Favorite NON-reef safe fish?

EnLight · Sep 19, 2013

I'm currently setting up a 75 gallon (L:48, W:18) tank, and currently own a porcupine pufferfish so I'm not putting in any coral. What are some of your guys' favorite non-reef safe fish? I'm currently thinking about angels or lionfish to go along with my puffer, any recommendations? My mom owns a reef tank so I'd like to get whatever she can't >

This next question is a bit off topic, but I'd rather make 1 thread instead of 2. Since I can't have any coral, is there anything I can do to add some color in my tank? If it's only live rock I think it would look a little bland when it's finished.

Eienna · Sep 19, 2013

I loooove harlequin tuskfish.
Some people manage to keep them in reefs but they are hazardous to inverts.

You could try various macroalgaes (calcareous ones in particular, such as halimeda, since they're less likey to get chomped). The different shades of red and green will add some color while also improving water quality.

StevenBell · Sep 19, 2013

I have always thought that marine bettas and panther groupers are gorgeous!

Squishie89 · Sep 19, 2013

Maybe a snowflake eel? But the problem there is inverts/tiny fish not the corals. You could do non-reef safe wrasses, angels, could do an angler if you stick with medium-large fish, possibly a trigger.
Personally, I think some of the fake corals can be pretty cool.

bct15 · Sep 20, 2013

Red coris wrasse is a beautiful fish, I wish I could put one in my tank but the flipping rocks issue is to big of a risk.

k2parkstar · Sep 20, 2013

Love the harlequin tusk as well

EnLight · Sep 20, 2013

I'm really liking the harlequin tusk too! Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I'll go see if I have any luck at my LFS

ZoaCollector · Sep 21, 2013

Lions are always beautiful! and you can train them to come to the top and eat raw shrimp. They'll spit water at you. It's cool. Just be careful of the spines.

EnLight · Sep 23, 2013

Yeah! Definitely getting a lion fish! My LFS only had the bigger kind (forget what it's called exactly) and they are supposed to get a Fu Manchu in the next couple days so hopefully I can get him

I'll probably need a separate thread for this, but I bought a long horned cowfish and i'm getting really worried about the toxins. I'm leaning on towards taking him back even though I think he's awesome, he's stressing me out a lot after reading more about how he can wipe out my whole tank

revhtree · Sep 23, 2013

Bump!

mainereefer · Sep 23, 2013

sohal tang or blueface angel

slayeroftheshadow · Sep 23, 2013

Queen Trigger & Queen Angel

MURedhawk · Oct 8, 2013

Puffer

Deinonych · Oct 8, 2013

Triggers are my favorite, but your tank is too small for any of them.

Dan1789 · Oct 8, 2013

Harlequin tusk and Sweetlips

1.0reef · Oct 8, 2013

Picasso trigger

DO NOT PM · Nov 1, 2013

I've had a harlequin tusk in my tank for about 18 months. I use urchins instead of crabs for a clean up crew and it works out great. They could care less about the coral. While they look mean, they are actually fairly timid. I even have some Acro-crabs that are surviving by staying deep in the colonies.

jt17 · Nov 1, 2013

Emperor Angel. watching juveniles turn adult never ceases to amaze me. I had one many years ago, before corals, and it's still one of my favorites.

TJ's Reef · Nov 1, 2013

The size of your 75g tank is a bit limiting to some acceptable tank mates to a PP Puffer such as a Clown Trigger but to add some color and movement a pair of Dottybacks (several colorful species) or school of Yellowtail Damsels could work well. +1 on trying out some different macro algae.

Cheers, Todd