Do I do the obligatory clownfish as the first fish? Help a freshwater guy out

[afrokobe]

I will say that clownfish are a little boring by themselves. But if they have a nem that is hosting them, I love watching them go in and out of it all day.

I think the symbiosis relationships in saltwater are the coolest things coming from freshwater. I would add a pistol shrimp (only candy cane) and goby combo to every single tank. I love them.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Cardinals work well for this process, are hardy, and nonaggressive. Sapphire Damsels work well. They stay small, are not aggressive, and also eat acro eating red bugs. BUT...

There is no reason to start a sterile tank with a fish, then wait for ammonia to rise and fall while stressing the fish. Better methods are available. Old school fishless cycles have been around for a long time. You simply add ammonia via ammonium chloride and, if you want the cycle to finish quicker, add some bottled bacteria like Fritz Turbo Start. A more recent occurrence is the trend to starting tanks with live rock and not having to cycle the tank at all. I prefer the latter. Here's a link to an article you might find interesting.

 

[Blake423]

They are very active, hardy, adorable and lots of varieties, you can always see them swimming instead of hiding.

But they are also aggressive and have "hosting behaviour". If they don't like the anemone (if you keep one, and there is a good chance they don't like your anemone), then they may "host"/harass your other coral like goni. It could be nightmare.

 

[strawberryfish]

Reef fish all have their natural behaviors but IME they seem to be more individually variable. One pair of clowns will be the perfect tankmates, while another pair will pester your hands every single time they enter the tank. My clowns have never nipped and never attacked tank mates but I still haven't gotten them an anemone so things may change in the future, and they may become absolute tyrants.