What are your must have utilitarian fish?

[Sink_or_Swim]

Diamond goby, hands down.

 

[TheBear78]

My step bother owns what is essentially my LFS although his main business is coral farming. He has Convict Tangs in most of his tanks for algae control and recommended that I do the same.
I've had mine for a couple of months and he's an algae eating machine and isn't the least bit aggressive towards anyone else. I know they're not the most impressive Tang to look at but he certainly does the business. My only problem is providing enough food!

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

My step bother owns what is essentially my LFS although his main business is coral farming. He has Convict Tangs in most of his tanks for algae control and recommended that I do the same.
I've had mine for a couple of months and he's an algae eating machine and isn't the least bit aggressive towards anyone else. I know they're not the most impressive Tang to look at but he certainly does the business. My only problem is providing enough food!

I actually think convicts are beautiful tangs! I'd really like one, but will have to wait until I upgrade... again... lol (I'm sure it'll happen eventually!)

 

[doubleshot00]

Idk really… I guess I’m mostly worried about disease and aggression. (I swear I see a dead blue hippo at even the best LFS's.) And honestly every time I go looking for a tang I run into a wrasse or something I like better.
I get why people like them I’m sure they’re great, just not for me.

Well don’t get a blue hippo and imo they aren’t a tang. They suck at there job.

 

[_sludgefactory]

Not that I'd consider it utilitarian but I got a green mandarin for the massive amount of brown flat worms I had and she pretty much wiped them out. I did that instead of flat worm exit. Almost two years now and she's fat and there are barely any flat worms.

 

[eliza209]

What do you recommend for a 30 gallon tank? I currently have two clowns, one diamond goby, a coral banded shrimp and a scarlet legged crab. What might be next if anything? I do plan on adding corals eventually. My tank is about 2 months old and doing great so far!

 

[kevgib67]

What do you recommend for a 30 gallon tank? I currently have two clowns, one diamond goby, a coral banded shrimp and a scarlet legged crab. What might be next if anything? I do plan on adding corals eventually. My tank is about 2 months old and doing great so far!

Not sure what you are asking. Fish or inverts?

 

[eliza209]

Fish for now, please. So many I see listed as great for CUC are not good in a small tank.

 

[cdnco2004]

Saltwater Acclimated Molies are my main utility fish. They spend all day eating algae and detritus none stop. Plus a free source of live feed.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

A bristle tooth tang is almost always needed. Fox face second, then a good pest picking wrasse. Fill in the rest with similar algae and pest pickers to keep the tank good and clean.

 

[Uncle99]

This guy.
A one man ( or women) rock cleaning professional.

 

[cpbartak]

Fish for now, please. So many I see listed as great for CUC are not good in a small tank.

I'd replace the diamond goby with this guy in that small of a tank as the diamond will likely starve out eventually:

https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/products/bauns-nano-sand-goby

Then, I'd go with a pink-streaked wrasse (because six line wrasses are evil) to help with pest control once you get coral and maybe add a goby-like fish known to help with algae, like a Rainford's goby or a Twin Spot blenny.

 

[cpbartak]

You know, there's one other type of fish that I consider utilitarian that I rarely see mentioned in these threads, fish that clean other fish: cleaner gobies and cleaner wrasses. Are they not considered utilitarian fish because no one ever mentions them?

 

[eliza209]

Thank you!

I'd replace the diamond goby with this guy in that small of a tank as the diamond will likely starve out eventually:

https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/products/bauns-nano-sand-goby

Then, I'd go with a pink-streaked wrasse (because six line wrasses are evil) to help with pest control once you get coral and maybe add a goby-like fish known to help with algae, like a Rainford's goby or a Twin Spot blenny.

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

You know, there's one other type of fish that I consider utilitarian that I rarely see mentioned in these threads, fish that clean other fish: cleaner gobies and cleaner wrasses. Are they not considered utilitarian fish because no one ever mentions them?

From what I understand, cleaner fish are better for larger tanks with many fish. I've heard they can "overclean" fish in smaller tanks since they don't have more filthy fish to go to.

 

[OrionN]

Tangs and more tangs. I consider the Fox face part of the Tang Gang