Tank mates Yellow assessor and chalk bass
- Thread starter Neoele
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Although they would work well together, they should be in an aquarium of no less than 29 gallons if you want them and the skunk shrimp.
The Bass will defend a territory and may become belligerent, in an annoying sort of way, rather than hostile. The Bass should be in a 20 gallon if alone or 29 with the Yellow Assessor.
The shrimp will be left alone if the shrimp is large enough.
The Bass will defend a territory and may become belligerent, in an annoying sort of way, rather than hostile. The Bass should be in a 20 gallon if alone or 29 with the Yellow Assessor.
The shrimp will be left alone if the shrimp is large enough.
You'll find different recommendations in different references. Do an Internet search and you'll find a range. The Marine Center has both these fishes listed, I believe:
http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/basslets/yelllowassessoraustralia/
and
http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/basslets/chalkbass/
Another for the Chalk Bass:
http://www.vividaquariums.com/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=01-1415-10
What should drive the size of the habitat/environment for a marine lifeform is their territorial disposition, bio-mass/length/bio-load demand, attitude, young adult size, swimming behavior, and protein source.
These fishes are both carnivores, producing the highest nitrogen wastes of the three categories (carnivore, herbivore, omnivore) of marine fishes. They can reach a length in excess of 3 inches producing a bio-mass in need of a system bio-load capacity of at least 3 units. The nano 14 will not be sufficient for these fishes on multiple levels (attitude, bio-mass/size, carnivore, and territorial).
http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/basslets/yelllowassessoraustralia/
and
http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/basslets/chalkbass/
Another for the Chalk Bass:
http://www.vividaquariums.com/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=01-1415-10
What should drive the size of the habitat/environment for a marine lifeform is their territorial disposition, bio-mass/length/bio-load demand, attitude, young adult size, swimming behavior, and protein source.
These fishes are both carnivores, producing the highest nitrogen wastes of the three categories (carnivore, herbivore, omnivore) of marine fishes. They can reach a length in excess of 3 inches producing a bio-mass in need of a system bio-load capacity of at least 3 units. The nano 14 will not be sufficient for these fishes on multiple levels (attitude, bio-mass/size, carnivore, and territorial).
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http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=1562
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=2504
"Great fish! These little beauties are captively bred by the folks at ORA (www.orafarm.com) They are incredibly peaceful, hardy, and completely reefsafe. They can be kept in groups of 3 in a tank as small as 20 gallons if added simultaneously. Assessors rarely hide, will often swim sideways or upside down, and will also appear out in the open after the lights are off. They will squabble by facing head to head and opening their mouths at each other, but rarely fight to the point of injury. Can be pricey but well worth it. "
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=44760
With 15 lbs Live rock 5 caves one over hang ;18 lbs Live sand; LR refugium 1.5 lbs and a Chaeto in a dish in main tank I will not be worried about the bio mass.
If 5 caves aren't enough I will remove one of the fish.
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=2504
"Great fish! These little beauties are captively bred by the folks at ORA (www.orafarm.com) They are incredibly peaceful, hardy, and completely reefsafe. They can be kept in groups of 3 in a tank as small as 20 gallons if added simultaneously. Assessors rarely hide, will often swim sideways or upside down, and will also appear out in the open after the lights are off. They will squabble by facing head to head and opening their mouths at each other, but rarely fight to the point of injury. Can be pricey but well worth it. "
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=44760
With 15 lbs Live rock 5 caves one over hang ;18 lbs Live sand; LR refugium 1.5 lbs and a Chaeto in a dish in main tank I will not be worried about the bio mass.
If 5 caves aren't enough I will remove one of the fish.
Different people have different opinions of the minimum tank size requirements for various species of fish. I have found that virtually all of the vendors, who sell fish for a living, tend to recommend minimum tank sizes that are smaller than what other people who are not trying to sell you something will recommend.
For example, The Marine Center in Dallas says that the minimum tank size for a Humu Humu triggerfish is only 20 gallons. Personally, I find that much too small for this fish!
Drs. Foster & Smith says the minimum tank size is 70 gallons. In my opinion, that's still too small.
I think a better minimum tank size would be ~120 gallons. Terry Bartelme kept one of these in a 135-gal tank for 14 years. He recommends a minimum tank size of 100 gallons for this particular species.
It's up to you to do your own research and decide for yourself what makes sense. Don't forget to take into consideration the adult size of the fish, it's behavior (territorial needs, its swimming needs, where it spends time (open water, or sandbed)), it's compatibility with other fish, and the total number of fish (the bioload) that you would like to end up with in your tank, vs. the bioload capacity of the marine system. Obviously someone who would like to end up with six or seven fish of a given size would need a larger tank than someone who wants only three or four fish of that size.
Your 14g has an impressive bioload capacity, but how much water is left after all that has been added? After the additions to the 14g, and the fact that it won't be full to the top, it seems like the final water volume is closer to 9 gallons. The refugium, which you hadn't mentioned before is a plus, but no mention of its size is given. In general, two (or more) 3" fish in that aquarium will cause space stress on the fish, which as you probably know is nothing that humans detect except that the fish lives a shorter life and is more susceptible to ailments.
