Fish Stocking Guide For Nano Reefs
By lgreen (copyright 2005-2010)
Note: You are welcome to place a link to this guide on another website or forum, however, do not place the actual article itself on your forum or website with out my permission. Your link must direct traffic to it's original form here on nano-reef.com.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. How To Use This Guide
III. General Feeding Info
IV. Feeding Suggestions By Diet Type
V. Feeding Suggestions by Fish Group
VI. Nano Fish Compatibility
VII. Nano Fish Listed By Tank Size
VIII. Nano Fish Listed By Major Groups w/ Detailed Info
IX. Bibliography & Acknowledgments
I. Introduction
The purpose of this thread is to provide you with a fairly comprehensive guide to fish for the nano reef aquarium.
As reefing in general is not an exact science the approach I have taken to organizing this information is to provide a framework that includes my knowledge and experience with nano fish both as a hobbyist and professionally, but also to encourage others to share their experience and knowledge for the benefit of everyone.
Your Responsibility As A Fish Owner
II. How To Use This Guide
Basic Overview
There are four major sections with in this guide: feeding, compatability (coming soon), fish suggestions by tank size, and fish suggestions by group. The feeding section allows you to get feeding suggestions based on diet type (carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, etc.) and more specifically by fish group, which includes more detailed info.
The compatibility section will most likely be in the form of a table in which you will be able to see how the species interacts with other fish species, corals, and invertebrates. In the fish by tank size section a list of appropriate fish will follow each of the major divisions of tank sizes, as well, include a brief estimation of how many fish would appropriate for that tank size. In the fish by group section, more detailed information will be provided about the major group each fish belongs to with some specific notes about each fish when necessary. You will also see a estimated maximum size the fish will grow to and the ideal tank size. The ideal tank size will be a compromise based on what is socially practiced by many nano-reefers and what is often recommended by experts. Some of these ideal tank sizes may be controversial and if you believe so, you are welcome to bring that up in this thread so we can all as a community discuss it.
Things To Keep In Mind
How You Can Contribute To This Thread
Again, I would like to strongly encourage everyone to share his or her knowledge and experience. Please feel free to suggest additions, corrections, or other changes.
Also, I've tried to make note when a species is available captive-bred, so if you learn of a new species that is available, let me know!
III. General Feeding Info
General Thoughts
Meeting the nutritional needs of your fish is absolutely essential to their growth, survival, and reproduction. When feeding fish, we are trying to replicate not only what a fish eats, but when and how it eats in nature. The feeding preference of fish typically falls into one of five categories: carnivores, who eat meaty foods; herbivores, who eat plant matter; omnivores, who eat both meat and plants; piscivores, who eat other fish; and finally lamnivores (detrivores), who obtain their energy from eating the animal and plant matter found with in detritus. You can get a good idea of what to feed your fish just by figuring out what feeding category your fish falls into. It's important to remember that not only can you starve your fish, but you can actually overfeed them too, both of which can have negative health consequences. Fish are opportunistic eaters, meaning they never know when they will get their next meal, so eat whenever food is a available. You many notice your fish eats anytime you put food in the aquarium, but that doesn't mean they are hungry, rather just taking advantage of an opportunity. While it is important for you to feed your fish, you also need to limit feeding too. Overfeeding usually has drastic consequences on water quality anyways, so why would you want to put food in your tank if you don't have to. There are few different types of food commonly available: live, flake/pellet/freeze-dried, frozen, and some hobbyists feed fresh meats and/or vegetable/algae. For the purpose of keeping things simple I am mostly going to stick with what the average reefer is feeding, which is usually a commercially prepared flake/pellet and/or commercially frozen foods. I am revisit this topic later at some point to include live and fresh foods, but wont really get into that right now.
A few things to keep in mind
Note: In making my suggestions I will refer to foods specifically made by Ocean Nutrition, H2O Life, and San Fransisco Bay Brand, given these are the brands I use and have the most experience with. There are many other high quality manufactures of fish food though and those manufactures often have comparable products that you could use in place of the brands I mention if you wish.
Feeding Schedule
There really isn't an great well-summarizing answer to how often or how much you should feed your fish with a lot of what you hear being based on experience and/or opinion. Some people feed once a day, some feed every other day, and others feed small amounts several times a day. I don't think one way is right over the other, but for simplicity, will suggest a small amount once or twice a day. You want to try to incorporate in as much variety as you can. If you feed once a day, feed something different or switch back and forth every day. If you feed twice a day, perhaps try frozen at the first feeding and flake at the second. Again, with feeding twice a day I'd suggest your second feeding complement what you did with your first feeding. For example, if in the morning you fed a meaty high protein frozen food then use an algae/seaweed flake for the second feeding. The amount you feed...although I'm not a fan of rules of thumb, I think only feeding what your fish can fully eat in about 5 minutes is a good place to start. If it is all gone before 5 min, perhaps add a little more. If there is a lot of extra food flying around after 5 min, obviously you need to cut back. Any extra uneaten food will have a negative impact on your water quality. Have a good sharp knife too because most likely you will be using fractions of frozen cubes, not the whole cube. For that reason, it can be easier to use frozen flat packs which make it easier to break off only what you need, if the frozen food type you want is available that way.
How to use the feeding suggestion guide
There are two different ways you can use the feeding guide. I will provide feeding suggestions based on if the fish is a carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, piscivore, or detrivore and I will also provide feeding suggestions for each specific group of fish, noting species that do not follow trends of the group as a whole or have additional special needs. To save time, so I don't have to repeat myself, I'm going to make a list of the common foods by manufacture, and then will refer to those foods by number in both sections of the guide.
Food list by manufacture
IV. Feeding Suggestions By Diet Type
Carnivores: 1,3,4,5,6,9,11,14,15,18,19,20,22,24,25,26,30,31
Herbivores:
-Strictly Plant/Algae based: 2,7,10,13,21,27
-Blends that include Plant/Alage which herbivores can feed on: 1,8,9,12,17,23
Omnivores: They will basically eat on most of what is listed above. I'd recommend using the blended frozen/flake mixes and/or alternating between carnivore and herbivore frozen/flake formulas.
Piscivores: 19,20,30,31
V. Feeding Suggestions By Fish Group
Coming soon!
Angels (Dwarf)
Anthias
Assessors
Basses
Blennies
Cardinalfish
Damselfish (Damsels, Chromis, Clownfish)
Dartfish (Firefish)
Dottybacks (Pseudochromis)
Dragonets
Eels
Frogfish/Anglers
Gobies
Grammas
Hawkfish
Jawfish
Lionfish
Pipefish
Puffers
Seahorses
Wrasses
VI. Nano Fish Compatibility (Coming Soon!!)
VII. Nano Fish Listed By Tank Size
Note: Suggestions for Seahorses by tank size can be found under the "Seahorse" heading in the next section of the guide, Nano Fish Listed By Group, for the time being.
Key
Note: There is a lot of controversy around the idea of keeping saltwater fish in tanks under 10g. Whether or not it is ethical will be up to you to decide and not something I'm going to get into. Like it or not, the fact is there are going to be people who do it. Therefore, I would rather at least provide those people with some guidance to make good choices instead of just leaving them in the dark.
Note Mandarins/Dragonets: There is a lot of controversy around the idea of keeping fish from the Dragonet family in nano tanks. Whether or not it is ethical will be for you to decide and not something I'm going to get into. I personally do not encourage people to keep dragonets in nano tanks, however, despite my feelings there a many who have successfully kept them in smaller tanks, there for I will include them in this guide.
0.5g Pico (1.9 L) (Includes Red Sea 0.5g Deco Art) (1 extra small fish)
2.5g Pico - 5g (9.46 - 18.93 L) (Includes 2.5g Minibow, Eclipse Explorer, JBJ 3g Pico) (1 fish)
7g (26.5 L) (Includes 7g Minibow, 6g Eclipse, 6g CPR, 6g Nano Cube, 8g Aquawave) (1-2 fish)
Note: Keep in mind that the display area of all-in-one tanks hold less water than the total tank since some of that water is in the filtration area. When picking out fish, pick fish based on the display area volume, not the total tank volume.
10g (38 L) (Includes 12g Aquapod, 12g Nano Cube, 12g Eclipse, 11g Via Aqua, 12g Biocube) (2-3 fish)
Note: Keep in mind that the display area of all-in-one tanks hold less water than the total tank since some of that water is in the filtration area. When picking out fish, pick fish based on the display area volume, not the total tank volume.
20g (76 L) (Includes 24g Aquapod, 24g Nano Cube, 20g Finnex M Tank) (3-5 fish)
Note: Keep in mind that the display area of all-in-one tanks hold less water than the total tank since some of that water is in the filtration area. When picking out fish, pick fish based on the display area volume, not the total tank volume.
30g (114 L) (Includes 32g Finnex M Tank) (4-6 fish)
VIII. Nano Fish Listed By Fish Group & Fish
Note: There may be some big changes coming to this section of the guide, including removal of the "minimum acceptable tank size". Since it has been nearly 5 years since I wrote this part of the guide, it is past due for a good review. Please bare with me while I make any changes and feel free to add your suggestions and/or comments.
Angels (Dwarf)
Most dwarf angels are not good candidates for smaller nanos, but may fair well in larger nanos. In most cases dwarf angels range in maximum size from 2.5-6 inches. Generally the minimum tank size for any dwarf angel should be 20g, with a more ideal tank being in the 30g+ range. Keep in mind most dwarf angels, especially those from the centropyge family are omnivores and need a mixed diet of meat and algae. Using high protein foods will help prolong their brilliant colors. All other angelfish not listed here generally need a 55g tank minimally (dwarf) and in many cases a 75-125g minimum (large angels). Also keep in mind a dwarf angelfish should be one of the last fish you add to your nano as they can be territorial.
