Looking for small fish for my tank

[Miami Reef]

I have a 250 gallon tank with this livestock list:

Yellow tang
Blue tang
Orange shoulder tang
Powder blue tang
Naso tang
Moorish idol
Coral beauty angel
Flame angel
Lamarck angel
Copperband butterfly
Foxface
Gold nugget maroon clown
Gold x Lightning maroon clown
Hortulanus wrasse
Leopard wrasse
Melanurus wrasse
Midas blenny
Flame hawkfish
Black mollie

Total of 19 fish. On paper it sounds like A LOT, but it’s really not in real life. Most of my fish are the medium - large size, which is what I wanted,

But to feel complete, I need the small “filler” fish to add movement and contrast to the larger sized fish. To make it look like a reef - not like a FOWLR.


The fish that I am considering:

Blue green chromis
Blue damselfish
Anthias

Here’s my concern with chromis: I read that uronema is in most tanks by default (from live rocks and corals) and fallow does NOT work to starve out uronema. Also, will chromis fish fight each other to death?

Blue damselfish: so far the perfect option.

Anthias: I cannot keep them alive longer than a month in the past. I’ve tried many many times. They have the bright orange color, provide movement, but I can’t keep them alive.

More wrasses?


Hmm…

 

[Miami Reef]

Here’s a video of my tank (it was about my preps before chemi clean) but you can see the proportions of fish to negative space.

 

[ying yang]

What about some kind blennie like tail spot or bi colour.
I have both and they kinda cool how they look and perch on the rockwork and personally don't think they a great algae eating machine but they do pick at the rocks when they not perching on the rocks

While I'm here I just started a thread about best all round pest control fish so would it be possible you give me little info / experiences about your leopard wrasse and a picture be great ^_^

 

[MaxTremors]

I have a 250 gallon tank with this livestock list:

Yellow tang
Blue tang
Orange shoulder tang
Powder blue tang
Naso tang
Moorish idol
Coral beauty angel
Flame angel
Lamarck angel
Copperband butterfly
Foxface
Gold nugget maroon clown
Gold x Lightning maroon clown
Hortulanus wrasse
Leopard wrasse
Melanurus wrasse
Midas blenny
Flame hawkfish
Black mollie

Total of 19 fish. On paper it sounds like A LOT, but it’s really not in real life. Most of my fish are the medium - large size, which is what I wanted,

But to feel complete, I need the small “filler” fish to add movement and contrast to the larger sized fish. To make it look like a reef - not like a FOWLR.


The fish that I am considering:

Blue green chromis
Blue damselfish
Anthias

Here’s my concern with chromis: I read that uronema is in most tanks by default (from live rocks and corals) and fallow does NOT work to starve out uronema. Also, will chromis fish fight each other to death?

Blue damselfish: so far the perfect option.

Anthias: I cannot keep them alive longer than a month in the past. I’ve tried many many times. They have the bright orange color, provide movement, but I can’t keep them alive.

More wrasses?


Hmm…

I think you need some gobies, blennies, dart fish, some of the more nano sized and less free swimming fish. Also maybe some cardinals, a canthigaster genus puffer, or mandarin/dragonet.

 

[X-37B]

I have 15 fish in my 120. I have had 6 blue green chromis since month 2. The convict tang keeps them inline.
I also have 2 blue eyed anthias.
Both are great for movement.

 

[sixline]

Five pajama cardinals

 

[Miami Reef]

Ying yang I will take a picture of the fish tonight. I see it picking at the rocks sometimes, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a pest issue in my tanks. And I only had the leopard for 1.5 months, so it definitely didn’t eradicate anything for me.

I always heard melanurus wrasse is best for pest control.

I think you need some gobies, blennies, dart fish, some of the more nano sized and less free swimming fish. Also maybe some cardinals, a canthigaster genus puffer, or mandarin/dragonet.

Good idea.

 

[ying yang]

Ying yang I will take a picture of the fish tonight. I see it picking at the rocks sometimes, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a pest issue in my tanks. And I only had the leopard for 1.5 months, so it definitely didn’t eradicate anything for me.

I always heard melanurus wrasse is best for pest control.


Good idea.

Thanks for pic on leopard wrasse when you do it.

And yeah one of my options I was considering a melaranus wrasse as hear there good pest control but slightly but off as hear often they eat cuc members so kinda off putting .but yeah is good recomendation thanks .

 

[Miami Reef]

Thanks for pic on leopard wrasse when you do it.

And yeah one of my options I was considering a melaranus wrasse as hear there good pest control but slightly but off as hear often they eat cuc members so kinda off putting .but yeah is good recomendation thanks .

The only CUC they’ll eat are small shrimps when added after the melanurus wrasse becomes established…but that’s how you know they are a true workhorse for coral pests.

This is my opinion.

@ying yang i just realized my profile picture is of my leopard wrasse.

 

[ying yang]

The only CUC they’ll eat are small shrimps when added after the melanurus wrasse becomes established…but that’s how you know they are a true workhorse for coral pests.

This is my opinion.

@ying yang i just realized my profile picture is of my leopard wrasse.

Ha ha didn't notice profile pic

Thanks for pic.teuly beautiful fish indeed

 

[i cant think]

Ying yang I will take a picture of the fish tonight. I see it picking at the rocks sometimes, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a pest issue in my tanks. And I only had the leopard for 1.5 months, so it definitely didn’t eradicate anything for me.

I always heard melanurus wrasse is best for pest control.


Good idea.

Haha, pest control and melanurus is good however, ANY of the Halichoeres (including your horlutanus) will be good for it except Melanurus, Adornatus and Chrysus are the best known. I find radiant wrasse and Silver Belly wrasse to be the best (Silver bellies are nicer as male but radiant a are nicer as female). A lot of the fairy wrasse would look great in your tank too!! My personal favourites are Naokoae, Lubbocki, Pylei, Shutmani (If you want to drop the big bucks), Ect… I think you could get a low lying Clown Goby in there (These are some beautiful fish that have such big personalities). As others have said a blenny or two/three could work in that tank, Firefish could work too. I find many of the more nano type fish would look so peaceful in a big “monster” tank. You have basically every option as to small filler fish in the size of tank you have.

 

[Miami Reef]

So I think I’m going to end up filling my tank with wrasses.

Maybe also a mandarin goby…but I’ve been procrastinating on them because quarantining them is tricky and feeding them is even trickier!

 

[i cant think]

So I think I’m going to end up filling my tank with wrasses.

Maybe also a mandarin goby…but I’ve been procrastinating on them because quarantining them is tricky and feeding them is even trickier!

I would go with the mandarin too but try to avoid copper. Then the issue of feeding comes in and usually they just go and eat pods anyway even when they’re done eating.

 

[Miami Reef]

edit

 

[Miami Reef]

edit