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

mta_morrow · May 1, 2018

eatbreakfast said:
A blenny from the Grammistes genus.

Thanks best meal of the day!

Robert (Bearclawws) · May 2, 2018

Hello all. I currently have a Blue Green Bird Wrasse (Gomphosus varius) at 7 inches in size & a sharpnose spotted pufferfish currently in a 300 gallon aquarium and want to know if they would all be compatible with one another from the list below? I was looking at a Hoevens or Mystery Wrasse specifically for their reputation with cleaning pests from corals. Don't want the worms! Not going to have a lot of fish in this system.

1. Male Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus), at 2.5 to 3.5 inches in size.

2. Mystery Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus)

3. Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)

4. Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)

5. Yellow Eyed Kole Tang

6. Atlantic Blue Tang (Maybe)

7. I have a pair of Black Phantom Clownfish I would consider moving from their tank into this system if they would not be harmed by any of these fish in this list.

8. I also currently have a small Purple Tang in his own quarantine tank, to add to the aquarium last, but he already seems aggressive. He is barely 2" and is already looking as if he is ready to open a can of whoop wrasse. I may sell him because I don't want aggressive fish that ha-wrasse one another. I had thought about a six line wrasse, but I heard they can be real wrasse holes.

Also, would there be any issues with any of these fish harming corals, even xenia, green star polyps, or anemones? Not worried about harming other clean up crew inverts. Also, there will be no clams in this system.

Your feedback on all this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

tdileo · May 3, 2018

Robert Rainey said:
Hello all. I currently have a Blue Green Bird Wrasse (Gomphosus varius) at 7 inches in size & a sharpnose spotted pufferfish currently in a 300 gallon aquarium and want to know if they would all be compatible with one another from the list below? I was looking at a Hoevens or Mystery Wrasse specifically for their reputation with cleaning pests from corals. Don't want the worms! Not going to have a lot of fish in this system.

1. Male Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus), at 2.5 to 3.5 inches in size.

2. Mystery Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus)

3. Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)

4. Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)

5. Yellow Eyed Kole Tang

6. Atlantic Blue Tang (Maybe)

7. I have a pair of Black Phantom Clownfish I would consider moving from their tank into this system if they would not be harmed by any of these fish in this list.

8. I also currently have a small Purple Tang in his own quarantine tank, to add to the aquarium last, but he already seems aggressive. He is barely 2" and is already looking as if he is ready to open a can of whoop wrasse. I may sell him because I don't want aggressive fish that ha-wrasse one another. I had thought about a six line wrasse, but I heard they can be real wrasse holes.

Also, would there be any issues with any of these fish harming corals, even xenia, green star polyps, or anemones? Not worried about harming other clean up crew inverts. Also, there will be no clams in this system.

Your feedback on all this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Sounds good to me but I would get another halichoeres wrasse over the mystery since you just want it for pest picking. They can become really mean with some time.

eatbreakfast · May 3, 2018

Robert Rainey said:
Hello all. I currently have a Blue Green Bird Wrasse (Gomphosus varius) at 7 inches in size & a sharpnose spotted pufferfish currently in a 300 gallon aquarium and want to know if they would all be compatible with one another from the list below? I was looking at a Hoevens or Mystery Wrasse specifically for their reputation with cleaning pests from corals. Don't want the worms! Not going to have a lot of fish in this system.

1. Male Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus), at 2.5 to 3.5 inches in size.

2. Mystery Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus)

3. Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)

4. Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)

5. Yellow Eyed Kole Tang

6. Atlantic Blue Tang (Maybe)

7. I have a pair of Black Phantom Clownfish I would consider moving from their tank into this system if they would not be harmed by any of these fish in this list.

8. I also currently have a small Purple Tang in his own quarantine tank, to add to the aquarium last, but he already seems aggressive. He is barely 2" and is already looking as if he is ready to open a can of whoop wrasse. I may sell him because I don't want aggressive fish that ha-wrasse one another. I had thought about a six line wrasse, but I heard they can be real wrasse holes.

Also, would there be any issues with any of these fish harming corals, even xenia, green star polyps, or anemones? Not worried about harming other clean up crew inverts. Also, there will be no clams in this system.

Your feedback on all this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

In a 300g a melanurus, mystery, and bird wrasse will coexist. Try to get the melanurus in first.

None of those fish will bother coral.

Skip the cleaner wrasse unless you get more big fish in the tank. They are hit-and-miss as far as how they do in captivity without enough client fish.

Jesterrace · May 3, 2018

Agreed on the cleaner wrasse. They die very easily in captivity and can actually reach the point of harassment with the other fish because they are constantly trying to clean them because they are hungry.

Robert (Bearclawws) · May 4, 2018

eatbreakfast said:
In a 300g a melanurus, mystery, and bird wrasse will coexist. Try to get the melanurus in first.

None of those fish will bother coral.

Skip the cleaner wrasse unless you get more big fish in the tank. They are hit-and-miss as far as how they do in captivity without enough client fish.

Thanks guys I appreciate the feedback

Robert (Bearclawws) · May 4, 2018

tdileo said:
Sounds good to me but I would get another halichoeres wrasse over the mystery since you just want it for pest picking. They can become really mean with some time.

