Looking for New Fish ideas

[ShawnSaucier]

Good Morning,
This is a common post and question, and I am a little stuck in finding some answers.
Looking to add a few more finned friends to my system. Display is 48x30x30 SPS dominant mixed reef that is just over a year old.
Current Fish:
Zebra Tang
Whitetail Bristle Tooth Tang
4x Lyretail Anthias (1 M/3F)
2x Helfrichi Firefish
ORA Green Mandarin
Yellow Watchman Goby
Candy Basslet
2x Longspine cardinalfish
Gulf Signal Blenny
Flaming Prawn Goby
Tailspot Blenny
Randall’s Goby
Pygmy Possum Wrasse
Shark nose Goby
2x Orange Skunk Clownfish

Corals:
SPS heavy, high end zoas, fleshy high end LPS

Inverts:
Skunk Shrimp
Several Clams ( maxima/crocea)

I’m looking for color and uniqueness to add. The tank is very peaceful and with the aquascape everyone has a home. I am not one to add and then look at removal if size becomes an issue. I believe this could cause stress at some point and an added hassle.

Fish that are out :

Fox face / Rabbit fish: lots of High end zoas and have had issues in past tanks.
Butterfly Fish: same as stated with Fox/Rabbits

Certain Wrasse: this ( to me) has to do with colors and shape. I’ve tried 2 different Fairy wrasses in the past year with issues coming from the male Lyretail. Neither option had survived. Not sure if it was due to the shape of the fish as they were similar to the Anthias shape, so he felt it was a possible new female.
Melenarus- gets pretty big and a bully ( from past tank exp.)

Angels: this is borderline and so tempting. I would love to do a Regal but the LPS, Zoas and Clams are the sticking point. I’ve put tank raised in so many carts and can never pull the trigger. Belus, Swallowtails, Lamark’s don’t really do it for me as imo they are a bit drab.

Hawkfish: I’ve had and love these guys. This would be a no brainer if I wasn’t looking at the long term of adding more nano fish in the future.

Adding more of the same fish ( Anthias, Cardinals, Firefish) would also be a concern as the equilibrium of the current pairs is working well. I’ve tried to add a second set of Longspines without success. And the 4 Anthias are a pretty dominant group in their own. The Firefish live on opposite sides of the tank ( their scurry holes) and are just friendly neighbors.

Fish on the table with concern:

Tang: Chevron or Koi. Obvious tank size (length) is concerning and the two current tangs are peaceful with each other. If tank size wasn’t an issue Sohal and Naso.

Leopard Wrasse: this is another fish that has been in multiple carts but I haven’t pulled the trigger on. I had a Potter’s years ago that was stunning and very missed. My concern would be food competition with the Mandarin. The Mandarin has been a fish that I have tried to keep since I began in this hobby 26 years ago with zero success. This is my first attempt with a tank raised and I have watched this one grow from the tiny bug eyed speck. It’s been doing fantastic and tripled in size. When I was planning this system, I had put some effort into establishing a strong copepod diversity in hopes to finally get over this hump. Pods are added monthly to the system, also there is a cryptic fuge full of live rock as the last chamber before my return pumps in my sump. So maybe I could sustain both?

Other Wrasses: there are a few that have caught my eye but I have zero experience with. Pencil wrasses would be one in this category.

Pipefish: I’ve seen some kept in SPS tanks.. My concern would be flow. Example have been in extremely mature systems with larger colonies. Thus in my thought giving relief from heavy currents within the colonies. Maybe a later addition?

So what do you have for suggestions?? Looking for some wow factor, please

 

[GHOSTLY]

A small group of chalk bass would be awesome

 

[ShawnSaucier]

A small group of chalk bass would be awesome

Candy Basslet would be a concern as it is already established. If there was another 2’ in tank length, absolutely.

 

[saltwaterfish.com Verified Sponsor]

Have you ever considered Assessors? The Yellow Assessor, or Macneill's Assessor would be a nice touch. Blue reef chromis, or Rolland's Damsel would be a nice schooling fish to add.

 

[Baldyreef]

black bar chromis are a nice peaceful schooler that have a very damselfish like bodyshape

 

[ShawnSaucier]

Have you ever considered Assessors? The Yellow Assessor, or Macneill's Assessor would be a nice touch. Blue reef chromis, or Rolland's Damsel would be a nice schooling fish to add.

