Adding Fish all at once?
 

I am in the process of setting up a 10 gal nano (almost done cycling) and am relatively new to the saltwater side of the fish keeping hobby, having only worked with freshwater tanks before. I was thinking about doing a nano goby tank with maybe 4 or 5 gobies. These would max out at 1 or 2 inches. After doing some research about gobies, I figured I would have to add them all at once. My only concern with this is my bio filter somehow failing.

So I guess my two main questions are:

Will I be ok adding them all at once? (figured I do this because of territory) Or will I just kill them all? (Do not want to risk the fishes lives because of my stupidity)

Also, will my bio-filter be ok?

Thanks for the help! :fun4:

In a 10 gallon tank you are going to be limited to a single fish, 2 at the absolute maximum.

I dont know, gobies are pretty small. I would think that more than 2 is possible and 4 wouldnt be crazy.

I would imagine that this isn't going to be an sps tank.

If its full of zoa's and palys and probably acans too it will do fine with a bit dirtier water since thats what makes those types of corals grow faster.

You do need to add them all at once though. Even in a 180 gal i had some neon gobies pester the new recruit to death.

Just make sure you quarantine them first. Even if they are the only fish going into the tank and all going in at the same time, if one of them has ich (you may not see it for a while on a fish)... gonna take a long time to kill that off in your DT. Better to have it happen in QT... at least it won't take your DT out for a good couple of months minimum.

I was just going to do the gobies, and probably no coral for the time being. Would I still be ok? From what utcreefer said it sounds like I should be fine but just wanted to make sure. Thanks for the help!

If I add 4 or five, this wont destroy my bio filter will it? This tank will be newly cycled, so I am worried about knocking the bacteria out. Sorry about being reppititive, just do not want to kill the fish for no reason.

Just to clarify, I am hoping to add 4 or 5 along with a cleanup crew.

I would be more concerned about not having enough bio filtration being how it is a freshly cycled tank, generally you would start with a fish then allow your tank to catch up before adding another. But I guess if you kept a daily eye on prams and are religious about your wc, maybe.

man that's a good amount of fish, I don't know that I would do 5. I would say 4 your pushing your luck, just because gobies tend to be territorial in that small of a space. It also depends on the type of goby, Your talking 20" (24" if its a 10 long). Fish on the small side that get to 2" (clown gobies), you put 4 in as little guys you'll probably be ok, if your put 4 Diamond Watchman Gobies I would say that's to many fish!

What did you have in mind putting in there?

Adding all at once can reduce chances of agression but is often combined with heavy feeding to prevent food agression. I am not sure if bio load could handle that right away. That kinda seems like a lot of stress on you and the fish. You would have to test the water frequently and there is no gaurentee they won't fight, which means a backup plan for the fish would be needed.

I was thinking doing mabye 1 goby/pistol pair and two or three two inch gobies. Not sure if this is possible? Here is my hopeful stock list

Orange Stripe Prawn Goby/ Randall's or Tiger Pistol
Two Spot Goby
Yellow Priolepis Goby
Panda or Red haead Goby

I know this is pushing it but I was hoping I could do it. Thanks for your help!

I have a 20 in, also scratch the panda goby. Just did some more research seems they need stony coral, and this is going to be fish only. I will hopefully just do the red head goby.

The question isn't can you do it, sure you can put all of them in a tiny tank. Will they all get along probably not, is it the best thing for the fish probably not. They like having their own territory and, are all going to be fighting for the same territory. If you were doing 2 that were perching like clown goby and 2 that were sand dwelling I would say your fine. Your putting 5 sand dwelling fish in a tiny tank yes they are going to fight for territory (most likely). Although I feel like everyone's opinions are falling of deaf ears, seems like your just looking for one person to say it's a good idea and your going to run with.


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I'm with Mikem on this one, I'd consider 2 perching gobies and 2 sand dwelling gobies if you wanted to have 4 fish. You'd probably enjoy the tank more too with the 2 perching gobies as you probably wouldn't see the sand dwelling ones much anyways.

as far as your bio filter goes, I'd start with your clean up crew first, let them roam about the tank for like another month after you cycle. Let them do their business, eating and pooping and this will help build up bacteria to handle the bio load the 4 fish will add

Reconsider the two spot goby, they just have a poor track record in captivity. One in a small freshly setup tank is really going up against the odds.

Ok, Thanks for all the help guys! Sorry I was giving off the impression that I didn't care about the well being of the fish. I had gotten mixed opinions and wanted to clarify. I have been looking at the perching gobies anyway, but didn't know if I could get them because I wasn't very interested in coral. Do these guys need coral to be happy and healthy, or do they need it? But if I was to do 2 perching with corals, what are some corals that they would like that are suited for a beginner and a ten gallon? Also, if I do this could I go a little bigger with the sand dwelling gobies, maybe 4 1/2 5 inches or should I stay at 4 or lower? As far a clean up crew, what do you guys recommend for this tank? I have got 3 blue leg hermits currently in the tank, and was thinking maybe some type of shrimp, or emerald crab. Again, I am new to saltwater so sorry for all the questions.

No need to apologize, that is what everyone is here for, to get their questions answered.

No the perching gobies do not need coral to be happy, so long as they have something to perch on such as rock they will be just as content. That said, corals always spruce things up even in something as small as a 10gallon. easy corals could be Zoas, Acans, candy canes, Kenya tree (although be careful with these as they can get out of control) green star polyps (again can get out of control) any mushrooms are fairly easy to keep.

If you go with the 2 perching and 2 sand dwelling gobies I would still try to stay within the 4 inch range or you could get one that is 4 or less inches and one that gets up to 5 inches but I wouldn't get both that can get that big.

If u don’t plan to keep corals why not add macroalgae? They can beautify the tank and help with water condition as well. If you are afraid they might go sexual(like caulerpa), just make sure that there is enough nutrients(by dosing ferts). Oh, and remember to trim them when the time comes.

Ok, thanks everybody! Here is my updated stocking:

Green Clown Goby (Gobiodon atrangulatus)
Citrinis Clown Goby (Gobiodon citrinus)
Yellow Watchman Goby/Tiger Pistol
Orange Stripe Prawn Goby/Randal Pistol

Will the pistols fight? I was hoping to do two, but I will pull off one if necessary for the health and well being of the fish involved. Other than that, does this look good? As far as a clean up crew, should I just do some hermits, snails, and mabye a emerald crab. What about shrimp? Not sure if the emerald crab is ok in a fish only tank.

Get that new tank to match my parameters (sig line) and hold it steady: try to hit the same mark in your qt tank. As long as you pay close attention to those numbers, your chances are better than somebody who just thinks 'it's water. Ok.'

Ok, thanks for the help. Just waiting for my nitrates to spike, going to test the water in a little bit. Does the stocking look ok? And how about the clean up crew?

I think the gobies may fight, especially in a small tank.

Really? On everything I have read, it says gobies are peaceful if kept in the right size tanks. LA as everything on my stock list list at a minimum tank size of ten gallons. The only thing not listed at ten gallons is the yellow watchmen, which I have seen on other forums do ok in a ten gallon.

Gobies have large mouths, And like any salt water fish they are territorial.
So are pistol shrimp.

Two things to consider hear, you could have a dozen fish that would be ok in a 10 gallon tank. Would all 12 be ok in the same 10 gallon tank?

Yes gobies are peaceful, but if you read further down in the descriptions it states that they may fight with their own kind in smaller tanks. The two different body types should be ok but it's a risk with the similar ones.