Purple fish

[Juice780]

I’m trying to plan what fish I want to add to my tank. It’s a 50 gallon lagoon. My girlfriend wants a purple fish. Seems like every purple one I research is not coral safe or aggressive. Anyone recommend one that is reef safe and non aggressive.

 

[hllb]

Purple firefish, royal gramma

 

[W1ngz]

Black cap basslet

 

[falconut]

Royal Gramma is 1/2 purple & lines were always mellow. I hear Orchid Dottybacks aren't too aggressive, especially the captive bred ones.

 

[Juice780]

I wanted an orchid dottyback but I heard some bad things. Maybe I heard wrong

 

[tehmadreefer]

Purple firefish

 

[hllb]

I wanted an orchid dottyback but I heard some bad things. Maybe I heard wrong

All dottybacks lean to the aggressive side.

 

[mattzang]

i have an orchid, it's not what i'd call mean, but i wouldn't put it in a smaller tank with timid/nicer fish like grammas or gobies or firefish

 

[Pbh-reef]

Black cap basslet is a great purple fish, can’t really lose with it. Orchid dottyback are usually ok but can occasionally be aggressive. Sometimes they get confused with the much more aggressive purple dottyback. A Lubbock fairy wrasse could also work and has purple in it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

strawberry basslet

 

[falconut]

strawberry basslet

If you're referring to: Pseudochromis porphyreus, I had one years ago and it was the meanest fish I ever had. Even chased a damsel into hiding.

 

[vetteguy53081]

If you're referring to: Pseudochromis porphyreus, I had one years ago and it was the meanest fish I ever had. Even chased a damsel into hiding.

That's crazy. Have one in my 93 cube and 50g drop off and peaceful as they get

 

[falconut]

That's crazy. Have one in my 93 cube and 50g drop off and peaceful as they get

Either you were lucky or I was unlucky, cause it was a pretty fish.

 

[CheckeredPants]

+1 for a Black Cap Basslet. Their purple is stunning.

 

[Jesterrace]

I would say a Royal Gramma or Black Cap Basslet would be the best choices for the tank, although if you don't mind the orange on the back the Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse is a great idea and good all around choice.

Here is an example of the Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse:

 

[lolmatt]

Radiant wrasse if your tank has a lid, though they can be hard to find healthy and are relatively pricey. Once established and eating they're very easy to keep. Might go after shrimp and the occasional snail but 100% coral and fish safe, very active, shouldn't be aggressive either.

If not, the royal grammar is the best option I've seen mentioned, they're active enough and very pretty, and not completely purple.

One thing worth mentioning - purple will become a very common color in a reef tank due to coraline algae...given the choice between a purple fish and a fish that is not the color of an easy to keep coral, algae, or lighting (so...yellow, orange, and red to some extent) I'll take the yellow or orange fish (or fish with one of those colors...the aforementioned wrasse, purple tang, royal gramma) 10 times out of 10.