showfish for a 30g

Max The New reefer

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hi, I'm looking to add a showfish to a reef tank, it's a 24"x24"x10" 30g, I want fish that's larger like a wrasse or angelfish or small puffer, I would also prefer it to be reef safe, any suggestion?

current fish
ocelaris clowns
wheelers goby
pincushion urchin
tiger pistol shrimp
 

Lasse

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Some of the smaller wrasses may add something more to the tank - if you have lot of hiding places - look at the possum wrasses - they are shy in the beginning but if they are the only fish in their nisch - they show up an interesting behaviour with time. There is other small wrasses too - but stay away for the more aggressive species like Pseudocheilinus hexataenia. There is some dwarf/pygmy angels too - see here. Centropyge argi is one example. See species here Some grow to much but there is some that will fit a 30 G with a shoehorn :D

Sincerely Lasse
 

lion king

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If you have $600-800 laying around you could do a candy basslet. Or you could do a poor man's version with the swales swissguard basslet, I had one that was quite stunning. They can be shy though. Any real show wrasses would need a bigger tank. The cherub or flameback angel are nice, but 50/50 when it comes to reef safe, I did have a cherub that was good for years in a BC29.
 

Bossman

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I 2nd the pygmy angel suggestion. I have a cherub angel in my 10 gallon. Pretty fish and very active.
 
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Max The New reefer

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Some of the smaller wrasses may add something more to the tank - if you have lot of hiding places - look at the possum wrasses - they are shy in the beginning but if they are the only fish in their nisch - they show up an interesting behaviour with time. There is other small wrasses too - but stay away for the more aggressive species like. There is some dwarf/pygmy angels too - see here. Centropyge argi is one example. See species here Some grow to much but there is some that will fit a 30 G with a shoehorn :D

Sincerely Lasse
I love possum wrasses, but they never do well in my tank, even before I had clownfish, they just died, I was thinking a dwarf angel, I cant do a coral beauty, so a flame or a cherub, which do you reccomend?- max
 
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Max The New reefer

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If you have $600-800 laying around you could do a candy basslet. Or you could do a poor man's version with the swales swissguard basslet, I had one that was quite stunning. They can be shy though. Any real show wrasses would need a bigger tank. The cherub or flameback angel are nice, but 50/50 when it comes to reef safe, I did have a cherub that was good for years in a BC29.
WOW candy baskets are crazy, I wish I could afford one, swissgaurds I've heard tend to be aggressive, I'm down to a flame back or cherub angel what do you think?
 

footgal

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I’ve got a full grown cherub in a 20 gallon, very very happy and healthy fish. Flamebacks get to the same size so I think one of those would be happy as well :)

you could do a geometric hawk but they can be quite reclusive, stunning color and pattern though!
 
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Max The New reefer

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I’ve got a full grown cherub in a 20 gallon, very very happy and healthy fish. Flamebacks get to the same size so I think one of those would be happy as well :)

you could do a geometric hawk but they can be quite reclusive, stunning color and pattern though!
awesome, thanks for the help!
 

lion king

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WOW candy baskets are crazy, I wish I could afford one, swissgaurds I've heard tend to be aggressive, I'm down to a flame back or cherub angel what do you think?

My cherub lived in BC29 lps dominant reef for years. He was a model citizen as they say, he was not aggressive or bothered any corals.
 

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Dark_Knightt

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hi, I'm looking to add a showfish to a reef tank, it's a 24"x24"x10" 30g, I want fish that's larger like a wrasse or angelfish or small puffer, I would also prefer it to be reef safe, any suggestion?

current fish
ocelaris clowns
wheelers goby
pincushion urchin
tiger pistol shrimp
Yeah as previously said possum wrasse are awesome showpiece fish, for a 30g you could also try a mandarinfish. They work well in 30gs if you keep a good pod population, but i woud still suggest getting a captive bred one that eats pellets, makes everything easier.
 

Bossman

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Thanks! A good read. I also have a lawnmower blenny in every tank. In 2 of the tanks, the cleaner wrasse occasionally bites at the blennies, no other fish. Not enough to be more of an immediate nuisance, but the blennies don't like it.
 

pcon

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Just FYI ORA recommends a 75 gal minimum for captive bred cherub and flame back angels. And they have a vested interest in minimizing that number.


I recommend a possum wrasse or one of the many amazing basslets.
 

lion king

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Just FYI ORA recommends a 75 gal minimum for captive bred cherub and flame back angels. And they have a vested interest in minimizing that number.


I recommend a possum wrasse or one of the many amazing basslets.

Not to try justify keeping these guys in a 30g, but the 75g recommendation from ORA is for pairs. I know 30g is likely at the low end of adequate tank space for these guys, but I did have one thrive in a BC29 and was not aggressive or picked on corals.
 
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