-Atlantic Pygmy/Cherub Angelfish (3”, 10g+)
-Coral Beauty Angelfish (4”, 20g+)
-Ebli’s Angelfish (6”, 30g+)
-Flame Angelfish (4”, 20g+) (I believe Julian Sprung kept one of these successfully in a 15g)
-Halfblack Angelfish (3.5”, 20g+)
-Lemonpeel Angelfish (5.5”, 30g+)
-Potter’s Angelfish (5”, 30g+)
-Rusty Angelfish (4”, 20g+)
All Other Pygmy Angelfish (2.5”-3”, 10g+)
Anthias
For the most part anthias belong in reef tanks of 55g or larger. In some cases you may be able to get away with a single male or female of some of the smaller varieties. Anthias are planktovores and meat eaters. Sometimes in the beginning they can be difficult to get established or feed, but if you are able to get a hold of a hardy specimen, they are fairly easy to care for after that. Keeping them well fed (2 times per day is good) will improve your chances of success with a new specimen. In larger tanks typically you do 1 male with a small group of 2-8 females, all females (one will eventually become the male), or a single male. I have been asked before about mixing single specimens of different species before, but honestly I don’t know the answer to that question. I would imagine it to be ok in larger tanks, but cannot guarantee it. A reef tank is a must for Anthias. Do well in high flow SPS tanks.
-Dispar Anthias (3.7”, 30g+)
-Fathead (Sunburst) Anthias (5", 30g+ (added by Pili)
-Longfin Anthias (2”, 30g+)
Keep in mind this would be 1-2 per tank. Ideally though more than 1 should go in a 55g+ regardless of
Assessors
I really don’t know very much about these guys. Carnivores. If anyone would like to add a summary of this group pm me.
-Yellow Assessor (2”, 10g+)
-Blue Assessor (2.5”, 10g+l)
Basses
I really don’t know very much about these guys. If anyone would like to add a summary of for group please pm me. Carnivores. Known to eat some inverts, mainly shrimp.
-Chalk Bass (3”, 20g+)
-Lantern Bass (3”, 20g+)
Blennies
Blennies are very interesting little fish. They have a personality that is very unique. I have seen all sorts of blennies kept in all sorts of nano tanks. While there should be some consideration of tank size, it is also important to remember these guys are herbivores that graze on algae, and so in many cases a larger tank may be more appropriate for providing the grazing opportunities they need. Should do ok in smaller tanks w/ supplemental algae feedings, but something to be aware of. Most blennies are rock dwellers that live in small cracks and holes in the rock. Ideal tank would include arrangement of rock or purchase of rock with holes or the use of artificial or collected barnacle skeletons. Generally 1 specimen per tank, unless mated pair.
-Bicolor Blenny (4”, 20g+)
-Convict Blenny (12”, 30g+) Note: Many books state these only get 5", however I have handled several that were easily 12"+)
-Lawnmower Blenny (5”, 30g+)
-Midas Blenny (4”, 20g+)
-Redspotted Blenny (5”, 20g+)
-Redlip Blenny (4.5”, 20g+)
-Tailspot Blenny (2.5", 10g+) (added by Steelhealr)
-Yellowtail Fang Blenny (4”, 20g+) (venomous)
Cardinalfish
Cardinalfish are very interesting unique fish. Those with unique colors should be fed high protein diets to help maintain their bright colors. Some of these guys can be mean. In particular I have heard some comment on the Flame Cardinalfish being rather nasty when they reach adult size. One should be careful when placing Cardinalfish with ornamental shrimp as they have been known occasionally to eat them. Generally Cardinalfish should be kept 1 per tank with a minimum tank size of 20g. With a larger tank more usually can coexist. Pajama and Bangai Cardinalfish don’t seem to be as aggressive though and could probably be kept as a pair or triplet in a 30g+ tank.
-Orangestriped Cardinalfish (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Threadfin Cardinalfish (2.5”, 10g min, 20g + ideal)
-Flame Cardinalfish (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Pajama Cardinalfish (3.1”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Bangaii Cardinalfish (3”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal)
Damselfish (Damsels, Chromis, Clownfish)
Damsels are great beginner fish. They are often very hardy and usually very abundant and easy to find. The damsel group also includes chromis and clownfish. Generally Chromis damsels are very hardy, mild mannered fish. Clowns are a very popular group of fish that are generally great for beginners and easy to care for. All other damsel are generally easy to care for, but can be rather aggressive and harassing to other fish. Damselfish can be kept singly (except in my opinion clowns should be kept in pairs), but look awesome and exhibit neat behaviors in groups. In general all damsels are omnivores that will pretty much eat anything. In my opinion it is best to provide them a variety of meaty and algae based foods. Many damsel fish also feature symbiotic relationships with Anemones. Damsels do not require anemones to survive, a common myth, but can exhibit very interesting and entertaining behaviors with them. Anemones ARE NOT for beginners though as they require very specialized care and lighting. All Damsels are unaffected by the sting of an Anemone unlike most fish. Generally the minimum size tank for most damsels is around 10g with some exceptions.
Clownfish
-Clarki Clownfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Maroon Clownfish (**) (6”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (May Eat Shrimp!) (single/mated pair)
-Ocellaris Clownfish (False Percula) (3.5”, 7g min, 10g+ ideal) (mated pair/group)
-Orange Skunk Clownfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Percula Clownfish (True Percula) (3”, 7g min, 10g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Pink Skunk Clownfish (4”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Tomato Clownfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/mated pair)
Any Hybrids/Blacks/Onyx should follow same recommendations for Ocellaris/Percula
Chromis
-Green Chromis (3.5”, 10g min, 10g+ Ideal) (single/groups)
Damsels
-Talbot’s Damsel (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single/groups)
-Three Spot Damsel (5.5”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/groups)
-Three Stripe Damsel (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single/groups)
-Yellowtail Blue Damsel (2.5”, 10g min, 10g+ideal) (single/groups)
Dartfish (Firefish)
Dartfish are another popular group of fish that generally fair well in the nano environment. Dartfish are known for their unique long skinny bodies and dart-like quick movements when scared. Dartfish are generally carnivores, but usually will eat just about anything. It is never a bad idea to provide some variety and give them some high quality algae flake or frozen supplemented brine shrimp in addition to carnivorous preparations. A 10g tank is probably the minimum size tank any Dartfish should be kept in. Exhibition of interesting and entertaining behaviors can be enhanced when these guys are kept in small groups of 3-10. In many cases these fish are referred to as gobies, although they are truly Dartfish. Keep in mind these guys are known to jump probably more than any other fish and a good lid should be used to prevent jumping.
-Bar Goby (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/pairs/groups)
-Blue Gudgeon Goby (5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/pairs/groups)
-Firefish Goby (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single/pairs/groups)
-Helfrich’s Firefish Goby (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single)
-Purple Firefish Goby (3.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single)
Dottybacks (Pseudochromis)
I really don’t know a ton about these guys, if someone would like to add info about them, please pm me. Basically these guys are pretty neat little fish, but they can have quite the attitude and be very territorial. Dottybacks exhibit some of the most beautiful shades of pink, magenta, purple, and yellow. Dottybacks are carnivores, but would surely benefit from a little alga in their diet. Generally these guys should be kept 1 per tank, perhaps more in a larger tank of 75g+.
-Bicolor Psuedochromis (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Diadem Pseudochromis (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Fridmani (Orchid) Pseudochromis (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Purple Pseudochromis (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Springeri Pseudochromis (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Dragonets
Dragonet properly identifies fish such as the green mandarin, yellow target mandarin, red scooter, and scooter than are often placed in the goby or blenny group. Traditionally and in most cases these fish are totally NOT appropriate for nano tanks. Fish from the dragonet family are carnivores that prefer live food such as copepods. Dragonets can be difficult to feed since they do not aggressively take food from the water current, but rather suck up marco and micro inverts from the rock and substrate. I do not generally recommend keeping of dragonets in nano tanks since in most cases a nano will not be able to provide the micro/macro fauna necessary to keep these guys alive. This can be a tricky fish for even the most skilled aquarist and even those with large tanks. The only reason I list this as a potential nano fish is for those who are more advanced and have the means to properly feed these guys (i.e. very established pod producing refugium, copepod breeder, or frequent buyer of sea pods, or has one that eats frozen). In some areas the industry is changing and this once difficult group of fish to keep is becoming a little easier to take care of with training of dragonets to eat frozen preparations. It should be noted though that just because a dragonet is eating frozen food, does not guarantee its survival. Frozen food should be used to supplement their natural diet of copepods. If you insist on purchasing one and feeding it frozen food, I suggest at least that you feed it several times a day and keep a close eye on it. Often these guys will look great for a few months, and then mysteriously die for no apparent reason (cause of death is usually malnutrition/starvation). These guys should be kept singly or in mated pairs. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS FISH UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
-Scooter Blenny (2.4”, 10g min [with caution, not for beginners], 30g+ Ideal)
-Green Mandarin Goby (3”, 20g min [with caution, not for beginners], 75g+ Ideal)
-Yellow Target Mandarin Goby (3”, 20g min [with caution, not for beginners], 75g+ Ideal)
-Red Scooter Blenny (2.4”, 10g min [with caution, not for beginners], 30g+ Ideal)
Eels
I don’t know much about eels, if someone would like to cover this, please pm me.
-Dwarf Golden Moray Eel (7-10", 10g min, 20g+ Ideal)
-Snowflake Eel (30”, 30g min, 55g+ Ideal)
Frogfish/Anglers
I don’t know much about these guys so if someone would like to add some info, please pm me. Carnivores that need extra meaty diet. (Similar to feeding an eel, lion, scorpion, or toadfish). One per tank.
