When your wife Hates Wrasses. Whats your go to for smaller reef safe fish ( 72 gallon)

[southerntnreefer]

Yeah I don’t have experience with dwarf angels and clams together so I don’t wanna say anything on that. Honestly with Leopard Wrasses I would much rather buy one at an LFS because shipping can cause them to not eat. I wouldn’t be concerned with a normal leopard wrasse but once you move to Potters and some of the more exotic ones shipping can be an issue

I usually order through online vendors as its easier to get what we actually want before someone else scarfs it up. TSM, LA Divers den etc. I love leopard wrasses, and LA divers den has them often. Just was not sure on them, as ive had one before from LFS, and it swam for 45 minutes, found sand bed, and nevr came out...

 

[MONTANTK]

I usually order through online vendors as its easier to get what we actually want before someone else scarfs it up. TSM, LA Divers den etc. I love leopard wrasses, and LA divers den has them often. Just was not sure on them, as ive had one before from LFS, and it swam for 45 minutes, found sand bed, and nevr came out...

The key when buying from LFS is to make sure it eats. Personally I probably wouldn’t hesitate to buy from Divers Den but I would prefer LFS. Obviously it’s not available for everyone though. As long as you get a fat and healthy fish I wouldn’t worry too much. I had a tiny potters wrasse bury itself for a couple of weeks and then it magically appeared

 

[southerntnreefer]

The key when buying from LFS is to make sure it eats. Personally I probably wouldn’t hesitate to buy from Divers Den but I would prefer LFS. Obviously it’s not available for everyone though. As long as you get a fat and healthy fish I wouldn’t worry too much. I had a tiny potters wrasse bury itself for a couple of weeks and then it magically appeared

At least with Divers den, i get a bit of a warranty, and they at least ship it eating normal foods, with pellets, and frozen. Had great luck with other fish. Its just an idea. we know we at least want the zebras and the hawk, but i feel like it needs something else too. Was going to do anthias, but the lyretails get a bit too big, and i already have the chromis, and will have the darts.

 

[MONTANTK]

At least with Divers den, i get a bit of a warranty, and they at least ship it eating normal foods, with pellets, and frozen. Had great luck with other fish. Its just an idea. we know we at least want the zebras and the hawk, but i feel like it needs something else too. Was going to do anthias, but the lyretails get a bit too big, and i already have the chromis, and will have the darts.

Definitely need a more active swimmer! The Leopards are very graceful. Another option could be a yellow candy hogfish. They tend to be invert safe

 

[southerntnreefer]

Definitely need a more active swimmer! The Leopards are very graceful. Another option could be a yellow candy hogfish. They tend to be invert safe

Currently we have

6 carribian blue reef chromis
2 captive bred kaudern cardinals
2sanjay photon clownfish
One spot foxface (likely that centerpiece fish and one of my favorites)
Bi color Blenny.

Wife wants the dartfish, and it's not a tank without a hawk. Just need other active swimmer.

 

[MONTANTK]

Currently we have

6 carribian blue reef chromis
2 captive bred kaudern cardinals
2sanjay photon clownfish
One spot foxface (likely that centerpiece fish and one of my favorites)
Bi color Blenny.

Wife wants the dartfish, and it's not a tank without a hawk. Just need other active swimmer.

Seems like Leopard Wrasse is the answer. You got yellow covered already. I know for me it would be flame Angel but you mentioned you’re worried about the clam. I’d see if you can find any other testimonials for certain dwarf angels with a clam. I know I’ve been able to deter nipping of coral when feeding heavier

 

[southerntnreefer]

Seems like Leopard Wrasse is the answer. You got yellow covered already. I know for me it would be flame Angel but you mentioned you’re worried about the clam. I’d see if you can find any other testimonials for certain dwarf angels with a clam. I know I’ve been able to deter nipping of coral when feeding heavier

I hope to have a clam. Ive had em in other systems, but no dwarfs. I was considering a captive bred coral beauty, as i figured its captive, it doesnt know what coral is. My wife would love love love a flame, but im to scared of it eating acans, brains, clams etc. We have high taste in acans...

 

[malacoda]

How about a fang blenny?

Any variety.

They're:

• Bold (e.g. inquisitive and not easily frightened), always out and about throughout the water column. Pretty much reef safe - no threat to corals or anything else except perhaps amphipods
• And get along well with just about any fish except, in some instances, other fang blennies (this depends on the type of fang blenny and tank size)
• They even tend to get along fine with non-fang blennies, so shouldn't be much risk of any problems with your bi-color

 

[MONTANTK]

I hope to have a clam. Ive had em in other systems, but no dwarfs. I was considering a captive bred coral beauty, as i figured its captive, it doesnt know what coral is. My wife would love love love a flame, but im to scared of it eating acans, brains, clams etc. We have high taste in acans...

Captive bred could be worth a shot. If you feed heavy I probably wouldn’t worry about the LPS. It’s always a risk though. I’ve had several different angels and the only one that gave me trouble was a goldflake and that was with SPS

 

[southerntnreefer]

How about a fang blenny?

Any variety.

They're:

• Bold (e.g. inquisitive and not easily frightened), always out and about throughout the water column. Pretty much reef safe - no threat to corals or anything else except perhaps amphipods
• And get along well with just about any fish except, in some instances, other fang blennies (this depends on the type of fang blenny and tank size)
• They even tend to get along fine with non-fang blennies, so shouldn't be much risk of any problems with your bi-color

any fang blenny reccomendation? they dont swim like an eel do they?

