What fish should I buy?

AnthonyA9953 · 09/13/2018, 05:04 PM

Hey everyone, I’ve got a 125 reef with 145 lbs of LR. Tanks been up for almost 2 years now
Current livestock is
Cleaner shrimp
Mandarin goby
Melanurus wrasse
Blue linkia star
3 clownfish
Bangai cardinal pair

I wanna achieve a “a lot of small fish” look. Any suggestions for fish?

first29gallon · 09/13/2018, 05:05 PM

Cromis or Anthias schools

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jason9488 · 09/13/2018, 05:11 PM

Chromis school will always get down to 1. Unless you keep buying some.

Jason9488 · 09/13/2018, 05:12 PM

Chromis will kill each other

Crooked Reef · 09/13/2018, 05:49 PM

What size do you consider small and by reef do you mean corals or just rock?

AnthonyA9953 · 09/13/2018, 10:39 PM

Yea I have mainly lps and soft. It doesn’t hav be small I just don’t want anything aggresive.

lagatbezan · 09/14/2018, 01:01 AM

Anthias fish are extremely active and add lots of life. A small haram would be nice. Also maybe a Kole tang, royal gramma or a firefish.

Crooked Reef · 09/14/2018, 07:08 AM

Normally I would say do a couple of fairy and flasher wrasses, but they will outcompete your mandarin for pods. The melanarus may as well though the tank should probably support both as long as you have a lot of rock.
A pair of clowns, royal gramma, Kole or yellow tang, small ranbitfish may work, Midas blenny, a dwarf angel may work. Angels can eat coral but some are safer than others. I have had two coral beauty’s over the years. One didn’t touch coral and one stripped a birdsnest and left all others alone. Flame angels can be coral safe sometimes. I currently have an African flameback angel that hasn’t touched a coral yet.

Joshua I. · 09/14/2018, 01:08 PM

Royal Gramma

Joe0813 · 09/14/2018, 01:09 PM

Anthias

AnthonyA9953 · 09/14/2018, 01:12 PM

Don’t anthias have to be fed like 3 times a day?

AnthonyA9953 · 09/14/2018, 01:12 PM

And won’t the gramma eat my shrimp?

devimik · 09/14/2018, 02:18 PM

How about a group of Red Stop Light Cardinalfish, Yellow Striped Cardinalfish, or Ochrestriped Cardinalfish? LiveAquaria says a larger aquarium can support a group of these and they'll establish a hierarchy without aggression.

AnthonyA9953 · 09/14/2018, 02:19 PM

Are they compatible with my bangais?

devimik · 09/14/2018, 02:33 PM

From what I've read, they should be, but I am far from an expert on Cardinals - the ones I suggested don't look anything like the Banggais, so they should work, especially in a large tank, but perhaps some others who are more experts on them should chime in.

AnthonyA9953 · 09/14/2018, 02:50 PM

Ok thx so much when I get some money I’ll definitely splurg on a school of those guys. But for now I just bought a Royale gramma and a blue lined rabbit fish from live aquaria. From my research the blue lines rabbitfish look pretty good anyone have any experience with them?

Crooked Reef · 09/14/2018, 04:02 PM

I searched liveaquaria and don’t see a blue lined rabbitfish. Can you get the Latin name off of the description?

sacremon · 09/14/2018, 04:27 PM

Blue lined rabbit = Siganus puellus

Live Aquaria calls it the Decorated rabbitfish

Crooked Reef · 09/14/2018, 04:39 PM

That’s what I was thinking he meant, but unless it was off of divers den they don’t even have an entry as sold out. Anyway, if it is the doliatus I have the virgate rabbitfish, Siganus virgatus which is very closely related. A little bit different on the color patterns. Peaceful fish, gets along great with everyone. Eats bubble algae and hasn’t touched a coral. Eats frozen food and nori sheets like a pig. Also these fish take on a very different color pattern when stressed or bedded down for the night. They can change colors quickly, in a second or two. Neat fish.

Crooked Reef · 09/14/2018, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyA9953

And won’t the gramma eat my shrimp?

Apparently it is possible though I have never experienced this. A lot of times if the shrimp is there first fish ignore it. I think the melanarus has a better chance of going for the shrimp than the gramma. That being said, every fish is an individual so nothing is guaranteed.

AnthonyA9953 · 09/14/2018, 05:51 PM

Thanks for the help everyone this site never disappoints. Also to clarify yea I bought the guy on divers den. He’s a 2 inch little guy so hopefully I’ll see him grow up. Thanks again

09/13/2018, 05:04 PM	#1
AnthonyA9953 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 128	What fish should I buy? Hey everyone, I’ve got a 125 reef with 145 lbs of LR. Tanks been up for almost 2 years now Current livestock is Cleaner shrimp Mandarin goby Melanurus wrasse Blue linkia star 3 clownfish Bangai cardinal pair I wanna achieve a “a lot of small fish” look. Any suggestions for fish?

