Reef safe fish?

[jcrow802]

Hey yall,
My lfs hasn't really been able to help much with my search on reef safe fish. The only fish I have in my tank now is 4 green chromis, 2 clowns, and some blue leg hermit crabs(diamond back goby or engineer goby to come soon). As far as corals go I am just starting out on them. I have some zoas toadstool and mushrooms. I will be adding more now that I just purchased 2 hydra 26 hd lights.

I guess getting to the point I was asking about angels,foxface,and other fish and all they could tell me is they are reef with caution fish. Can anyone give me some colorful fish that I can add that are reef safe? Btw I will be adding tangs as my last 2 fish in the tank so they have a better chance to get along.

 

[ahiggins]

Wrasses!! I adore my mystery wrasse

 

[eatbreakfast]

Tank size?

Fairy and flasher wrasses(though mystery wrasses, neither a fairy or flasher, has a tendency to get aggressive and eat inverts as it gets older)
Midas blenny
Dartfish and firefish
Anthias
Watchman goby w/pistol shrimp
Purple tilefish
Grammistes blenny
Royal gramma or blackcap basslet

 

[jcrow802]

Tank is 75 gallon with 30 gallon sump. All of my water test perfect at this time.

 

[Salty1962]

If you have a FULL cover, I second the Wrasses. Allot of activity and beautiful colors.
+1 on the Mystery Wrasse as @eatbreakfast stated, I just spent the last month trying to catch mine due to aggression

 

[cohlton]

Wrassss Forsure!

 

[ahiggins]

If you have a FULL cover, I second the Wrasses. Allot of activity and beautiful colors.
+1 on the Mystery Wrasse as @eatbreakfast stated, I just spent the last month trying to catch mine due to aggression

Weird...wonder if that happens as they get larger. Mines about 3" and is sweet as a button. Thats why I like him so much.
My single clown is a bigger meanie than the mystery.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Weird...wonder if that happens as they get larger. Mines about 3" and is sweet as a button. Thats why I like him so much.
My single clown is a bigger meanie than the mystery.

Yes, it something that usually happens as they get older, especially toward fish added after them. There are exceptions to the rules though.

 

[MaiReef]

The Engineer gets big. Also, he will dump all the sand out from beneath the rocks as he likes to stay undercover and poke his head out. He does not however dump on coral as much as the Diamond back. They are both super fun in their own way though.

 

[ahiggins]

Yes, it something that usually happens as they get older, especially toward fish added after them. There are exceptions to the rules though.

Luckily hes an only child hahaha for that tank anyway

 

[ahiggins]

Ive always thought Midas Blennies look super cool but Im not a blenny/gobie person. I dont like them sitting on my corals haha

 

[MaiReef]

My Flame Angel and Coral Beauty do not pick at coral if they are well fed, but they are aggressive. If you don't have a super clean tank and you have algae, I would recommend an Algae Blenny as they are super fun to watch.

 

[Baldguy]

Eatbreakfast had a good list. Love the behavior of a watchman/pistol shrimp pair. Would not have a tank without that pair. Love my fairy and flasher wrasses.

 

[Techie_]

Firefish, awesome tank mates, I will also recommend the Royal Gramma or Chalk Bass.

 

[Manchild]

Although some may argue this... I have a Valentini puffer in my 33 reef and seeded my tank with copapods. He has yet to touch any of my corals and from all the research I have done they seem to be a case by case basis on whether or not they will touch your corals...

My gold Coral banded and dragon goby have a very interesting relationship with one another. Had a diamond goby but I think he made a great escape "even with an egg crate top" and my dogs are him . However, I love the dragon and boy does he do work!

Look into solar wrasses as well, if you like crabs the Pom Pom crab is another very interesting guy that I will be adding to my tank on Friday hopefully!

 

[jcrow802]

So I my wife seems to want to add 2 engineer goby 2 cardin and a couple tangs. 1 purple pseudo and a wrass, I currently have 2 clowns and 4 green chromis. What do yall think about the list. Think they will get along? Of corse they will be added slowly over time

 

[Manchild]

IMO, the only issue I see that may present itself would be the tangs being possible bullies to the others. I don't really foresee the others being much of an issue. Cardin wise I honestly don't know much about them. I run a reef tank so in my aspect that really limits me on a lot of the fish that I am able to keep unfortunately but the wrasse, clown, goby, pseudo, chromis all are just fine.

 

[Maritimer]

Look at the orchid pseudochromis, rather than the purple. Years ago, I had a purple dottyback and a tomato clownfish in a 55. Those two were buds, but it was a pretty exclusive club; they killed any new additions within 24 hours - after a while, I gave up trying. Cardinals should be OK, so long as they're a compatible pair - they tend to pair off. Multiple tangs might be dicey in a 75 - one bristletooth tang of the genus Ctenochaetus should be OK.

~Bruce

 

[eatbreakfast]

I agree with Bruce. Purple dottybacks can be aggressive, so I second looking at the orchid instead. I also agree that more than one tang in 75 will be problematic.

 

[jcrow802]

Yea my fear is that the tangs will fight. I am going to get them very young and add at the same time,if it don't work then I'll have to pull one. My buddy has a 60 and has 3 tangs. I don't know how he does it but they get along most of the time