Most Interesting Fish To Watch (not just prettiest) for smaller (45 gallon) tanks

[Yuki Rihwa]

Talking about blenny the two I love the most are Starry Blenny and Leopard Blenny (Exallias brevis) but I can't have them because the Starry would nip at my clams and the Leopard would eat sps corals LOL

 

[Potatohead]

Flame Hawkfish, by a mile

 

[biecacka]

Starry blenny


Corey

 

[Michael43]

If the tank is established and has a sand bed blue spot jawfish for sure

 

[Zack K]

If the tank is established and has a sand bed blue spot jawfish for sure

The only bad part about them is they need cooler waters to thrive for long periods of time (69-72F)

 

[Michael43]

The only bad part about them is they need cooler waters to thrive for long periods of time (69-72F)

I keep at 75. Fingers crossed

 

[BlennyKravitz]

+1 on Midas blennies. They are always out in the water column and they are happy to eat anything. My favorite by far!

 

[Big G]

Gotta be, as some others have posted, my starry blenny. He's a hoot. He dances at the glass as soon as he sees me come into the room. And then sometimes he makes "burping" movements until I feed him. Too funny.

 

[Katrina71]

Barnacle Blenny... They’re dorky characters

I love that little face!

 

[Katrina71]

Pike Blenny. Gotta see it in person. Tiny and fearless. Our little "eel"

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Barnacle blennies are fun but my favorite small fish to watch are assessors. They are very amusing.

 

[drblakjak55]

Agree with flame hawk. I call mine Marathon Man. Always on the move. Put your face up to the tank and he’ll come look at you. Negative to six line. They can be a real bully. Not sure why you don’t like clowns in all the new colors. If you don’t want an anemone than they love euphyllias

 

[Shon]

Frill-Fin Goby, the scooting pig. Shame they rip hermits and snails out of their shells. I mean, grab the foot and shake violently like a dog and it's favorite toy. Hilarious how it tries to perch on the glass when it sees the flake container get pulled out, just to slide down and struggle to get back up to the surface. Or perched front and center if it sees the freezer door open. Always hungry, never satisfied. Changes shades of silver, grey and black, depending on mood. Looks like "el muerto" mask when some one steals his food pellets.

 

[eatbreakfast]

A colony of barnacle blennies are a blast to watch.

A flame or longnose hawk is a ton of personality.

Although blue spot jawfish need cooler waters, tiger, pearly, or dusky jawfish are good alternatives that thrive in reef temps.

Yellow assessors are interesting fish with a knack for frequently swimming upside down.

Pike blennies are also a unique choice.

I would recommend against a sixline wrasse due to their tendency to get aggressive.

 

[Pete Witteried]

Our Flame Hawk is always everyone's favorite. Put your face near the tank and he swims over to see what you are doing. Perches on the rock and his eyes will rotate around to follow your movements.

 

[GoVols]

I love my Tailspot. I think he likes to play hide and seek. I'll lose sight of him and most of the time he's right in front of me.

He also likes to play chicken with the PH.

+1
On the tail spot blenny's

 

[goatcorals]

Consider the Yellow Coris Wrasse instead of the 6 line.

A Pink Spot Goby is also a good shrimp Goby. Perhaps a group of Wheeler Gobies (also pair with pistols, but they are smaller than a pink spot).

Midas Benny’s are awesome, and tails pots are awesome too.

I have had a few Stary Blennies, but they can be a little territorial in my experience. Sometimes they’re fine. They’ve been a little hit or miss for me. Perhaps if you add it after any Gobies you plan to add.

 

[AWildZacR]

I love my yellow coris wrasse. Gets along great with everyone and tons of personality! Explores the rockwork and caves daily to pick at food, and it's awesome to watch his eyes move as he looks around!

 

[atoll]

Lots of pots about Royal grammas on this thread, here is my twopence worth having kept them for years.
With regarding to hiding away a lot of the time, I have never experienced this but suggest the right environment is the key to that.
A Royal gramma is an interesting fish however they are ten times more interesting kept in pairs or even a small group as I now keep them.
If you can house 2 small ones then that would be my choice.

 

[klp]

Clown gobies both yellow and green. Especially love the yellow ones as they hop around looking like little yellow lights.