How do you choose the fish in your tank

[Rob1208]

The reality is that the majority of marine fish will end up serving some sort of utilitarian role, that being said there are for sure certain species that are utilized more than others for this purpose (tangs to control algae) is one example. In my honest opinion do your homework, get fish that interest you and are compatible with your system and just enjoy the journey. Stocking the display is one of the most fun parts of the hobby and thinking too hard about "is this fish gonna do something for the biome in my tank" can really take away from that. First and foremost this hobby is about having fun and searching for your own desirable aesthetic and functioning ecosystem.

Overthinking is one of my hobbies, so I have been doing the same here. "Well, they told me I need this fish for my reef to be a success. I don't love it and it is $300." was definitely taking the fun out of it.

I'm glad that folks who have been successful at this are telling me to get the fish I want. The last thing I want to do is to be stuck with a fish that I really don't like because it serves a purpose.

 

[atoll]

You mean u don’t buy it and then ask about the husbandry? I can see how you’re doing it wrong. Lol. Great advice. Appropriate stock for a design.

I have been doing it wrong for over 40 years in this great hobby of ours lol. I hardly ever need to ask about husbandry in fact I tend to answer questions about it. I always say start with a plan in mind tweak it if necessary then choose the tank to accommodate the plan. Seems I do things a little different to most but nothing new about that lol.

 

[Widdlyscudds]

Overthinking is one of my hobbies, so I have been doing the same here. "Well, they told me I need this fish for my reef to be a success. I don't love it and it is $300." was definitely taking the fun out of it.

I'm glad that folks who have been successful at this are telling me to get the fish I want. The last thing I want to do is to be stuck with a fish that I really don't like because it serves a purpose.

Biggest mistake I have made in this hobby has been thinking I HAVE to have something. first 4-5 months my system was setup I was reading 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates but kept running my protein skimmer because i thought i "HAD" to have one to be successful, even though it's there to export nutrients and I had no nutrients. literally watched a GSP melt from 0 nutrients in the tank even though everyone said it's a literal weed and will take over the tank. Turned the skimmer off, let the tank get dirty saw a hug explosion of pinapple sponges, bristleworms, and pods and the tank has been fine ever since. There may come a time where you have a nuisance species pop up and want to handle it through "natural" means, but going slowly and making decisions based on research and common sense will lead to more success than being reactive to problems that don't exist.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Biggest mistake I have made in this hobby has been thinking I HAVE to have something. first 4-5 months my system was setup I was reading 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates but kept running my protein skimmer because i thought i "HAD" to have one to be successful, even though it's there to export nutrients and I had no nutrients. literally watched a GSP melt from 0 nutrients in the tank even though everyone said it's a literal weed and will take over the tank. Turned the skimmer off, let the tank get dirty saw a hug explosion of pinapple sponges, bristleworms, and pods and the tank has been fine ever since. There may come a time where you have a nuisance species pop up and want to handle it through "natural" means, but going slowly and making decisions based on research and common sense will lead to more success than being reactive to problems that don't exist.

The consensus is often right, but when it's wrong, it's wrong. Only we truly know the ins and outs (the very many outs) of our tanks, and I think that a lot of problems arise when people attempt to follow well-meaning advice given on a paucity of facts, and then get frustrated when it doesn't work...when they should just be really looking at their tank and figuring out what's going on. I run protein skimmers on most of my builds, but I have one skimmer that literally produces nothing in the way of skimmate these days. That tank's just fine.

 

[Widdlyscudds]

The consensus is often right, but when it's wrong, it's wrong. Only we truly know the ins and outs (the very many outs) of our tanks, and I think that a lot of problems arise when people attempt to follow well-meaning advice given on a paucity of facts, and then get frustrated when it doesn't work...when they should just be really looking at their tank and figuring out what's going on. I run protein skimmers on most of my builds, but I have one skimmer that literally produces nothing in the way of skimmate these days. That tank's just fine.

I totally agree, and to be honest I am running the skimmer these days, but i actually have the nutrients to warrant it's use. I believe it can be difficult to trust your own judgment when first starting out.

 

[MT. Reefer]

I love All my fish and don't have any regrets. I took my time adding them in, buying them two at a time. I went for color (except for my blue throat trigger) but I love how he moves through the water, and since he's the only reef safe trigger, it was a no-brainer. I bought my fish from Reef Beauties online. I took my time and looked through all the fish on their site, one species at a time, picked which ones I liked best, and made my list. All my fish are very hardy which is another thing I was concerned about. My Copperband is my favorite, but to get one that eats is a crap shoot at best. This one eats like a pig and there are never any aiptasia left in the tank. You said you don't care much for tangs, but they are very active swimmers and I think my powder blue is one of the prettiest fish I've seen. And as for color, the Melinarous Wrasse is just plain gorgeous.
Take your time and look. Hopefully, they will be yours for a long time.

