best small-tank herbivore?

[phishphood]

Anyone have ideas for a good herbivore in a smallish tank. Its a 4' x12"x16"high 40g tank. Any other fish besides a 'lawnmower blenny? All other inhabitants are peaceful (2x clowns, goby, mandarin). It's either that, or I go with an urchin?

 

[Gomer]

Tail Spot blennies are pretty cool.

 

[phishphood]

I've been thinking about one and waiting for Neptune to get one in. They do a good job chowing down on algae?

 

[Gomer]

Not sure how much they eat by mass, but my is eating algae etc from all the surfaces in the tanks non stop. I almost never see him not grazing.

 

[yardartist]

Mine never touches the rock, it must be a carnivore in a vegan family. Hit or miss? But a great fish!

 

[CookieJar]

I love my tailspot, but I don't rely on him to rid the tank of algae, he's good for looking cool and kissing the glass.

 

[phishphood]

Any other ideas out there? thanks for all the input guys.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Tomini Bristletooth.

 

[phishphood]

Will that stay small enough Matt? While I do hope to upgrade, I don't see it happening within the year.

 

[treylane]

Mini-Scopas

 

[phishphood]

have a scientific name for that Jess? Or are you just talking about a baby scopas?

 

[treylane]

Yeah, a small scopas tang.

 

[phishphood]

Don't those grow to be pretty....huge? I had a good sized one down in SD that made my120g cube look too small.

 

[treylane]

Eventually yes, you'd have to catch him and find a reefer with a bigger tank, but he could be fine for a year or two depending on how well fish grow for you. I've seen 12" lawnmower blennies too

 

[Ibn]

Tomini Bristletooth.

+1. Looking for one myself.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Will that stay small enough Matt? While I do hope to upgrade, I don't see it happening within the year.

IMO, yes. Depending on the conditions it's kept in, (e.g. with no competing tankmates, plenty of hiding space, well fed, great water quality) a Tomini Tang can do perfectly fine in a tank that size for years. A Z. scopas would be fine too. I don't even think a scopas would need to be moved into a larger tank.

FWIW the Tominis that we have in our big tank are small, even given essentially infinite space to grow. They just don't get very big in captivity.

 

[phishphood]

Well, tank mates are as I said before, and shouldn't be a problem. As for feeding and water quality that won't be a problem. The only thing I can think of is hiding spaces. I don't have a ton of rock in the tank, and the wrasse and firefish like their crevices as well. Pic is attached. So either a tomini or a scopas would work in a 40g long tank for a fairly long period of time?
Full stock list:
2x a. percula
1x firefish
1x sm flasher wrasse
1x mandarin
1x high-fin goby
1x pep shrimp
1x pistol

 

[Matt_Wandell]

I think you'd be fine with either of those fish.

What are the dimensions of that tank? Looks super long.

 

[yardartist]

Love the tube worms. Will the tomini eat those, or damage them?

This is a great thread. I have a 30g hex and looking for the same. Do the tomini have 'tang fever'? Blue and sailfin I have been around were both squirreley. I have plenty of rock to dart around a through.

 

[phishphood]

48"x12"x16" 40g long. Thanks for the info Matt.

+1 on the tube worms. Not a huge issue, but if one or the other is more prone to nipping them then it'd be nice to know. I don't think it'd be much of an issue though.