**If anyone knows what type of anglers are commonly kept in nanos please let me know so I can include them.
-Giant Frogfish (12”, 30g min, 55g+ ideal)
-Painted Frogfish (4”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal
-Wartskin Frogfish (4”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal)
Gobies
Gobies are probably one of the best candidates for just about any nano reef. They are extremely well mannered and fairly easy to care for. There are shrimp gobies, those who engage in symbiotic relationships with pistol shrimp, sand sifter gobies, which literally sift sand through their gills, and a large number of gobies that do not fit into these two groups. Generally shrimp gobies and a number of other gobies make great candidates for the nano reef. Sand sifter gobies however are a poor choice for the nano reef as most nanos do not have a large enough sand bed (surface area, not depth) to provide the macro/micro fauna that these guys get most of their nutrition from. In particular, although small twinspot gobies do not belong in nanos. Even people with large tanks have difficulty keeping these guys alive long term. Most gobies are carnivores, but usually they will eat just about anything. A little variety, including some frozen/flake algae, is highly recommended. Gobies are usually pretty small and the goby group features a few select fish that may be appropriate for tanks of 7g and under. In most cases gobies can be kept singly, in pairs, or groups, and seem to get along ok. There of course are a few exceptions and I will note those below. Also I have noted that some of the perching gobies such as the clown gobies have been known to irritate SPS corals that they perch on and in some cases bite at them. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t, but worth noting.
Shrimp Gobies
-Blackray Shrimp Goby (2", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Orange Stripe Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Orangespotted Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Randall’s Shrimp Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Wheeler’s Shrimp Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Yasha Hasha Goby (2", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Yellow Watchman Goby (3", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Sand Gobies
-Engineer Goby (See Convict Blenny Above)
Other Gobies
-Catalina Goby [cold water, 60-70 degrees) (2”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Citron Goby (*SPS) (2”, 2.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Clown Gobies (Includes Black, Yellow, Green) (*SPS) (1.5”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Eviota Gobies (Includes Neon & Red Stripe) (1”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Green Banded Goby (2", 2.5g min, 10g+ ideal) (added by c'est ma)
-Neon Gobies (Includes Blue & Yellow) (2”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Panda (Clown) Goby (*SPS) (1.5”, 0.5g, 10g+ ideal)
-Rainfordi Goby (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Redhead Goby (2”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Trimma Goby (1”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
Grammas
Grammas are very interesting little fish. They are almost like a blenny and pseudochromis mixed with just a touch of jawfish. They have quite the personality like a blenny, the brilliant purples and yellows seen in pseudochromis, and occasionally may be seen moving small pieces of rock and what not around to build a home. Additionally when intimidated, they flex open their mighty jaw, similar to the behavior of a jawfish, to warn of invaders of their territory. They can be quite territorial, but overall in my opinion are a pretty cool group of fish. They just don’t like other fish getting in their way. They are carnivores, but again like most fish, would benefit from a little frozen/flake algae supplement from time to time. In a smaller tank grammas should be kept singly, but in larger tanks 55g+ they seem to do ok in groups.
-Blackcap Basslet (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Royal Gramma (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Hawkfish
I really don’t know a lot about hawkfish so if anyone wants to add something, please pm me. Hawkfish are rock dwellers that often perch on rocks and wait for prey to pass by and then they swoop down a grab it. Generally peaceful, but there is a significant chance they will eat ornamental shrimp. Occasionally they have been known to harass other smaller or ground-dwelling fish. An interesting specimen for the larger nano tank, these guys should be kept singly, or some can be paired in larger tanks (55g+). Some hawkfish, especially the longnose are known jumpers, so that is something to keep in mind when considering this fish.
-Arc Eye Hawkfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Falco Hawkfish (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Flame Hawkfish (3.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Longnose Hawkfish (5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
Jawfish
Jawfish are a great addition to the appropriate size nano reef. They exhibit a very entertaining personality similar to a royal gramma and blenny, but even better. One common question asked about jawfish is how deep of a sand bed do they need to survive? Really the answer if you ask me and several others is that it doesn’t really matter. I have seen them thrive in anything 1”+. Often their home will consist of a slight depression in the sand near rock in which they will surround or cover with chunks of rock and coral rubble. If not much rubble is available typically they will just dig a burrow out under a piece or rock and that seems to do fine. I would definitely throw some rubble in though. With the rubble they typically build little tube like entrances to their home, and it can be entertaining to watch them poke their heads out to check out what is going on. Jawfish are mostly carnivores that need a high protein diet. Although I have never witnessed any problems, it should be noted that these guys may eat ornamental shrimp. I would recommend keeping these guys in small groups, but a single specimen should be ok in a smaller tank (10g+).
-Bluespot Jawfish (4", 20g min, 20g+ ideal) (added by fish n' pets)
-Dusky Jawfish (4", 20g min, 20g+ ideal) (added by fish n' pets)
-Pearly (Yellowhead) Jawfish (4”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Lionfish (*, ##, ###, V)
Lionfish are pretty cool fish, but they really have no place in the community nano reef tank. As they are super carnivores they eat just about anything small and beefy. That includes your shrimp, and small fish. I am not 100% if these guys are considered coral safe or not, so I will just extend some caution for keeping them with coral. (Update: coral safe according to Raywhisperer). I would suggest keeping lions in a species only tank. Again as they are super carnivores they need a high protein diet, which may include larger frozen foods and sometimes live feeder fish or shrimp. Generally I recommend trying to get them onto a frozen food like krill or silversides. Some suggest training them on frozen food rather than live, may make them less likely to kill smaller fish. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I suggest frozen anyway as live food can be a pain to deal with and get spendy. I also personally don’t like torturing feeder fish, but that’s for another thread. Keep in mind because of their diet, lionfish add quite a bit to the bioload. Extra efforts will need to be taken to keep your tank clean. This may require use of additional live rock, additional/more frequent water changes, and definite use of a protein skimmer (Source: Raywhisperer). The minimum size for most dwarf lions is going to be in the 20g+ range. Some lions can get upwards of 15 inches though, and have no place in a nano tank. Don’t forget that Lionfish are venomous. Their stingers are typically in the top/front region and look like antennae. I am not sure if the dorsal spins are also venom ready, such as in the fox face rabbit fish, but it could be. If you know, let me know. (Update: First few dorsal spikes according to Raywhisperer) Although venomous, lions are generally peaceful and will not try to sting you. Usually when people get stung it is by accident during maintenance or by spooking the fish causing it to jet out of the way and nail you while trying to get away. If you are ever stung by a lionfish, run the area of injury under the warmest water you can stand w/ out burning yourself for a good 10-15 minutes. You may feel a stinging pain in the area of injury that should go away after a while. If the injury starts to swell up, or you feel dizzy, light headed, have trouble breathing, or feel abnormal in anyway besides minor stinging at the injury site, you should head to the emergency room just to be safe. That shouldn’t scare you away from keeping a lionfish , but just something to be aware of and prepared for just in case.
-Fu Manchu Lionfish (4”, 20g min, 30g+ Ideal)
-Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish (6”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
Pipefish [with caution, not for beginners]
Pipefish have recently become one of my favorite little fishes. I do not own any yet, but would like to pursue setting up a little pipe/seahorse nano and have been doing some research on these guys. I would classify these guys in the same category as seahorses and dragonets in that have special diet requirements. Their natural diet consists of copepods and other micro inverts, but they can be trained on frozen or other live foods. I have seen pipefish in reef tanks before, but like seahorses, pipefish are a low flow fish which can sometimes conflict with what is needed in the reef environment. I’d say as long as you aren’t doing sps, and not going overboard on your flow, and feed them very well, you should be successful. Again I want to emphasize though that pipefish are not for beginners. An ideal tank for pipefish would include sea grass for them to hide and graze in. Some types of pipefish also seem to be hardier than others. In particular I have seen people have pretty good luck with the banded/striped pipefish. It seems often the larger pipefish do not do as well though.
-Banded Pipefish (8”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) [with caution, not for beginners]
-Bluestripe Pipefish (3.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) [with caution, not for beginners]
-Dragon Pipefish (6.5”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal) [with caution, not for beginners]
Puffers
Puffers are another group of fish that I feel pretty flaky about adding to reef or community tanks. Often they are not terribly aggressive, but will snatch up a small-medium invert or small fish with no problem. I would recommend doing a species tank or keeping with other docile, but medium sized fish. If not obvious by now, they are carnivores that need larger food that just your usual brine shrimp mixtures. Typically you feed these guys krill, silversides, or live fish/shrimp. Some of the smaller varieties that would be more appropriate for the nano reef tank should be fine with just a high protein carnivore enhanced frozen shrimp such as marine cuisine. It should also be noted that there is some general risk in keeping puffers in that they do carry toxin and have the ability to wipe out an entire tank if stressed or killed. When stressed you may see them puff up. DO NOT try to make them puff up just for fun unless you want to risk killing it and everything in your tank. As long as you get it out pretty quickly, in the case one dies under your care, you should be ok and not have to worry about the tank being toast. I would suggest a 10-20% water change though after removing the body just to be safe. Generally those appropriate for the nano tank are going to be what they call tobys.
-Bennett’s Toby (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Blue Spot Puffer (6”, 30g min, 55g+ ideal)
-Valentini (Saddleback) Toby (3.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (As suggested by Bread)
-White Spot Toby (3.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
Seahorses [with caution, not for beginners]
Submited by lelualexa
General Seahorse Info
DO NOT BUY A WILD CAUGHT SEAHORSE IF YOU ARE UNEXPERIENCED!
