Great fish that get a bad rap

[hllb]

Since my lps are numerous and valued had to go w the doppelgänger

Totally a great option. I knew they got bigger but seeing the size is different!

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Totally a great option. I knew they got bigger but seeing the size is different!

Fish is a pig.

 

[Catnip885]

I feel like all damsels are under the bad rep but I have had multiple tanks with smithi, talbets and staghorn damsels and they have all been good little fish. My 75 has 2 smithi damsels in it right now. They don't bully anyone.

 

[jcolliii]

Starki damsels. Gorgeous fish, and model citizen (at least my singly kept example). I would love to try a Corazon's damsel down the road too, but they are even rarer.

 

[Elliott ll]

#1 fish with a bad rep... Harlequin Tusk... People that say this fish eats other fish I think are crazy... I have 10 wrasses in a 100 gal setup with a 6 inch harlequin. Plus several other fish. I have far more than general rule for fish and love every second of it. My Harley is the most peaceful fish in the tank and gets picked on.... He will let me pet him and spits water at the surface during feeding time. He shakes his food and will hit clams against rocks but thats about it... honestly one my favorite fish and total teddy bear. He won't even touch my CUC... my cleaner shrimp often jumps on him and rides his belly as he cleans him. My cleaner wrasse cleans him all the time as well. Definitely not EVIL as described.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Royal Gramma

6 line wrasse

coral beauty angel

 

[hllb]

#1 fish with a bad rep... Harlequin Tusk... People that say this fish eats other fish I think are crazy... I have 10 wrasses in a 100 gal setup with a 6 inch harlequin. Plus several other fish. I have far more than general rule for fish and love every second of it. My Harley is the most peaceful fish in the tank and gets picked on.... He will let me pet him and spits water at the surface during feeding time. He shakes his food and will hit clams against rocks but thats about it... honestly one my favorite fish and total teddy bear. He won't even touch my CUC... my cleaner shrimp often jumps on him and rides his belly as he cleans him. My cleaner wrasse cleans him all the time as well. Definitely not EVIL as described.

I was in the hobby 20 yrs ago and just got back in 2 yrs ago. I had a harlequin back in the day and they are very docile fish to other fish. They never had a bad reputation back then so I’m so surprised they do now!

 

[Rich Osman]

Well, I just added an orchid dottyback today so time will tell. He’s little and I don’t think he could do too much to the bigger fish anyway. Added a yellow tail damsel today too. I chose both of these because my tank has assertive fish and these are generally more personable specimens in their respective families.

I did have a Pygmy angel kill my trachy. Later he developed a taste for zoas so that’s where i drew the line. I replaced him with a flame angel though and knock on wood, good so far. He picks at stuff but doesn’t do damage.

Where did you get the orchid dottyback? Been looking for a captive bred one for over 6 months.

 

[old salt reefer]

I'll go with a six line wrasse. With the right tank mates they are model citizens. Put in with clowns,damsels, dottybacks angels,etc. do great.

 

[old salt reefer]

Where did you get the orchid dottyback? Been looking for a captive bred one for over 6 months.

Try Petco, all the one's by me have them most times(it's where I got mine). As well as just about any kind of clownfish.

 

[Rich Osman]

Try Petco, all the one's by me have them most times(it's where I got mine). As well as just about any kind of clownfish.

Thanks!

 

[Jeffcb]

African Flameback and Bi-Colored blenny both dive bombed and ripped a beautiful Bleeding Sour Apple Scolymia to shreds. But only after a couple of months. They are not reef-safe and deserve a BAD RAP!

They were both in my 250 liter. I had to drain the tank to get them out. Now they swim with the fishes. The Big fishes. Well one dose. I moved then to my 900 liter FOWLR tank. The Flameback is doing great and gets along with a Flame and a Cherub. The bi-Colored Blenny I only saw for a few days. He must of gotten eaten by some one, RIP little fella.

 

[hllb]

Where did you get the orchid dottyback? Been looking for a captive bred one for over 6 months.

I got mine locally. He’s a cutie and quite little (he spent the first 4 days in my overflow)

 

[hllb]

African Flameback and Bi-Colored blenny both dive bombed and ripped a beautiful Bleeding Sour Apple Scolymia to shreds. But only after a couple of months. They are not reef-safe and deserve a BAD RAP!

They were both in my 250 liter. I had to drain the tank to get them out. Now they swim with the fishes. The Big fishes. Well one dose. I moved then to my 900 liter FOWLR tank. The Flameback is doing great and gets along with a Flame and a Cherub. The bi-Colored Blenny I only saw for a few days. He must of gotten eaten by some one, RIP little fella.

Well, any angel is possibly a coral eater, especially something fleshy. My flameback ate my trachy.

