What fish to eat pests

[racer-reefer]

I have a 65 gallon mixed reef tank with a 20g sump with refugeium. I currently have a mandrin, Yasha goby pistol shrimp pair, clown pair, long fin fairy wrasse and a Midas blenny. I can see a few different pests on my rocks and wierd worm things at night just trying to find something to eat the pests that won’t compete for food with mandarin or be aggressive with the other fish.

Any suggestions?

 

[Spare time]

Depends on the pest but typically any coris, melanarus, or sixline will be active hunters. I prefer the first 2 as they are less aggressive. If its bristleworms you are looking at, consider arrow crabs

 

[living_tribunal]

Canary wrasse, look no further.

 

[Haydn]

I'm sorry but what 'pests'. It sounds like you have normal macro life in your system, small pods/mysids/worms all live natural food for your current stock to pick at.

 

[Pbh-reef]

I agree with the above- also I’d be wary of adding a wrasse that eats pods to a 85 gallon system with a mandarin (who needs the pods to live).

just my 2cents

 

[Pbh-reef]

Also welcome to r2r!

 

[Spare time]

Depends on the pest but typically any coris, melanarus, or sixline will be active hunters. I prefer the first 2 as they are less aggressive. If its bristleworms you are looking at, consider arrow crabs

Edit I would avoid sixline if you are worried about copepods. However, most people mix up copepods and amphipods and a lot wrasses end up going for amphipods and not copepods.

 

[southerntnreefer]

I have a Red Coris and a Melanaris in my big tank. They are great for picking out any pests. Constant hunters.

 

[OrionN]

Any pest eater will cause your Madaran to starve in a 65 gal tank. Works are wonderful so these cannot count as pest but normal desirable fauna.

 

[Sharir]

Depends on the pest but typically any coris, melanarus, or sixline will be active hunters. I prefer the first 2 as they are less aggressive. If its bristleworms you are looking at, consider arrow crabs

I totally agree, in general any benthic feeding wrasse will eat pests but don't expect a large copepod population in your reef.