Sailfin blenny in minireef?

[Joseph Thomas]

I've gotten the inspiration to take a big step into marine
fishkeeping. I've had a 45 gallon freshwater tank for a year now and
just don't have room in my 610 sq foot apartment for anything larger
than the 16 gallon bowfront tank I'm cycling right now.

In a late fall issue of TFH I remember seeing a picture and
description of the lawnmower, or sailfin blenny. It was this fish
that got me excited about setting up a minireef. However, it looks
like I may be making a mistake; I talked to a rep at Drs. FosterSmith.
She mentioned that this blenny would outgrow my tank in 6 to 8
months. Here's the final stock I was planning to go with:

Cycling now with:
Live sand
Fiji premium live rock

When cycled:
Four small corals
Small bulb anenome

A week later:
4 Hermit crabs
4-5 Turbo snails
1 Ocelaris clownfish
1 Sailfin Blenny

I've also been cautioned that the anenome can sting the corals if
they're within 5 inches of each other.

Some advice would be greatly appreciated here:
- If the sailfin blenny will be too big for my tank, I'm really,
really bummed- but is there another blenny similar in characteristics
to the sailfin that won't be too large?
- Will my other livestock selections be suitable? Will the
corals/anome really be problematic over time, or can I get around that
by arranging things carefully?

[Dinky]

"Joseph Thomas" > wrote in message
om...
| I've gotten the inspiration to take a big step into marine
| fishkeeping. I've had a 45 gallon freshwater tank for a year now
and
| just don't have room in my 610 sq foot apartment for anything
larger
| than the 16 gallon bowfront tank I'm cycling right now.
|


First, I should point out that IMO you've set yourself up for
disaster. Even expert reefkeepers take pause at maintaining a tank
that small. Marine aquaria is not as forgiving as freshwater, the
tiniest mistake will crash that tank before you even realize there is
a problem, and you will make mistakes, all of us do, particularily
when just starting out.
Never had a sailfin, but my book says they top out at around four
inches in captivity, which IMO is too large a fish for a tank that
small that has a large portion taken up by LR.

billy

[Joe Flanagan]

Are you talking about me again?? ;-)

PeptoJoe
www.peptojoe.com


"RicSeyler" > wrote in message
...
>
> But getting through the cycle can be a little tricky for those
> who are impatient and want to stock too soon.

[Richard Reynolds]

> First, I should point out that IMO you've set yourself up for
> disaster.

hehe the easiest tanks are the smaller ones

plus they cost soo much less

check out http://www.nano-reef.com/

they take a little more attention to details but not much, and its soo much easier to fix
a problem, you can do a 50% waterchange in about 2 minutes, to do that on my 150 takes me
all day.

--
Richard Reynolds

[Richard Reynolds]

DOH!!!

like an idiot I forgot the main comment

>>Small bulb anenome

these need light, and never stay small. consider it out.

>>A week later:
SAY NO

way to soon try 3 or 4 weeks


>>I've also been cautioned that the anenome can sting the corals if
>>they're within 5 inches of each other.

5" seems way to scientific to me, but its about right for some corals. as you didnt list
any cant really help.

>>- If the sailfin blenny will be too big for my tank, I'm really,
really bummed- but is there another blenny similar in characteristics
to the sailfin that won't be too large?

this depends on how much LR you have and how you arange it, one will do fine if the setup
is good. as for size, itll do.

>>- Will my other livestock selections be suitable? Will the
corals/anome really be problematic over time, or can I get around that
by arranging things carefully?

its probibly not a good idea, the tank is small the anemone wont stay that way.

--
Richard Reynolds