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

[Slocke]

Thanks for your responses. Very helpful. Perhaps I should rethink the future Triggers and Tangs. I am not set on Tangs, but I really do like the Triggers and thought that perhaps the more “reef safe” Bluethroat would be possible, especially if I could find juveniles to start with. Some invert casualties would be acceptable, but wreaking havoc on the rest of the fish and coral would not be good.

On the wrasses, I had read that many of the Halichoeres may find future coral tasty. Any species recommendations in this Genre?

Halichoeres do not eat coral. They eat small inverts and are generally considered good for coral as they eat some coral eating pests.

 

[Mizu]

Hi Everyone, I went to my LFS today and my stocking list had been modified for my 32.5 gallon tank:

1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Sixline Wrasse
1x helfrichi firefish
2x Lyretail blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris hanae) Apparently these are going to be a pain to get
1x Clown goby (probably yellow)
1x Yasha goby w/ pistol shrimp

Does this list see ok? I added a cleaner shrimp to my tank as my first inhabitant.

 

[Slocke]

Hi Everyone, I went to my LFS today and my stocking list had been modified for my 32.5 gallon tank:

1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Sixline Wrasse
1x helfrichi firefish
2x Lyretail blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris hanae) Apparently these are going to be a pain to get
1x Clown goby (probably yellow)
1x Yasha goby w/ pistol shrimp

Does this list see ok? I added a cleaner shrimp to my tank as my first inhabitant.

Unfortunately there are some issues.
Hawkfish and six line wrasse are aggressive and not generally compatible with firefish or gudgeon. Also hawkfish often eat shrimp.
Finally sexing gudgeons is difficult and if you get 2 males they will kill each other.

I would swap the hawkfish with a basslet or a blenny. Both fish are fun and more peaceful. The six line I would replace with a possum or a pink streak wrasse. Very similar but a lot more peaceful. Then I suggest just one gudgeon.

 

[Mizu]

Unfortunately there are some issues.
Hawkfish and six line wrasse are aggressive and not generally compatible with firefish or gudgeon. Also hawkfish often eat shrimp.
Finally sexing gudgeons is difficult and if you get 2 males they will kill each other.

I would swap the hawkfish with a basslet or a blenny. Both fish are fun and more peaceful. The six line I would replace with a possum or a pink streak wrasse. Very similar but a lot more peaceful. Then I suggest just one gudgeon.

Thanks for the advice, Ill try to look for a mated dartfish pair!

Instead of a basslet or a blenny, could I try a neon dottyback or a Springeri dottyback? (or any smaller dottyback)

 

[Slocke]

Thanks for the advice, Ill try to look for a mated dartfish pair!

Instead of a basslet or a blenny, could I try a neon dottyback or a Springeri dottyback? (or any smaller dottyback)

No, definitely not. Dottybacks are very very aggressive. Trust me a royal gramma is just as pretty but a way more peaceful fish.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i have been toying with getting a ribbon eel. but tbh i dont know a thing about them! i have a 125 gallon mixed reef. with some tangs, a cbb and a few other smaller fish. is this even feasible?

 

[Slocke]

i have been toying with getting a ribbon eel. but tbh i dont know a thing about them! i have a 125 gallon mixed reef. with some tangs, a cbb and a few other smaller fish. is this even feasible?

@Goaway @OrchidMiss ?

 

[Goaway]

i have been toying with getting a ribbon eel. but tbh i dont know a thing about them! i have a 125 gallon mixed reef. with some tangs, a cbb and a few other smaller fish. is this even feasible?

How small of fish are we talking?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

a mandarin a damsel, and a sailfin blenny

 

[Goaway]

a mandarin a damsel, and a sailfin blenny

Im not the only one to keep bite sized morsels with my ribbon.
Post in thread 'What do you feed your ribbon eel?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/what-do-you-feed-your-ribbon-eel.832857/post-9000460

Hes got all kinds of lil guys with his ribbon

 

[Mizu]

Hi Everyone, I went to my LFS today and my stocking list had been modified for my 32.5 gallon tank:

1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Sixline Wrasse
1x helfrichi firefish
2x Lyretail blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris hanae) Apparently these are going to be a pain to get
1x Clown goby (probably yellow)
1x Yasha goby w/ pistol shrimp

Does this list see ok? I added a cleaner shrimp to my tank as my first inhabitant.

Ok so went to my LFS again yesterday and I ended up getting a pair of Storm clownfish as my first fish

I guess they'll replace the hawkfish and wrasse.

2x Black Storm clownfish
1x helfrichi firefish
2x Lyretail blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris hanae)
1x Clown goby (probably yellow)
1x Yasha goby w/ pistol shrimp

I didn't plan on having any corals but I am open to getting an Anemone for the clownfish if its easy to care for/doesn't require changing water parameters.

 

[Slocke]

Ok so went to my LFS again yesterday and I ended up getting a pair of Storm clownfish as my first fish

I guess they'll replace the hawkfish and wrasse.

2x Black Storm clownfish
1x helfrichi firefish
2x Lyretail blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris hanae)
1x Clown goby (probably yellow)
1x Yasha goby w/ pistol shrimp

I didn't plan on having any corals but I am open to getting an Anemone for the clownfish if its easy to care for/doesn't require changing water parameters.