Even the most experienced keepers have problems with them. Most require live food twice daily and some will never learn to take frozen! They often carry parasites and stuff you really don't want in your tank, so do yourself a favor and buy CAPTIVE BRED. Similar bad things happen in "Tank Raised" Seahorses, which are also sometimes called captive bred, but are usually raised within a net in the ocean or some similar situation. PLEASE buy CAPTIVE BRED, and make sure that they are eating frozen mysis shrimp before you buy them!
Seahorses can be a great beginner fish, provided you do a lot of research and have a suitable tank. This means NO stinging corals and only suitable slow moving tankmates that won't compete for food with the seahorses. No anemones or urchins for this sort of tank.
The species listed below are the most common seahorses available.
Seahorses By Tank Size
2 - 10 Gallons:
H. Zostrae - Dwarf Seahorse - 1 pair/gallon
(Do not keep in a tank larger than 10 Gallons - these seahorses are the only seahorses that require LIVE enriched brine shrimp every day!)
10 Gallons (1 pair per 2g-ish)
H. Breviceps (Coldwater)
H. Tuberculatus [Coldwater]
The following may be pushing it at 1 pair in a 10gallon
H. Barbouri
H. Capensis
H. Comes
H. Coronatus
H. Fuscus
H. Histrix
H. Jayakari
H. Kuda
H. Whitei (coldwater)
20 Gallons (1 - 2 pairs)
H. Barbouri
H. Capensis
H. Comes
H. Coronatus
H. Fuscus
H. Histrix
H. Jayakari
H. Kuda
H. Whitei [coldwater]
Keep several pairs of the following in a tank this size and larger. They can be kept in large tanks, due to the fact that they eat frozen foods. Dwarf Seahorses should not be kept in tanks larger than 10g because of the distribution of live brine shrimp.
H. Breviceps [coldwater]
H. Tuberculatus [coldwater]
30g+ (1-2 pairs)
H. Abdominalis [coldwater]
H. Erectus
H. Ingens
H. Kelloggi
H. Reidi
H. Subelongatus
(3-4 pairs)
H. Barbouri
H. Capensis
H. Comes
H. Coronatus
H. Fuscus
H. Histrix
H. Jayakari
H. Kuda
H. Whitei [coldwater]
(Several pairs)
H. Breviceps [coldwater]
H. Tuberculatus [coldwater]
Hardy species recommended for beginners
Dwarfs
H. Zostrae (Very hardy if you're prepared to hatch BS every day)
Small
H. Breviceps [coldwater]
H. Tuberculatus [coldwater]
Medium
H. Barbouri
H. Fuscus
H. Kuda
H. Whitei [coldwater]
Large
H. Abdominalis [coldwater]
H. Erectus
H. Kelloggi
H. Reidi
H. Erectus are considered the hardiest seahorse, as well as one of the most attractive, and are recommended for the beginner.
Sources:
-www.syngnathid.org
-www.seahorse.org
-www.seahorse.com
Tangs [No, Bad Newbie]
Tangs should not be kept in any tank less than 55g. I simply mention tangs here since it seems to be a common fad amongst fish stores to sell people tangs with out asking the tank size, or for newbies to buy tangs for their nano with out doing proper research. NO BAD! Putting a tang in a nano reef is like me locking you in your laundry room (4’ x 4’) and expecting you to be happy. You may be able to survive on drier lint for a while, but eventually you will die. Don’t do it, and we won’t have any problems. Do it, and be prepared to be humiliated.
Wrasses
Our discussion on wrasses will focus more around the reef safe wrasses that stay under 5". While tempting with some very exciting coloration, I usually avoid larger wrasses altogether in the community tank as they can be nasty, destructive, and eat some inverts. The smaller reef safe wrasses are very interesting and can add some great color and behavior to the nano reef tank. The smaller reef safe wrasses are carnivores that need high protein meaty foods. They will eat just about anything, and I would suggest the addition of some type of frozen/flake algae to their diet. Also as carnivores, several of these guys are known to feed on flatworms and bristle worms. Generally you should keep 1 wrasse per tank unless a larger tank (55g+). While not as jumpy as dartfish, there is still a jumping risk worth noting. Generally there does not seem to be a problem, but I have added a small invert risk warning to this group as on occasion some larger specimens have been seen eating smaller ornamental shrimp. To avoid problems here, I usually recommend getting a shrimp that is significantly larger than the fish. For example, get a small 1" sixline wrasse and a 3"+ (including antennae) cleaner shrimp. Can't guarantee anything, but generally that works. Also in the wrasse group I will include hogfish as they are somewhat similar in behavior and diet. I’d have to say the sixline wrasse is one of my all time favorite fish. PLEASE AVIOD bringing home cleaner wrasses. Leave them in the ocean. Their diet pretty much relies on the mucus coating of fish and parasites and there is really no way they can survive (since there are not enough fish) in the typical nano reef. These guys are better left to do their job in the ocean.
Wrasses
-Carpenter Flasher Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Filamented Flasher Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Fourline Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (As suggested by Travis)
-Longfin Fairy Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Redfin Fairy Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Possum Wrasse (3”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Sixline Wrasse (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Tricolor (Lubbock’s) Fairy Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Yellow Choris (Canary) Wrasse (4.5”, 30g min, 55g+ ideal)
Any Flasher or Fairy wrasse not listed typically will follow most flasher or fairies size and tank requirements listed above.
Hogfish
-Twinspot Hogfish (4”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal)
XI. Bibliography & Acknowledgements
General
-Marine Fishes by Scott Michael
Seahorses
-lelualexa
Additional contributors are noted throughout the guide. Thanks for you input.
Current Permissions for Use
-Nano-Reef.com
-Reeftuners.com
-Nanotank.com
Copyright lgreen 2005-2010.
By lgreen (copyright 2005-2010)
Note: You are welcome to place a link to this guide on another website or forum, however, do not place the actual article itself on your forum or website with out my permission. Your link must direct traffic to it's original form here on nano-reef.com.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. How To Use This Guide
III. General Feeding Info
IV. Feeding Suggestions By Diet Type
V. Feeding Suggestions by Fish Group
VI. Nano Fish Compatibility
VII. Nano Fish Listed By Tank Size
VIII. Nano Fish Listed By Major Groups w/ Detailed Info
IX. Bibliography & Acknowledgments
I. Introduction
The purpose of this thread is to provide you with a fairly comprehensive guide to fish for the nano reef aquarium.
As reefing in general is not an exact science the approach I have taken to organizing this information is to provide a framework that includes my knowledge and experience with nano fish both as a hobbyist and professionally, but also to encourage others to share their experience and knowledge for the benefit of everyone.
Your Responsibility As A Fish Owner
- Fish are living things and deserve to be cared for as you would any other animal. Their life and well-being should not be valued by their price or just because they are easy to replace. As a fish owner you should strive to give your fish the most natural life possible, respecting that you have removed this animal from it's natural environment. To be straightforward, if you aren't willing to put forth the effort, time, money, and do the necessary research to properly take care of and create the ideal environment for your fish, you need to find a different hobby.
- Design your aquarium around what fish you would like to inhabit it with. Never expect a fish to just adapt to a less than adequate tank size.
- Plan your aquarium around the maximumsize the fish will get. Just because it is a baby does not give you an excuse to keep it in a smaller tank.
- Regardless of what the fish guy at Walmart told you, fish do not only grow to the size of the tank you put them in.
- Fish stores are businesses and looking to make money. There are some great fish stores that really do care about their customers, their customer's tanks, and give out great advice. Unfortunately, that is not as often the case as it should be. Exercise extreme caution when taking advice from fish stores until you know they are really interested in helping you have an amazing tank and not just taking your money.
- Research, research, and more research! Learn everything you can!
II. How To Use This Guide
Basic Overview
There are four major sections with in this guide: feeding, compatability (coming soon), fish suggestions by tank size, and fish suggestions by group. The feeding section allows you to get feeding suggestions based on diet type (carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, etc.) and more specifically by fish group, which includes more detailed info.
The compatibility section will most likely be in the form of a table in which you will be able to see how the species interacts with other fish species, corals, and invertebrates. In the fish by tank size section a list of appropriate fish will follow each of the major divisions of tank sizes, as well, include a brief estimation of how many fish would appropriate for that tank size. In the fish by group section, more detailed information will be provided about the major group each fish belongs to with some specific notes about each fish when necessary. You will also see a estimated maximum size the fish will grow to and the ideal tank size. The ideal tank size will be a compromise based on what is socially practiced by many nano-reefers and what is often recommended by experts. Some of these ideal tank sizes may be controversial and if you believe so, you are welcome to bring that up in this thread so we can all as a community discuss it.
Things To Keep In Mind
- -Some of this will surely be my opinion or the opinion of others. If you feel strongly against something I have said, please pm me so we can discuss it and make changes if necessary.
-This is just to get you started--ultimately you need to do more research on your fish choice before buying
-Also keep in mind I may list some things that are pushing it. I don’t know whether you are a beginner or expert, if you know how to do a water change or not, so I will assume anyone who uses this guide has some common sense and basic understanding of nano reefing. For example, the fact that I list some fish appropriate for a 0.5g and 2.5g tank, does not automatically mean you should keep a fish in a tank that size. Rather, it means if you are capable of maintaining the added bioload of keeping a fish in a tank that size, then these fish would be appropriate choices.
-Don’t forget to keep your bioload in mind. While a dwarf lionfish may only get 4-6”, due to their diet, the contribution to your tanks bioload will be much more significant.
How You Can Contribute To This Thread
Again, I would like to strongly encourage everyone to share his or her knowledge and experience. Please feel free to suggest additions, corrections, or other changes.
Also, I've tried to make note when a species is available captive-bred, so if you learn of a new species that is available, let me know!