 

[paulgriffin971]

First: Bi-color angels. Told they'd kill off my zoa's and nip at my softies---never had an issue.

Second: Wrasses=you need a net over your tank. Don't have a net, have four wrasses and never seen one swim above about mid-tank. Guess I'm being brave.

Third: ....housing tangs in less than a 100 gallon tank. (Here' we go---KABOOM!!!)

 

[Jimbo]

Been model citizens . Very cool fish .

 

[EakTheFreak]

This might be controversial:
Copperband butterfly! Just hear me out. Please.

Assuming you get one that is not beyond hope. (But this goes with most all specimens, coral or fish. Although I know that alot of copperbands can arrive at the LFS beyond hope.)

Copperbands get a bad rep for being hard to feed and eventual doom. But if you get one in semi-salvagable state, TRUST ME. BLACKWORMS.

I have experience with fattening up about 2 dozen Copperband butterflies (and other fish) in a span of 10 years helping the petland store acclimate poor arrivals in trade for free cat food. I felt like a volunteer in a dog/cat shelter. Lol!

They will squiggle around for at least 20 seconds while they drift down, and if the copperband notices it, he will be interested. He will peck at it. He will love it. They will still squiggle around when they land for a bit. I know copperbands aren't used to picking at food in the water column (but trust me, once your copperband is well established, he will be a master water column feeder...)

I have gotten Petland discounts store in my neighborhood (back in the day) to fatten up newly arrived Copperbands as well as other poorly shipped fish. For some reason, this branch sold live blackworms shipped from Cali for about 10 years before they shut down. But they never thought to feed their new salt water inhabitants blackworms. I made a suggestion and showed them what blackworms can do for struggling new arrivals.

Willie the Copperband in my youtube video is from that store! Luckily he was in decent condition and when I tried literally EVERY FOOD for him when I first got him, he was instantly gorging on blackworms.

The disposable plastic pipette is key in aiming blackworms in the copperbands direction, even if the fish is shy and scared and running away from everything, hiding in the corner.

TLDR:

1) Copperband butterfly fish are known to die due to inability to get nutrition. Get one that is at least swimming normally. Even a specimen with a concave belly has hope, as long as it is showing normal swimming behaviour.
2) Buy disposable pipettes. Get some live blackworms.
3) Spend 3 straight days concentrating on blowing live blackworms without scaring the poor fish in a QT tank. Blow above him so the blackworms slowly descend in its general direction, while they are squiggling madly along the way.
4) Using modified pavlovs conditioning, the copperband will also eventually eat frozen/freezedried tubifex and bloodworms (bloodworms are like candy). High probability is mysis shrimp. I have NEVER seen copperbands eat flake. If they get tricked into eating some from a mixed pipette of blackworms and flake, they will spit the flake food out.

Copperband + Blackworms = Success.

I promise you, after that. Copperbands are almost as hardy as damselfish as long as normal water parameters are OK and there were no parasites or disease.

This is super interesting. I started my Copperband on live brine shrimp then went 50/50 live and frozen brine. Then went to live clams but ended up culturing white worms!

I still culture white worms to this day for about 2 years now. I have them in a wine cooler and its actually quite easy to do now. The copperband eats the white worms faster than any of my fish and they are all obsessed!

 

[EakTheFreak]

Flame Angel & Coral Beauty and they are in the same 131 Gallon DT with tons of LPS & softies!

 

[GARRIGA]

Damsel fan here. Like them all. Lots of attitude but I’m good with that. African Cichlids are worse. Love them too. One of the few fresh that rival salt in color yet damsels can be done if the most colorful there is.

Garibaldi are cool in person. Not sure those come in anymore. The juveniles are exceptional but only seen pics. Cold water fish but I believe still a damsel and supposedly aggressive yet don’t recall them being that way.

Eel could be problematic or not. Add character and who doesn’t like something slithering through the rocks. Dragon Moray I one day must have. Cool in pics but in person just crazy amazing

Big angels are supposedly a no no but seen videos of Sprung having some and Reef Man. That purple with yellowtail is awesome. Don’t recall what it’s called but I want one. Emperors too. There’s another big blue angel I forgot it’s name.

School purple Anthias are just sick to look at. Problematic I’m told to keep.

Powder Blue tang because it’s an ich magnet yet a school of those would be worth the risk.

Perhaps a species only of frog fish or cutters. Especially the latter from Australia.

Talking about Australia. In the 80s we used to receive woebegone. Shrouding have got one when I had the chance. Coral safe. Fish not so much.

Any chance they are hiring at Sea World. Just like Hooper. I’m going to need a bigger tank

 

[Projects with Sam]

Captive bred Neon Dottyback. He is so inquisitive and personable, not to mention stunning with the crisp blue lines on the orange field. Always comes to the glass when I approach. Has not been in my DT long enough to cause a ruckus but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt.