Are Damsels my only option?

[ritter6788]

Looking to add a fish or 2 to my 75 gallon. I have some long established fish and it's going to be difficult to add something new with the stocking I have now.
Right now I have:

Ocellaris clownfish pair (big mean female chases fish such as wrasses and anthias)
Yellow Tang (would not add another tang to this tank)
Bluespot Watchman Goby (cranky but doesn't fight unless someone gets in his cave)
Falco Hawkfish (chases some smaller fish)
Starry Blenny (doesn't fight with fish but bites my hand daily)
Mandarin (this eliminates adding pod eating fish like wrasses)

I've tried dwarf angels before but my corals are always nipped by them. My clowns won't allow fish like anthias, fairy/flasher wrasses.

Are damsels my last option? I have lots of experience with them and know they can be aggressive but with the fish stock I have right now I'm thinking about adding a small damsel or 2 like a yellow tail or an azure.

 

[camelcruiser]

You could try a copperband they usually aren't as bad of nippers as dwarf Angels and I don't think anything in your tank would harass it much.

 

[mnat]

Assessor basslets

 

[Saltgator]

What about a neon dottyback? Or possibly a sea betta? Btw, I've got to see the starry biting your hand,lol. I've been looking into them, preferably a pair.

 

[ritter6788]

You could try a copperband they usually aren't as bad of nippers as dwarf Angels and I don't think anything in your tank would harass it much.

I had a copperband last year that only lasted 3 months. I thought the yellow tang would be aggressive to it so I removed the tang and added the copperband. I'll try another one day but after my last failure I'm taking a break from the CBs. Definitely a future option though.

Assessor basslets

Thanks I'll look into those.

What about a neon dottyback? Or possibly a sea betta? Btw, I've got to see the starry biting your hand,lol. I've been looking into them, preferably a pair.

I considered the dottyback but I can see a conflict with the mandarin. I've had 2 starry blennies and both were hand biters. It knows when I'm not looking and bites my hand everytime I'm not paying attention. Doesn't hurt but makes me jump every time. Lol

 

[Simply__J]

This is one heck of a puzzle, but may I suggest a Foxface or a Squirrelfish they are known to be peaceful.

 

[Waters]

What about a Pyramid butterfly? Based on my research, they are "supposed" to be one of the few reef safe butterflies.

 

[ritter6788]

This is one heck of a puzzle, but may I suggest a Foxface or a Squirrelfish they are known to be peaceful.

I've kept rabbitfish before but never squirrels. I'll look into them.

What about a Pyramid butterfly? Based on my research, they are "supposed" to be one of the few reef safe butterflies.

I'll look into them too.

thanks for the suggestions!

 

[chiblackhawks4]

What about a cardinal fish of some kind?

 

[FLipp]

cardinals are pretty friendly.

 

[ritter6788]

What about a cardinal fish of some kind?

I don't think the clowns would allow it. I had a Bangaii for a long time with the clowns but the Bangaii was in the tank first. They don't take to new additions well at all.

My thought on adding damsels would be that they are fast enough to avoid the clowns but would likely leave the others alone. I'm trying to add something tough enough to live with the current stock.

 

[chiblackhawks4]

Banggai are pretty neutral and just about everything leaves them alone. I have one with a pair of clowns, six line wrasse and hippo tang.

 

[SmoothSmoke]

Flame Hawkfish

 

[mike007]

Hey bro get you a Harlequin tusk they are awesome.

 

[TheNowMovement]

Harlequin Tusks look amazing... I have never kept one before though... arent they not reef safe? They dont seem like theyd be too happy in my 90 gallon... lol I'd be curious to hear more about them and their habits... If you would enlighten us Mike007 :-D

 

[Bosco83]

Royal Gramma

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Royal Gramma

+1 I was just going to suggest this one...

 

[Kyuss414]

Harlequin Tusks look amazing... I have never kept one before though... arent they not reef safe? They dont seem like theyd be too happy in my 90 gallon... lol I'd be curious to hear more about them and their habits... If you would enlighten us Mike007 :-D

They'll make a snack out of any shrimp/crabs and snails if they can get to em or they're small enough. Shouldn't bother corals though. Mine pays no attention to the couple softies I have in the tank, but he's definitely in everyone elses business all the time including mine, whether I'm doing maintenance in the tank or just trying to look at something other than him.

That said, even if you don't have any inverts I probably wouldn't trust one with gobies or blennies. I definitely wouldn't trust the one I have now with them. They get relatively big, and I've heard others say they've eaten other smaller fish. I recall seeing a pic someone posted once of their adult sized HT with the tail of another fish sticking out of it's mouth, don't recall what it was, but he wasn't too happy about it. Of course each individual fish can be different, but there would quite a bit of risk involved in your case IMO.

 

[gotscreensprinting]

i have a foxface,blue tang,2 clowns osc,valentini puffer,coral beauty angel,mandarin goby,yellow watchman goby and paired shrimp,2 blue chromis,2 neon blue cleaner wrasse,[video=youtube;eTDMVKRLyvk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTDMVKRLyvk[/video]

 

[tyler1503]

Royal grammas and Talbots damsels are awesome

i have a foxface,blue tang,2 clowns osc,valentini puffer,coral beauty angel,mandarin goby,yellow watchman goby and paired shrimp,2 blue chromis,2 neon blue cleaner wrasse,[video=youtube;eTDMVKRLyvk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTDMVKRLyvk[/video]

Sorry to go off topic, but how's the Valentini go with the coral? Does he nip much