III. General Feeding Info
General Thoughts
Meeting the nutritional needs of your fish is absolutely essential to their growth, survival, and reproduction. When feeding fish, we are trying to replicate not only what a fish eats, but when and how it eats in nature. The feeding preference of fish typically falls into one of five categories: carnivores, who eat meaty foods; herbivores, who eat plant matter; omnivores, who eat both meat and plants; piscivores, who eat other fish; and finally lamnivores (detrivores), who obtain their energy from eating the animal and plant matter found with in detritus. You can get a good idea of what to feed your fish just by figuring out what feeding category your fish falls into. It's important to remember that not only can you starve your fish, but you can actually overfeed them too, both of which can have negative health consequences. Fish are opportunistic eaters, meaning they never know when they will get their next meal, so eat whenever food is a available. You many notice your fish eats anytime you put food in the aquarium, but that doesn't mean they are hungry, rather just taking advantage of an opportunity. While it is important for you to feed your fish, you also need to limit feeding too. Overfeeding usually has drastic consequences on water quality anyways, so why would you want to put food in your tank if you don't have to. There are few different types of food commonly available: live, flake/pellet/freeze-dried, frozen, and some hobbyists feed fresh meats and/or vegetable/algae. For the purpose of keeping things simple I am mostly going to stick with what the average reefer is feeding, which is usually a commercially prepared flake/pellet and/or commercially frozen foods. I am revisit this topic later at some point to include live and fresh foods, but wont really get into that right now.
A few things to keep in mind
- -The more variety the better...keep multiple types of food and switch things up frequently. Feed a general staple food such as plain frozen brine shrimp or a general omnivore flake food (such as ocean nutrition formula one) and then supplement that with a variety of other frozen, flake, fresh, and live foods.
-Stick with high quality foods that are low in moisture, ash, and high in vitamins and nutrients.
-Use or mix in foods that are enhanced with HUFA, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitmain C. Liquid supplements are also available that can be added to any type of food.
-Do not overfeed!
-Again, I will provide you with suggestions, but ultimately it is up to you to research the nutritional requirements of your fish.
Note: In making my suggestions I will refer to foods specifically made by Ocean Nutrition, H2O Life, and San Fransisco Bay Brand, given these are the brands I use and have the most experience with. There are many other high quality manufactures of fish food though and those manufactures often have comparable products that you could use in place of the brands I mention if you wish.
Feeding Schedule
There really isn't an great well-summarizing answer to how often or how much you should feed your fish with a lot of what you hear being based on experience and/or opinion. Some people feed once a day, some feed every other day, and others feed small amounts several times a day. I don't think one way is right over the other, but for simplicity, will suggest a small amount once or twice a day. You want to try to incorporate in as much variety as you can. If you feed once a day, feed something different or switch back and forth every day. If you feed twice a day, perhaps try frozen at the first feeding and flake at the second. Again, with feeding twice a day I'd suggest your second feeding complement what you did with your first feeding. For example, if in the morning you fed a meaty high protein frozen food then use an algae/seaweed flake for the second feeding. The amount you feed...although I'm not a fan of rules of thumb, I think only feeding what your fish can fully eat in about 5 minutes is a good place to start. If it is all gone before 5 min, perhaps add a little more. If there is a lot of extra food flying around after 5 min, obviously you need to cut back. Any extra uneaten food will have a negative impact on your water quality. Have a good sharp knife too because most likely you will be using fractions of frozen cubes, not the whole cube. For that reason, it can be easier to use frozen flat packs which make it easier to break off only what you need, if the frozen food type you want is available that way.
How to use the feeding suggestion guide
There are two different ways you can use the feeding guide. I will provide feeding suggestions based on if the fish is a carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, piscivore, or detrivore and I will also provide feeding suggestions for each specific group of fish, noting species that do not follow trends of the group as a whole or have additional special needs. To save time, so I don't have to repeat myself, I'm going to make a list of the common foods by manufacture, and then will refer to those foods by number in both sections of the guide.
Food list by manufacture
- Ocean Nutrition
Frozen:
1. Formula 1
2. Formula 2
3. Brine Shrimp Plus
4. Brine Shrimp Plus w/ HUFA
5. Prime Reef
6. Angel Formula
7. Spirulnia Formula
8. Pygmy Angel Formula
Flake/Other:
9. Formula 1
10. Formula 2
11. Prime Reef
12. Nano Formula
Dry Seaweed:
13. Green/Brown/Red Algae/Seaweed
- H2O Life
Frozen:
14. Brine Shrimp
15. Mysis Shrimp
16. Cyclops
17. Spirulina/Brine Shrimp/Mysis Special Mix
18. Marine Fusion
19. Silversides IQF
20. Fresh Krill
Dry Seaweed:
21. Green/Brown Seaweed
- San Fransisco Bay Brand
Frozen:
22. Brine Shrimp
23. Spirulina Enhanced Brine Shrimp
24. Marine Cuisine
25. Omega Brine
26. Angel and Butterfly
27. Emerald Entrée
28. Cyclops
29. Reef Plankton
30. Krill
31. Silversides
IV. Feeding Suggestions By Diet Type
Carnivores: 1,3,4,5,6,9,11,14,15,18,19,20,22,24,25,26,30,31
Herbivores:
-Strictly Plant/Algae based: 2,7,10,13,21,27
-Blends that include Plant/Alage which herbivores can feed on: 1,8,9,12,17,23
Omnivores: They will basically eat on most of what is listed above. I'd recommend using the blended frozen/flake mixes and/or alternating between carnivore and herbivore frozen/flake formulas.
Piscivores: 19,20,30,31
V. Feeding Suggestions By Fish Group
Coming soon!
Angels (Dwarf)
Anthias
Assessors
Basses
Blennies
Cardinalfish
Damselfish (Damsels, Chromis, Clownfish)
Dartfish (Firefish)
Dottybacks (Pseudochromis)
Dragonets
Eels
Frogfish/Anglers
Gobies
Grammas
Hawkfish
Jawfish
Lionfish
Pipefish
Puffers
Seahorses
Wrasses
VI. Nano Fish Compatibility (Coming Soon!!)
VII. Nano Fish Listed By Tank Size
Note: Suggestions for Seahorses by tank size can be found under the "Seahorse" heading in the next section of the guide, Nano Fish Listed By Group, for the time being.
Key
- Green = Beginner (Ideal for first time fish owners and or new tanks)
Black = Intermediate (Ideal for hobbyists with established tanks)
Red = Difficult (Ideal for experience hobbyists who can meet the special needs of these fish)
** = Available Tank Raised (Please let me know if I am missing any)
V = Venomous
Note: There is a lot of controversy around the idea of keeping saltwater fish in tanks under 10g. Whether or not it is ethical will be up to you to decide and not something I'm going to get into. Like it or not, the fact is there are going to be people who do it. Therefore, I would rather at least provide those people with some guidance to make good choices instead of just leaving them in the dark.
Note Mandarins/Dragonets: There is a lot of controversy around the idea of keeping fish from the Dragonet family in nano tanks. Whether or not it is ethical will be for you to decide and not something I'm going to get into. I personally do not encourage people to keep dragonets in nano tanks, however, despite my feelings there a many who have successfully kept them in smaller tanks, there for I will include them in this guide.
0.5g Pico (1.9 L) (Includes Red Sea 0.5g Deco Art) (1 extra small fish)
- -Blue Neon Goby**
-Catalina Goby [cold water]
-Clown Gobies**
-Eviota Gobies
-Panda (Clown) Goby
-Redhead Goby**
-Trimma Goby
-Yellow Neon Goby**
2.5g Pico - 5g (9.46 - 18.93 L) (Includes 2.5g Minibow, Eclipse Explorer, JBJ 3g Pico) (1 fish)
- All of the above plus:
-Citron Goby
-Green Banded Goby (added by c'est ma)**
7g (26.5 L) (Includes 7g Minibow, 6g Eclipse, 6g CPR, 6g Nano Cube, 8g Aquawave) (1-2 fish)
Note: Keep in mind that the display area of all-in-one tanks hold less water than the total tank since some of that water is in the filtration area. When picking out fish, pick fish based on the display area volume, not the total tank volume.
- All of the above plus:
-Ocellaris Clownfish (False Percula)** (1, if you want a pair, move up to 10g+)
-Percula Clownfish (True Percula)** (1, if you want a pair, move up to 10g+)
10g (38 L) (Includes 12g Aquapod, 12g Nano Cube, 12g Eclipse, 11g Via Aqua, 12g Biocube) (2-3 fish)
Note: Keep in mind that the display area of all-in-one tanks hold less water than the total tank since some of that water is in the filtration area. When picking out fish, pick fish based on the display area volume, not the total tank volume.
- All of the above plus:
-Atlantic Pygmy/Cherub Angelfish
-Yellow Assessor**
-Blue Assessor
-Tailspot Blenny (added by Steelhealr)
-Threadfin Cardinalfish
-Green Chromis Damsel
-Yellow Tail Blue Damsel
-Three Spot Damsel
-Talbot’s Damsel
-Three Stripe Damsel
-Firefish Goby
-Helfrich’s Firefish [$$$$!]
-Purple Firefish Goby
-Bicolor Psuedochromis
-Diadem Pseudochromis
-Fridmani (Orchid) Pseudochromis**
-Purple Pseudochromis
-Springeri Pseudochromis** (added by spazizz)
-Scooter Blenny [with caution, not for beginners]
-Red Scooter Blenny [with caution, not for beginners]
-Painted Frogfish
-Wartskin Frogfish
-Blackray Shrimp Goby
-Orange Stripe Goby
-Orangespotted Goby
-Randall’s Shrimp Goby
-Yasha Hasha Goby
-Wheeler’s Shrimp Goby
-Yellow Watchman Goby
-Rainfordi Goby
-Royal Gramma
-Falco Hawkfish
-Flame Hawkfish
-Pearly (Yellowhead) Jawfish
-Possum Wrasse
-Sixline Wrasse (note: some believe 20g+ may be more suitable, if you buy one for a 10g, get it small)
20g (76 L) (Includes 24g Aquapod, 24g Nano Cube, 20g Finnex M Tank) (3-5 fish)
Note: Keep in mind that the display area of all-in-one tanks hold less water than the total tank since some of that water is in the filtration area. When picking out fish, pick fish based on the display area volume, not the total tank volume.
- All of the above plus:
-Coral Beauty Angelfish
-Flame Angelfish
-Halfblack Angelfish
-Potter’s Angelfish
-Rusty Angelfish
-Chalk Bass
-Lantern Bass
-Bicolor Blenny
-Midas Blenny
-Redspotted Blenny
-Redlip Blenny
-Yellowtail Fang Blenny (V)
-Bangaii Cardinalfish**
-Orangestriped Cardinalfish
-Flame Cardinalfish
-Pajama Cardinalfish
-Clarki Clownfish **
-Maroon Clownfish **
-Orange Skunk Clownfish **
-Pink Skunk Clownfish **
-Tomato Clownfish **
-Dwarf Golden Moray Eel (added by lakshwadeep)
-Bar Goby
-Blue Gudgeon Goby
-Green Mandarin Goby [with caution, not for beginners]
-Yellow Target Mandarin [with caution, not for beginners]
-Blackcap Basslet **
-Arc Eye Hawkfish
-Longnose Hawkfish
-Bluespot Jawfish (added by fish n' pets)
-Dusky Jawfish (added by fish n' pets)
-Fu Manchu Lionfish (V)
-Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish (V)
-Dragon Pipefish [with caution, not for beginners]
-Banded Pipefish [with caution, not for beginners]
-Bluestripe Pipefish [with caution, not for beginners]
-Bennett’s Toby
-Valentini (Saddleback) Toby (placement in 20g min suggested by Bread)
-White Spot Toby
-Carpenter Flasher Wrasse
-Filamented Flasher Wrasse
-Fourline Wrasse (placement in 20g min suggested by Travis)
-Longfin Fairy Wrasse
-Redfin Fairy Wrasse
-Tricolor (Lubbock’s) Fairy Wrasse
-Twinspot Hogfish
30g (114 L) (Includes 32g Finnex M Tank) (4-6 fish)
- All of the above plus:
-Ebli’s Angelfish
-Lemonpeel Angelfish
-Dispar Anthias [with caution, not for beginners]
-Fathead (Sunburst) Anthias [not for beginners] (added by Pili)
[color="red]-Longfin Anthias [w/ caution, not for beginners][/color]
-Convict Blenny (Note: These guys do not stay 5 inches like many books say. I have handled many that were 12"+)
-Lawnmower Blenny [mega herbivore, keep in mind]
-Snowflake Eel
-Giant Frogfish
-Blue Spot Puffer
-Yellow Choris (Canary) Wrasse
VIII. Nano Fish Listed By Fish Group & Fish
Note: There may be some big changes coming to this section of the guide, including removal of the "minimum acceptable tank size". Since it has been nearly 5 years since I wrote this part of the guide, it is past due for a good review. Please bare with me while I make any changes and feel free to add your suggestions and/or comments.
Angels (Dwarf)
Most dwarf angels are not good candidates for smaller nanos, but may fair well in larger nanos. In most cases dwarf angels range in maximum size from 2.5-6 inches. Generally the minimum tank size for any dwarf angel should be 20g, with a more ideal tank being in the 30g+ range. Keep in mind most dwarf angels, especially those from the centropyge family are omnivores and need a mixed diet of meat and algae. Using high protein foods will help prolong their brilliant colors. All other angelfish not listed here generally need a 55g tank minimally (dwarf) and in many cases a 75-125g minimum (large angels). Also keep in mind a dwarf angelfish should be one of the last fish you add to your nano as they can be territorial.
-Atlantic Pygmy/Cherub Angelfish (3”, 10g+)
-Coral Beauty Angelfish (4”, 20g+)
-Ebli’s Angelfish (6”, 30g+)
-Flame Angelfish (4”, 20g+) (I believe Julian Sprung kept one of these successfully in a 15g)
-Halfblack Angelfish (3.5”, 20g+)
-Lemonpeel Angelfish (5.5”, 30g+)
-Potter’s Angelfish (5”, 30g+)
-Rusty Angelfish (4”, 20g+)
All Other Pygmy Angelfish (2.5”-3”, 10g+)
Anthias
For the most part anthias belong in reef tanks of 55g or larger. In some cases you may be able to get away with a single male or female of some of the smaller varieties. Anthias are planktovores and meat eaters. Sometimes in the beginning they can be difficult to get established or feed, but if you are able to get a hold of a hardy specimen, they are fairly easy to care for after that. Keeping them well fed (2 times per day is good) will improve your chances of success with a new specimen. In larger tanks typically you do 1 male with a small group of 2-8 females, all females (one will eventually become the male), or a single male. I have been asked before about mixing single specimens of different species before, but honestly I don’t know the answer to that question. I would imagine it to be ok in larger tanks, but cannot guarantee it. A reef tank is a must for Anthias. Do well in high flow SPS tanks.
-Dispar Anthias (3.7”, 30g+)
-Fathead (Sunburst) Anthias (5", 30g+ (added by Pili)
-Longfin Anthias (2”, 30g+)
Keep in mind this would be 1-2 per tank. Ideally though more than 1 should go in a 55g+ regardless of
Assessors
I really don’t know very much about these guys. Carnivores. If anyone would like to add a summary of this group pm me.
-Yellow Assessor (2”, 10g+)
-Blue Assessor (2.5”, 10g+l)
Basses
I really don’t know very much about these guys. If anyone would like to add a summary of for group please pm me. Carnivores. Known to eat some inverts, mainly shrimp.
-Chalk Bass (3”, 20g+)
-Lantern Bass (3”, 20g+)
Blennies
Blennies are very interesting little fish. They have a personality that is very unique. I have seen all sorts of blennies kept in all sorts of nano tanks. While there should be some consideration of tank size, it is also important to remember these guys are herbivores that graze on algae, and so in many cases a larger tank may be more appropriate for providing the grazing opportunities they need. Should do ok in smaller tanks w/ supplemental algae feedings, but something to be aware of. Most blennies are rock dwellers that live in small cracks and holes in the rock. Ideal tank would include arrangement of rock or purchase of rock with holes or the use of artificial or collected barnacle skeletons. Generally 1 specimen per tank, unless mated pair.
-Bicolor Blenny (4”, 20g+)
-Convict Blenny (12”, 30g+) Note: Many books state these only get 5", however I have handled several that were easily 12"+)
-Lawnmower Blenny (5”, 30g+)
-Midas Blenny (4”, 20g+)
-Redspotted Blenny (5”, 20g+)
-Redlip Blenny (4.5”, 20g+)
-Tailspot Blenny (2.5", 10g+) (added by Steelhealr)
-Yellowtail Fang Blenny (4”, 20g+) (venomous)
Cardinalfish
Cardinalfish are very interesting unique fish. Those with unique colors should be fed high protein diets to help maintain their bright colors. Some of these guys can be mean. In particular I have heard some comment on the Flame Cardinalfish being rather nasty when they reach adult size. One should be careful when placing Cardinalfish with ornamental shrimp as they have been known occasionally to eat them. Generally Cardinalfish should be kept 1 per tank with a minimum tank size of 20g. With a larger tank more usually can coexist. Pajama and Bangai Cardinalfish don’t seem to be as aggressive though and could probably be kept as a pair or triplet in a 30g+ tank.
-Orangestriped Cardinalfish (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Threadfin Cardinalfish (2.5”, 10g min, 20g + ideal)
-Flame Cardinalfish (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Pajama Cardinalfish (3.1”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Bangaii Cardinalfish (3”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal)
Damselfish (Damsels, Chromis, Clownfish)
Damsels are great beginner fish. They are often very hardy and usually very abundant and easy to find. The damsel group also includes chromis and clownfish. Generally Chromis damsels are very hardy, mild mannered fish. Clowns are a very popular group of fish that are generally great for beginners and easy to care for. All other damsel are generally easy to care for, but can be rather aggressive and harassing to other fish. Damselfish can be kept singly (except in my opinion clowns should be kept in pairs), but look awesome and exhibit neat behaviors in groups. In general all damsels are omnivores that will pretty much eat anything. In my opinion it is best to provide them a variety of meaty and algae based foods. Many damsel fish also feature symbiotic relationships with Anemones. Damsels do not require anemones to survive, a common myth, but can exhibit very interesting and entertaining behaviors with them. Anemones ARE NOT for beginners though as they require very specialized care and lighting. All Damsels are unaffected by the sting of an Anemone unlike most fish. Generally the minimum size tank for most damsels is around 10g with some exceptions.
