What are some underrated fish for a large reef tank?

CoralGoblin8 · Mar 21, 2022

I have a 200g 6ft tank.
Current stock is:
- Pair of Barrier Reef Clowns
- Sailfin Tang
- Foxface
- Yellow Coris
- Timor Wrasse
- Royal Dottyback
- Group of damsels (Yellowtail, Humbug, Talbots etc)

Wha are some underrated or unknown fish that I could add? Ive been looking at a Harlequin Tusk and Birdnose Wrasse.

Thanks!

i cant think · Mar 28, 2022

blaxsun said:
Haha, and of course you'd ask... This was taken a few days ago just with my iPhone 8 for another R2R member as he wanted to see my aquascape - so not all of the fish are present. Lower left, melanarus wrasse and lamarck's angelfish. All the smaller chromia, basslets and anthias are out of course. Parrotfish is hiding at the back of the tank in his cave and the marine betta is still sleeping.

Believe it or not there are 35 fish present. Some of the crew (like the parrotfish) just hate cameras.

How does he do with other labrids?

blaxsun · Mar 28, 2022

i cant think said:
How does he do with other labrids?

He's the king, naturally. The melanarus usually sleeps in and arrives late to the party, the sixline is off on patrol most of the time and the only wrasse that gets on his nerves is the bicolor cleaner wrasse - who used to pester him looking for free meals. It was quite funny watching a 7" parrotfish chase a 2" cleaner wrasse around the tank! (but they've since resolved their differences)

The marine betta is actually one of the most peaceful fish in the tank. He's not into the whole "fish frenzy" during feeding and will either patiently wait for me to hand feed him or snag his dinner when the other piranhas calm down a bit.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 28, 2022

Unicorn tang. Underrated large aquarium fish.
Squirrelfish as well.
D

dmsc2fs · Mar 28, 2022

fishguy242 said:
Chevron or whitetail bristletooth tang.

Could this be Chevron AND Whitetail? Would they get along ok together?

fishguy242 · Mar 28, 2022

dmsc2fs said:
Could this be Chevron AND Whitetail? Would they get along ok together?

had no problem, in 240 gal Chev was 7" WT was 4+" along with tomi at 4" and a few others.
RRS .PT. 2 4" Vlamingi ,at the time, foxy and few smalls.

i cant think · Mar 28, 2022

dmsc2fs said:
Could this be Chevron AND Whitetail? Would they get along ok together?

In a 6’ I wouldn’t recommend also the chevron is Hawaiian endemic. You can’t get them now unless someone is taking down a tank and has one. Even then be ready for a VERY high price tag.

NoahLikesFish · Mar 28, 2022

CoralGoblin8 said:
I have a 200g 6ft tank.
Current stock is:
- Pair of Barrier Reef Clowns
- Sailfin Tang
- Foxface
- Yellow Coris
- Timor Wrasse
- Royal Dottyback
- Group of damsels (Yellowtail, Humbug, Talbots etc)

Wha are some underrated or unknown fish that I could add? Ive been looking at a Harlequin Tusk and Birdnose Wrasse.

Thanks!

both those, triggers are nice, , a harem of large basslets (harlequin, tobacco bass), harem of hawkfish or a giant hawkfish, arc eye and things are nice, valamingi are nice. FTS?

i cant think · Mar 28, 2022

CoralGoblin8 said:
I have a 200g 6ft tank.
Current stock is:
- Pair of Barrier Reef Clowns
- Sailfin Tang
- Foxface
- Yellow Coris
- Timor Wrasse
- Royal Dottyback
- Group of damsels (Yellowtail, Humbug, Talbots etc)

Wha are some underrated or unknown fish that I could add? Ive been looking at a Harlequin Tusk and Birdnose Wrasse.

Thanks!

I don’t know if I commented on this however, both the harlequin and birdmouth wrasses are too aggressive for other wrasses IMO. Personally I’d say they need aggressive tanks, they would possibly go and eat the two Halichoeres you have currently.

Zionas · Mar 28, 2022

Now that they’re being captive bred, I would consider a pair of Regals. Or maybe a couple different large / medium angels.

Anemone_Fanatic · Mar 28, 2022

Xanichthys triggerfish are reef safe, active, and make for good show fish.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 28, 2022

No trigger is reef safe
D

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 28, 2022

I've never seen tobacco bass or harlequin in a group only chalk.
Large aquarium space is needed for multiple hawkish.
Angels again
Fish only

Steve and his Animals · Mar 28, 2022

Very underrated imo are lavender tangs. They usually come in small and look kinda bland, but man do they look nice mature. And cheap!

Only downside to green bird wrasse is they are shrimp eaters.

Steve and his Animals · Mar 28, 2022

Also I've always been partial to Convict tangs, although their reputation isn't the best in terms of attitude.

Anemone_Fanatic · Mar 28, 2022

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
No trigger is reef safe
D

I respect your point of view, but these triggerfish are coral safe, as far as I know. In the wild they are planktivores, unlike other triggerfish. Perhaps I should have said bluethroat triggerfish instead, as their reef-safety is well known by most hobbyists, and they appear to be the "poster child" of the genus. I have not owned one myself, but all of the information with any evidence to back it up that I can find suggests reef compatibility.

Reef-Friendly Triggerfish Species | Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

An expert aquarist looks at reef triggerfish worth keeping, as well as potential dangers they could cause to invertebrates and corals.

www.tfhmagazine.com

Fish Facts with Quality Marine, Episode 1 - Reef Safe Triggerfish

We give you a behind-the-scenes look at Quality Marine in Los Angeles. Then, we profile 3 reef safe Triggerfish: the Crosshatch, Blue Jaw, and Sargassum!

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Blue Jaw Trigger Reef Safe? · Saltwateraquarist.com

Most Triggerfish can and will create chaos in a reef tank. The one or two exceptions include the Blue Jaw Trigger. This is the amongst the least aggressive of all triggerfish species and is generally very hardy, personable and reef safe.

saltwateraquarist.com

These are some articles that I found supporting my view. I hope that Reef2Reef allows external links. If you have any experience with these triggers that shows a lack of reef safety or have any articles that suggest the same, please share them. I am planning a large tank and these are on my wishlist, so I would like to hear any meaningful dissent to their reef safety.

i cant think · Mar 28, 2022

The entire genus of xanthichthys are supposedly reef safe. This is due to them being planktivorous in the wild as said above.
The whole genus are often kept in reefs due to this and actually, IME most triggerfish will actually avoid the SPS coral, mainly going for fleshy LPS such as acanthastrea, Micromusa ect…

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Mar 28, 2022

Steve and his Animals said:
Very underrated imo are lavender tangs. They usually come in small and look kinda bland, but man do they look nice mature. And cheap!

Only downside to green bird wrasse is they are shrimp eaters.

I hope to get one of these when I have a larger tank

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Mar 28, 2022

blaxsun said:
Haha, and of course you'd ask... This was taken a few days ago just with my iPhone 8 for another R2R member as he wanted to see my aquascape - so not all of the fish are present. Lower left, melanarus wrasse and lamarck's angelfish. All the smaller chromia, basslets and anthias are out of course. Parrotfish is hiding at the back of the tank in his cave and the marine betta is still sleeping.

Believe it or not there are 35 fish present. Some of the crew (like the parrotfish) just hate cameras.

Gorgeous!