Reef safe blue fish (not a tang).

TheBear78

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Hello all,
I don't like to ask these types of questions when there is so much information available but I am just drawing a blank.
I am looking for one or two more fish to go in my RSR 425 XL and would really like something blue in colour. This/these will be the last to go in so I'm trying to make the most of them but, as always, there are certain criteria!
I have a selection of Inverts and snails and while the snails are expendable, I would rather not lose the shrimps. Similarly I have a few soft corals, Zoas, Sinularia for example and also a Duncan which I would rather not have to worry about.
The obvious choice would be a PBT or a Regal tang bit I know they'll get too big and are far too finicky for me. As it is, my Foxface and possibly the Convict tang could be problematic as they grow.
After those two options the only safe fish I can think of is maybe a Chalk Bass but while they look nice they're not really special enough, if you know what I mean.
Can anyone suggest a blue coloured reef safe fish for me to consider?
Thank you.

My current stock list;
2 x Clownfish
1 x Royal Gramma
6 x Green Chromis
1 x orange spot Goby
1 x Convict tang
1 x Fox Face Rabbitfish.

2 x Halloween Hermits
2 x Black shell Hermits
1 x Coral Banded shrimp
2 x cleaner shrimp
~ 6 Nassarius nails
2 x Trochus Snails.
 

Tamberav

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Springer damsel
Starkii damsel
Randall assessor
Macneill's Assessor
Sharknose goby
Neon goby
Bellus angelfish
Blue Mandarin (special requirements)
Bluespot jawfish (special requirements)
Blue Reef chromis

Mostly reef safe?
Coral beauty
Pygmy angel
Fireball angel
Flameback angel
Venustus angel
 
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s_tooz_123

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I agree with the yellow tail damsel. I have had one in my tank for about two years. He is a very bright blue, with some black highlights---only about an inch long now. Never bothered anything or anyone in the tank. He does like to protect his little sleeping hole/cave in the rockwork, but nothing aggressive.

And the best part, they are cheap.
 

i cant think

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It’s getting rather late over here but I’ll try to add to this list (Will definitely be back here with a MUCH longer list tomorrow… good luck deciphering them haha).
Paracheilinus cyaneus, only truly blue when they display.
Paracheilinus lineopunctatus, see above
Cirrhilabrus aquamarinus
Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura
 

LiamPM

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Id say you are probably stocked in terms of large fish for that size tank so does make the choices lesser......

Id personally go down the wrasse route - because you dont currently have one and most tanks should for me....

Larabicus Quadrilineatus - Four lined wrasse - Its a very intense blue under our typical blue lighting - Very easy to care for and shouldnt pose any issues at all realistically.

Ciirhilabris Solorensis - Just a stunning fish altogether but comes with enough blue to be acceptable in the blue search i think.

If damselfish are something you'd be ok with (some can be terrors for territory) then theres quite a few blue species available butChromis Limbaughi is a really standout blue species - Almost gliscens under our typical lighting - Not fully blue though

More unusual and not too common - Hoplolatilus Starcki - Bluehead Tilefish - Not a fully blue species again but in our typical lighting does come off very blue - More unique than others too and fairly similar to dartfish with its behaviour so not a diffiuclt species to keep.
 

Tired

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Something in the vicinity of a yellowtail blue damsel would be a good choice. They're not super aggressive- they pick a spot and defend it by smacking with their tails.
 

i cant think

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Id say you are probably stocked in terms of large fish for that size tank so does make the choices lesser......

Id personally go down the wrasse route - because you dont currently have one and most tanks should for me....

Larabicus Quadrilineatus - Four lined wrasse - Its a very intense blue under our typical blue lighting - Very easy to care for and shouldnt pose any issues at all realistically.

Ciirhilabris Solorensis - Just a stunning fish altogether but comes with enough blue to be acceptable in the blue search i think.

If damselfish are something you'd be ok with (some can be terrors for territory) then theres quite a few blue species available butChromis Limbaughi is a really standout blue species - Almost gliscens under our typical lighting - Not fully blue though

More unusual and not too common - Hoplolatilus Starcki - Bluehead Tilefish - Not a fully blue species again but in our typical lighting does come off very blue - More unique than others too and fairly similar to dartfish with its behaviour so not a diffiuclt species to keep.
Take out Larabicus quadrilineatus. This is a call for disaster, these are not like the Labroides species and are only “cleaner” wrasses as Juveniles. Once they mature into adulthood, you’ll have a fish that enjoys feasting on coral.
Hoplolatilus species need a specialised tank designed around them. I talk as someone who has cared for several Hoplolatilus, ranging from my infamous Chlupatyi to the Starcki and other common species. These are quite literally the opposite of easy, they require a Fort Knox lid with 0 escape holes (extremely small Netting is best). You must watch the tilefish every single second once the lid has been lifted. And they usually come in with issues due to how they’re collected or where they’re collected from.
 

