# Advice on fish



## poobar (Feb 20, 2011)

My current tank is relatively small compared to some of the great ones I have seen around here. It's about 20" wide by 20" deep by 35" high and is 40 gallons.

Because of this, a lot of the normal fish I can't put in there like tangs.

We are after some colourful fish to put in there but everyone we ask in the LFS's says that for a tank that size all that is compatable are dull looking fish.

I have one ocerillis clownfish in there at the minute in a BTA and am going to add one more of these but want to get your idea on some other fish I could put in that would be colourful and compatable.


----------



## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

That would depend on your goals for this tank.

Will it be a reef tank? Mixed corals (softies and stonies?) 

off the top of my head some fish,

Goby family. There are some really cool gobies out there! 

Blennies. Again, very funny fish to watch

Dwarf angels, May, or may not pick on coral

Basslets, lots of color in this family! aggressive IMO though.

Cardinal, blue stripes (SUM had some not so long ago, trigger thought the two I bought were a nice snack....) color up nice.


Trick is not to rush. Keep going to the stores, and watch what comes in.


----------



## poobar (Feb 20, 2011)

I am after a mixed reef aquarium, mainly softies but need a few nice looking fish as well.

I am asking because of my desasterous weekend!!
Day one of my salt experience I asked a nice lady in the LFS what would be a good fish to cyle my tank. She sold me 3 blue damsels, NOT telling me that yes, they are good cycling fish but will kill anything else you put in there.(My rock is 3 years cycled but wanted to be sure after an hours move)

They are also IMPOSSIBLE!!! to get out.

Saturday morning, stripped all the rock out of my tank to get these 3 fish out.

Not doing that mistake again!!


----------



## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

It isn't necessary to cycle tanks with fish anymore. There are better, faster ways of doing it. Just a heads up for next time!


----------



## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Cycling your tank with a fish is old school... not only that, but it can be uncomfortable for the fish

Use liveaquaria to do some searches, they let you filter fish by tank size, etc....

I used that as my first line of research, after that you can narrow the fish down by peoples personal experience. 

Blennies are full of colour and personality. Same with Gobys


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

poobar said:


> I am after a mixed reef aquarium, mainly softies but need a few nice looking fish as well.
> 
> I am asking because of my desasterous weekend!!
> Day one of my salt experience I asked a nice lady in the LFS what would be a good fish to cyle my tank. She sold me 3 blue damsels, NOT telling me that yes, they are good cycling fish but will kill anything else you put in there.(My rock is 3 years cycled but wanted to be sure after an hours move)
> ...


was in this story

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

That's crazy that they told you there are only dull-coloured fish you can put in a smaller aquarium.
Here are some nano-sized fish:
Blue or Yellow Assessors
Pink Striped pygmy wrasse
Midas Blenny
Tail spot blenny
Yellow watchmen goby (as well as many other gobies that may not be so big on colour, but big in character - you could also try pairing them with a pistol shrimp!)
Royal Gramma. Bicolour dottyback
Any of the basslets
Blue chromis
Purple, Helfrichi or red firefish
Clown gobies
Many of the dwarf angelfish: lemonpeel, flame, bicolour...
And I'm sure quite a few more. 
You can also check out what the have at Menagerie, as Harold was going to try and focus on nano-sized fish this year, I think
Can't wait to see what you get!


----------



## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

poobar, go check out Sea-u-marine and talk to Ken and Chris there for recommendations on fish for your sized tank.


----------

