Compatible Reef Safe Fish

[CBonito]

Hey Kids,

I'm looking for recommendations to create a list of fish I could stock in my new tank. Dimensions are 36"x24"x12. So it's not a huge tank. 42-45 gallons?
But there is still plenty of footprint, and I would like to have a lot of activity and character. I have plenty of hiding space here and swimming room. I would like some kind of school, and then a few fish with character. This will be a mostly SPS tank.

I'm going to just shut up and listen to suggestions, so if you have a list of fish that work nicely from experience in a tank this size, let's hear it!
I'm just looking for ideas as there are so many choices.

 

[Ocean_Queenie]

Firefish, tailspot blenny, Ruby red dragonet or a lawnmower blenny :)

 

[Reef_Freak720]

Firefish, tailspot blenny, Ruby red dragonet or a lawnmower blenny :)

Second the Tailspot Blenny. My favorite fish, they have a ton of personality. The ones I've had in the past become cows lol

 

[i cant think]

Hey Kids,

I'm looking for recommendations to create a list of fish I could stock in my new tank. Dimensions are 36"x24"x12. So it's not a huge tank. 42-45 gallons?
But there is still plenty of footprint, and I would like to have a lot of activity and character. I have plenty of hiding space here and swimming room. I would like some kind of school, and then a few fish with character. This will be a mostly SPS tank.

I'm going to just shut up and listen to suggestions, so if you have a list of fish that work nicely from experience in a tank this size, let's hear it!
I'm just looking for ideas as there are so many choices.

Do you plan for a lid?

 

[CBonito]

Do you plan for a lid?

It'll be here today! :cool:

 

[RedoubtReef]

lots of small goby options you could put in there. Maybe a fairy wrasse or other small wrasse like a Possum wrasse would be cool. Need that lid though.

 

[i cant think]

It'll be here today! :cool:

That’s given me several options to offer!!

First off, wrasses!
I’d personally go for a couple Leopard wrasses - specifically, Macropharyngodon negrosensis would be my first choice among some brightly coloured SPS.
Then to add the flare and such I’d go for some Cirrhilabrus species, specifically I’d go for Cirrhilabrus isosceles and maybe Cirrhilabrus nahackyi if you don’t mind the price tag.

Then maybe one larger fish, for me it would be an angel as they don’t seem to take out SPS as much (fleshy LPS and zoas are often a good snack for them though). For me personally it would be a Multicolour angel sad I find them to be gorgeous.

And for some smaller rock dwelling species I’d say go for a mix of Gobies, I’d personally have a Yasha, then a couple of groups of Trimma and Eviota gobies. And if you want, I’d probably throw in a Dragonet of some sort - likely a Spotted/Target Mandarin.

This is simply what I’d do as an example.

 

[CBonito]

That’s given me several options to offer!!

First off, wrasses!
I’d personally go for a couple Leopard wrasses - specifically, Macropharyngodon negrosensis would be my first choice among some brightly coloured SPS.
Then to add the flare and such I’d go for some Cirrhilabrus species, specifically I’d go for Cirrhilabrus isosceles and maybe Cirrhilabrus nahackyi if you don’t mind the price tag.

Then maybe one larger fish, for me it would be an angel as they don’t seem to take out SPS as much (fleshy LPS and zoas are often a good snack for them though). For me personally it would be a Multicolour angel sad I find them to be gorgeous.

And for some smaller rock dwelling species I’d say go for a mix of Gobies, I’d personally have a Yasha, then a couple of groups of Trimma and Eviota gobies. And if you want, I’d probably throw in a Dragonet of some sort - likely a Spotted/Target Mandarin.

This is simply what I’d do as an example.

I don't know a whole lot about wrasses, but I love them. They always struck me as having a more reptilian way about them. I think I'm going to research some of these and see what I think.
Thank You!

 

[CBonito]

That’s given me several options to offer!!

First off, wrasses!
I’d personally go for a couple Leopard wrasses - specifically, Macropharyngodon negrosensis would be my first choice among some brightly coloured SPS.
Then to add the flare and such I’d go for some Cirrhilabrus species, specifically I’d go for Cirrhilabrus isosceles and maybe Cirrhilabrus nahackyi if you don’t mind the price tag.

Then maybe one larger fish, for me it would be an angel as they don’t seem to take out SPS as much (fleshy LPS and zoas are often a good snack for them though). For me personally it would be a Multicolour angel sad I find them to be gorgeous.

And for some smaller rock dwelling species I’d say go for a mix of Gobies, I’d personally have a Yasha, then a couple of groups of Trimma and Eviota gobies. And if you want, I’d probably throw in a Dragonet of some sort - likely a Spotted/Target Mandarin.

This is simply what I’d do as an example.

I purchased a Melanurus today. He looked really good and happy. He buried himself after wandering around for a minute or two in my tank. I figure he'll be shy while he gets used to his new digs. The tank in the store didnt have anywhere for him to bury himself so I am sure he was happy when he realized there was sand here.

There's nowhere he can go as the tank is sealed. So I guess tomorrow I'll throw some food in there and see if he comes out. If not, I'll give him another day.

So have you successfully kept a melanurus with maybe flasher/fairies? Some of them seem really interesting.

 

[i cant think]

I purchased a Melanurus today. He looked really good and happy. He buried himself after wandering around for a minute or two in my tank. I figure he'll be shy while he gets used to his new digs. The tank in the store didnt have anywhere for him to bury himself so I am sure he was happy when he realized there was sand here.