Clownfish
-Clarki Clownfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Maroon Clownfish (**) (6”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (May Eat Shrimp!) (single/mated pair)
-Ocellaris Clownfish (False Percula) (3.5”, 7g min, 10g+ ideal) (mated pair/group)
-Orange Skunk Clownfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Percula Clownfish (True Percula) (3”, 7g min, 10g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Pink Skunk Clownfish (4”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal) (mated pair/groups)
-Tomato Clownfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/mated pair)
Any Hybrids/Blacks/Onyx should follow same recommendations for Ocellaris/Percula
Chromis
-Green Chromis (3.5”, 10g min, 10g+ Ideal) (single/groups)
Damsels
-Talbot’s Damsel (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single/groups)
-Three Spot Damsel (5.5”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/groups)
-Three Stripe Damsel (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single/groups)
-Yellowtail Blue Damsel (2.5”, 10g min, 10g+ideal) (single/groups)
Dartfish (Firefish)
Dartfish are another popular group of fish that generally fair well in the nano environment. Dartfish are known for their unique long skinny bodies and dart-like quick movements when scared. Dartfish are generally carnivores, but usually will eat just about anything. It is never a bad idea to provide some variety and give them some high quality algae flake or frozen supplemented brine shrimp in addition to carnivorous preparations. A 10g tank is probably the minimum size tank any Dartfish should be kept in. Exhibition of interesting and entertaining behaviors can be enhanced when these guys are kept in small groups of 3-10. In many cases these fish are referred to as gobies, although they are truly Dartfish. Keep in mind these guys are known to jump probably more than any other fish and a good lid should be used to prevent jumping.
-Bar Goby (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/pairs/groups)
-Blue Gudgeon Goby (5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (single/pairs/groups)
-Firefish Goby (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single/pairs/groups)
-Helfrich’s Firefish Goby (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single)
-Purple Firefish Goby (3.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal) (single)
Dottybacks (Pseudochromis)
I really don’t know a ton about these guys, if someone would like to add info about them, please pm me. Basically these guys are pretty neat little fish, but they can have quite the attitude and be very territorial. Dottybacks exhibit some of the most beautiful shades of pink, magenta, purple, and yellow. Dottybacks are carnivores, but would surely benefit from a little alga in their diet. Generally these guys should be kept 1 per tank, perhaps more in a larger tank of 75g+.
-Bicolor Psuedochromis (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Diadem Pseudochromis (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Fridmani (Orchid) Pseudochromis (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Purple Pseudochromis (2.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Springeri Pseudochromis (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Dragonets
Dragonet properly identifies fish such as the green mandarin, yellow target mandarin, red scooter, and scooter than are often placed in the goby or blenny group. Traditionally and in most cases these fish are totally NOT appropriate for nano tanks. Fish from the dragonet family are carnivores that prefer live food such as copepods. Dragonets can be difficult to feed since they do not aggressively take food from the water current, but rather suck up marco and micro inverts from the rock and substrate. I do not generally recommend keeping of dragonets in nano tanks since in most cases a nano will not be able to provide the micro/macro fauna necessary to keep these guys alive. This can be a tricky fish for even the most skilled aquarist and even those with large tanks. The only reason I list this as a potential nano fish is for those who are more advanced and have the means to properly feed these guys (i.e. very established pod producing refugium, copepod breeder, or frequent buyer of sea pods, or has one that eats frozen). In some areas the industry is changing and this once difficult group of fish to keep is becoming a little easier to take care of with training of dragonets to eat frozen preparations. It should be noted though that just because a dragonet is eating frozen food, does not guarantee its survival. Frozen food should be used to supplement their natural diet of copepods. If you insist on purchasing one and feeding it frozen food, I suggest at least that you feed it several times a day and keep a close eye on it. Often these guys will look great for a few months, and then mysteriously die for no apparent reason (cause of death is usually malnutrition/starvation). These guys should be kept singly or in mated pairs. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS FISH UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
-Scooter Blenny (2.4”, 10g min [with caution, not for beginners], 30g+ Ideal)
-Green Mandarin Goby (3”, 20g min [with caution, not for beginners], 75g+ Ideal)
-Yellow Target Mandarin Goby (3”, 20g min [with caution, not for beginners], 75g+ Ideal)
-Red Scooter Blenny (2.4”, 10g min [with caution, not for beginners], 30g+ Ideal)
Eels
I don’t know much about eels, if someone would like to cover this, please pm me.
-Dwarf Golden Moray Eel (7-10", 10g min, 20g+ Ideal)
-Snowflake Eel (30”, 30g min, 55g+ Ideal)
Frogfish/Anglers
I don’t know much about these guys so if someone would like to add some info, please pm me. Carnivores that need extra meaty diet. (Similar to feeding an eel, lion, scorpion, or toadfish). One per tank.
**If anyone knows what type of anglers are commonly kept in nanos please let me know so I can include them.
-Giant Frogfish (12”, 30g min, 55g+ ideal)
-Painted Frogfish (4”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal
-Wartskin Frogfish (4”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal)
Gobies
Gobies are probably one of the best candidates for just about any nano reef. They are extremely well mannered and fairly easy to care for. There are shrimp gobies, those who engage in symbiotic relationships with pistol shrimp, sand sifter gobies, which literally sift sand through their gills, and a large number of gobies that do not fit into these two groups. Generally shrimp gobies and a number of other gobies make great candidates for the nano reef. Sand sifter gobies however are a poor choice for the nano reef as most nanos do not have a large enough sand bed (surface area, not depth) to provide the macro/micro fauna that these guys get most of their nutrition from. In particular, although small twinspot gobies do not belong in nanos. Even people with large tanks have difficulty keeping these guys alive long term. Most gobies are carnivores, but usually they will eat just about anything. A little variety, including some frozen/flake algae, is highly recommended. Gobies are usually pretty small and the goby group features a few select fish that may be appropriate for tanks of 7g and under. In most cases gobies can be kept singly, in pairs, or groups, and seem to get along ok. There of course are a few exceptions and I will note those below. Also I have noted that some of the perching gobies such as the clown gobies have been known to irritate SPS corals that they perch on and in some cases bite at them. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t, but worth noting.
Shrimp Gobies
-Blackray Shrimp Goby (2", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Orange Stripe Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Orangespotted Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Randall’s Shrimp Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Wheeler’s Shrimp Goby (3.5", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Yasha Hasha Goby (2", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Yellow Watchman Goby (3", 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Sand Gobies
-Engineer Goby (See Convict Blenny Above)
Other Gobies
-Catalina Goby [cold water, 60-70 degrees) (2”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Citron Goby (*SPS) (2”, 2.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Clown Gobies (Includes Black, Yellow, Green) (*SPS) (1.5”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Eviota Gobies (Includes Neon & Red Stripe) (1”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Green Banded Goby (2", 2.5g min, 10g+ ideal) (added by c'est ma)
-Neon Gobies (Includes Blue & Yellow) (2”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Panda (Clown) Goby (*SPS) (1.5”, 0.5g, 10g+ ideal)
-Rainfordi Goby (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Redhead Goby (2”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
-Trimma Goby (1”, 0.5g min, 10g+ ideal)
Grammas
Grammas are very interesting little fish. They are almost like a blenny and pseudochromis mixed with just a touch of jawfish. They have quite the personality like a blenny, the brilliant purples and yellows seen in pseudochromis, and occasionally may be seen moving small pieces of rock and what not around to build a home. Additionally when intimidated, they flex open their mighty jaw, similar to the behavior of a jawfish, to warn of invaders of their territory. They can be quite territorial, but overall in my opinion are a pretty cool group of fish. They just don’t like other fish getting in their way. They are carnivores, but again like most fish, would benefit from a little frozen/flake algae supplement from time to time. In a smaller tank grammas should be kept singly, but in larger tanks 55g+ they seem to do ok in groups.
-Blackcap Basslet (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Royal Gramma (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Hawkfish
I really don’t know a lot about hawkfish so if anyone wants to add something, please pm me. Hawkfish are rock dwellers that often perch on rocks and wait for prey to pass by and then they swoop down a grab it. Generally peaceful, but there is a significant chance they will eat ornamental shrimp. Occasionally they have been known to harass other smaller or ground-dwelling fish. An interesting specimen for the larger nano tank, these guys should be kept singly, or some can be paired in larger tanks (55g+). Some hawkfish, especially the longnose are known jumpers, so that is something to keep in mind when considering this fish.
-Arc Eye Hawkfish (5.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Falco Hawkfish (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Flame Hawkfish (3.5”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Longnose Hawkfish (5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
Jawfish
Jawfish are a great addition to the appropriate size nano reef. They exhibit a very entertaining personality similar to a royal gramma and blenny, but even better. One common question asked about jawfish is how deep of a sand bed do they need to survive? Really the answer if you ask me and several others is that it doesn’t really matter. I have seen them thrive in anything 1”+. Often their home will consist of a slight depression in the sand near rock in which they will surround or cover with chunks of rock and coral rubble. If not much rubble is available typically they will just dig a burrow out under a piece or rock and that seems to do fine. I would definitely throw some rubble in though. With the rubble they typically build little tube like entrances to their home, and it can be entertaining to watch them poke their heads out to check out what is going on. Jawfish are mostly carnivores that need a high protein diet. Although I have never witnessed any problems, it should be noted that these guys may eat ornamental shrimp. I would recommend keeping these guys in small groups, but a single specimen should be ok in a smaller tank (10g+).