09/13/2018, 05:49 PM	#5
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	What size do you consider small and by reef do you mean corals or just rock? __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

09/14/2018, 01:01 AM	#7
lagatbezan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,109	Anthias fish are extremely active and add lots of life. A small haram would be nice. Also maybe a Kole tang, royal gramma or a firefish. __________________ Ryan. 300g with velocity t4 for return and a Reflo dart on a closed loop, T5 lights & SRO3000 skimmer. Current Tank Info: 300g

09/14/2018, 07:08 AM	#8
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	Normally I would say do a couple of fairy and flasher wrasses, but they will outcompete your mandarin for pods. The melanarus may as well though the tank should probably support both as long as you have a lot of rock. A pair of clowns, royal gramma, Kole or yellow tang, small ranbitfish may work, Midas blenny, a dwarf angel may work. Angels can eat coral but some are safer than others. I have had two coral beauty’s over the years. One didn’t touch coral and one stripped a birdsnest and left all others alone. Flame angels can be coral safe sometimes. I currently have an African flameback angel that hasn’t touched a coral yet. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

09/14/2018, 01:09 PM	#10
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	Anthias __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

09/13/2018, 05:05 PM	#2
first29gallon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 72	Cromis or Anthias schools Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/13/2018, 05:11 PM	#3
Jason9488 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 152	Chromis school will always get down to 1. Unless you keep buying some.

09/13/2018, 05:12 PM	#4
Jason9488 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 152	Chromis will kill each other

09/13/2018, 10:39 PM	#6
AnthonyA9953 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 128	Yea I have mainly lps and soft. It doesn’t hav be small I just don’t want anything aggresive.

09/14/2018, 01:08 PM	#9
Joshua I. Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 225	Royal Gramma

09/14/2018, 01:12 PM	#11
AnthonyA9953 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 128	Don’t anthias have to be fed like 3 times a day?

09/14/2018, 02:18 PM	#13
devimik Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: KC, KS Posts: 637	How about a group of Red Stop Light Cardinalfish, Yellow Striped Cardinalfish, or Ochrestriped Cardinalfish? LiveAquaria says a larger aquarium can support a group of these and they'll establish a hierarchy without aggression. __________________ Mike D Coral Beauty, Green Filefish, One Spot Foxface, Springeri Dottyback, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Watchman Goby, Flame Hawkfish, Spotted Mandarin Current Tank Info: 90g Softie Reef, 150# live rock, 30g sump w/refugium, Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO, Octopus NWB 150 Skimmer, Mag 950 return, Maxspect 120w Razor 10K LED light X2, BRS Phosphate Reactor; Apex Lite

09/14/2018, 02:19 PM	#14
AnthonyA9953 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 128	Are they compatible with my bangais?

09/14/2018, 02:33 PM	#15
devimik Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: KC, KS Posts: 637	From what I've read, they should be, but I am far from an expert on Cardinals - the ones I suggested don't look anything like the Banggais, so they should work, especially in a large tank, but perhaps some others who are more experts on them should chime in. __________________ Mike D Coral Beauty, Green Filefish, One Spot Foxface, Springeri Dottyback, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Watchman Goby, Flame Hawkfish, Spotted Mandarin Current Tank Info: 90g Softie Reef, 150# live rock, 30g sump w/refugium, Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO, Octopus NWB 150 Skimmer, Mag 950 return, Maxspect 120w Razor 10K LED light X2, BRS Phosphate Reactor; Apex Lite

09/14/2018, 02:50 PM	#16
AnthonyA9953 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 128	Ok thx so much when I get some money I’ll definitely splurg on a school of those guys. But for now I just bought a Royale gramma and a blue lined rabbit fish from live aquaria. From my research the blue lines rabbitfish look pretty good anyone have any experience with them?

09/14/2018, 04:02 PM	#17
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	I searched liveaquaria and don’t see a blue lined rabbitfish. Can you get the Latin name off of the description? __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

09/14/2018, 04:27 PM	#18
sacremon Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 446 Blog Entries: 29	Blue lined rabbit = Siganus puellus Live Aquaria calls it the Decorated rabbitfish __________________ 300DD, MRC MR-3 skimmer with dual Becketts, two Reefbreeders.com value LED fixtures, MRC fluidized reactor with GFO & GAC. Last edited by sacremon; 09/14/2018 at 04:40 PM.

09/14/2018, 04:39 PM	#19
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	That’s what I was thinking he meant, but unless it was off of divers den they don’t even have an entry as sold out. Anyway, if it is the doliatus I have the virgate rabbitfish, Siganus virgatus which is very closely related. A little bit different on the color patterns. Peaceful fish, gets along great with everyone. Eats bubble algae and hasn’t touched a coral. Eats frozen food and nori sheets like a pig. Also these fish take on a very different color pattern when stressed or bedded down for the night. They can change colors quickly, in a second or two. Neat fish. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

09/14/2018, 05:51 PM	#21
AnthonyA9953 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 128	Thanks for the help everyone this site never disappoints. Also to clarify yea I bought the guy on divers den. He’s a 2 inch little guy so hopefully I’ll see him grow up. Thanks again