 

[MNFish]

I prefer coral over fish so if my kids want a fish and it works we get it. Or if it is beneficial to a coral and it works for the tank we get it.

 

[i cant think]

Don’t pick a fish because it does a job, this is how we get fish we regret and really want to trade in. Instead pick a fish you like, it it does algae eating or something for the community then that’s just a side affect.

No, not all tanks need a tang. And honestly tangs are overrated - I just have a Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) and he chills in the tank. I didn’t get him for a job.
I also have many wrasses which I love and again, I chose them all on colours and personality.

None of my fish were bought because I needed a certain job filled, I got them because I love them for their personality, colours ect.
I also have a regal Angel on the table and the reason why is again, I love the colours and need a fish gap filled.
None of the fish in this FTS were brought to complete a job, they’re all chosen on beauty.

My other way I pick a fish is through what I currently have. No, I don’t mean ‘fish that will look nice with the others through patterns and colour’ instead I mean fish that are RSWC and fish that are so called ‘100% reef safe’.
I’m sure you’re wondering what I mean by this. Well, what I mean is this;
If you plan for RSWC fish already and you’re trying to choose between two fish, one being more reef safe than the other then look at what your other stock is.
My most recent example of this was someone deciding between a Pyramid and Copperband Butterfly.
First what I would have done in this situation is look through other fish in the plan.
Now, if I have a couple other RSWC fish I wouldn’t bother with going a more reef safe route as RSWC fish tend to go after the same corals - Fleshy LPS and zoanthids.
However, if I have no RSWC fish in the plan and I prize corals over the fish (I think everyone who knows me on here’s knows it’s the opposite for me), I wouldn’t go for the RSWC fish and would go for the more reef safe route.

I hope this makes sense
And if you’re curious on whether I went the regal route as mentioned at the end of my previous post (the post quoted) then here you go.

 

[muggle0981]

Compatibility, For me it’s all about is it the best “yes” for the fish. When it comes to corals are they corals that are built to sustain in home aquarium-some just aren’t ment for home aquariums-only the wild, sandsifting starfish-sorry they just will starve out, not ment for home aquariums, same with fish-chromis one by one will pick each other off, so what makes sense, what do i like and if they go together then it is a go

my two cents

 

[MT. Reefer]

So Rob, when you decide which way you're going with the fish side of things, post a couple pics of the fish you pick. It will be fun to see what you end up with.

 

[wbama387]

I planned all my fish from the beginning and in the order I am adding them. I pick them first by temperament, then by purpose, and lastly by color. I went to an online retailer and just went through all fish offered and narrowed it down to the amount my tank can accommodate. Due to my tank only being 45 gallons, I want to add them in an order as some of the fish have a semi-aggressive temperament so I would like to get all the peaceful fish in first to allow them to claim their territory before adding ones that are semi-aggressive.

 

[LeannaBanana]

Overthinking is one of my hobbies,

Hard same.

Love this thread! I'm currently planning my "stock wish list" for the tank I just ordered, and so far my list priority has been based on 1) fish I find cool in looks or known quirks/behavior, 2) fish that get along with the fish I want most, and then, 3) fish that have a job/purpose as a nice to have while also verifying that everyone has the space they need to feel safe and thrive.

 

[Rob1208]

So Rob, when you decide which way you're going with the fish side of things, post a couple pics of the fish you pick. It will be fun to see what you end up with.

So, I made my first purchase from BIOTA today. I have 3 fish arriving on Thursday. And, oddly enough, two of them are Tangs. I decided to go with a Yellow Tang and a Blue Tang.

My wife LOVES Yellow Tangs and I want to keep her involved in the tank process, so the Yellow was an easy call. Plus I love the idea of captive-bred fish. This concept is totally new to me. I don't want a "Disney" tank but I have always loved Blue Tangs, so I figured those two would be the only tangs in my tank. After some research and communication with the BIOTA folks, I feel pretty confident that they will get along given their size. I also ordered a Royal Gramma Basslet.

I'm excited and nervous. I never thought I would be ordering fish online. I'll keep you all posted on the progress of these three and the tank as a whole.