A Golden Assessor may be a consideration, but the Candy takes priority.
I’ve toyed with the Chromis idea as well. Blue greens get a little big for my liking as they get paler with size from my experience. Closest I’ve been to damsels is clownfish due to the storied aggressive temperament.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

Maybe a suggestion on another open water swimmer. Quite a few of my fish are semi cryptic

 

[Baldyreef]

A Golden Assessor may be a consideration, but the Candy takes priority.
I’ve toyed with the Chromis idea as well. Blue greens get a little big for my liking as they get paler with size from my experience. Closest I’ve been to damsels is clownfish due to the storied aggressive temperament.

black bar chromis get 2.5 inches at the max, active swimmers and pretty inquisitive quirky personalities in my experience, would you consider a dwarf angelfish that doesn't really go for coral like a flameback?

black bar chromis:

 

[saltwaterfish.com Verified Sponsor]

A Golden Assessor may be a consideration, but the Candy takes priority.
I’ve toyed with the Chromis idea as well. Blue greens get a little big for my liking as they get paler with size from my experience. Closest I’ve been to damsels is clownfish due to the storied aggressive temperament.

The Blue reef chromis have a longer body shape and don't lose much color as they age. They also don't have the aggression levels most damsels do which is nice.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

black bar chromis get 2.5 inches at the max, active swimmers and pretty inquisitive quirky personalities in my experience, would you consider a dwarf angelfish that doesn't really go for coral like a flameback?

black bar chromis:

I’ve looked at some dwarf angels in the past. I would love an angel but the LPS collection really makes me cautious. If I was just SPS it would have happened. There are several I would have purchased.

 

[Baldyreef]

black bar chromis get 2.5 inches at the max, active swimmers and pretty inquisitive quirky personalities in my experience, would you consider a dwarf angelfish that doesn't really go for coral like a flameback?

black bar chromis:

I’ve looked at some dwarf angels in the past. I would love an angel but the LPS collection really makes me cautious. If I was just SPS it would have happened. There are several I would have purchased.

In my experience flamebacks and cherubs are the least likely to go after coral but I get where your coming from with the risk

 

[Piotrek]

I’ve looked at some dwarf angels in the past. I would love an angel but the LPS collection really makes me cautious. If I was just SPS it would have happened. There are several I would have purchased.

I have a centropyge eibli, and it doesn't bother corals much. Sometimes nips on ancan. It likes the taste of acroporas polyps though. And for some reason leaves stylophora intact.

 

[slingfox]

That tank size can likely support a second Mandarin. I have two in a 112g display tank + 30g sump. They like to live in pairs and it is great to see them cruising around the tank together.

 

[Baldyreef]

I have a centropyge eibli, and it doesn't bother corals much. Sometimes nips on ancan. It likes the taste of acroporas polyps though. And for some reason leaves stylophora intact.

only dwarf angel ive ever had an issue with is my coral beauty who took a nip at my Duncan and mustve hated it because it never went after the Duncan or other coral again

 

[Daniel Doherty]

Big group of blue streak cardinal fish. I just added some to mine, and am planning to add each more.
They add a touch of realism to the tank, don’t kill each other off, and will just hover nicely between your sps!

 

[GHOSTLY]

Candy Basslet would be a concern as it is already established. If there was another 2’ in tank length, absolutely.

Candy would be cool but im talking about. You can get away with 3 or 5 easily in a tank your size and your stocking list doesnt seem to have a problem with these

 

[Daniel Doherty]

That tank size can likely support a second Mandarin. I have two in a 112g display tank + 30g sump. They like to live in pairs and it is great to see them cruising around the tank together.

Yes I second this I’d definitely try getting a pair done. Really nice seeing their mating display as lights go out!

 

[Daniel Doherty]

Also, what about a pair of long nose hawkfish?? They’d look class perched on your sps. Get a small and slightly larger one and bingo you’ve a pair.

 

[Baldyreef]

Also, what about a pair of long nose hawkfish?? They’d look class perched on your sps. Get a small and slightly larger one and bingo you’ve a pair.

might go after OP's smaller gobies like the shark nose and the flaming prawn goby