I now have my first native tank, and it isn't even a freshwater tank! While at the beach this weekend, I was struck by how pretty some of the multi-celled algae was...and decided I wanted some of it. Long story short, the elongated plastic bin that I had originally intended for elassoma is now a native saltwater tank! What I mean to ask is, 'are there any small saltwater natives that would do well in this 6 gallon tank?' If this helps, yearly water temperatures in my room vary from 60 to 75 degrees, and this is full-blown saltwater - not brackish. It is mandatory for any suggestions NOT to pose a threat to the multi-celled algae in the tank (although I would not mind if they ate the less than half inch inverts I accidentally captured with them)
Small saltwater natives?
Started by
Guest_Joshaeus_*
, Jul 15 2013 08:40 AM
18 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 01:28 PM
If I had not found Hippocampus zosterae so incredibly annoying to keep in captivity I would recommend them. But they are seriously annoying fish. Like goldfish they lack a true stomach, and must eat vastly larger amounts of food each day per animal when compared to stomach'd fish (which, to suit their tastes, must be alive). Like scaleless fish they are incredibly sensitive to medications. And like other marine species they are incredibly sensitive to basically everything (nitrate, changes in salinity, you name it). Oh, and they can be $40 each if you try to buy them from your average vendor. I did not have a pleasant experience with them.'are there any small saltwater natives that would do well in this 6 gallon tank?'
I did find some neat native brittle stars that I am enjoying. Ophiocomella ophiactoides or Ophiactis savignyi, I can't tell which. They're very cute, < 1 inch, and undemanding.
Edited by EricaLyons, 15 July 2013 - 01:29 PM.
#3
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 01:29 PM
If I had not found Hippocampus zosterae so incredibly annoying to keep in captivity I would recommend them. But they are seriously annoying fish. Like goldfish they lack a true stomach, and must eat vastly larger amounts of food each day per animal when compared to stomach'd fish (which, to suit their tastes, must be alive). Like scaleless fish they are incredibly sensitive to medications. And like other marine species they are incredibly sensitive to basically everything (nitrate, changes in salinity, you name it). Oh, and they can be $40 each if you try to buy them from your average vendor. I did not have a pleasant experience with them.
Yeah, I already knew seahorses were a no...I've read your post on the fragile little buggers.
#4
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 01:33 PM
I'm sure it could be done right. Many people report favorable experiences with them.Yeah, I already knew seahorses were a no...I've read your post on the fragile little buggers.
Edited by EricaLyons, 15 July 2013 - 01:35 PM.
#6
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 04:01 PM
You think mummichogs would work? After all, they apparently live in tide pools in the wild, if fishbase is correct...
Also, in the 6 gallon, 20 by 12 by 6 inch tank, if mummichogs did work, how many would I be able to keep in there?
Also, in the 6 gallon, 20 by 12 by 6 inch tank, if mummichogs did work, how many would I be able to keep in there?
#7
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 04:14 PM
In my opinion they get too big. I wouldn't force a five inch fish into a six inch tank. That's not why I keep aquariums. I keep aquariums to see fish interact with one another and live like they would in the wild. Fish are the one pet you can have that aren't really worse off for your interference (if you do it right). They just have more constant food supply and less being eaten by bigger fish, but other than that it's like they're in their wild homes. That's why I've got setups like my 75 gallon neolamprologus multifascitus tank (a one to four inch fish, lives in colonies), my old heavily planted 55 gallon Elassoma gilberti tank (one inch max fish), and my current 55 gallon heterandria formosa (smallest vertebrate in North America)and guppy tank. It's no fun to watch something be miserable. And I'm not just saying that because I happen to only have large tanks. My 10 gallon tank is sitting empty here right now because I can't think of anything that would be happy to live out its whole life in there and have a sustainable breeding population. Six gallons is just way too limited, in my opinion. Thankfully larger tanks are cheap. I got my 55 gallon tank for $25 on craigslist. My two 75 gallon tanks and the stand to hold them both were $150 on craigslist. yay used aquariumsYou think mummichogs would work? After all, they apparently live in tide pools in the wild, if fishbase is correct...