 

[southerntnreefer]

Captive bred could be worth a shot. If you feed heavy I probably wouldn’t worry about the LPS. It’s always a risk though. I’ve had several different angels and the only one that gave me trouble was a goldflake and that was with SPS

This will be a mix. LPS heavy, clams and choice SPS.

 

[MONTANTK]

This will be a mix. LPS heavy, clams and choice SPS.

Well good luck with whatever you go with! Seems like you’ve gotten a lot of solid options haha

 

[southerntnreefer]

Well good luck with whatever you go with! Seems like you’ve gotten a lot of solid options haha

yep! im leaning twords fang blennies of some kind possibly.

 

[malacoda]

any fang blenny reccomendation? they dont swim like an eel do they?

Depends on what color(s) you like most. Some are pure yellow, white with yellow tail, pale lime green, blue front with yellow tail, white with horizontal black stripes, black with horizontal white stripes, all white with a long black dorsal fin.

Head over to LiveAquaria and check out all the Meiacanthus blennies to get a idea of the variety.

I've had a tongaensis, nigrolineatus, and smithii and they were all great fish.

As for swimming, no not like an eel.

Here's a short vid of one of the two smithii I have right now in my 65g: (can't get the video to load properly so I put it on YouTube, here's the link...)

smithii blenny swimming

Had 3, named them after the stooges because of their periodic, slightly comically hierarchical bickering and posturing (never anything serious, just some occasional chasing back and forth) ... but lost one during a tank move.

 

[southerntnreefer]

Depends on what color(s) you like most. Some are pure yellow, white with yellow tail, pale lime green, blue front with yellow tail, white with horizontal black stripes, black with horizontal white stripes, all white with a long black dorsal fin.

Head over to LiveAquaria and check out all the Meiacanthus blennies to get a idea of the variety.

I've had a tongaensis, nigrolineatus, and smithii and they were all great fish.

As for swimming, no not like an eel.

Here's a short vid of one of the two smithii I have right now in my 65g:




Had 3, named them after the stooges because of their periodic, slightly comically hierarchical bickering and posturing (never anything serious, just some occasional chasing back and forth) ... but lost one during a tank move.

That was my next question, can you keep multiples?

I was considering the last fish to be:

3 zebra barred dartfish
3 court jesters
Flame hawkfish

Now i decided against court jesters, as i was afraid they would hide, so im looking for a replacement for those 3.

 

[malacoda]

That was my next question, can you keep multiples?

I was considering the last fish to be:

3 zebra barred dartfish
3 court jesters
Flame hawkfish

Now i decided against court jesters, as i was afraid they would hide, so im looking for a replacement for those 3.

For multiples, it depends on the type of fang blenny. My 3 ... now 2 ... smithii do fine together. Three of the two used to be out and about with the third only about from it's hole occasionally (keeps its head poked out all the time though). But I lost one of the two more active ones in the move.

I've also seen threads here and there on people who've kept multiple kamoharas and multiple grammistes. Also saw a post or two that multiple oualanensis (canaries) do NOT work out.

As for one each of different fang blennies, it depends here too...

I had a nigrolineatus (blackline) in the 65g with the two smithii and they got along fine. But I haven't tried mixing others. You'd have to do some digging here and on other forums to see what mixes other people have had success with.

 

[southerntnreefer]

For multiples, it depends on the type of fang blenny. My 3 ... now 2 ... smithii do fine together. Three of the two used to be out and about with the third only about from it's hole occasionally (keeps its head poked out all the time though). But I lost one of the two more active ones in the move.

I've also seen threads here and there on people who've kept multiple kamoharas and multiple grammistes. Also saw a post or two that multiple oualanensis (canaries) do NOT work out.

As for one each of different fang blennies, it depends here too...

I had a nigrolineatus (blackline) in the 65g with the two smithii and they got along fine. But I haven't tried mixing others. You'd have to do some digging here and on other forums to see what mixes other people have had success with.

Likely best to buy a pair or bonded group then eh? I see them in divers den on occasion.

 

[malacoda]

Likely best to buy a pair or bonded group then eh? I see them in divers den on occasion.

Yeah, at once as a pair or group is probably best.

 

[OrionN]

SO weve got fish in the tank, will be adding more down the line. Hawkfish will be last for many reasons, however were thinking other smaller fish to zoom around. My go to would be 2 or 3 fairy wrasses, but i need other ideas.

Current stock is:

Pair of clowns
Small One Spot Foxface
Bi Color Blenny
2 Captive Bred Kaudrens Cardinalfish
a few reef chromis.

WIll be adding a flame hawk, and we like the looks of the zebra barred darts too, but what else would you suggest... My wife is super into the hobby, so we want the most color we can get.

How big is your tank? The most color, show her these pictures. If she want color, these are the most colorful fishes in the ocean. This will change her mind about wrasses.

 

[southerntnreefer]

How big is your tank? The most color, show her these pictures. If she want color, these are the most colorful fishes in the ocean. This will change her mind about wrasses.

72. She wanted a flame... Ive heard horror stories, so I'll likely go with a coral beauty.