Small to medium fish ideas

southerntnreefer · Jan 28, 2019

So im struggling. id like to add 2 more small to medium fish to my FOWLR before i get into tang territory. What would be your choices? Reef safe is not a must its designed to be fish only. As a side note i already have 1 butterfly in my system, so likely others are out.

JOKER · Jan 28, 2019

I like chromis for active fish, as well as a cleaner wrasse. One of my favorites in my tank is a rossyscale wrasse as well. Foxface also well liked. What color are you looking for? That will help

southerntnreefer · Jan 28, 2019

Well I've got a little of them all currently, so not tied to colors.

I've got this so far:
Single Maroon clown
Pair of fairy weasses
Threadfin butterfly
Blue lined Rabbitfish
Coral beauty angel
Blue throat trigger.

JOKER · Jan 29, 2019

I definitely recommend a cleaner wrasse!! The funniest, and most active fish in my reef for sure. Mine will pick up food when I feed, take it to the powerheads and drop in into them. Also always cruising checking other fish in tank. I also would recommend a porcupine puffer. One of my all time favorite fish. When I had a FOWLR my puffer let me pet him, always watched me, and would spit water at me from time to time while I was watching tank.

JOKER · Jan 29, 2019

A ribbon eel

Oshengems · Jan 29, 2019

southerntnreefer said:
Well I've got a little of them all currently, so not tied to colors.

I've got this so far:
Single Maroon clown
Pair of fairy weasses
Threadfin butterfly
Blue lined Rabbitfish
Coral beauty angel
Blue throat trigger.

Purple dottybacks and royal gramma add Both color and personality to your tank, I’m a fan of lionfish I have 2 in my reef tank

Geebs19 · Jan 29, 2019

I also recommend a royal gramma, also a fan of anthias.

Why-Me · Jan 29, 2019

JOKER said:
I definitely recommend a cleaner wrasse!! The funniest, and most active fish in my reef for sure. Mine will pick up food when I feed, take it to the powerheads and drop in into them. Also always cruising checking other fish in tank. I also would recommend a porcupine puffer. One of my all time favorite fish. When I had a FOWLR my puffer let me pet him, always watched me, and would spit water at me from time to time while I was watching tank.

https://oceana.org/blog/certain-mental-tests-tiny-cleaner-wrasse-outperforms-chimps

FishyDP · Jan 29, 2019

+ Royal Grammas are really bright and fun fish to watch

Eagle_Steve · Jan 29, 2019

JOKER said:
I definitely recommend a cleaner wrasse!! The funniest, and most active fish in my reef for sure. Mine will pick up food when I feed, take it to the powerheads and drop in into them. Also always cruising checking other fish in tank. I also would recommend a porcupine puffer. One of my all time favorite fish. When I had a FOWLR my puffer let me pet him, always watched me, and would spit water at me from time to time while I was watching tank.

I would have to agree with the cleaner wrasse as well. Mine is a nut. Replace nori in clips, and I get cleaned. They are so personable also and do wacky things like Joker mentioned. Carry food to powerhead, drop it in it, chase it and eat it.

Another thought, may be some lyretail anthias. I have a male lyretail and he has 3 females lol. They are fun to watch and are to the point, they photo bomb any pics I am taking of the tank. Another good thing about them, is the way they are out all the time and constantly cruising all levels of the tank. They do not just swim in the middle like all the sites selling them say. This will also help shy fish come out, almost like encouragement. "Hey, we are small and we are out. It's ok to come out and play" Lyretails are also a very hardy , more hardy from my experience than other anthias. Easy to QT, easy to get to eat frozen foods and pellets. Again, all from my experience.

southerntnreefer · Jan 29, 2019

I only feed once a day frozen, and then nori. Would lyretails still be ok? I've thought Gramma as I love them, but wonder if they might be too small with all the other fish and get lost on the food chain? Never thought of cleaner wrasse. I was considering melanurus to go with my fairy wrasses.

Eagle_Steve · Jan 29, 2019

southerntnreefer said:
I only feed once a day frozen, and then nori. Would lyretails still be ok? I've thought Gramma as I love rhm, but wonder if they might be too small with all the other fish and get lost on the food chain? Never thought of cleaner wrasse.cwaa considering melabmela to gocwith my fairy weasses

Lyretails can be fed once a day, IF you have a good pod population in the tank. They will deplete it though if say your fuge isnt a pod factory. Mine do get fed 3 times a day, as my autofeeder feeds while I am at the office (pellets), but they have gone 2 weeks before with only once a day from the feeder while I was on vacation., but I have a huge fuge that produces more dang pods and macro than I know what to do with though lol.