What fish to get?

[nsauer3]

What fish should I get out of these?

 

[Jekyl]

When I buy fish I let my tank dictate it. Starting with do I have the right size tank and ample home area for each addition. Once that narrows the list I decide which colors and temperament I'm lacking. Usually that will be enough to pick one.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Just to clarify here, when you say it will be your school fish, you mean you want these fish to school in your aquarium, correct?

 

[sascoaquatics]

for a schooling fish I would recommend anthias, also the damsels could become very aggressive, the wrasse probably wouldn't school either. and the dotty backs is the same situation as the damsels. don't know that much about that type of cardinal though so can't comment on them... you could also try blue green chromic but there is a risk of them being aggressive to eachother to the point of death.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I think some other questions need to be asked:

-what size of tank will you have?
-Is the tank cycled? Are you trying to cycle with fish?
-Why do you want these fish?
-Are you planning to quarantine, or just throw them in the display?
-Is this a reef tank? A predator tank with hungry eels? A nightmare clownfish tank?

 

[ying yang]

Yeah lots other Information needed .
Very least would be size off tank.
What other fish you got in tank or plan to get.
Other useful information would be a full tank picture to look at rockwork to see if enough hide e holes/ sleeping quarters or places for fish to hide of scared or getting bullied.
Age off tank.
If got any pests in tank that want help from the fish,like I read often damsels can eat certain pests.
Plus any other information you think could help us to help you

 

[nsauer3]

Just to clarify here, when you say it will be your school fish, you mean you want these fish to school in your aquarium, correct?

Yes, I’m not bringing them to a school

 

[nsauer3]

Yeah lots other Information needed .
Very least would be size off tank.
What other fish you got in tank or plan to get.
Other useful information would be a full tank picture to look at rockwork to see if enough hide e holes/ sleeping quarters or places for fish to hide of scared or getting bullied.
Age off tank.
If got any pests in tank that want help from the fish,like I read often damsels can eat certain pests.
Plus any other information you think could help us to help you

180 gallon
Planning for gobies, tangs, mandarins, and jawfish
Have clowns and two blennies
No known pests
Reef tank with corals and anemones
A full cleaning crew

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yes, I’m not bringing them to a school

In that case, I'd have to say none of these are likely to be good options.

The Bicolor or Royal Dottyback is noted for being extremely aggressive (Tropical Fish Magazine has an article noting that these guys will even attack much larger Trigger fish, which are usually reserved for high aggression FOWLR tanks). If you manage to get them to shoal (which is a very big if in an aquarium), there's a decent chance that they'd harass and stress your other fish pretty intensively.

The Yellowtail Damselfish have been tried in schools a number of times, and they usually whittle their numbers down by killing each other off one at a time.

The Wrasse will likely all change to male and kill each other.

Most cardinalfish species will kill each other off one at a time like the damsels - the only ones I've heard reports of decent success with are the Longspine or Threadfin Cardinalfish.

 

[nsauer3]

In that case, I'd have to say none of these are likely to be good options.

The Bicolor or Royal Dottyback is noted for being extremely aggressive (Tropical Fish Magazine has an article noting that these guys will even attack much larger Trigger fish, which are usually reserved for high aggression FOWLR tanks). If you manage to get them to shoal (which is a very big if in an aquarium), there's a decent chance that they'd harass and stress your other fish pretty intensively.

The Yellowtail Damselfish have been tried in schools a number of times, and they usually whittle their numbers down by killing each other off one at a time.

The Wrasse will likely all change to male and kill each other.

Most cardinalfish species will kill each other off one at a time like the damsels - the only ones I've heard reports of decent success with are the Longspine or Threadfin Cardinalfish.

Even pajama cardinals? I have heard good things about then. If not these what would be some good schooling fish, I was reading up on some Dispar Anthias

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Even pajama cardinals? I have heard good things about then. If not these what would be some good schooling fish, I was reading up on some Dispar Anthias

Most things I've read say that the Pajama Cardinals, while peaceful in groups, don't actually school or shoal much at all in aquariums. Lasse here on R2R even mentioned in a thread that he had 9 of them in his tank, and they pretty much all just do their own thing. I can't speak for the Dispar Anthias, as I've only heard of people keeping them in "mixed schools" of a variety of anthias species.