The Halichoeres can become mean or the mystery wrasse? Yes it appears the Halichoeres might eat more pests than the mystery. Thanks for the feedback

eatbreakfast · May 4, 2018

Robert Rainey said:
The Halichoeres can become mean or the mystery wrasse? Yes it appears the Halichoeres might eat more pests than the mystery. Thanks for the feedback

The bird wrasse is meanest of the wrasses on your list, followed by mystery, followed by melanurus.

Robert (Bearclawws) · May 4, 2018

eatbreakfast said:
The bird wrasse is meanest of the wrasses on your list, followed by mystery, followed by melanurus.

Thank you

Stepheng101 · May 4, 2018

I have recently started on a 40gal saltwater fish tank, I have an idea of all the fish I'm getting.

-Coral beauty or flame angelfish (still haven't decided)
-Hoevens wrasse
-whip fin fairy wrasse
-yellow watchman goby(paired with pistol shrimp)
-royal basslet
-black and white ocellaris clownfish

Is this to much? And which fish should I start with? Will they attack each other?

eatbreakfast · May 4, 2018

Stepheng101 said:
I have recently started on a 40gal saltwater fish tank, I have an idea of all the fish I'm getting.

-Coral beauty or flame angelfish (still haven't decided)
-Hoevens wrasse
-whip fin fairy wrasse
-yellow watchman goby(paired with pistol shrimp)
-royal basslet
-black and white ocellaris clownfish

Is this to much? And which fish should I start with? Will they attack each other?

The whipfin can be pretty aggressive. Skip him.

The tank is borderline for the angels. They are more likely to pick at corals in a small tank.

The rest should be ok. Basslet and goby first, ok ther fish the order doesn't matter.

corey.nolta · May 4, 2018

I'm close to the point of adding fish to my 250dd and am looking for feedback.
(3) Yellow tangs
(1) Purple Tang
(1) Sailfin Tang
(1) Hippo Tang
(1) Foxface
(2) Ocellaris clown
(1) Tomato Clown
(1) Three striped damsel

Thoughts? At some point I'd like to have a large angel as wel.

eatbreakfast · May 4, 2018

corey.nolta said:
I'm close to the point of adding fish to my 250dd and am looking for feedback.
(3) Yellow tangs
(1) Purple Tang
(1) Sailfin Tang
(1) Hippo Tang
(1) Foxface
(2) Ocellaris clown
(1) Tomato Clown
(1) Three striped damsel

Thoughts? At some point I'd like to have a large angel as wel.

I'd be wary of keeping a tomato clown with other clowns.

Tim Nemeth · May 4, 2018

I was looking at adding a Lawn Mower Blenny, I already have a scooter and Yellow Watchman Goby with a Pistol companion. Other then those I only have 2 Clowns. My tank is a JBJ 45. Do you think they would get along?

Mbwagner94 · May 4, 2018

HELLO, I am new and just added my first fish. They are two pajama cardinals. Next I want to add a pair of clowns. When is a good time to add inverts and how many can I add at once??? Oh, I have a 36g tank!

NY_Caveman · May 5, 2018

Mbwagner94 said:
HELLO, I am new and just added my first fish. They are two pajama cardinals. Next I want to add a pair of clowns. When is a good time to add inverts and how many can I add at once??? Oh, I have a 36g tank!

I would add the inverts before the clowns probably. Let them find a place first. Just my opinion.

Welcome to R2R!

Tim Nemeth · May 5, 2018

When I first started my 45g I added part of my clean up crew (snails and crabs), then my first fish, then the rest of my clean up crew. I didn't want to add the entire crew all at once and not have enough for them to feed on. Worked out well. But someone with more experience may have a different opinion.

eatbreakfast · May 5, 2018

Tim Nemeth said:
I was looking at adding a Lawn Mower Blenny, I already have a scooter and Yellow Watchman Goby with a Pistol companion. Other then those I only have 2 Clowns. My tank is a JBJ 45. Do you think they would get along?

They are compatible.

Mbwagner94 said:
HELLO, I am new and just added my first fish. They are two pajama cardinals. Next I want to add a pair of clowns. When is a good time to add inverts and how many can I add at once??? Oh, I have a 36g tank!

What inverts where you thinking? Hardy inverts, such as hermits, nassarius, or emerald crabs can be added at anytime. More delicate inverts, such as cleaner or blood shrimp, wait a couple of weeks.

cracker · May 7, 2018

I saw a real nice/healthy looking Majestic angel at my LFS today. I think this fish would look very nice in my 180 fish only. I have a couple of butterfly's ,pair of clowns & a malenarus wrasse now. Anything about this fish I need to look out for? Live aquaria says it needs angel food with sponge . Stuff Like that. II'm off on a research hunt. Thanks !

eatbreakfast · May 7, 2018

cracker said:
I saw a real nice/healthy looking Majestic angel at my LFS today. I think this fish would look very nice in my 180 fish only. I have a couple of butterfly's ,pair of clowns & a malenarus wrasse now. Anything about this fish I need to look out for? Live aquaria says it needs angel food with sponge . Stuff Like that. II'm off on a research hunt. Thanks !

Pretty basic. It is a well behaved large angel.