Fish List

[SourAngelfish]

Spotted Mandarinfish


Lyretail Anthias


Starry Blenny


Melanarus Wrasse


Cleaner Wrasse


Green Coris Wrasse


Sleeper Goby


3 zebra dartfish


Pearlscale Butterflyfish (possibly)

Are all of these fish compatible/reefsafe?

 

[evolved]

Spotted Mandarinfish


Lyretail Anthias


Starry Blenny


Melanarus Wrasse


Cleaner Wrasse


Green Coris Wrasse


Sleeper Goby


3 zebra dartfish


Pearlscale Butterflyfish (possibly)

Are all of these fish compatible/reefsafe?

Missing an important detail: the size of the tank?

Regardless, skip the green "coris" wrasse; does not stay very green and will turn into an aggressive terror.

 

[SourAngelfish]

Missing an important detail: the size of the tank?

Regardless, skip the green "coris" wrasse; does not stay very green and will turn into an aggressive terror.

A 55 gallon. I keep changing my mind on what I want and I would like too see all of my options. I don’t plan on putting all of these fish in, just a few of them.

 

[SourAngelfish]

I was also thinking a clown/pair. I don’t really like the ocellaris but I would think most other clown species would be aggressive. I really like clarkii, maroons, and tomatoes. This tank is going to be focused around the mandarin though, as I already have it in another tank eating frozen. I just think it would have more feeding opportunities in the 55. I plan on having a 30 gallon sump/Refugium by the way.

 

[tdileo]

Pearlscale is not reef safe and needs a bigger tank. Full grown, the melanurus will need a bigger tank. Cleaner wrasses do not usually do great unless they are in a big tank with lots of large fish for them to clean, but some people do have success. I am also a fan of the look of clarkii, maroon and tomatoes, but they often are EXTREMELY aggressive from my experience and I would not put them in such a small tank because they will dominate everything and probably kill everything else unless you somehow get an incredibly passive specimen.

 

[SourAngelfish]

Okay, this is pretty much everything I want...

The Dragonet
Atleast one Blenny
Atleast One Wrasse (not a fairy/flasher)
Atleast One Anthias
Atleast One Sand Sifting Goby
Atleast One Type of random open water swimming fish (cardinal fish, dartfish, clownfish)
And possibly one oddball fish

These are the things I would like but are not necessary if they will not work...

Butterflyfish
Cleaner Wrasse
Clownfish
Indigo Hamlet

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Okay, this is pretty much everything I want...

The Dragonet
Atleast one Blenny
Atleast One Wrasse (not a fairy/flasher)
Atleast One Anthias
Atleast One Sand Sifting Goby
Atleast One Type of random open water swimming fish (cardinal fish, dartfish, clownfish)
And possibly one oddball fish

These are the things I would like but are not necessary if they will not work...

Butterflyfish
Cleaner Wrasse
Clownfish
Indigo Hamlet

If you'd really like a butterflyfish in that tank, consider the Atlantic longnose butterflyfish (Prognathodes aculeatus) they are generally reef safe but are not compatible with ornamental worms or sometimes urchins , and grow to a max size of around 4 inches

A wrasse you may like is the pink streaked wrasse (pseudocheilinops ataenia) which are peaceful and small

 

[SourAngelfish]

That butterfly looks gorgeous, I’ll definitely do some research on it. The pink streak wrasse is cool as well.

 

[Maritimer]

If you like the look of the melanurus, take a look at Halichoires biocellotis, the two-spot or red-lined wrasse. Similar red/green patterning, but a smaller adult size.

The clowns on your list get big and can be trouble - many years ago I had a 55 with a tomato and a purple dottyback in it ... and that fish list was complete, in their opinion. They killed everything else I tried to add after them.

~Bruce

 

[Cornerboy]

Spotted Mandarinfish


Lyretail Anthias


Starry Blenny


Melanarus Wrasse


Cleaner Wrasse


Green Coris Wrasse


Sleeper Goby


3 zebra dartfish


Pearlscale Butterflyfish (possibly)

Are all of these fish compatible/reefsafe?

I'm a newcomer at this but I'm looking at doing something somewhat similar. One thing I have been cautioned about over and over and over again- -the pod requirements that will be needed for the Mandarin and the wrasses. I'd make sure your setting up a large fuge and seeding pods early on. Double check with some of the pros here though. Good luck!!

 

[SourAngelfish]

Okay how about this?

Lyretail Anthias
Spotted Dragonet
Starry Blenny
Red-lined wrasse
Black Cap Basslett
Atlantic Longnose Butterfly
Sand sifting goby (still haven’t decided)
Pair of Ocellaris Clowns

 

[tdileo]

Okay how about this?

Lyretail Anthias
Spotted Dragonet
Starry Blenny
Red-lined wrasse
Black Cap Basslett
Atlantic Longnose Butterfly
Sand sifting goby (still haven’t decided)
Pair of Ocellaris Clowns

Sounds good to me. Just cross your fingers your mandarin eats prepared foods as it is a huge help. They still need a large amount of pods though. As far as sand sifting gobies, are you looking for one that will go all over or stay in one little area? That can help us give you some ideas.

 

[SourAngelfish]

Sounds good to me. Just cross your fingers your mandarin eats prepared foods as it is a huge help. They still need a large amount of pods though. As far as sand sifting gobies, are you looking for one that will go all over or stay in one little area? That can help us give you some ideas.

I would like one that will go all over. I would also like too mention that I already have the mandarin in another tank and he’s been eating mysis for about two months now.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

A rainfords goby may work as a sand sifter and are available captive bred aswell on occasion , they cover rocks and low lying corals less with sand than the other sand sifters belonging to the genus valenciennea , if you like them that is

 

[SourAngelfish]

I previously had a rainfords goby and I liked him a lot, I personally like too get fish that are different from my previous fish, but that would be a viable option. I like the bigger sand sifters like pink dots and yellow heads. And a lot of the sleepers. We have this strange sand sifter at the lfs just called a sand sifting goby, I can’t find out what it is no matter where I look. It has bright green eyes and brown stripes, it’s really cool looking and appears too be a lot less skiddish

 

[Jesterrace]

Hmm let's see here:

1)Mandarinfish/Dragonets require lots of well established live rock with a thriving copepod population to have a chance. It is generally recommended for tanks with 75lbs or more of well established live rock to keep one going. Even if it learns to eat frozen foods (which is a big IF) it is generally beaten to the punch by other fish who gobble up the food before the mandarin can get to it.

2)The Lyretail might need more room than the 55 gallon can provide because it generally needs lots of space to roam and a cramped anthias can cause aggression problems for you

3) The Longnose butterfly is beautiful and it is high on my list but be aware it doesn't come available very often and you better be ready to open up your wallet when it does (ie $130 or more).

The rest of the list looks good.

 

[eatbreakfast]

With the refugium the mandarin should be fine.

The lyretail will be fine in a 55g. Their swimming habit is to "hover" over the rock and have spurts of activity, it doesn't pace back and forth the tank length.