Centrepiece fish for 30 gallon reef

Noah Hemingway · Dec 10, 2020

Tank stocking is planned to be a pair of clown, a chalk bass & a YW goby! Can anyone think of a fish I could add to that list to have as a real centrepiece fish? Can be anything reef safe from a Damsel to a lionfish! I am up for any suggestions! BTW I also have a 200G reef so if it did outgrow this display it could move to there! Needs to be invert safe! Any suggestions greatly appreciated (think outside the box I want a showstopper)! Thanks - Noah

Doctorgori · Dec 10, 2020

I’d think I would go with a dwarf scorpion/ Lionfish ...

MONTANTK · Dec 10, 2020

Six line wrasses are gorgeous when fat and happy. Could also try your luck with some different dwarf angels. Not sure what your budget is but a true show fish in that size tank would be a candy basslet. Absolutely stunning in person

Soren · Dec 10, 2020

I would probably choose some type of colorful wrasse (maybe some type of flasher wrasse) or a small group of small cardinalfish.

Doctorgori said:
I’d think I would go with a dwarf scorpion/ Lionfish ...

If a lionfish or scorpionfish is included, I would be very careful in considering relative sizes between lion/scorpion and clownfish/chalk bass/YWG to make sure the latter do not become expensive meals!
...also I have read that, though lionfish are visually interesting, they can be kind of boring just sitting there waiting for the next feeding time, which is why they often are overfed...
Not a bad recommendation, just some things to take into consideration.

ReeferWarrant · Dec 10, 2020

Agree with @Soren, Lions in the wild just latch onto rocks until something interests them.

Also agree with @MONTANTK, my next fish is going to be a Swissguard as the centerpiece, just a Swales Swiss rather than the $200+ Candy

vlangel · Dec 10, 2020

Many of the dwarf Angel's are stunning. Just know that they can be pickers, (meaning they will pick at your coral anywhere from decimating them or just irritating to the point that the coral will not open).
If you did not have a ywg I would suggest a midas blenny. They have puppy dog faces, bright yellow coloring, can get big enough to be impressive without being too large for 30 gallon and they are packed with personality like most blennies.

ReeferWarrant · Dec 10, 2020

Im also a huge fan of my Pink Streaked Wrasse

(Not mine but looks exactly like this)

anthonygf · Dec 10, 2020

MONTANTK said:
Six line wrasses are gorgeous when fat and happy. Could also try your luck with some different dwarf angels. Not sure what your budget is but a true show fish in that size tank would be a candy basslet. Absolutely stunning in person

WOW! $830.00 Candy Basslet

Noah Hemingway · Dec 10, 2020

vlangel said:
Many of the dwarf Angel's are stunning. Just know that they can be pickers, (meaning they will pick at your coral anywhere from decimating them or just irritating to the point that the coral will not open).
If you did not have a ywg I would suggest a midas blenny. They have puppy dog faces, bright yellow coloring, can get big enough to be impressive without being too large for 30 gallon and they are packed with personality like most blennies.

A Midas blenny in place of the watchman is a good idea!

Soren · Dec 10, 2020

ReeferWarrant said:
Im also a huge fan of my Pink Streaked Wrasse

(Not mine but looks exactly like this)

This one recently made it onto my list of considerations for my 90-gallon reef, so I obviously second this suggestion!

Soren · Dec 10, 2020

vlangel said:
Many of the dwarf Angel's are stunning. Just know that they can be pickers, (meaning they will pick at your coral anywhere from decimating them or just irritating to the point that the coral will not open).
If you did not have a ywg I would suggest a midas blenny. They have puppy dog faces, bright yellow coloring, can get big enough to be impressive without being too large for 30 gallon and they are packed with personality like most blennies.

Noah Hemingway said:
A Midas blenny in place of the watchman is a good idea!

Is it a bad idea to include a Midas blenny and sand-sifting goby in the same tank? Not to shift the topic, but I am considering a Midas blenny and an orange spotted goby (hopefully paired with a pistol shrimp) for my 90-gallon reef. Are there concerns with this of which I am not yet aware?

MohrReefs · Dec 10, 2020

Soren said:
Is it a bad idea to include a Midas blenny and sand-sifting goby in the same tank? Not to shift the topic, but I am considering a Midas blenny and an orange spotted goby (hopefully paired with a pistol shrimp) for my 90-gallon reef. Are there concerns with this of which I am not yet aware?