There's nowhere he can go as the tank is sealed. So I guess tomorrow I'll throw some food in there and see if he comes out. If not, I'll give him another day.

So have you successfully kept a melanurus with maybe flasher/fairies? Some of them seem really interesting.

I haven’t kept melanurus personally but I have a similar behaviours wrasse (although he’s meant to be incredibly more aggressive). It’s certainly not impossible however you’ll want to use an acclimation box or some way for the fish to see eachother prior to being introduced to make sure the fish both like eachother.

 

[coralfool]

If u keep a cooler tank… blue spot jawfish. Super cool personalities

 

[JoJosReef]

I'd still keep a leopard wrasse on the table. M. negrosensis would be great, but also M. bipartitis is fairly common and a stunning fish. Mine is very very personable -- likes to come to the glass when I have my face near.

Also gets along with every other fish in the tank.

 

[CBonito]

I'd still keep a leopard wrasse on the table. M. negrosensis would be great, but also M. bipartitis is fairly common and a stunning fish. Mine is very very personable -- likes to come to the glass when I have my face near.

Also gets along with every other fish in the tank.

He is super cool.

From what I have read about the Melanurus, he is supposedly ok with fish of his Halichoeres species and other types of peaceful wrasse like fairies. I guess the Leopard is supposed to be a little more difficult, but I am seeing some leopards available that are gorgeous. From my own experience, I think I'll want to avoid any wrasses that are of a similar color pattern because usually that is usually what triggers them to be jerks to one another. But I'm not sure about that. There is the aspect of territory too. I think fairies would be a safer bet. Whatever I decide, I'll have them on tuesday I think. I want peace first and foremost. Not willing to risk fighting and then having a poor fish on my hands that I have to find a home for. That's no bueno. It's like if I added another German Shepherd to my house....Mikey and Ted would be PO'd man...

That monti you photographed them near is awesome too. I had a green one with the same growth form that was probably 9 inches around. I didnt know they came in orange too.

 

[CBonito]

I haven’t kept melanurus personally but I have a similar behaviours wrasse (although he’s meant to be incredibly more aggressive). It’s certainly not impossible however you’ll want to use an acclimation box or some way for the fish to see eachother prior to being introduced to make sure the fish both like eachother.

I havent checked yet, but pretty sure he's still sleeping in the sand. once I turn on the lights, I'm going to see if I can coerce him out with some food and reinforce the fact that life is good.

I might add 3 Cirrhilabrus of some type in the future. The color varieties are amazing. If I can get them to all coexist peacefully I would be really happy. I think if I do this, they all have to be introduced at the same time with the females going first supposedly.

 

[JoJosReef]

He is super cool.

From what I have read about the Melanurus, he is supposedly ok with fish of his Halichoeres species and other types of peaceful wrasse like fairies. I guess the Leopard is supposed to be a little more difficult, but I am seeing some leopards available that are gorgeous. From my own experience, I think I'll want to avoid any wrasses that are of a similar color pattern because usually that is usually what triggers them to be jerks to one another. But I'm not sure about that. There is the aspect of territory too. I think fairies would be a safer bet. Whatever I decide, I'll have them on tuesday I think. I want peace first and foremost. Not willing to risk fighting and then having a poor fish on my hands that I have to find a home for. That's no bueno. It's like if I added another German Shepherd to my house....Mikey and Ted would be PO'd man...

That monti you photographed them near is awesome too. I had a green one with the same growth form that was probably 9 inches around. I didnt know they came in orange too.

Red setosa monti--the camera lens makes it a bit more orange. Still, a very rusty red.

Find a healthy leopard that is eating with no broken jaw or spine and it'll be the easiest fish you have. My one and only leopard experience makes it a statistical certainty. They seem to be "expert only" because they don't ship well and get all banged up in the process from freaking out and trying to dive into sand that doesn't exist. Once they are in your tank and eating, they don't stop and are just lovely. My one leopard is a total representaitve of the entire population of leopards for sure. :)

Maybe @Slocke @i cant think @Crabby48 @SaltyT can put in a good word.

 

[Crabby48]

My opinion of melanurus are less chance of them slowing a wrasse in the tank then not.
Leopards are great wrasse and by far my favorite. Like said get a healthy one that eats and they are hardy.
If it’s healthy and not stressed it will eat.

 

[CBonito]

My opinion of melanurus are less chance of them slowing a wrasse in the tank then not.
Leopards are great wrasse and by far my favorite. Like said get a healthy one that eats and they are hardy.
If it’s healthy and not stressed it will eat.

I'm going to wait a bit and pick a nice colorful one then. There are some really cool leopards. I really like the Macropharyngodon bipartitus or "Blue Star". They are pretty amazing in Male or Female.

 

[Crabby48]

I'm going to wait a bit and pick a nice colorful one then. There are some really cool leopards. I really like the Macropharyngodon bipartitus or "Blue Star". They are pretty amazing in Male or Female.

Blue star and the meleagris are two I would suggest as they are more common.
I do suggest getting them as female between 2-3”. Any wrasse when mixing females and younger tend to ship and acclimate to new tanks better and also females when mixing wrasse tend to not have problems with each other. Males sometimes don’t want other males in the tank but when they start as females and transition I think you have a better chance of them getting along

Good luck with your adventures

 

[kevgib67]

Getting off the wrasse topic, I personally feel a reef tank is not complete without a clown pair. I know a lot disagree, let the hate begin!

 

[JoJosReef]

Getting off the wrasse topic, I personally feel a reef tank is not complete without a clown pair. I know a lot disagree, let the hate begin!