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Putting Together Livestock Assortments for Small Systems

By Bob Fenner

An ebook on the subject by RMF


Small Marine Aquariums Book 1: Invertebrates, Algae New Print and eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner	Small Marine Aquariums Book 2: Fishes New Print and eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner	Small Marine Aquariums Book 3: Systems New Print and eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Without doubt the single largest stumbling block for small volume marine aquariums is poor organization, lack of study in gathering appropriate livestock. The vast majority of systems fail as consequences of ultimately too large, too aggressive, too stinging, too toxic, overall just incompatible mixing of life that can neither fit in such dimensions, and/or can’t get along with each other. Here I will do my level best to share with you the major points of what species to sort through (amongst those you’re more likely to find available), and secondly, though just as importantly, how to select for the most fit specimens.

Species Selection Criteria:

“Life is a series of compromises”. This is a profound understanding, indeed, a “hurdle” of maturity if you will in the development of one’s growth in the real world. This view of the universe certainly applies to “guessing at” what is likely to be good/better/best in the way of biota to place in your tank. Assuredly you won’t be able to have everything you’d like to in any given sized system… unless it was oceanic in proportions. You will have to make choices between what is more/less likely to go together. Know also that even given the most bonafide “reef safe” species, there will be individuals that fall outside a/the “norm” for easygoing- or hardy-ness. What to do with this reality? Keep it in mind and keep moving forward.

Size matters… Either the life you choose should stay small, and/or be of low metabolic and behavioral activity. Larger organisms just won’t fit; or alternatively, should “something” go awry (power outage, overfeeding incident…) your margin of safety may be too small to react in time to save the system’s life forms. Though a juvenile specimen of a shark or eel may physically fit in your small system, they will grow to be too large, and when (not if) gear or the power itself fail, these animals will perish in short order.

The Snowflake, Starry, or Diamond-Backed Moray, Echidna nebulosa (Ahl 1789) is a fabulous aquarium species; small, compatible with other fish species and adaptable to captivity. It is certainly the most peaceful, outgoing and desirable moray species. To about thirty inches total length. Base color of silver gray with black and yellow "snowflakes" randomly sprinkled over the lower body. No morays commonly available in the trade fit in less than 40 gallons well or long.

And not just size matters: There are MANY species of fishes and non-fish livestock that can’t simply “take” being crammed into a small volume. Though they may be diminutive in size themselves, they’re hard-wired behaviorally, physiologically, metabolically with a need for room. A great example here is the many popular species of Flasher Wrasses of the genus Paracheilinus. Though topping out at about 3 inches in length, without a span of three or more feet to run/swim about, not only will they not do their flash displays, but dwindle altogether.

Paracheilinus mccoskeri Randall & Harmellin-Vivien 1977, McCosker's Flasher Wrasse. Western Indian Ocean: Comoros, Andaman Sea and Maldives. To two and a half inches in length. A flashing male in S. Sulawesi (Wakatobi)

Aggressiveness: Either you’ve got to assure that “A” gets along with “B” and all other letters down the line, or settle on just having “A” all by itself if it’s just too agonistic, or it in turn is too likely to get picked on. Sterling examples here are the smaller species of Angler- or Frog-fishes, family Antennariidae. Smaller species, specimens of Anglers can be picked out that will be unable to inhale their tankmates, as long as those other organisms will in turn leave the Frogfish alone.

Antennarius maculatus (Desjardin's 1840), the Clown Anglerfish. Indo-Pacific. To four inches in length. Often seen out in the open, especially when small, apparently mimicking toxic Nudibranchs. Most are white with orange or red mottling, but many colors exist. Have prominent illicia ("fishing poles") that resemble small fishes. N. Sulawesi pix.

Feeding Compatibility: should be kept in mind when considering a mix of species; will all be able to get food easily? Or will some organism require too much specialized catering to suit you and it? The Mandarins labeled “Psychedelic Gobies” are good examples of such species… needing a good deal of live food on a continuous basis; but unable to compete with more fast moving, more active feeders if placed together.

