Reccomend fish with the utility of a bristletooth tang and beauty of flame angel for 40b

[TheDorkLord]

Hi all and thanks for looking

The title pretty much says it all, I am looking for a utility fish that can serve a similar utility function as yellow/purple, bristletooth, etc. Tangs. I would like for it to be a centerpiece fish about as eye catching as a flame angel. This will be for a 40b mixed reef tank. Also, I'd prefer if the price tag was on the more "affordable" side of the spectrum. What are your suggestions for this holy grail fish?

Thanks again

 

[Alex Cataldo]

Coral beauty angel that’s relatively small would be ok in a 40 breeder. They have awesome colors and look awesome under any spectrum with proper diets

 

[ExoS]

I am new so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think you might be better breaking up the criteria into two fish. The utility (since you mentioned a bristletooth tang I assume you are looking for algae control) fish could be a lawnmower blenny or a tailspot blenny. Then your inexpensive show fish could be a wrasse or dwarf angel or for smaller options, a royal gramma or firefish.

 

[TheDorkLord]

They are beautiful. In fact, I was set on getting a captive bred specimen as I heard that the tank raised ones would be good with the size of a 40b. I don't really know how true that is, so I kinda talked myself out of it. Good suggestion though.


Edit to reflect the Coral Beauty

 

[homer1475]

Kept a flame angel in a 29G biocube for many years without issue. I see no issue keeping that fish in a 40 breeder.

 

[nereefpat]

I would suggest 2 fish:
Starry blenny
Halichoeres leucoxanthus

Both relatively cheap

 

[homer1475]

I would suggest 2 fish:
Starry blenny
Halichoeres leucoxanthus

Both relatively cheap

love my starry blenny! Eats more algae then my blue eyed kole ever thought he could. Never owned an algae blenny, but I would assume they are voracious algae eaters too.

 

[TheDorkLord]

The starry blenny is a pretty fish. I hear they are not short in the personality department either. It is definitely one I will look into a bit more to replace another fish on my list. Any other ideas for a colorful eye-catching centerpiece fish?

......Or should I just stop worrying and get the coral beauty?

 

[dvgyfresh]

The starry blenny is a pretty fish. I hear they are not short in the personality department either. It is definitely one I will look into a bit more to replace another fish on my list. Any other ideas for a colorful eye-catching centerpiece fish?

......Or should I just stop worrying and get the coral beauty?

I like the splendid dottyback back , but they can be mean so add last

 

[TheDorkLord]

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit afraid of the dottyback aggression, lol. Read stories of them bullying other fish into hiding?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit afraid of the dottyback aggression, lol. Read stories of them bullying other fish into hiding?

I had one in a 40b and it showed no aggression to tank mates , clowns , shrimp, starfish , tang , wrasse. But if you added anything after it , it would chase it around

 

[TheDorkLord]

Just curios, did you use an acclimation box?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Just curios, did you use an acclimation box?

No I did not I just temp acclimate in bag

 

[arking_mark]

White Bristletooth Tang. Best cleaner I've ever seen.

 

[TheDorkLord]

Man, I wish. Those white tail bristletooths are absolutely gorgeous

 

[NJDragonet]

Hows your pod popluation I have never seen anything more eyecatching than a Mandiran and they are also pretty cheap about 20 bucks each. They are by far the most pretty fish in the hobby. If you don't have a big pod popluation you can still get a captive bred which for the most part will eat frozen food.

 

[homer1475]

I would never put a mandy in a biocube, without planning on culturing pods. You could buy them, but thats gets pretty spendy pretty quickly.

Even captive bred still hunt pods all day. They have to, because of the way their digestive trac is.

 

[TheDorkLord]

Absolutely. A tank raised blue mandarin is one I am looking to get, If I can see it eating before I purchase it (and when I have a healthy pod population, I am trying to 3d print some of the pod hotels to try out). Mandarins and cardinals are what made me get into the hobby when I was a teen. Although it was freshwater cause I was broke and that was all that was available around me, lol.