Keeping a small school of fish

[lumber1x]

I'm reviewing my tank's stocking list and trying to decide on some additions. I've got a 55g tank with lr filtration and a 10g sump with skimmer.

Currently, I've got a Clownfish (ocellaris, about 1.5-2"), a Lawnmower Blenny, and a Citron Goby.

First priority is probably getting a small clown to pair with my existing one.

I'd also love to have a small school of fish - 3 or 4 would be great. I know some species are pretty particular about being single or in pairs, so I'm open to suggestions. Cardinalfish, either Banggai or Pajama, are really catching my eye, and those Blue Green Chromis are pretty too. What else should I consider?

Additionally, I'm thinking of getting a Yellow Watchman Goby and a shrimp to go with it - would that work with my Blenny?

Any other ideas for stocking? I'm currently FOWLR, but I'm planning to upgrade to reef eventually, so I want to keep that in mind. I also have an urchin in the tank.

[rileyon]

I think the cardinalfish are a bit overrated - they tend to hover more than swim, which makes them less active and interesting to watch.

The chromis are nice, but they can be a handful - you need to feed them constantly or they'll start picking on each other, usually the weakest one first.

[coral8]

I've had some experience with Banggai cardinals in a group setting, and I gotta say, it's a bit of a gamble - the males can get pretty aggressive with each other, to the point where they'll fight to the death, unfortunately. I'm not as familiar with the Pajama cardinals, so I'm not sure if they'd behave the same way.

[lumber1x]

I've had some experience with Banggai cardinals in a group setting, and I gotta say, it's a bit of a gamble - the males can get pretty aggressive with each other, to the point where they'll fight to the death, unfortunately. I'm not as familiar with the Pajama cardinals, so I'm not sure if they'd behave the same way.

I came across this info on Spotted Cardinalfish - they're recommended to be kept in small schools in tanks of at least 30 gallons. Since they're slow swimmers, they need peaceful tankmates and plenty of hiding spots. I thought of them because they might like to hide with my urchin.

I'll look into the tank size requirements for 3 or 4 Pajama Cardinals... assuming that's doable, here's my revised stocking plan:
- 2 Ocellaris clowns
- Lawnmower Blenny
- Citron Goby
- Yellow Watchman Goby + shrimp
- 3-4 Pajama Cardinals
- Canary Wrasse

Thoughts on this?

[lumber1x]

I've had some experience with Banggai cardinals in a group setting, and I gotta say, it's a bit of a gamble - the males can get pretty aggressive with each other, to the point where they'll fight to the death, unfortunately. I'm not as familiar with the Pajama cardinals, so I'm not sure if they'd behave the same way.

coral8 said:

School of cardinals can be tricky, at least with the bangaiis, I'm not too sure about the pajamas. Many times with the bangaiis the males will fight to the death...

I'm thinking of them for my tank because I have an urchin and thought they might like to hide with it. I'm going to do more research about keeping 3 or 4 Pajama Cardinals in a 55g tank, but assuming that's okay, here's my revised stocking list:

Ocellaris clowns x2
Lawnmower blenny
Citron Goby
Yellow Watchman Goby +shrimp
Pajama Cardinal x3-4
Canary Wrasse

Thoughts?

[rileyon]

I've found some info that suggests Pajama cardinals are actually pretty chill in groups, but Banggai cardinals can be a bit more feisty and are best kept as pairs. I've been doing some research and it seems like the Pajamas are pretty social and do well with some tankmates, as long as they're peaceful. I'm thinking that might be a good option for my tank, especially since I've got an urchin that they might like to hide with.

[felinxo]

I've gotta say, I find the cardinals a bit dull, they just kinda hover there, not exactly the most exciting sight. Chromis, on the other hand, are always on the move, darting around - much more energetic. You're in a different part of the world, have you thought about a flasher wrasse harem? I've heard they're hard to come by over here, but I'm curious, are they readily available where you are?

[lumber1x]

I've had some experience with Banggai cardinals in a group setting, and I gotta say, it's a bit of a gamble - the males can get pretty aggressive with each other, to the point where they'll fight to the death, unfortunately. I'm not as familiar with the Pajama cardinals, so I'm not sure if they'd behave the same way.

I've been doing some more research on those Pajama Cardinals and I think I might be onto something. I came across this on fishprofiles.com - they seem to think they're pretty peaceful and won't bother most tankmates or each other. They do have a social hierarchy, but they're not aggressive like the Banggai cardinalfish. One thing to watch out for is housing them with large predators, as they're easy prey fish. Also, small shrimp might be seen as food items by larger cardinals.

In terms of diet, they're carnivores and feed on small crustaceans at night. They'll accept most meaty frozen foods, but live mysis shrimp and amphipods are preferred. They're nocturnal, so they might not always be willing to eat during the day. If I do get them, I'll need to make sure they're fed at night or during a "twilight" period.

Apparently, they're pretty easy to care for - hardy, handle transportation well, and will eat a variety of things. They'll feel secure with plenty of rockwork and will get used to aquarium life. It's recommended to keep them in groups of at least five, as they're social.

[lumber1x]

Now, I've come across info that wrasses, similar to clownfish, have a pretty cool dynamic - if you get a group of young ones, one of them naturally becomes the dominant male. That's definitely something I'm considering, especially since I've been looking into the flasher wrasse harem idea.

[felinxo]

That would be amazing.

Seffie x

By the way, you do have a secure tank lid, right?