too much but, hth
Chris
 
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