Please Help! Need Ideas for 40g Breeder

I have a 4 bulb t5, but I was really looking to just run a simple light, so i didn't have to spend $100 every 6 months on bulbs. I think lower lighting would also help reduce nuisance algae growth.

As for the lid- yes, I can easily add one to it. I have an eggcrate for it now, but it would be simple to add a piece of plexi.

 

What else would be good to keep with it in a 40g breeder? I know you want to avoid critters that will fit in its mouth (aka lunch)

 

With a T5 you could do a carpet anemone and clowns.

With a lid you could do a Blue Spotted Jaw fish if you design the tank with a deeper sand bed and rubble.

If you go low light you could do a Mantis tank.

You could always do a maxi-mini anemone tank with no fish and the T5 lighting.

Low lighting you could do a Sea Horse and Gorgonian.

 

Holy Ideas Batman!!! lol

I like the idea of a deep sand bed tank with jawfish- what other fish would work well with a DSB? Maybe some type of "burrowing" wrasse?

I like fish- so a maxi-mini only tank is out

Would a seahorse or mantis tank work for me? I sometimes need to travel for up to a week and wouldn't be able to feed them. I have an auto feeder that I use now to drop food (flakes, pellets, freeze-dried mysis) in my reef, but that can't drop live food or even frozen...

 

Then the Sea Horse and Mantis tank are out.

With the BSJF you could do a pair of Orchid Dotty Back or a Trio of Fish fish. I would stay away from fish that share the sand bed. A nice little collect of Yellow Damsels. I am thinking color and compatibility here.

Carpet anemones if you get a nice specimen are much easier to care for then people give them credit for. You could do a macro algae tank with a pair of nice clowns and the carpet.

No one checks on the tank when your gone?

 

I'm starting to really like the Jawfish tank... though I already have an orchid dottyback in my reef. I'm thinking a sixline would be nice and I'd love to have some red too, but I'm guessing a Flame Hawkfish is out due to their dietary needs (aka frozen meaty foods). Not sure they would accept flake of freeze-dried

When you typed "a trio of fish fish" did you mean firefish?

I do have roommates that will help me feed on occasion, but over the holidays, everyone goes back to their respective hometowns...

 

lol yup Fire Fish.

Maybe I am the exception but I have never had an issue with Flame Hawk fish other than a little aggression. I really like the fish, tons of personality, more of a percher than a swimmer but great color too.

 

Jawfish would be awesome! Another idea.. How about a frogfish? It would have to be the only fish in the tank and you would have to be on top of your water changes since they are quite messy eaters.

 

I love the fish too, but will they usually accept flakes, pellets, or freeze dried?

 

Thats the only problem and one of the reasons I started to shy away from the eel- they are very messy, which leads to a need for more water changes. Thanks for the idea though!