The second referenced link for the Yellow Assessor recommends a 20 gallon tank as a minimum. The first reference suggests that a 10 gallon tank is okay for a 1-3" Chalk Bass. I don't know any private or public aquarium manager, nor veterinarian who would professionally recommend that a 3" marine fish be permanently housed in a 10 gallon aquarium. I don't think I could find a responsible well experienced marine aquarist who would make such a recommendation.
But, as I mentioned at the start, this is something for you to decide, with regards to the care and life of the marine life you choose.
For example, The Marine Center in Dallas says that the minimum tank size for a Humu Humu triggerfish is only 20 gallons. Personally, I find that much too small for this fish!
Drs. Foster & Smith says the minimum tank size is 70 gallons. In my opinion, that's still too small.
I think a better minimum tank size would be ~120 gallons. Terry Bartelme kept one of these in a 135-gal tank for 14 years. He recommends a minimum tank size of 100 gallons for this particular species.
It's up to you to do your own research and decide for yourself what makes sense. Don't forget to take into consideration the adult size of the fish, it's behavior (territorial needs, its swimming needs, where it spends time (open water, or sandbed)), it's compatibility with other fish, and the total number of fish (the bioload) that you would like to end up with in your tank, vs. the bioload capacity of the marine system. Obviously someone who would like to end up with six or seven fish of a given size would need a larger tank than someone who wants only three or four fish of that size.
Your 14g has an impressive bioload capacity, but how much water is left after all that has been added? After the additions to the 14g, and the fact that it won't be full to the top, it seems like the final water volume is closer to 9 gallons. The refugium, which you hadn't mentioned before is a plus, but no mention of its size is given. In general, two (or more) 3" fish in that aquarium will cause space stress on the fish, which as you probably know is nothing that humans detect except that the fish lives a shorter life and is more susceptible to ailments.
The second referenced link for the Yellow Assessor recommends a 20 gallon tank as a minimum. The first reference suggests that a 10 gallon tank is okay for a 1-3" Chalk Bass. I don't know any private or public aquarium manager, nor veterinarian who would professionally recommend that a 3" marine fish be permanently housed in a 10 gallon aquarium. I don't think I could find a responsible well experienced marine aquarist who would make such a recommendation.
But, as I mentioned at the start, this is something for you to decide, with regards to the care and life of the marine life you choose.
After reading late into the night last night (too many pages). I came to the conclusion that the chalk would scar the hell out of the Yellow Assessor if the yellow wondered to close. Since I really am attracted to the yellow fish I think I going to go with just a yellow clown gobie.
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=2498
I think this will still give me the color and fit inside the 14g. Not sure if I could get two but one for sure.
Thanks for your advice Lee. I always play a little devils advicate to try to get a complete picture of the situation.
Should I remove some of the live rock? Cut it back to 12lbs? In a U-Shape configuration.
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/livestock/product_info.php?id=2498
I think this will still give me the color and fit inside the 14g. Not sure if I could get two but one for sure.
Thanks for your advice Lee. I always play a little devils advicate to try to get a complete picture of the situation.
Should I remove some of the live rock? Cut it back to 12lbs? In a U-Shape configuration.
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The quantity of live rock depends on what kind of tank you are aiming for. If you want a reef nano then you want to keep nitrates to a minimum and the live rock will help do that. For this sake you want to keep the live rock at about 1 pound per gallon and keep the nitrogen waste producers (fish, shrimp, etc.) to a minimum. The more nitrogen waste producers the more rock is needed to control nitrates -- assuming it will be a reef tank.
For a FOWLR setup, the amount of rock is up to your desire. Nitrates will be in high quantity and best controlled by export (the Chaeto you mentioned, water changes, etc.) as well as live rock. Since fish are not adversely affected by medium to high nitrates, that concentration won't be a concern. But to have the live rock do most of the denitrification work in a FO aquarium, would require a lot of rock (30 or so pounds) in that nano -- not leaving much room for anything else.
Strike a comfortable balance; keep the nitrogen waste producing organisms low; and you'll enjoy a reduced maintenance and healthier system.
For a FOWLR setup, the amount of rock is up to your desire. Nitrates will be in high quantity and best controlled by export (the Chaeto you mentioned, water changes, etc.) as well as live rock. Since fish are not adversely affected by medium to high nitrates, that concentration won't be a concern. But to have the live rock do most of the denitrification work in a FO aquarium, would require a lot of rock (30 or so pounds) in that nano -- not leaving much room for anything else.
Strike a comfortable balance; keep the nitrogen waste producing organisms low; and you'll enjoy a reduced maintenance and healthier system.
ecobalance
lifetaper
just do it
dont believe every thing you read,put the bass in second and remember if you want to have fun with this hobie go by the one main rule,and that is there are no rules.If i listened to the''rules''my soft coral tank would be void of my coolest most beautiful fish,my toby puffer.
dont believe every thing you read,put the bass in second and remember if you want to have fun with this hobie go by the one main rule,and that is there are no rules.If i listened to the''rules''my soft coral tank would be void of my coolest most beautiful fish,my toby puffer.
polydactyl
Well-known member
i would agree that your tank would be plenty big......have you thought about a small group of chalk bass.....they do wonderfully in a small group(you might have to forgo the assesor). either way you should be fine. i have yet to see either two species be aggresive....with anything really. good luck.........
