Please suggest a fish for me

[grundig5]

I have a ridiculous amount of amphipods in my tank...so much that it can look as though my rocks are moving when the halide goes out. its kind of freaking me out a bit, but I know they are benficial fauna that eat algae and detritus. I had a wrasse that ate them all day long, but he has moved on since I downsized to a 30 gallon tank. So, I am looking for an amphipod eating fish that would thrive in a 30 gallon, high flow tank. There are only 2 clownfish and all sps corals. Any ideas?

 

[fanaglethebagle]

I think a corris wrasse is ok for a 30? im not sure.
My pygmy angels like them.

 

[nichols]

How about a mandarin or a scooter blenny? Both cool fish. Should do fine in a mature 30 gal.

 

[grundig5]

I always thought about a mandarin, but I've done a lot of reading and thought they needed something much bigger. Is a 30 big enough? Everything in the tank came from my 75, which was set up in August, so still not mature enough for one I dont think.

 

[grundig5]

Hmm...I found a few more that say a 20 is minimum size for a mandarin. Maybe I will just wait a bit and get a mandarin in a few months.

 

[~Flighty~]

Be 100% sure that it is eating frozen food very well before you get it and you should be fine.

 

[nichols]

See if you can find one that eats frozen food. I have a mated pair. The female will only eat pods. She won't even eat live brine shrimp. The male will eat anything. I've even seen him eat flake.
If you don't have a fuge you can make some pod piles of small rubble rock. the fish can't get in to depleat the pods, but will be happy to pick them off when they come out.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=551

 

[grundig5]

I do have a fuge with rubble and chaeto in it, and both are teeming with pods. My clowns dont even look at them as food, so the mandarin could eat them freely. I want to make sure that if I got one, he or she wouldnt decimate the pods in a week and then starve. I believe reefermedic is coming here tomorrow to get some things, maybe he can help me assess the situation. Thanks everyone

 

[~Flighty~]

In my opinion a mandarin is unlikely to thrive in anything under about 100 gallons if it is not eating prepared food. I'm not saying it would die, but it wouldn't look healthy and fat the way you would like to see them.

 

[grundig5]

In my opinion a mandarin is unlikely to thrive in anything under about 100 gallons if it is not eating prepared food. I'm not saying it would die, but it wouldn't look healthy and fat the way you would like to see them.

I wouldnt want an unhealthy and unhappy fish, so I'll be on the lookout for a prepared food eating mandarin, although I'm guessing there are quite a few people looking for such a combination.

 

[merk1_99]

how old is the 30 gallon tank?

 

[Tstone]

I agree with Flighty. Just be patient and you'll come across one before you know it.