Need help deciding on whether or not a fish is right for your tank? Post here and we'll help!

[eatbreakfast]

All,

I'm having a hard time deciding on a peaceful blue fish for my 90g reef (there aren't many).

Current stock:
2 x blue star leopard wrasse
1 x midas blenny
1 x helfrichi firefish
1 x copperband butterflyfish
1 x matted filefish

My initial thought was one blue green chromis, but sometimes those are more green then blue and are very susceptible to uronema (so I've heard). I really like the blue reef chromis but I heard they ship poorly (any idea how poorly?). As I mentioned blue gudgeon dartfosh trio have great blue color but too similar in shape to my helfrichi and midas I think, I want more variety. There are some great blue damsels but I'm concerned all will be too aggressive, I think? Last option that I could think of is a bellus or watanabei angel but tanks a little small and I plan on adding a flame down the road so not sure how that would playout. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Thanks!

Blue reef chromis ship very poorly. If you could find one at an LFS that would be a safer way to get one.

Leucurus wrasse or richmond wrasse or solorensis wrasse are predominantly blue.

 

[leahfiish]

Imo blue gudgeons act and swim differently than helfrichi firefish and definitely different thsn a midas blenny.
+1 on solarensis fairy
Pearly jawfish are another option. Or blue neon gobies but they are tiny.

 

[BigJohnny]

Blue reef chromis ship very poorly. If you could find one at an LFS that would be a safer way to get one.

Leucurus wrasse or richmond wrasse or solorensis wrasse are predominantly blue.

Thanks, for the suggestions. Unfortunately the first 2 don't scream blue to me, the Solon is OK. If the blue reef arrive safely are they hardy after that? How about blue axil chromis? What are the least aggressive damsels?

Could I do a watanabei in a 90?

 

[BigJohnny]

Imo blue gudgeons act and swim differently than helfrichi firefish and definitely different thsn a midas blenny.
+1 on solarensis fairy
Pearly jawfish are another option. Or blue neon gobies but they are tiny.

They might act and swim differently but its still a dartfish essentially. The skinny elongated body shape is something I'm trying to avoid replicating. I like pearly jawfish idea but I only have Fiji pink sand, no rubble. I do have several inch sand bed though.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Thanks, for the suggestions. Unfortunately the first 2 don't scream blue to me, the Solon is OK. If the blue reef arrive safely are they hardy after that? How about blue axil chromis? What are the least aggressive damsels?

Could I do a watanabei in a 90?

Azures are among the least aggressive damsel, but I wouldn't mix them with a firefish.

Black axil chromis look exactly like the regular blue green chromis except for the spot behind the pectorals.

A watanabi will outgrow a 90.

 

[fightingfish]

Hi folks! Looking at a 60gal cube setup (24” in every dimension). Corals will be LPS/zoa/some softies. How does this sound for a fish stock?
2x clowns
1 Midas blenny
1 sixline wrasse
1 diamond watchman goby (and, ideally, a shrimp combo)

Do they get along?
Is there viable room for more without cramping anyone?
If there’s is room for more, what would you get?
What, if any, anemone would you recommend for the clowns? I don’t want a huge, angry nem taking over my tank, so smaller and more manageable is what I’m looking for.
I’ve heard pistol shrimp can be real jerks...so I have to worry about one killing everything?

Thanks, folks!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hi folks! Looking at a 60gal cube setup (24” in every dimension). Corals will be LPS/zoa/some softies. How does this sound for a fish stock?
2x clowns
1 Midas blenny
1 sixline wrasse
1 diamond watchman goby (and, ideally, a shrimp combo)

Do they get along?
Is there viable room for more without cramping anyone?
If there’s is room for more, what would you get?
What, if any, anemone would you recommend for the clowns? I don’t want a huge, angry nem taking over my tank, so smaller and more manageable is what I’m looking for.
I’ve heard pistol shrimp can be real jerks...so I have to worry about one killing everything?

Thanks, folks!

Those fish will work together, though sixlines can get ornery as they mature and will severely limit future additions. There are just so many better options IMO. Flasher wrasses, small fairy wrasse species, pink streak wrasse, etc

I've never had a problem with pistol shrimp in any of my tanks or any of the tanks I've taken care of, and that includes tanks where fish other than watchmen gobies have used their burrows for cover. People have on rare occassion reported pistols killing fish, but quite frankly I'm unconvinced the shrimp wasn't wrongly blamed.

If you do get a pistol shrimp make sure your live rock is stable on the bottom pane of the tank before adding sand, so as to prevent a topple from the shrimp's burrowing.

 

[benjammin03]

Well I am going to take a shot at this. Let me know where I'm crazy. I am in the process of setting up a 210 gallon fowlr with a 100 gallon sump. This is my wish list in order of importance:

1. Emperor Angel
2. Porcupine Puffer
3. Zebra Moray
4. Lionfish
5. Dogface Puffer
6. Big Eye Squirrel Fish
7. Blue Hippo Tang

I'd also like to know what order I should add fish if I'm close to a good list.
Thanks!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Well I am going to take a shot at this. Let me know where I'm crazy. I am in the process of setting up a 210 gallon fowlr with a 100 gallon sump. This is my wish list in order of importance:

1. Emperor Angel
2. Porcupine Puffer
3. Zebra Moray
4. Lionfish
5. Dogface Puffer
6. Big Eye Squirrel Fish
7. Blue Hippo Tang

I'd also like to know what order I should add fish if I'm close to a good list.
Thanks!

That should work.
Hippo and lion first, then squirrel, angel, eel, and puffer.

