I'm looking for a show stopper fish

[Redbird5]

I have a 45 gallon aquarium with a firefish, clownfish, blenny, two shrimp, a urchin and two snails. I also have a toadstool coral.

I want a mandarin goby, but I'm waiting for my copepods to populate.

Originally I had plans for a long nose hawk fish, but I'm concerned about the shrimp.

I've thought about getting a dwarf angel, like a lemon peel. I'm concerned it would munch on the toadstool.

I've thought about a Valentino Puffer or a small puffer.

What about a pair of pajama cardinals? Or a wrasse? Royal gramma?

My next fish might be a diamond goby.

I want a showstopper,maybe before Thanksgiving and the family comes over. What are some interesting fish to add to my aquarium?

 

[BasementBox]

Diamond goby is a striking fish... but if you want coral on the sand, its not going to happen.

 

[Nasty_Goblin]

Spotted Jawfish
Pink streak wrasse
Candystripe basslet $$$$
Neon Dottyback

Might be able to get away with a pygmy angel

 

[Koty]

I have a Diamond Gobi and corals on the sand. He is a great sand cleaner. My corals suffer. I feel their pain but they will overcome. Diamond Gobi as the Mandarin dragonet needs a very mature tank otherwise he will not survive.

 

[Nasty_Goblin]

I have a Diamond Gobi and corals on the sand. He is a great sand cleaner. My corals suffer. I feel their pain but they will overcome. Diamond Gobi as the Mandarin dragonet needs a very mature tank otherwise he will not survive.

Pretty sure you can get tank raised mandarin that will take frozen.

Mandarin Fish

Synchiropus splendidus-Biota’s captive-bred mandarins are incredibly beautiful in coloration and readily feed on prepared diets. Wild caught mandarins are poor aquarium inhabitants and an overwhelming number die in the aquarium trade each year even in ideal conditions. Since mandarins are a...

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[goosemans]

Golden Midas blennys are very pretty

 

[Airedale Reef]

I have a Diamond Goby, and it sure is a hard worker! I was a bit annoyed tbh, during the first month or so, as my tank would be in a sandstorm state every day lol. Once the DG, finished caving out the tank the sandstorms stopped and now it just sifts the sand and keep my sand bed in top notch shape!

It is definitely a crowd pleaser as well! The children and adults seem to find it fascinating every time the family or friends come over.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Flame angel

purple firefish

green banded goby

tailspot blenny

twinspot goby

sharknose goby

 

[Sharkbait19]

What are the tank dimensions?
Some fish I wouldn’t be comfortable putting in a 12” wide tank but an 18” gives enough room.

I have a flameback angelfish in my 40B and it has been a model citizen. It doesn’t go after the corals or inverts at all, and is a very pretty fish as well. They can be a bit harder to find than other dwarf angels, but it makes up for it in personality and size (they’re one of the smaller ones).
I’d pass on the valentini puffer. I love mine, but it is definitely not reef safe imo. Goes after shrimp and snails (to be expected for a puffer) - the only shrimp he hasn’t killed is the tiger pistol. Certain coral colonies also noticeably declined after it was added (namely my Duncan).
Royal gramma is a very pretty fish - I wouldn’t want a tank without one. They can be shy at first but quickly gain confidence and are always front and center IME.

 

[Yasha Hase]

Ruby long fin fairy wrasse is my vote, don't have to worry about the corals and is very eye-catching when it flashes.

 

[VintageReefer]

Yellow wrasse. Very active and out al the time

Mandarin - shy and slow. Will be in the ground all the time. Colors are great in photos but many time in person are dull unless you have bright white lighting. And they don’t really like bright lighting

Cardinal fish - worst decision ever. They don’t really swim. They hang out under rock ledges and in shadows and “hover and stare”. Ugly also. I have one. I said it