favorite cheap and entertaining fish?

[mushrommy]

You can also get Pajama cardinals those are less fun to watch cause they just hang in the water floating still but they are cool. A little school of 3-4 is a great idea and fun to watch imo

My parents really want Cardinals! I've yet to show them pj Cardinals though. I love them.

 

[Ro Bow]

Another great option are lawnmower blennies. Similar to gobies, however they actually are useful in the fact that they eat/graze on algae. Plus they look super cute and derpy, and are actually pretty smart (compared to other fish lol). They kinda just chill on rocks, and they swim really funnily.
They dont eat any corals or anything and look super funny!

 

[mushrommy]

I have this combo and they are great!!

Also really like my pink streaked wrasse. Love how it cruises around the rock work.

those are really expensive...

 

[mushrommy]

Another great option are lawnmower blennies. Similar to gobies, however they actually are useful in the fact that they eat/graze on algae. Plus they look super cute and derpy, and are actually pretty smart (compared to other fish lol). They kinda just chill on rocks, and they swim really funnily.
They dont eat any corals or anything and look super funny!

I had one but picked a sick one without knowing. my dad is advising me not to try one again but I never listen and is saving for another one!

 

[Ro Bow]

Depending on your skill level and tank age you can also get mandarin dragonets but they eat live copepods and are a bit harder to care for, and need an established tank but those could be an option in the future.
Another one is the blue dot jawfish which is similar to gobies but doesnt need a pistol shrimp. They do change rockwork sometimes though, so you would need to move around your rocks a bit. But they arent too crazy with digging, they dont dig elaborate passages like pistol shrimp they will just dig a house and stay there. Its super cool.
You could also maybe get a flame hawkfish those are cool. They hang out on sps and on hard corals and perch a lot, but they are also bright red which is pretty cool and unique.

Cool thing about these fish is that they are really pretty and other than the dragonet are easy to care for

 

[vetteguy53081]

I heard food can go scarce with cleaner wrasses, which is unfortunate because they're so entertaining big sad

Mine eats everything in sight. I had mine 8 years

 

[Ro Bow]

Mine eats everything in sight. I had mine 8 years

Im curious, what size tank is it in?

 

[jkcoral]

If we are talking cheap, it’s hard to beat a tailspot blenny. Every one I’ve had has been entertaining, and my current one definitely gives me the best laughs per dollar ratio in the tank.

Slightly more expensive, Pygmy geometric hawk fish are also awesome and pretty funny. And if you’re traveling into the $100 neighborhood, yellow banded possum wrasses are really entertaining. They have a reputation for being shy, but I’ve had several that are very outgoing. My favorite possum thinks he’s a pelagic fish or a king fish or something, because he’s always rolling over the top of the reef cruising.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

This guy is one of my favorites.. he's an orchard dottyback. We named him Cheeky! He can be a cheeky little fellow when he wants to be which is generally all the time. He's not as extravagant as some of the other members posting their ideas but for me and my current situation waiting on my new tank he is housed with two small clowns. They all have their own personalities but this guy literally makes me crack up all the time. He can also work on my nerves as well.

I constantly need to shush him away when I'm spot feeding corals. Sometimes I'll give my zoas a meaty treats of some mysis and also my big hairy mushroom. The zoas close right up to enjoy their meal and cheeky will constantly circle his prey and I've caught him a number of times stealing food from the mouths of the zoas LOL.

He adds nice color to the tank and has lots of movement in and out of the rocks and he's a very curious fellow observing everything outside of his glass box.

Sorry I rambled on enough but here's what he looks like.

 

[mushrommy]

Depending on your skill level and tank age you can also get mandarin dragonets but they eat live copepods and are a bit harder to care for, and need an established tank but those could be an option in the future.
Another one is the blue dot jawfish which is similar to gobies but doesnt need a pistol shrimp. They do change rockwork sometimes though, so you would need to move around your rocks a bit. But they arent too crazy with digging, they dont dig elaborate passages like pistol shrimp they will just dig a house and stay there. Its super cool.
You could also maybe get a flame hawkfish those are cool. They hang out on sps and on hard corals and perch a lot, but they are also bright red which is pretty cool and unique.

Cool thing about these fish is that they are really pretty and other than the dragonet are easy to care for

My tank is 20 years old! I don't have copepods though but I do have a ton of small and large amphipods.

 

[mushrommy]

If we are talking cheap, it’s hard to beat a tailspot blenny. Every one I’ve had has been entertaining, and my current one definitely gives me the best laughs per dollar ratio in the tank.

Slightly more expensive, Pygmy geometric hawk fish are also awesome and pretty funny. And if you’re traveling into the $100 neighborhood, yellow banded possum wrasses are really entertaining. They have a reputation for being shy, but I’ve had several that are very outgoing. My favorite possum thinks he’s a pelagic fish or a king fish or something, because he’s always rolling over the top of the reef cruising.

blenny are the pure entertaining fish.

 

[JoJosReef]

Tail Spot Blenny. They park in there cave like backing up a bus. Beautiful fish.

If we are talking cheap, it’s hard to beat a tailspot blenny. Every one I’ve had has been entertaining, and my current one definitely gives me the best laughs per dollar ratio in the tank.

Slightly more expensive, Pygmy geometric hawk fish are also awesome and pretty funny. And if you’re traveling into the $100 neighborhood, yellow banded possum wrasses are really entertaining. They have a reputation for being shy, but I’ve had several that are very outgoing. My favorite possum thinks he’s a pelagic fish or a king fish or something, because he’s always rolling over the top of the reef cruising.

Agree about the tailspot blenny. If you want price-to-personality ratio, hard to beat. LOT of personality in a tiny $30 fish!

 

[mushrommy]

because my tank is 20 years old and has a ton of amphipods, I'm thinking about seahorses or pipe fish. Is this good for a 20-year-old 47-gallon tank?

 

[Ro Bow]

because my tank is 20 years old and has a ton of amphipods, I'm thinking about seahorses or pipe fish. Is this good for a 20-year-old 47-gallon tank?

Yes! However if you have any stinging corals such as hammers, torches, or anemones as well, they can hurt, stress, or even kill a seahorse or pipefish. Also, Clownfish should be okay with the seahorses, but i would do some research on people who had clownfish with seahorses. I know there have been a few. Fast moving fish are worse for seahorses and pipefish, because they will scare them and stress them, causing them to get sick and die in some occasions

 

[mushrommy]

I'm soon getting a bta. will it hurt it to the point of death? I have very low rockwork so will it even touch it?

Yes! However if you have any stinging corals such as hammers, torches, or anemones as well, they can hurt, stress, or even kill a seahorse or pipefish. Also, Clownfish should be okay with the seahorses, but i would do some research on people who had clownfish with seahorses. I know there have been a few. Fast moving fish are worse for seahorses and pipefish, because they will scare them and stress them, causing them to get sick and die in some occasions

 

[Tchung23]

those are really expensive...

Dracula goby are probably one of the most expensive gobies but still relatively cheap compared to other saltwater fish.

 

[Tchung23]

Cheap, pretty and entertaining. Royal Gramma. Although very common still a really cool fish

 

[Ryde]

I've got to agree on the Goby, and Pistol Shimp pair. Quit fun to watch both completely different species interact and support each other.

 

[EugeneVan]

Not the cheapest fish, but they are so cute just to looking at them.

 

[jkcoral]

Not the cheapest fish, but they are so cute just to looking at them.

That is an awesome picture.

They are definitely cute, except for when they perch upside down under and arch and stare at you with judgmental eyes haha.