i cant think

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And now, here’s my list of Blue fish or fish that go blue under certain circumstances (Marked with *). Starting with the ones i already mentioned.
- Paracheilinus cyaneus*
- Paracheilinus lineopunctatus*
- Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura
- Cirrhilabrus aquamarinus
- Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Indo)
- Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Cebu)*
- Cirrhilabrus laboutei
- Cirrhilabrus hygroxerus
- Cirrhilabrus lunatus
- Cirrhilabrus teminicki
- Cirrhilabrus lineatus
- Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis*
- Macropharyngodon negrosensis*
- Macropharyngodon bipartitus*
- Macropharyngodon marisirubri*
- Anampses caeruleopunctatus
- Labroides dimidatus
- Labroides pectoralis
- Halichoeres argus
- Halichoeres chrysotaenia
- Halichoeres marginatus
- Halichoeres prospeion
- Halichoeres richmondi
- Pseudojuloides ceranasius
- Pseudojuloides kaleidos
- Pseudojuloides severnsi
- Pseudojuloides splendens
- Pseudojuloides xanthamos
- Pseudochromis springeri
- Pseudochromis aldabrensis
- Pseudochromis sankeyi x fridmani
- Pseudochromis flavivertex
- Pseudochromis splendens
- Gramma linki
- Chrysiptera springeri
- Chrysiptera parasema
- Chrysiptera cyanea
- Chromis cyanea
- Chromis viridis

Hope this list helps! I may have gone a bit out on practicing my scientifics…
 

jtf74

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Hello all,
I don't like to ask these types of questions when there is so much information available but I am just drawing a blank.
I am looking for one or two more fish to go in my RSR 425 XL and would really like something blue in colour. This/these will be the last to go in so I'm trying to make the most of them but, as always, there are certain criteria!
I have a selection of Inverts and snails and while the snails are expendable, I would rather not lose the shrimps. Similarly I have a few soft corals, Zoas, Sinularia for example and also a Duncan which I would rather not have to worry about.
The obvious choice would be a PBT or a Regal tang bit I know they'll get too big and are far too finicky for me. As it is, my Foxface and possibly the Convict tang could be problematic as they grow.
After those two options the only safe fish I can think of is maybe a Chalk Bass but while they look nice they're not really special enough, if you know what I mean.
Can anyone suggest a blue coloured reef safe fish for me to consider?
Thank you.

My current stock list;
2 x Clownfish
1 x Royal Gramma
6 x Green Chromis
1 x orange spot Goby
1 x Convict tang
1 x Fox Face Rabbitfish.

2 x Halloween Hermits
2 x Black shell Hermits
1 x Coral Banded shrimp
2 x cleaner shrimp
~ 6 Nassarius nails
2 x Trochus Snails.
I got one of these electric blue damsels by chance with a flame I bought and it was a good community fish and just about as bright blue as my hippo tang.
 

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LiamPM

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Take out Larabicus quadrilineatus. This is a call for disaster, these are not like the Labroides species and are only “cleaner” wrasses as Juveniles. Once they mature into adulthood, you’ll have a fish that enjoys feasting on coral.
Hoplolatilus species need a specialised tank designed around them. I talk as someone who has cared for several Hoplolatilus, ranging from my infamous Chlupatyi to the Starcki and other common species. These are quite literally the opposite of easy, they require a Fort Knox lid with 0 escape holes (extremely small Netting is best). You must watch the tilefish every single second once the lid has been lifted. And they usually come in with issues due to how they’re collected or where they’re collected from.
And that is the beauty of experiences in this hobby aye - Not all are the same.

I had a Quadrilineatus for around 4 years and was a good samaritan - Housed with a large mix of LPS, soft and even SPS, albeit a large Hystrex only - No issues at all. Some documentation states they may eat stony coral polyps but my own experience and a few of i know that have kept have experienced the opposite - Probably one of my most problem free species of wrasse ive kept over the years. Can they, but do they

Ive also kept a few tilefish species (2)- Not for some time mind - Never this species in question either- Ive never experienced any difficulty in acclimating them or keeping them in general - Jumpers, yes, hence my reference to being similar to dartfish but keeping a fish tank without the means to keep the fish in it is just wrong from the off. Id actually agree with the likes of saltcorner and liveaquaria that label this species as "moderate" for care although id call them easier rather than harder and imagine the "moderate" label comes from the fact they jump in itself.

This in itself is why research is so key though - Experience will vary massively between most keepers and species. The four species i listed - I wouldnt think twice about keeping them again (The 3 i have) without any need for preperation atall based on my previous experience with them.
 

OrionN

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Are those count as blue fishes?
 

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