New campanion for clowns

[SigEpLucas]

I was thinking about getting a new fish for my set up. I have two clowns, a peppermint shrimp, a few snails, and an emerald crab. I want to get another small fish to go along with them that will compliment them well. Also I don't know if there are any small types but I would kinda like to get an herbivorus fish to help keep the hair algae in check. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[daugherty]

a lawnmower blenny or a foxface. i am looking at getting a foxface they are a neat looking fish

 

[PufferGuy]

im gonna disagree on the foxface in a 20gal tank, foxfaces grow pretty large and need room to swim

 

[daugherty]

never mind about the foxface i am being retarted today i never even looked ant the size of his tank.

 

[SigEpLucas]

I knew any tangs or a foxface were way out of the question and a lawnmower blenny might be a possibility. I was also looking at Royal Grammas and firefish...but if there was any chance of getting one that would maybe help keeping hair algae under control I was gonna go with that...

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

Hey man,

I'm in the same boat. I've got 2 clowns but would also like another fish for my tank. I had a Blue Green Chromis and 6 line wrasse. Horribly they both went carpet surfing. I was thinking about a Pygmy Angelfish, however they say it should be kept in a 30g or larger. I'm not sure if you'd like to take a chance with that but I've got a 29g so I'm thinking about picking one up. Also, they eat algae.

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

Pygmy angel is also known as a Cherub Angel

 

[SigEpLucas]

yeah I would love to get any kind of dwarf angel but I think everyone on here would agree thats a really bad idea for a 20 gallon tank. I think right now my choices are between firefish, royal gramma, and blue-green chromis. I just want something that will add some more color and will be fun to watch but my lfs has a ton of firefish and nothing else that I can really have so I have a feeling that might be what I end up with!

 

[dcantucson]

Firefishes are cool colorful fish and would be a good choice. Maybe consider a Watchman goby too.

 

[winyfrog]

lawnmower blenny helps with algae as well as the hawaiian algae blenny.
bicolor blenny would be good. most gobies such as the clown or shrimp gobies (which are one of my favorites) I have a yashasha with a candy stripe pistol shrimp in my nano.

Rainfordi or (court jester) are algae eaters and have great colors.

a pygmy angel NOT dwarf angel would be fine in a 20 gallon as long as you have lots of live rock. White tail pygmy and cherub pygmy are the most common.

Royal Gramma is a beautiful fish. I like firefish as well make sure there is no way he can jump out.

 

[Melosu58]

I`ve always thought of getting livestock as an algea solution is like a band aid solution. Why not nip it in the bud and find out what is fueling it. Here is a good 10 step battle plan on nuisance algea.

 

[SigEpLucas]

I agree and I am already trying those things to get rid of hair algae and it's already doing way better and is mostly almost gone. I was going to get a new fish anyways and I thought if there was a cool fish who would also just "help out" with the hair algae then why not. I wasn't intending on finding a fish to cure the problem.

 

[SigEpLucas]

Would a blue-green chromis be too big for a 20 gal? And is it ok to have just one or do they need to be kept in groups?

 

[winyfrog]

it would be okay in there, but they are social fish and would probably get aggresive being in there alone.

 

[dcantucson]

I think winy is right. They are in the DAMsel family after all. They like the security of being in a group. Very neat to watch them school.

 

[Sharkie]

I also have 2 clowns in my 20 and a small baby mandarin :) they are pretty neat together.. but in the past I've also housed a random assortment of fish with them... bicolor blennies are way cute, sixline/watermelon wrasse are nice and colorful but some can be aggressive... same with the royal gramma. Mine was very shy but when something came near her rock she would go after them....

a pygmy angel would probably be fine too... they tend to stay pretty small...

as far as the chromis goes its a 50/50 thing, my sister had 2 (benny and june) and benny sadly went carpet surfing and june now swims around with our yellow damsel sunny as if they were both chromis...

Honestly i think it depends on which fish you like better :) i had a hard time deciding what to get so take your time and research each fish, find out how big they are going to get and see what others think as far as companions... I think everyone has you covered though :) hope you get rid of that hair algae!