stocking a 30 gallon aquarium

[finleyd]

I'm considering adding some new fish to my tank, I've got 2 happy ocellaris clowns at the moment. They're really active, so I want something that'll complement them well. I was thinking maybe a purple firefish, I've always liked the way they look. Not entirely sure what the final stocking will be, but any suggestions would be great.

[felinxo]

I like the clowns, nice choice. If I had to suggest a few, I'd say a flasher wrasse, an orchid dottyback or maybe even a hawkfish.

[finleyd]

My tank's been up and running for a few weeks now, and after the water change, it's looking even more crystal clear - love it. All the tests are coming back great, and the clowns are thriving, eating everything in sight. The tank's running smoothly, so that's a big plus. Tomorrow, I'm off to the pet shop to grab some frozen food for my other babies, and I'll take a look at the marine section to see what catches my eye.

I'm thinking of just adding one fish for now, don't want to rush into anything. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a nice firtideflow or a royal gramma - or if I'm really lucky, a bi-colour blenny. Realistically, though, it's a small shop, so we'll see what they've got.

[nixora]

Blennies are a great choice, I think they'd be a good addition to my tank anyway.

[mixtune]

I was thinkin, what about gobies, are you lot interested in them?

[finleyd]

I'm considering any peaceful fish for my tank, really. Saw a clown goby at ADC, thought it was lovely, but left it. The store was a bit of a letdown, to be honest. Staff weren't exactly welcoming either.

Looking for other goby suggestions, if anyone has any?

[havenmix]

Yellow watchman goby is a great choice, lovely fish.

[finleyd]

Ooh, I really like those suggestions. I'm curious, would a bi colour angel be suitable for a 30 gallon tank? Considering my current stock and the fish I'm thinking of adding, I'm wondering if it would be too much.

I've got my existing 2 Ocellaris clowns, and I'm thinking of adding a bi colour angel, a royal gramma, and then either a yellow watchman goby, red firtideflow, or purple firtideflow - haven't made my mind up yet. Plus, I was also considering a flame hawkfish. It does seem like a lot, but I'm thinking the goby options are pretty small and don't produce much waste, so maybe it's manageable.

That's the kind of stocking I'm aiming for, but at the rate I'm going, I'll probably end up upgrading to at least a 55 gallon, or hopefully a 100 gallon, before I even finish stocking this tank.

[rileyon]

I had a bi-colour angel, they're a pretty sensitive species, even for dwarf angels. Mine was a coflake fanatic and just suddenly kicked the bucket, had to return it to the shop. They often develop a taste for coflakes too. If I'm being honest, coflake beauties are probably the most reef-safe option in my opinion.

Rest of your list seems fine to me, but I think I'd go for the purple firefish - they're a bit bigger and more active.

[havenmix]

Honestly, that list seems excessive to me. I've yet to come across a positive experience with owning a hawkfish, especially in smaller tanks. I'd personally steer clear of them if I were you.