Teresa Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Hi Everyone, I work at a middle school in Round Rock as instructional support for teachers. My office becomes a safe haven for teachers to discuss instructional strategies, student intervention and just relax in the middle of a hectic day. I've got a special spot for my five gallon fluval chi (just the tank) with 26w Finnex cliplight and canister filter in my office. I'd love some feedback on what should go in it. My first thought is to have a pair of small clowns and bta. Their symbiotic relationship is very calming and pleasant to watch. I know the tank is small for them, but I could re-home them at the end of the year. Thoughts on this idea? Other ideas you've got? Please keep in mind the purpose of the tank is to provide a relaxing atmosphere for very hard working middle school teachers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Shrimp + goby would be my vote Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+o0zarkawater Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I was thinking of putting a small tank in my wifes classroom last year, but decided against it when I found out they turn off the AC at night/weekends. I figured there would be no way to keep it cool enough. Do you know if they leave the AC on at your school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 I was thinking of putting a small tank in my wifes classroom last year, but decided against it when I found out they turn off the AC at night/weekends. I figured there would be no way to keep it cool enough. Do you know if they leave the AC on at your school? So that's the other problem . . . I had a two gallon nano at my old school with three sexy shrimp and some gsp (no a/c and lasted the entire year). Its just that everyone wants to see fish. But they did think the tank was cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Speaking as a high school teacher (band director), I would love it if there were a tank I could go stare at once in a while when I want to tear my hair out. Personally a small goby, maybe a neon or two or a Randall's and pistol combo, would be awesome. But it's always nice to see something that actually swims around. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Shrimp + goby would be my vote Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk My main concern with this partnership is that they usually like to hide when people are around. I need fish that will be out and about regardless of people coming in and out of the office all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkiiCircus Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 You could do something like a clown goby, baby chromis, or really a small firefish with some easy soft corals. BUT, if you have a hankering for some really small clowns, I know where you could get some haha You honestly just need to be really careful with it, and check parameters often. Kim is the queen of picos, you should ask her about how she keeps hers looking so awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 While somewhat unorthodox, you might consider a pair of Sailfin Mollies. They never hide. They do not feed on pods and they are excellent film and hair algae consumers. With those lights, you could put a sprig of Feather Caulerpa and Kenia Tree or a stalk of Waving Hand Anthenia, all very easy to care for. Another plus is that every thing in your sphere would have been aquacultured. I have found the Mollies to generate a lot of interest and wonder at how marvelous nature adapts. Just a thought. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+o0zarkawater Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 While somewhat unorthodox, you might consider a pair of Sailfin Mollies. They never hide. They do not feed on pods and they are excellent film and hair algae consumers. With those lights, you could put a sprig of Feather Caulerpa and Kenia Tree or a stalk of Waving Hand Anthenia, all very easy to care for. Another plus is that every thing in your sphere would have been aquacultured. I have found the Mollies to generate a lot of interest and wonder at how marvelous nature adapts. Just a thought. Patrick This would be neat with a soft coral or two. People would be confused if it was freshwater or saltwater. I love my bumblebee shrimp I have in my Pico. You don't come across them very often, but they are neat little creatures. They dont just crawl, they 'fly' and it really looks like a bee buzzing around the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUSH Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 You could do a damsel. They're always active. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Thanks everyone for your suggestions. 'Course, I think I was just hoping you'd all give me the okay for clown fish and a bta, but clearly that's not happening. Point taken, but it still hurts lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 HA! I think a bunch of NON-saltwater folks would love a pair of clownfish and a bta. It's just for reef folk, they're kind of common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesreyn Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I think a single clown would be ok if you get it small. I don't think the BTA would be a good idea. Sometimes clowns host random corals so you could give a few of the longer tentacle ones a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I would be inclined to go with some of the other suggestions but a small clown in a frog spawn would be a pretty mix of contrastng colors and activity. I would be a little leary of more than one ar two small fish in a 5 gallon tank if AC is not guarenteed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Both I and a coworker tried keeping a small clown with BTAs in our 3 gallon picos at my last work. The problem we ran into was that there just wasn't enough light to support the BTA, even with LED fixtures. That said, a small clown will host just about anything (especially if you get a clarkii baby that is already hosting something -- wink wink). So, get a frogspawn or large mushroom or some other softie coral that the clown will host and then enjoy. Most people that come by won't know the difference between it and an anemone and will be much more interested in the hosting behavior. My coworker ultimately settled for a small duncan colony and a galaxia coral. Another great tank inhabitant that will be social is an emerald crab. Of the several I've had over the last few years, they all have learned to come take a small piece of nori from my fingers. People love seeing them run across the tank waving their claws at you when the see the nori. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkiiCircus Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 If you do decide you want an anemone, I would go with a condy. I kept one in a 5 gal tank for my thesis experiment for about 2-3 months and it was perfectly happy as long as it had enough flow and I remembered to feed it. Plus, they're cheap if it happens to die... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Another active fish would be something like a small six line wrasse. Very inquisitive, and moves around a lot (and is colorful). Pair that with maybe a yellow clown goby, which tend to sit and watch people back, and I think it would be a cool tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I vote for baby clowns and rbta and carpet anenomies. The babies take more than 2 years to grow so they'll be fine even if you put 2 or 3 in a tank together that small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesreyn Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 -1 to a six line in a tiny tank. They need room to roam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Teresa, I've got some big green fuzzy mushrooms that would be perfect clown homes. I'd donate one to this effort if you wanted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 Teresa, I've got some big green fuzzy mushrooms that would be perfect clown homes. I'd donate one to this effort if you wanted! I would love that! This was actually what I was going to post about next as soon as I decided the direction of the tank - donations for a good cause . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 So many wonderful ideas! Thanks everyone!! I'm thinking I could do a small clown with different corals for him/her to host. I already have a duncan and frogspawn. One donation of fuzzy mushroom. Any other corals people can think of? Its a lot of green so far . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 While somewhat unorthodox, you might consider a pair of Sailfin Mollies. They never hide. They do not feed on pods and they are excellent film and hair algae consumers. With those lights, you could put a sprig of Feather Caulerpa and Kenia Tree or a stalk of Waving Hand Anthenia, all very easy to care for. Another plus is that every thing in your sphere would have been aquacultured. I have found the Mollies to generate a lot of interest and wonder at how marvelous nature adapts. Just a thought. Patrick This would be neat with a soft coral or two. People would be confused if it was freshwater or saltwater. I love my bumblebee shrimp I have in my Pico. You don't come across them very often, but they are neat little creatures. They dont just crawl, they 'fly' and it really looks like a bee buzzing around the tank. I've heard of bumblebee snails - never bumblebee shrimp. Where did you pick yours up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 If you do decide you want an anemone, I would go with a condy. I kept one in a 5 gal tank for my thesis experiment for about 2-3 months and it was perfectly happy as long as it had enough flow and I remembered to feed it. Plus, they're cheap if it happens to die... Will clowns host condys? I've heard of condy's eating fish - not sure it's worth the risk in such a small tank?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 I also have some small frags of yellow colonial polyps (yellow eyelash zoas) that you can have. I can also clip some GSP and/or a kenya tree. My experiment with a masked rabbitfish in my softy/LPS tank resulted in the death of most of my purple and red mushrooms... I bet someone out there can come up with a red mushroom though!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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