Clowns don’t need an anemone and the ones they host are generally pretty hard. Bubble tip is probably the one most people go with and they require high light.

 

[Mizu]

Awesome! Maybe in a few months ill try my luck with one. I normally keep my lights bright white

 

[DustinDec]

Clowns don’t need an anemone and the ones they host are generally pretty hard. Bubble tip is probably the one most people go with and they require high light.

You could do a fairy Wrasse. The Exquisite (not to be confused with the multicolor) looks amazing and is much more peaceful. They can still eat a cleaner shrimp, but unlikely.

I'm about to get my first Bubble Tip Anemone and I only did it because I got it for free thanks to a memorial day sale. In all honesty, I kinda wish I had just passed on it as the more research I do, the more work I realize I'm getting myself into.

 

[anizato]

Hey all,

I have a IM 10 Nuvo Fusion tank. I have a Clownfish I have had since baby for about 6 years or so now. He has outgrown this tank. I can't put anything else in the tank, and I would like to have more of an ecosystem than a biome, and this guy eats all my shrimp and gobies.

So I was thinking of having a Sexy Shrimp colony (between 5-7), 3 Firefish and a Goby/Shrimp pair, a Pygmy Wrasse and a Midas Blenny.

Any inputs or suggestions are very welcome, Thank you for your time.

 

[Naekuh]

Ok so went to my LFS again yesterday and I ended up getting a pair of Storm clownfish as my first fish

I guess they'll replace the hawkfish and wrasse.

2x Black Storm clownfish
1x helfrichi firefish
2x Lyretail blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris hanae)
1x Clown goby (probably yellow)
1x Yasha goby w/ pistol shrimp

I didn't plan on having any corals but I am open to getting an Anemone for the clownfish if its easy to care for/doesn't require changing water parameters.

OMG you have the sky diving team in your tank....

I could never keep a helfrichi and dartfish.
I know 1000% they will become snacks for my dog.

Make sure your LID is very WELL covered.

Hey all,

I have a IM 10 Nuvo Fusion tank. I have a Clownfish I have had since baby for about 6 years or so now. He has outgrown this tank. I can't put anything else in the tank, and I would like to have more of an ecosystem than a biome, and this guy eats all my shrimp and gobies.

So I was thinking of having a Sexy Shrimp colony (between 5-7), 3 Firefish and a Goby/Shrimp pair, a Pygmy Wrasse and a Midas Blenny.

Any inputs or suggestions are very welcome, Thank you for your time.

Your tank is too small for a Midas.

 

[Slocke]

Hey all,

I have a IM 10 Nuvo Fusion tank. I have a Clownfish I have had since baby for about 6 years or so now. He has outgrown this tank. I can't put anything else in the tank, and I would like to have more of an ecosystem than a biome, and this guy eats all my shrimp and gobies.

So I was thinking of having a Sexy Shrimp colony (between 5-7), 3 Firefish and a Goby/Shrimp pair, a Pygmy Wrasse and a Midas Blenny.

Any inputs or suggestions are very welcome, Thank you for your time.

That tank is really only goby sized. Maybe a small species of blenny. You can get quite a variety of gobies though. Firefish are water column. Clown gobies for on top of rocks. Other gobies like a yasha for below.

 

[mycoralswontgrow]

My current stock list minus either the yellow eye or starry since I’ve been told they won’t get along.

Any other problems people see, or suggestions as I have 2 spots I’d like to fill with something. Not sure an eel would work in my tank due to all my inverts.

1 Yellow tang

1 yellow eye Cole

1 Starry

2 Flasher wrasse

1 Melanarus wrasse

2 ice mocha clowns

 

[DDenny]

Need advice for last fish (maybe two). Tank is an IM 25g lagoon. Have 20+ pound of live rock in it. I am looking for that last 1 or 2 fish that actually swim around but not sure what would be comparable. The two current tank inhabitants get a long never seen any fighting.
Bicolor Blenny
Azure Damsel

Was thinking a possum wrasse but was reading they are a little shy and would like something that swims around more. I have tried firefish but for some reason I don’t have luck with them at all. And I don’t want clowns. Possible fish are:

Possum wrasse
Royal Gramma
What else?

 

[Slocke]

My current stock list minus either the yellow eye or starry since I’ve been told they won’t get along.

Any other problems people see, or suggestions as I have 2 spots I’d like to fill with something. Not sure an eel would work in my tank due to all my inverts.

1 Yellow tang

1 yellow eye Cole

1 Starry

2 Flasher wrasse

Flasher wrasse often don’t do well long term with tangs. Also flashers do better if you have different species as all wrasse eventually become male. And two males of the same species will fight. This is not an issue though if they are two different species of flasher.

1 Melanarus wrasse

2 ice mocha clowns

I’m not sure the size of your tank so I can only guess what will and won’t work. There are essentially two types of eels. Fish eaters and invert eaters. If you have both you’ll have to get something else. I suggest an engineer goby.
Other suggestions are a basslet like a royal gramma. A fairy wrasse, leopard wrasse, or a second Halichoeres wrasse like a yellow or radiant.