What Fish Have Great Personality?

BamboozleBean · Jan 20, 2020

I am trying to find a unique fish with some good personality for my 20 gallon tank, something besides the normal goby and clownfish.
What comes to your mind?

Old Fritz · Jan 20, 2020

I would do a fairy wrasse. They have lots of personality imo. My old one liked to follow me when I would walk by. Also a lot of colors to choose from

Han · Jan 20, 2020

Jawfish? 20g is a bit on the small side for one but it may work. You’ll need a deepish sand bed and a lid with no gaps.

Old Fritz · Jan 20, 2020

Han said:
Jawfish? 20g is a bit on the small side for one but it may work. You’ll need a deepish sand bed and a lid with no gaps.

never actually had a jawfish jump on me luckily but I feel all it takes is one little spook and that sucker is to the moon

Han · Jan 20, 2020

Old Fritz said:
never actually had a jawfish jump on me luckily but I feel all it takes is one little spook and that sucker is to the moon

I have a 6” dusky and I’ve seen him jump and hit the lid a fewtimes after lights out, so I guess I’m just a little cautious

BamboozleBean · Jan 20, 2020

Han said:
I have a 6” dusky and I’ve seen him jump and hit the lid a fewtimes after lights out, so I guess I’m just a little cautious

I have a rimless cube, so I don’t have a lid at the moment.

BamboozleBean · Jan 20, 2020

Han said:
Jawfish? 20g is a bit on the small side for one but it may work. You’ll need a deepish sand bed and a lid with no gaps.

Unfortunately I already have my tank aquascaped which is not suitable for a jawfish, I really like those guys though.

vetteguy53081 · Jan 20, 2020

Puffers no doubt as well as many tangs and also butterflies

mattzang · Jan 20, 2020

not so much personality, but i recently got a randalls assessor and that thing is massively entertaining. he swims upside down/sideways/vertical more than he swims normally. one of those would be a great fit in a 20g

Terri Caton · Jan 20, 2020

He has a 20 gallon! None of the fish that have been recommended should ever be kept in a tank that small.

You could probably get away with a Mandarin fish if you gave it a good supply of pods all the time.

Eight · Jan 20, 2020

Algae blenny! For some reason, I think of them like puppy dogs.

Terri Caton · Jan 20, 2020

mattzang said:
not so much personality, but i recently got a randalls assessor and that thing is massively entertaining. he swims upside down/sideways/vertical more than he swims normally. one of those would be a great fit in a 20g

Where did you get it? I want one but everyone has been out of them.

BamboozleBean · Jan 20, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Puffers no doubt as well as many tangs and also butterflies

Would love one of those, only a 20 gallon though.

Old Fritz · Jan 20, 2020

Terri Caton said:
He has a 20 gallon! None of the fish that have been recommended should ever be kept in a tank that small.

You could probably get away with a Mandarin fish if you gave it a good supply of pods all the time.

fairy wrasses can go in 20's mandarins realistically can't as there is no way to sustain a copepode population and would be unrealistic to keep adding copepods

VictoryBell · Jan 20, 2020

Tailspot blenny! Tiny fish; big personality.

charlie28 · Jan 20, 2020

Id say a red hawk fish, lawnmower blenny, blue spot jawfish.

Terri Caton · Jan 20, 2020

Old Fritz said:
fairy wrasses can go in 20's mandarins realistically can't as there is no way to sustain a copepode population and would be unrealistic to keep adding copepods

Not if you breed your own. It’s easy.

I can’t even imagine my wrasse in a 20 gallon. He’s in a 139 gallon and all over the place. Plus the OP has no lid.

I vote Tail Spot Blenny. One of my favorite fish! Huge personality.

Pbh-reef · Jan 20, 2020

Fish with great personality for a 20 would be a tailspot blenny, Pygmy geometric perchlet, and any of the 3 possum wrasse species or pink streaked wrasse. You could have all 3 together for an awesome tank.

A yellow headed jawfish isn’t a bad idea either
I think the shrimpgobies paired with a randals pistol shrimp
Have great behaviors to watch