I have a diamond goby and a starry blenny and my starry blenny thinks my white goby is a mad starry blenny(they turn white when agitated) and constantly goes after him. To be fair, he had it coming for months of bullying the other fish, the tables hath turned.

MohrReefs · Dec 10, 2020

Noah Hemingway said:
Tank stocking is planned to be a pair of clown, a chalk bass & a YW goby! Can anyone think of a fish I could add to that list to have as a real centrepiece fish? Can be anything reef safe from a Damsel to a lionfish! I am up for any suggestions! BTW I also have a 200G reef so if it did outgrow this display it could move to there! Needs to be invert safe! Any suggestions greatly appreciated (think outside the box I want a showstopper)! Thanks - Noah

Whats your skill level?
If you don't have any aggressive fish you could get a Blue Star Wrasse. I'd just be very picky about which one you get.

MONTANTK · Dec 10, 2020

ReeferWarrant said:
Im also a huge fan of my Pink Streaked Wrasse

(Not mine but looks exactly like this)

+1. I got mine for my nano this week and I love it. Super interesting personality

MONTANTK · Dec 10, 2020

anthonygf said:
WOW! $830.00 Candy Basslet

I thought the same thing. Then I saw a pair in person and I knew why they cost so much. They belonged to a customer and we were holding onto them while their new tank was set up. Photos don’t do the fish enough justice

Crustaceon · Dec 10, 2020

Noah Hemingway said:
Tank stocking is planned to be a pair of clown, a chalk bass & a YW goby! Can anyone think of a fish I could add to that list to have as a real centrepiece fish? Can be anything reef safe from a Damsel to a lionfish! I am up for any suggestions! BTW I also have a 200G reef so if it did outgrow this display it could move to there! Needs to be invert safe! Any suggestions greatly appreciated (think outside the box I want a showstopper)! Thanks - Noah

Cherub Angelfish

vlangel · Dec 10, 2020

Soren said:
Is it a bad idea to include a Midas blenny and sand-sifting goby in the same tank? Not to shift the topic, but I am considering a Midas blenny and an orange spotted goby (hopefully paired with a pistol shrimp) for my 90-gallon reef. Are there concerns with this of which I am not yet aware?

I tried to add a ywg and I have an orange spot blenny. The yellow watch went and hid in the rockwork never to be seen again. Sometime combtooth blennies can get kind of aggressive with other fish of a similar shape,(long and slender). I would love a jawfish pair but I will not risk it with Marmalade my orange spot blenny.

vlangel · Dec 10, 2020

Soren said:
Is it a bad idea to include a Midas blenny and sand-sifting goby in the same tank? Not to shift the topic, but I am considering a Midas blenny and an orange spotted goby (hopefully paired with a pistol shrimp) for my 90-gallon reef. Are there concerns with this of which I am not yet aware?

Oh, you asked about an orange spot GOBY, not blenny..that might be ok. When I had King Midas my midas blenny, he was top fish but he was not aggressive as in being a killer. He merely was at the top of the hierarchy. I use to say that he was a benevolent dictator, LOL.

Soren · Dec 10, 2020

vlangel said:
Oh, you asked about an orange spot GOBY, not blenny..that might be ok. When I had King Midas my midas blenny, he was top fish but he was not aggressive as in being a killer. He merely was at the top of the hierarchy. I use to say that he was a benevolent dictator, LOL.

Thanks for your response, vlangel. Since I may include one, I like to hear that a midas blenny can be a benevolent dictator!

MohrReefs said:
I have a diamond goby and a starry blenny and my starry blenny thinks my white goby is a mad starry blenny(they turn white when agitated) and constantly goes after him. To be fair, he had it coming for months of bullying the other fish, the tables hath turned.

That is what I wondered: if the significant factor was similarity in appearance. I might be fine with my choices (which are almost nothing alike), but maybe @Noah Hemingway would have trouble between a yellow watchman goby and midas blenny since they are somewhat alike in shape and color?

PR_nano · Dec 10, 2020

+1 for the PSW. Mine spends all day picking at rocks and back wall. He hides anytime I get close to the tank and tries to see what I'm doing by peeking around rocks (Probably to see if I'm gone and safe to go out). I want to get a White banded (Wetmorella albofasciata) or Tanaka (Wetmorella tanakai).