Also, in the 6 gallon, 20 by 12 by 6 inch tank, if mummichogs did work, how many would I be able to keep in there?
#10
Guest_Kanus_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 05:52 PM
I've seen some mummichogs that looked like grey hotdogs with fins. They can get pretty big, I would agree that 6 gallons is too small. I kept a few naked gobies in a reef tank I had and quite enjoyed them.
I was also going to suggest Spotfin Killifish (Fundulus luciae). I've never kept them (though I always wanted to) but they seem like they'd be suited to this sorta thing. There's also Rainwater Killies (Lucania parva).
I was also going to suggest Spotfin Killifish (Fundulus luciae). I've never kept them (though I always wanted to) but they seem like they'd be suited to this sorta thing. There's also Rainwater Killies (Lucania parva).
#11
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 15 July 2013 - 06:21 PM
I was also going to suggest Spotfin Killifish (Fundulus luciae). I've never kept them (though I always wanted to) but they seem like they'd be suited to this sorta thing. There's also Rainwater Killies (Lucania parva).
I've heard of them and considered them - honestly they're amongst the best options I have at the moment. Thank you.
#13
Guest_velvetelvis_*
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Posted 16 July 2013 - 09:55 PM
Molly Miller Blennies were one of my favorite native marine fishes, cling fish, Sargent Majors, but 6 gallons is kinda small...
I love my Molly Miller blenny. I have three more coming tomorrow via UPS (all were bred by Sustainable Aquatics). They're entertaining little characters. But yeah, they definitely need a lot more room than six gallons. Mine hops all over a 50G cube.
Honestly, I think six gallons is much too small for any fish. It's also harder to keep up with water quality in such a small volume.
Edited by velvetelvis, 16 July 2013 - 10:00 PM.
#15
Guest_DrSamsel_*
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Posted 09 September 2013 - 07:55 AM
Sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) stay about 3" but I would still agree that a 6 gallon tank is too small. I have a 30g with Fundulus heteroclitus, Palaemonetes pugio, Crangon septemspinosa, Pagurus longicarpus and some Balanus balanoides on live rock. All seem to be happy and thriving.
#16
littlen
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Posted 09 September 2013 - 08:19 AM
Naked gobies, skillet fish, and a feather blenny (yes, one. Very territorial.) You could fill the tank with old oyster and whelk shells which is exactly the habitat these guys live in. They will cohabitate well with small inverts. Very cool tank.
Nick L.
#17
Guest_velvetelvis_*
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Posted 10 September 2013 - 08:11 PM
Or you could keep a pair of neon gobies, Elacatinus oceanops. They're available fairly regularly as captive-bred pairs on LiveAquaria Diver's Den. Very beautiful little fish, and a pair would probably be OK in a 6G as long as you stay on top of water quality.
#18
Guest_Kanus_*
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Posted 10 September 2013 - 08:50 PM
Naked gobies, skillet fish, and a feather blenny (yes, one. Very territorial.) You could fill the tank with old oyster and whelk shells which is exactly the habitat these guys live in. They will cohabitate well with small inverts. Very cool tank.
Man, before I was wiser, I caught a feather blenny and brought it home to my tank that had a lawnmower blenny in it. That was UGLY. I thought they'd be ok since I also had a bicolor blenny and had no issues with the lawnmower and bicolor. That feather blenny was one of the most immediately nasty territorial fish I've ever seen.
Long story short, listen to littlen's blenny wisdom. I back it up.
#19
littlen
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Posted 11 September 2013 - 06:18 AM
Although provided with enough space (a few hundred gallons), and only a half dozen or so blennies--it is fun to watch them quarrel for a few minutes over a whelk shell when they eventually cross paths. The key being, that the tank is large enough for the loser to get away and still have enough space to find and make a home elsewhere. I saw this in a beautifully done piling exhibit at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, VA. (FYI, there were also YOY tautogs, filefish, skilletfish, and some small crabs). Very cool watching them all interact and swim around the mussel/oyster encrusted piling. I would go that route if I ever did a native marine/brackish exhibit which is why I recommended that for Joshaeus' 5gal.
Nick L.
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