Fish suggestion needed

[T-J]

My wife likes to go with the “that’s pretty!” approach to fish. This is where you come in R2R community...

Please help me with finding a blue fish that is reef compatible. We have a 40g cube with a Midas Blenny and two Clowns. CUC and mixed corals.
Thanks!

 

[Hemmdog]

Maybe like a 6 line wrasse? They are kind of blue. Blue is actually a fairly uncommon color without it being another damsel and that would fit in a 40c. 6 lines are mean to other wrasses but it might work well with your stock list.

 

[C_mo97]

You could always go for a damsel. They have blue variations.

 

[ccombs]

Maybe like a 6 line wrasse? They are kind of blue. Blue is actually a pretty uncommon color without it being another damsel and that would fit a 40c. 6 lines are mean to other wrasses but it might work well with your stock list.

No joke, blue can be a hard color.

Maybe if she is ok with purple you could look at a royal gramma? I am colorblind so that looks blue enough to me! (at least half of it)

 

[fermentedhiker]

Randalls assessor is a subdued blue. They are pretty cryptic though and so won't be out in front all the time.

 

[El_Guapo13]

Neon Goby. They come in blue.

 

[El_Guapo13]

Fourline Cleaner Wrasses are also blue and black striped, but on one site I see they are listed as reef safe, and another says "Monitor".

 

[ccombs]

Blue reef chromis, I hate chromis, but that is a different story.

 

[fermentedhiker]

Fourline Cleaner Wrasses are also blue and black striped, but on one site I see they are listed as reef safe, and another says "Monitor".

They are reef safe when young but I seem to remember they turn into known coral eaters as adults. I can't remember where I read it of the top of my head

 

[Mav88]

I like the neon dottyback. Blue and orange. People have problems with them and there CUC but I don't have this problem.

 

[Zack K]

I would advise against Cleaner wrasse. They can be very difficult to keep especially without bigger fish it can swim with. Blue dartfish can be housed in trios and are a pretty blue.

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1636+1694&pcatid=1694

 

[PPPPPP42]

Several Blue Chromis might work if you can fit enough.

Blue Chromis Care (Chromis cyanea)

Blue Chromis fish profile and care information such as tank size, tank mates, life span, diet, breeding, behavior, tank setup and temperament.

www.fishlore.com

 

[Jesterrace]

Neon Goby would probably be the best all around fit for what she wants. Damsels definitely come in Blue but can be a mixed bag for behavior (even the "nicer ones").

Here is a Neon Goby:

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1500+5141+3427&pcatid=3427

 

[JasonK84]

One of these

 

[PPPPPP42]

As far as the damsel suggestions I would have suggested an azure damsel as they are in my opinion prettier and I hear somewhat less agressive than the standard blue damsel, but the 5 that I have (too many for my tank) stake out particular parts of the rock structure for themselves and keep the other damsels away aggressively and the other fish somewhat passive aggressively.
That could be a bit of a hassle in a 40 gallon especially since I read they get worse as they grow. They pretty much ignore the watchman gobies and only occationally nip at the pair of clown fish when they play too close (each of the damsels in my tank has a different aggression level and territory size) thought no damage to any fish that I know of yet. Just the 5 of them hog up every square inch of my 75 gallon at least for damsels and it only works because I have a lot of spread structure. I'm not sure how they would take to a midas blenny.

Azure Damselfish Care (Chrysiptera hemicyanea)

Azure Damselfish (Chrysiptera hemicyanea) saltwater fish profile and care information such as tank size, tank mates, life span, diet, breeding, behavior, tank setup and temperament.

www.fishlore.com

 

[minus9]

I would get an ORA Neon goby and Randall's assessor, both are great fish. Btw, my Randall's is out all the time, first to wake up and last to go to bed at night. They have a very unique color and depending on how you view them, you get multiple colors. They're kinda like tridacna clams in that way, viewed from above brings out such a cool, almost turqoise color and from below you can see their orange belly (in the right light).
Also, the neon goby (like the sharknose) are one of, if not the best cleaner fish to have in a reef. So much personality and fun to watch.

 

[lolmatt]

Starcki damsel (Chrysiptera starcki), easily. They are somewhat difficult to come across, and not the cheapest fish around (~$50-$80), but they are often found on divers den (most recently 12/27 for $90), and are a beautiful blue color with some yellow. Mine is often mistaken for a dwarf angel by less saavy reefers, very active, and cooler than my hippo tang imo. Springeri damsel (Chrysiptera springeri) is another option, easier to find but less personality and quite a bit darker (mine tends to blend into the rocks).

Another option that is potentially reef safe (depends on the specimen) is the pygmy cherub angelfish (Centropyge argi), very active fish as well.

I have a randalls assessor (ORA captive bred), tons of personality in a docile tank but is my most skittish fish, and it's basically black. Got him back when I had a 40g breeder, and even in the smaller tank this fish was not exciting.

You could also go with a biota mandarin, they eat prepared foods readily (reef nutrition ROE and arcti pods were my go-to), and are very cool and pretty, though they are somewhat cryptic (particularly at first), and start out very small. If you go this route I recommend rearing it in a tank with no aggressive tankmates (your current stock is fine) for at least 6-9 months, at which point it would be big enough to eat larger prepared foods, like maybe LRS nano frenzy or dry flake.

There are a handful of wrasses that are varying colors of blue, but most of them (including the ones I mention here) will outgrow <2ft of swimming space quite quickly. A Solon fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis) is mostly blue, with a red head, and quite peaceful. And a male leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) is a beautiful blue, but hard to find as a male and notoriously difficult to get to eat (they often arrive with damaged mouths and/or only eat live foods).

And of course the blue spot jawfish that @JasonK84 showed (there was a thread for this last week - https://reefloungeusaa.com/products/blue-spot-jawfish-pre-order which is easily the cheapest you'll find it by 2x or more).

Good luck, hope this gives you a few (too many?) choices!