Best fish that occupy the rocks

[Paleozoic_reefer]

My most beautiful fish is my Marine Betta and it is also the most elusive one (unfortunately) I have. It spends all day either hanging on the side of the rocks or peeking its head out like a moray eel. Super chill and since they’re captive bred maybe you’ll have better luck finding one. Just keep in mind they grow pretty big mine is pushing 7 in already!

 

[Average joe the reefer]

I was going to suggest a mandarin as well. Just make sure you do your research- they require a healthy established population of copepods. They're cheap here, usually around 20-25USD where I'm at.

They are about 60 aud here but my tank is no where near established enough

 

[Average joe the reefer]

royal gramma?

They are stupidly expensive in australia I really like them by not worth 200 dollars

 

[Musovski]

They are stupidly expensive in australia I really like them by not worth 200 dollars

woah! thats an insane increase. We get them for less than $15 sometimes.

 

[Average joe the reefer]

The Aussies are fond of irony - from an Australian article about the "Happy Moments" rabbitfish:

"There are at least 2 species of Siganus in Australia that fishers refer to as “happy moments”, but this is not because the event of their capture is a particularly joyful or cheerful experience. Instead, they are so named to describe the several hours of excruciating pain that can follow being spiked by one of these relatively small and innocuous-looking herbivores."
Read more at http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/fish-facts-happy-moments#LptviUHlAZkgTLMo.99

I’ve read that article before. There are a lot of fish in Australia that are named because of how much of a pain in the butt they are

 

[Average joe the reefer]

woah! thats an insane increase. We get them for less than $15 sometimes.

I wish they were that cheap here. One thing that makes no sense though is that flame hawkfish come from Australia but they cost 160 here and cost 60 in America

 

[Mark Gray]

My candy Hog fosh stays in the rocks a lot I have 2 in different thanks one hides more than the other but both like the rocks

 

[Average joe the reefer]

My candy Hog fosh stays in the rocks a lot I have 2 in different thanks one hides more than the other but both like the rocks

I heard they can be a bit risky but just as risky as a hawk fish so it should be fine but I picked up the lyertail hawkfish yesterday and I’m already loving it

 

[topjimmy]

My flame hawk is always on the rocks. Diamond goby peeking out of his cave

 

[BryanD]

Lawnmower blenny. Their really cool, mine will come out when I get home and walk up to the tank. They follow you with their eyes, mine will follow my finger along the front of the glass. If I can't see mine, if I call its name (Nibbler) he'll come out, no kidding! He nibbles algae, cleans it off the glass, and since I dose with vinegar, he eats the bacterial films that form. Some people have trouble getting them to live long, I had in the past, but since vinegar dosing and watching them eat the film, I think that is the extra food source they need. The one I had before him was doing well, suddenly stopped eating and died, and upon reflection realized I hadn't been dosing vinegar on a regular basis. It also grazes on the live rock.

 

[radiata]

My nominee is also the Marine Betta. I only see mine during daylight hours when it hgappens to smell food in the tank. To make sure it eats enough (it isn't too fast on the food uptake compared to my other fish) I add a dozen grass shrimp to the tank every two or three weeks. They really suit his mostly nocturnal predator preferences. I wouldn't keep it with any small fish...

 

[vetteguy53081]

firefish and diamond back or sleeper Gobies

 

[GWHouston]

My suggestions have been named but I'll give them a second nomination. Lawnmower blenny are personal and fun. Midas blenny is a swimmer and hider both. Red hawk fish likes his privacy but also will watch the outside world. Construction blennys are fascinating. After a year of growth, they start to resemble an eel and some actually classify them as eels (non aggressive). My yellowtail damsels like to move in and out of the rocks. Hope this helps.

 

[OrionN]

There are all kind of fish but my favorite is the Mandarin Dragonet. Here is my pair. Tank not ready you said, then wait. Good things come to those who wait, careful and patient.

 

[Steffan1]

In my tank I have a lot of fish that swim in the open water all day long and the fish I plan to add do the same thing aswell but I want to add some fish that occupy the rocks and hide in caves and then come out everynow and then. So I was wondering what are your guys favourite fish that occupy the rocks other then a flame hawk fish because they are way to expensive in australia

midas blenny is the best1

 

[AngryMike2016]

+1 on the Midas and Lawnmower Blennies.

 

[tony'stank]

Royal gramma- but since they are native to the Carribean they might be hard for you to get

 

[Average joe the reefer]

Royal gramma- but since they are native to the Carribean they might be hard for you to get

They cost a lot here aswell

 

[lion king]

What kind of basslets do have available, also the possum wrasses. The pink streaked wrasse cruises the rocks and are my favorite, the tanakas possum wrasse, swales swissguard basslet, and the blue assessor were all rock dwelling fish that I have enjoyed.