-Bluespot Jawfish (4", 20g min, 20g+ ideal) (added by fish n' pets)
-Dusky Jawfish (4", 20g min, 20g+ ideal) (added by fish n' pets)
-Pearly (Yellowhead) Jawfish (4”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
Lionfish (*, ##, ###, V)
Lionfish are pretty cool fish, but they really have no place in the community nano reef tank. As they are super carnivores they eat just about anything small and beefy. That includes your shrimp, and small fish. I am not 100% if these guys are considered coral safe or not, so I will just extend some caution for keeping them with coral. (Update: coral safe according to Raywhisperer). I would suggest keeping lions in a species only tank. Again as they are super carnivores they need a high protein diet, which may include larger frozen foods and sometimes live feeder fish or shrimp. Generally I recommend trying to get them onto a frozen food like krill or silversides. Some suggest training them on frozen food rather than live, may make them less likely to kill smaller fish. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I suggest frozen anyway as live food can be a pain to deal with and get spendy. I also personally don’t like torturing feeder fish, but that’s for another thread. Keep in mind because of their diet, lionfish add quite a bit to the bioload. Extra efforts will need to be taken to keep your tank clean. This may require use of additional live rock, additional/more frequent water changes, and definite use of a protein skimmer (Source: Raywhisperer). The minimum size for most dwarf lions is going to be in the 20g+ range. Some lions can get upwards of 15 inches though, and have no place in a nano tank. Don’t forget that Lionfish are venomous. Their stingers are typically in the top/front region and look like antennae. I am not sure if the dorsal spins are also venom ready, such as in the fox face rabbit fish, but it could be. If you know, let me know. (Update: First few dorsal spikes according to Raywhisperer) Although venomous, lions are generally peaceful and will not try to sting you. Usually when people get stung it is by accident during maintenance or by spooking the fish causing it to jet out of the way and nail you while trying to get away. If you are ever stung by a lionfish, run the area of injury under the warmest water you can stand w/ out burning yourself for a good 10-15 minutes. You may feel a stinging pain in the area of injury that should go away after a while. If the injury starts to swell up, or you feel dizzy, light headed, have trouble breathing, or feel abnormal in anyway besides minor stinging at the injury site, you should head to the emergency room just to be safe. That shouldn’t scare you away from keeping a lionfish , but just something to be aware of and prepared for just in case.
-Fu Manchu Lionfish (4”, 20g min, 30g+ Ideal)
-Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish (6”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
Pipefish [with caution, not for beginners]
Pipefish have recently become one of my favorite little fishes. I do not own any yet, but would like to pursue setting up a little pipe/seahorse nano and have been doing some research on these guys. I would classify these guys in the same category as seahorses and dragonets in that have special diet requirements. Their natural diet consists of copepods and other micro inverts, but they can be trained on frozen or other live foods. I have seen pipefish in reef tanks before, but like seahorses, pipefish are a low flow fish which can sometimes conflict with what is needed in the reef environment. I’d say as long as you aren’t doing sps, and not going overboard on your flow, and feed them very well, you should be successful. Again I want to emphasize though that pipefish are not for beginners. An ideal tank for pipefish would include sea grass for them to hide and graze in. Some types of pipefish also seem to be hardier than others. In particular I have seen people have pretty good luck with the banded/striped pipefish. It seems often the larger pipefish do not do as well though.
-Banded Pipefish (8”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) [with caution, not for beginners]
-Bluestripe Pipefish (3.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) [with caution, not for beginners]
-Dragon Pipefish (6.5”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal) [with caution, not for beginners]
Puffers
Puffers are another group of fish that I feel pretty flaky about adding to reef or community tanks. Often they are not terribly aggressive, but will snatch up a small-medium invert or small fish with no problem. I would recommend doing a species tank or keeping with other docile, but medium sized fish. If not obvious by now, they are carnivores that need larger food that just your usual brine shrimp mixtures. Typically you feed these guys krill, silversides, or live fish/shrimp. Some of the smaller varieties that would be more appropriate for the nano reef tank should be fine with just a high protein carnivore enhanced frozen shrimp such as marine cuisine. It should also be noted that there is some general risk in keeping puffers in that they do carry toxin and have the ability to wipe out an entire tank if stressed or killed. When stressed you may see them puff up. DO NOT try to make them puff up just for fun unless you want to risk killing it and everything in your tank. As long as you get it out pretty quickly, in the case one dies under your care, you should be ok and not have to worry about the tank being toast. I would suggest a 10-20% water change though after removing the body just to be safe. Generally those appropriate for the nano tank are going to be what they call tobys.
-Bennett’s Toby (4”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Blue Spot Puffer (6”, 30g min, 55g+ ideal)
-Valentini (Saddleback) Toby (3.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (As suggested by Bread)
-White Spot Toby (3.5”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
Seahorses [with caution, not for beginners]
Submited by lelualexa
General Seahorse Info
DO NOT BUY A WILD CAUGHT SEAHORSE IF YOU ARE UNEXPERIENCED!
Even the most experienced keepers have problems with them. Most require live food twice daily and some will never learn to take frozen! They often carry parasites and stuff you really don't want in your tank, so do yourself a favor and buy CAPTIVE BRED. Similar bad things happen in "Tank Raised" Seahorses, which are also sometimes called captive bred, but are usually raised within a net in the ocean or some similar situation. PLEASE buy CAPTIVE BRED, and make sure that they are eating frozen mysis shrimp before you buy them!
Seahorses can be a great beginner fish, provided you do a lot of research and have a suitable tank. This means NO stinging corals and only suitable slow moving tankmates that won't compete for food with the seahorses. No anemones or urchins for this sort of tank.
The species listed below are the most common seahorses available.
Seahorses By Tank Size
2 - 10 Gallons:
H. Zostrae - Dwarf Seahorse - 1 pair/gallon
(Do not keep in a tank larger than 10 Gallons - these seahorses are the only seahorses that require LIVE enriched brine shrimp every day!)
10 Gallons (1 pair per 2g-ish)
H. Breviceps (Coldwater)
H. Tuberculatus [Coldwater]
The following may be pushing it at 1 pair in a 10gallon
H. Barbouri
H. Capensis
H. Comes
H. Coronatus
H. Fuscus
H. Histrix
H. Jayakari
H. Kuda
H. Whitei (coldwater)
20 Gallons (1 - 2 pairs)
H. Barbouri
H. Capensis
H. Comes
H. Coronatus
H. Fuscus
H. Histrix
H. Jayakari
H. Kuda
H. Whitei [coldwater]
Keep several pairs of the following in a tank this size and larger. They can be kept in large tanks, due to the fact that they eat frozen foods. Dwarf Seahorses should not be kept in tanks larger than 10g because of the distribution of live brine shrimp.
H. Breviceps [coldwater]
H. Tuberculatus [coldwater]
30g+ (1-2 pairs)
H. Abdominalis [coldwater]
H. Erectus
H. Ingens
H. Kelloggi
H. Reidi
H. Subelongatus
(3-4 pairs)
H. Barbouri
H. Capensis
H. Comes
H. Coronatus
H. Fuscus
H. Histrix
H. Jayakari
H. Kuda
H. Whitei [coldwater]
(Several pairs)
H. Breviceps [coldwater]
H. Tuberculatus [coldwater]
Hardy species recommended for beginners
Dwarfs
H. Zostrae (Very hardy if you're prepared to hatch BS every day)
Small
H. Breviceps [coldwater]
H. Tuberculatus [coldwater]
Medium
H. Barbouri
H. Fuscus
H. Kuda
H. Whitei [coldwater]
Large
H. Abdominalis [coldwater]
H. Erectus
H. Kelloggi
H. Reidi
H. Erectus are considered the hardiest seahorse, as well as one of the most attractive, and are recommended for the beginner.
Sources:
-www.syngnathid.org
-www.seahorse.org
-www.seahorse.com
Tangs [No, Bad Newbie]
Tangs should not be kept in any tank less than 55g. I simply mention tangs here since it seems to be a common fad amongst fish stores to sell people tangs with out asking the tank size, or for newbies to buy tangs for their nano with out doing proper research. NO BAD! Putting a tang in a nano reef is like me locking you in your laundry room (4’ x 4’) and expecting you to be happy. You may be able to survive on drier lint for a while, but eventually you will die. Don’t do it, and we won’t have any problems. Do it, and be prepared to be humiliated.
Wrasses
Our discussion on wrasses will focus more around the reef safe wrasses that stay under 5". While tempting with some very exciting coloration, I usually avoid larger wrasses altogether in the community tank as they can be nasty, destructive, and eat some inverts. The smaller reef safe wrasses are very interesting and can add some great color and behavior to the nano reef tank. The smaller reef safe wrasses are carnivores that need high protein meaty foods. They will eat just about anything, and I would suggest the addition of some type of frozen/flake algae to their diet. Also as carnivores, several of these guys are known to feed on flatworms and bristle worms. Generally you should keep 1 wrasse per tank unless a larger tank (55g+). While not as jumpy as dartfish, there is still a jumping risk worth noting. Generally there does not seem to be a problem, but I have added a small invert risk warning to this group as on occasion some larger specimens have been seen eating smaller ornamental shrimp. To avoid problems here, I usually recommend getting a shrimp that is significantly larger than the fish. For example, get a small 1" sixline wrasse and a 3"+ (including antennae) cleaner shrimp. Can't guarantee anything, but generally that works. Also in the wrasse group I will include hogfish as they are somewhat similar in behavior and diet. I’d have to say the sixline wrasse is one of my all time favorite fish. PLEASE AVIOD bringing home cleaner wrasses. Leave them in the ocean. Their diet pretty much relies on the mucus coating of fish and parasites and there is really no way they can survive (since there are not enough fish) in the typical nano reef. These guys are better left to do their job in the ocean.
Wrasses
-Carpenter Flasher Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Filamented Flasher Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Fourline Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal) (As suggested by Travis)
-Longfin Fairy Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Redfin Fairy Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Possum Wrasse (3”, 10g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Sixline Wrasse (3”, 10g min, 20g+ ideal)
-Tricolor (Lubbock’s) Fairy Wrasse (3”, 20g min, 30g+ ideal)
-Yellow Choris (Canary) Wrasse (4.5”, 30g min, 55g+ ideal)
Any Flasher or Fairy wrasse not listed typically will follow most flasher or fairies size and tank requirements listed above.
Hogfish
-Twinspot Hogfish (4”, 20g min, 20g+ ideal)
XI. Bibliography & Acknowledgements
General
-Marine Fishes by Scott Michael
Seahorses
-lelualexa
Additional contributors are noted throughout the guide. Thanks for you input.
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