Centrepiece Fish Ideas?

ollysaquariums · Jun 28, 2025

Hey all,
I’m new to reefing and have just recently converted my 190 litre, 4 foot long aquarium into a marine tank from a Lake Malawi African Cichlid tank. I’m still mostly in the cycling stage although I have zero ammonia and nitrites and 0 nitrates. For when I can get fish, what are some good centrepiece fish you guys would recommend? I am 100% getting a pair of clownfish and anemone and a yellow clown goby eventually, but I have noticed my tank is too small for a nicer fish like a tang or angelfish so what would you guys recommend that also doesn’t break my bank? (As in up to around $200). I have a friend who got me into marine and convinced me to convert, he also gave me some live rock and will also give me some zoas and firework polyps and I have put some peppermint shrimp and snails in there. I’ll attach some pictures for you to see it so far and also feel free to share ideas and feedback on how I can improve like how much more rock to add and scaping ideas.
Thanks in advance!

Tahoe61 · Jun 28, 2025

Flame Back Angel.
Helfrichi Fire Fish.
Royal Gramma.

Zionas · Jun 28, 2025

That places your tank around 50G. I wouldn’t do any Tangs or overly active swimmers that get to a good size.

A few ideas:
(1) Basslet (Royal Gramma, Black Cap)
(2) Dwarf Angels (Coral Beauty, Flame, Flameback, Cherub)
(3) Wrasses (Canary / Silver Belly, Red Lined, Black Spot Leopard, Fairy / Flasher- not a Wrasse expert)
(4) Assessors (Yellow, Blue, Randall’s)
(5) Shrimp / Goby pair
(6) Blennies

Since you already know you’ll have a Clown pair (IMO the Skunks are really underrated, Pink and Orange Skunk), and you want a Yellow Clown Goby, I’d do:

x1 Centropyge (Biota has captive bred Coral Beauties, sometimes captive bred Flames, and Flamebacks through a French breeder- MERS)

x1 Royal Gramma / Black Cap Basslet (get Biota)

x1 Wrasse

x1 Assessor / Shrimp and Goby pair / Blenny

And that’ll give you a nice and fairly active tank.