Chemical & Physical Compatibility; Toxic Life: There are likely more cases of life in the shallow seas having such “communication” than not. Particularly where reef life is sedentary; slow to move or stuck in place (versus fishes being able to swim away) organisms have various mechanisms to “keep their turf”. Some of these interactions are of more than academic interest to us as aquarists; mis-mixes warring with each other to extents of poisoning others to causing collapse of the entire system. Most-celebratedly, the animals collectively called “corals” by most hobbyists can/do sting, poison, attempt to eat each other competitively. However the Cnidarians don’t have a monopoly on such subterfuge. Most all colorful, slow-no-moving sealife; algae, Nudibranchs, several Sea Cucumbers and much more has something that prevents its displacement or consumption. Here are but a few examples:

Caulerpa... this genus can be toxic if grown too much, too fast, in the absence of decent filtration and maintenance. Its species are not to be trusted in small volumes.
Tube Anemones are bad “shedders” of stinging material, and should be kept with only commensals. Within the pet-fish trade worldwide the most common species offered is Cerianthus membranaceus from the Philippines, but all are too toxic to mix in a community setting.

Phyllodesmium hyalinum Ehrenburg 1831. Indo-West Pacific; Red Sea to Malaysia. N. Sulawesi. This “Solar Powered” Nudibranch can take out a small system if it dies and dissolves without detection.
"Australian" Sea Apple, Paracucumaria tricolor (sometimes labeled as Pseudocolochirus violaceus (Theel 1886); called as such though it is generally imported from the Philippines and Indonesia... It's a killer that I've seen take entire systems with it eviscerating, otherwise falling apart.

Some of this life either has to be kept by itself, i.e. in “species only displays”, but a good deal of it can be acclimated to each other’s presence within reasonable risk. This is where your separate isolation/quarantine system really comes in handy. Not only giving new acquisitions needed time to rest up from the travails of capture, shipping, but allowing you to mix water back and forth, slowly introducing would-be competitors to each other.

Numbers, Sexes of Individuals: Schooling, shoaling species and ones that live in haremic situations abound in both fish and invertebrate groups. Again, the onus is upon you to investigate the life habits of the livestock you’re interested in. My fave “poster animals” include some of the popular Cleaner Shrimp (not all species!), Cardinalfishes (again, not all species!), and to re-use them, the Flasher Wrasses (genus Paracheilinus), whom w/o female presence will grant you nary a flash.

Rhynchocinetes durbanensis Gordon 1936, the Durban Dancing Shrimp. Indo-West Pacific; Red Sea to the Philippines. Need reef tank conditions, but not with much light, lots of hiding spaces. In the wild live in large associations (dozens to hundreds of individuals) within rocky caves, areas N. Sulawesi pix.
Apogon leptacanthus Bleeker 1856-57, Threadfin Cardinalfish. Indo-Pacific including the Red Sea. To a little over two inches in length. Found in dense school in the wild. This group in a friend’s aquarium.

Being an old-timer (oh to be young and foolish instead of middle-aged and foolish), my approach to putting together a working livestock assortment is analog: I make hand-written (and computerized!) lists of what I’m interested in and hit the stacks at the library, the Net, and ask folks I know and trust at LFS’s and fish clubs.

Beyond the “What” Species to Which Specimens:

Once you’ve done your best theoretically to determine of what you’d like to keep, whittled that down from what can be found locally or through etailers, now comes an entirely separate skill set and activity… the hunt for better to best individual specimens for you to acquire. Though there are hundreds of pages that could be presented for you to ponder, the bulk of what is useful can and will be related here. The most important factors in searching are:

1) Be patient! Don’t buy “just arrived” specimens if you can avoid it. Most livestock dies within a day or two of being moved, particularly the long travel from the wild through the chain of custody so to speak, from collector, distribution, r/etailer to you. If possible, leave new livestock a week or so at your dealers before taking it home. Stay patient! Place new livestock in a systematic manner… the less aggressive, noxious specimens first; ahead of the more agonistic, toxic species.

2) Make sure it’s feeding! An “acid test” yes/no question in the purchase of any specimen. If it’s not eating foods that you can get, intend to use, leave the livestock at the dealers till they can prove it is.

3) Pass over damaged, obviously diseased stock! You’re not likely to be able to “cure” specimens that are already deficient. If there are ANY dead, dying specimens in the system, I’d give them all a pass. Know what “normal” behavior is like for the species involved, or bring your “guru” aquarist along to teach you, and only pick out “happy” individuals.

4) Isolate/Quarantine (Most) New Livestock! There are exceptions (species that suffer more for delay… stress, starvation) from not being summarily placed, but most of the life we keep does unarguably better historically, given time to rest up, become familiar with captive foods, confines, and not subjected to your established social dynamic. Besides, keeping the new stock separate is the best assurance of avoiding introduction of pests and parasites.


Small Marine Aquariums Book 1: Invertebrates, Algae New Print and eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner	Small Marine Aquariums Book 2: Fishes New Print and eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner	Small Marine Aquariums Book 3: Systems New Print and eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner

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