Need help picking a "show fish"!

[125gSW]

Currently have a 125 gal 6ft tank have fish in there already but it really lacks a big beautiful fish or two.

My current stock:
2 Chromis
2 Clownfish
2 Banggai Cardinal
2 Firefish
2 YellowHead Jawfish
1 Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
1 Yellow Goby (Paired with Tiger Pistol)
2 Cleaner Skunk shrimp
2 Nass. snails that are sand ninjas

I know a lot of pairs lol. The set up is currently FOWLR but I will transition next year to reef. I really wanted to do Butterfly Fish but I all I got were bad stories from my LFS and friends. If any of you have cool suggestions, please drop the name! I have been stuck for awhile, so many beautiful fishes out there

 

[Kmsutows]

How about a dwarf angel? Or as a nice show fish a goldflake angel

 

[125gSW]

How about a dwarf angel? Or as a nice show fish a goldflake angel

I was thinking about the flame dwarf angel, but I am worried about aggression. Would a Foxface pair nicely with an angel or is that a bad idea

 

[Bubs2]

Gem tang[emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]

 

[125gSW]

Gem tang[emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]

Future goal!

Are tangs generally hardy?

 

[AtulR]

Future goal!

Are tangs generally hardy?

Depends, really. If you run all your fish through a strict QT procedure, then yes, most tangs are on the hardier end of the spectrum. If you don't quarantine, Tangs are notorious crypto magnets. There are tangs like the Achilles Tang which is a pretty finicky fish, and not one I'd recommend for your system. I'd recommend a White Tail Bristletooth Tang for your system, they're great algae eaters, hardy, and very vibrant color wise.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Wow!! These are expensive. I'd vote for a AAA grade trip-color calico aberrant tang. I've been looking for one of these beauties but these guys are proving to be a hard find!
Good luck for that cherry on top! Im sure whatever you decide it will be perfect

 

[Carlos Danger]

Depends, really. If you run all your fish through a strict QT procedure, then yes, most tangs are on the hardier end of the spectrum. If you don't quarantine, Tangs are notorious crypto magnets. There are tangs like the Achilles Tang which is a pretty finicky fish, and not one I'd recommend for your system. I'd recommend a White Tail Bristletooth Tang for your system, they're great algae eaters, hardy, and very vibrant color wise.

Atul! I hope you can find me this fish. I'm waiting with baited breathe to hear from you. Don't forget about me bud.
Thanks.

 

[cdare99]

Dwarf angels will pick at corals sometimes. My flame angel hurt my doughnut coral pretty bad, until I put it in a container where it couldn't get to it.

 

[ncaldwell]

I have an Achilles and a marine betta as my main "show" fish. The betta has never bothered anything including shrimp, chromis, clowns, coral. Probably the most peaceful fish i own.

 

[Susanak6]

I have an Achilles and a marine betta as my main "show" fish. The betta has never bothered anything including shrimp, chromis, clowns, coral. Probably the most peaceful fish i own.

Beautiful fish but my marine betta Harley ever comes out. It is a very shy fish and doesn't like too much light

 

[lion king]

I would stick to a smaller tang or a reef safe wrasse. For every angel success you hear, there are 100s of angels wrecking corals. A couple of years ago one of the top lfs here starting pushing angels in reef tanks. Now you have alot of p*** off people. The ones that did have initial success, eventually turned to dismay.

How about a trio of leopard wrasses or
Check out an aberrant scopas tang or this highlighter yellow tang: http://m.liveaquaria.com/divers-den/product/367465/highlighter-black-marked-yellow-tang
although out of my price range.

 

[Bluecbs]

A trio of schooling bannerfish (H. Diphreutes). H. Acuminatus is similar looking but classified not reef safe.

 

[Ashish Patel]

You need some strong swimmers and colorful fish, which are Tangs...Yellow and hippo. Both are hardy and acclimate well to captivity.

 

[OrionN]

A Tang or two is what you need. Avoid the larger ones. I love my Regal Angels

 

[OrionN]

Marine Betta are not showfish. I have my pair for 4+ year but only see them orcasionally. Now I do see them everyday, they are graceful and beautiful but showfish they are not
The two fish pictured above are show fish

 

[Ashish Patel]

I like fish that you can see from 50feet away and only fish that has this punch is yellow tangs and anthias... I would add some brightly colored fish that are hardy.. I don't trust butterfly fish even in a FOWLR.. I feel they are very picky eaters and more susceptible to parasites/disease.. If you want to convert to reef eventually id highly recommend tangs, and reef safe with caution fish such as some dwarf angelfish and anthias. Stay away from powder blue, sohal, clown, and Naso tangs

My fish list

3 - Yellow tangs (show fish, eating algae, detritus)
1 - Flame angelfish (for color only)
2 - Clownfish (Nemo duhh)
4 - Lyretail anthias (1 male, 3 females) (for color only)
3 - chromis (to eat small floating food particles)
1 - Melanuarus wrasse (possible pest control)
1 - Sixline wrasse (possible pest control)
2 - Scotter blennies (Pod control)
2 - Hermit crabs (detritus removal)

 

[eatbreakfast]

A Genicathus species of angel is reefsafe and showy.

Pyramid butterflies are a reefsafe butterfly that is pretty hardy.

 

[OrionN]

My fish list in a 320 gal tank.
Angels: Regal(3), Watanabei(2), Flame(3). Copperband But. Tangs: Powder Blue, Yellow,Chevron. Foxface, Harlequin Tusk. Marine Beta(2), Leopard wrasse(3). A. percula(4- a trio and a spare)

 

[OrionN]

My fish list in a 320 gal tank:
Angels: Regal(3), Watanabei(2), Flame(3). Copperband But. Tangs: Powder Blue, Yellow,Chevron. Foxface, Harlequin Tusk. Marine Beta(2), Loepard wrasse(3). A. percula(4- atrio and a spare)

A well run 125 gal tank should be large enough to keep most fish that are available in our hobby. Avoid Sailfin tangs, and tang in the Naso genus. They just get too large.
Yellow or Purple tang should be great. Try not to add tangs of the same Genus together. I recently remove a Purple tang because he was beating up my Yellow tang after 4 years. They were both added when they were just over 1 inch quite a few years ago. Power Blue or Power Brown tangs are great fish, you can add one of the two if you feel up to it.
Harlequin Tusk is the definition of a show fish, IMO. Beautiful, hardy, out all the time fish but does have his down side. Mine does not eat my shrimp or small fish, but I feed him well. Hard to add new small fish. Disoriented bite size fish will bring out his killer instinct like you wouldn't believe. He went to bed early so if you add small fish or shrimp, make sure you feed him very well first and add the small fish and shrimp right before the light go out, when he already go to sleep in the rock work.
Harem of Flame Angels are great. I keep a mixed tank, mostly anemones. My Flame angels does not bother any of my corals, anemones, or clams. They are easy to get and until recently easy to get acclimated into captivity. In the evening, spawning of my Flames always impressed people. My regal angels are also a great show fish but they are not easy fish to get to live in captivity initially. Once acclimated, they will do great.

When looking at my tank, non reefers people notice the Harlequin Tusk, Regal Angels, CB Butterfly and the Flame Angels, and of course my Nemo's and anemones.
If you have any specific question, I would be happy ta answer them for you.