 

[ying yang]

Nice size tank at 180 gallons so lots of options on fish.
Your aquascape well thought out and lots of swim throughs,over hangs and places for fish to hide/ sleep.
I've not personally had any off the 4 fish you put in the poll so no experience on them,but even though I never owned any of them,they wouldn't be my choice on a schooling fish ( but only from research from years ago before stocked my tank)
The problem I often read with schooling saltwater fish is quite often they pick each other off and end up with just 2 or 3 etc.
But you've got the chromis like green,blue,blue/ green ,very cheap but as above often read puck each other off and one of the fish susceptible to uronema.
Quite a few different species off damsels,some known to be more aggressive than others ( maybe its springer damsels that are obe of the known to be lesser aggressive species but check up on that first.

Me personally I would be looking Into and researching some kind off anthia as lots of species and some very colourful ones,one thing that puts me off them though is read very active fish so do best with multiply feeding each and every day like 5-6 times I've seen mentioned often so when comes to holidays,would your tank sitter be up for feeding multiply times a day ( ovbiously always option of feeding dry pellets and using an auto feeder and hopefully get a good one that feeds consistent amounts and doesnt malfunction etc.
When I think of schooling fish ,I think minumum 6,so would nako's fairy wrasse actually school idk ?

Same goes for bi colour Dotty back,if remember rightly they can often pair but don't remember reading much on keeping 6 or more in same tank.

School of cardinalfish

I have a standard 4ft 90g tank that I'm wanting to put a few more fish in. I've been looking at maybe doing some cardinalfish...something like the yellow stripe, red spot, or red stop light. Does anyone have much experience and success with keeping a school of these? And if so, what would you...

www.reef2reef.com

Just searched r2r on cardinals schooling ( as I'm not so keen on pj's or sone other cardinals as just seem to hover in the water and don't do to much so didnt research them that much) but in above thread post 2 someone mentioned ring tailed cardinal fish which look beautiful fish,the care they need idk so you will have to research if consider them.

 

[ying yang]

What's a good schooling fish?

I would like to have a bunch of fish swimming together.

www.reef2reef.com

Some other options in this tank if open to other fish than your 4 in the poll.
Just re-read that thread and reminded me off a thought I had written my above post of fish school and school in ocean/rivers/lakes etc for protection from predators so if you buy a group of fish to school in your tank,if you got no predators or aggressive fish and they get comfortable then they may not school like you want anyway ( just a thought)

I read @i cant think recommend some kind of butterfly fish I believe it was only the other day to @Miami Reef I think and think maybe they known to be reef safe or reef safe with caution if memory serves correct,one of the smaller butterfly fish and he says a group would look cool,not sure if your 180 gallon would be big enough and ideal but you never know maybe would be,let's see if they can remember what fish it was,maybe a pyramid butterfly fish but can't honestly remember.
Anyway good luck

 

[Uncle99]

Simple Orange purple eye Anthais.
Say 7
Or Chromis-say 10 (which work good in big DT’s like your)
Great schoolers those chromis.

 

[ying yang]

Those pyramids are stunning! I’m surprised you didn’t go for more in such a large tank as they look even better in groups.

Yeah was pyramid butterfly fish I was thinking on, @Miami Reef tank 260 gallons though

 

[ying yang]

Thoughts on Pyramid Butterflyfish, are they worth it?

Are Pyramid Butterflyfishes Right for your tank? 2020-09-30 stevenliu9 Thank you for joining me today on this discussion! Steven here. Love to chat about Pyramid butterfly fish with everyone. Have you had them? Are they on your stock list? What are your experiences with them? Please feel free...

www.reef2reef.com

Here little thread on pyramid butterfly fish ,goes without saying,any fish you thinking off adding then need do lots of research on its care,compatability, tank size and the rest before buying .
But these fish look cool,colourful and it says most butterfly fish will/could nip at your corals except this pyramid butterfly fish so another option to add a few if your tank size is adequate off course

 

[i cant think]

I’d do the naoko however, wrasses all turn male in captivity unless they’re from the genera Anampses and Macropharyngodon. So you’d have to have 1 naoko fairy however with other different species of wrasses they do show a great swarm of personality.
As for Pyramid Butterflies, these are the most reef safe butterflies I know of (Both Yellow Pyramids and Zosters). These look stunning in groups of 3 or more, in your tank size I’d do about 3 to 4. I personally prefer the Zosters however a mix of Zosteri and Yellow could look stunning in a full reef setting (I’ve seen a group mixed in a 4’ tank but it was a FOWLR).