 

[fightingfish]

Those fish will work together, though sixlines can get ornery as they mature and will severely limit future additions. There are just so many better options IMO. Flasher wrasses, small fairy wrasse species, pink streak wrasse, etc

I've never had a problem with pistol shrimp in any of my tanks or any of the tanks I've taken care of, and that includes tanks where fish other than watchmen gobies have used their burrows for cover. People have on rare occassion reported pistols killing fish, but quite frankly I'm unconvinced the shrimp wasn't wrongly blamed.

If you do get a pistol shrimp make sure your live rock is stable on the bottom pane of the tank before adding sand, so as to prevent a topple from the shrimp's burrowing.

Thanks so much! Is there a specific flasher wrasse I should keep an eye out for, or are all the subspecies (?) similar?

Also, would you say there is room for more there, or should I keep it at that level? I would prefer to err on the side of the well being of the animals, but if I’m under stocked, well, why not?

Any recs on the nem? Would I be better off focusing on a coral that the clowns would host?

Lastly, which order would be best when all is,said and done?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Thanks so much! Is there a specific flasher wrasse I should keep an eye out for, or are all the subspecies (?) similar?

Also, would you say there is room for more there, or should I keep it at that level? I would prefer to err on the side of the well being of the animals, but if I’m under stocked, well, why not?

Any recs on the nem? Would I be better off focusing on a coral that the clowns would host?

Lastly, which order would be best when all is,said and done?

Thanks again for the help!

Any of the flashers except the eightline will work, and all are pretty similar in behavior.

Each tank is different, so only regular testing will tell you if you can add more. But if you have a sump you likely can have more.

I'm not a fan of anemones in a mixed reef, they have a tendency to walk and sting corals and clowns do just fine without them.

Order on those fish without the sixline doesn't matter with those species.

 

[Jr'sReef]

Hey there, after about 5 years away from the hobby (previous tank was a 40 long)I will be setting up a 75g in the next couple of months and have been doing my planning for the tank. I was wanting to verify if my stock list would all be compatible, if there was any obvious mismatches, and to also take any suggestions as far as what I have decided. The only thing I'm particularly set on would be a mandarin (this fish is what originally got me interested in the hobby, and with tank restrictions on my previous setup I was never able to get one.) the tank will have a sump setup (particularly the Eschopps R-200 sump) and I'm aware of them needing a mature tank with plenty of pods (plan on adding him/her as one of the last fish) after everything has been going around 8-12 months, and I'm planning on seeding the tank with pods after a couple months of running to give them plenty of time to establish themselves.

Aside from the mandarin, my current list was looking like follows
X2 Pink skunk clownfish (Been reading they are one of the more timid clowns, as well as I like that they aren't as common as the typical occelaris or percula species).
X1 Royal Gramma
X1 Lubbocks fairy wrasse (from what I can tell, they won't be competing with the mandarin for pods, and I previously had one of these guys in my previous tank)
X1 Mandarin Dragonet
X1-2 Bartlett's Anthias
X1 Melanarus wrasse (this was the biggest concern that I had as far as the stock list, I really like wrasses, and this is quite a pretty fish. The only thing is if it would be competing with the mandarin for pods. Obviously it would be able to easily outcompete if they were voracious pod foragers, which I don't want it affecting the health of the mandarin. Thoughts on the two of them being together?)
(Possibly a yellowtail damsel)

That's what I have thought out so far, and would really like some suggestions or feedback, particularly on the Melanarus. With most everything staying pretty small (aside from the melanarus)I was wanting at least one suggestion on something a little larger that's an active swimmer (if I have to replace the melanarus). Perhaps a species of dwarf angel, however, I've been seeing it's pretty hit or miss with them nipping corals, I'm intending on this being a mixed reef, so reef safe is a must. I do really like wrasses, so, perhaps one or two more fairy or flasher wrasses to replace the larger wrasse as they aren't particularly pod eaters (as far as I have been seeing).

Thank you

I have a melanarus with a mandarin in a 55. They have never been a problem with each other. The melanarus has a huge appetite and eats all foods I put in the tank. The mandarin spends the day looking for his pods. I have a fuge with all kinds of pods, bristle worms, flat worms and never seen one in the tank. Between those two fish they keep the DT spotless of them

 

[Jr'sReef]

Not sure if it's bc I have a large tank but I have a mix of a yellow choris, carpenter, whipfin fairy, sixline with no problems. I don't know the genders and they are in a 400gallon

 

[mta_morrow]

Are there any “peaceful” clowns that are not hosted by nems? I am adding fish now to what will be a mixed reef. I don’t want a nem again but would like a pair of clowns. And I don’t want them potentially tearing up corals as “host”

Thanks!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Not sure if it's bc I have a large tank but I have a mix of a yellow choris, carpenter, whipfin fairy, sixline with no problems. I don't know the genders and they are in a 400gallon

Big tanks can definitely help minimize aggression.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Are there any “peaceful” clowns that are not hosted by nems? I am adding fish now to what will be a mixed reef. I don’t want a nem again but would like a pair of clowns. And I don’t want them potentially tearing up corals as “host”

Thanks!

A clown will try to 'host' in something. I have found ocellaris to be the least vigorous in their habits, but can vary greatly from individual to individual.

 

[mta_morrow]

A clown will try to 'host' in something. I have found ocellaris to be the least vigorous in their habits, but can vary greatly from individual to individual.

Thank you. Ocellaris are my favorite so that will be just fine then!

 

[tdileo]

A clown will try to 'host' in something. I have found ocellaris to be the least vigorous in their habits, but can vary greatly from individual to individual.

Agreed, my ocellaris won’t host no matter how hard I try. I wanted them to go in my rainbow BTA for months and months, I even put them together in a breeder box for a few weeks with barely enough room to swim and they still would not do it. I think being captive bred also makes them less likely to host.

 

[ReefJake123]

Two gold striped maroon clowns for a 13.5 gal tank

 

[ReefJake123]

And a cherub angel