Unique fish on a budget

TheBackAndForth · Jan 30, 2019

I just bought a harlequin bass from live aquaria for 22 dollars, and he or she is very striking.

Any other suggestions for less seen and unique fish to add now or in the future that will not break the bank??

Show me your unique inexpensive fish.

Note: not my picture. he's tucked in the rocks currently, and i dont have a photo yet.

mtraylor · Jan 31, 2019

Lawnmower blenny

Hemmdog · Jan 31, 2019

Can’t go wrong with a Mandarin

Gareth elliott · Jan 31, 2019

Got a radiant wrasse for $37, with a 50% fish coupon from my lfs. Hasnt played nice to get a photo of him in the observation tank. But photo of him in the bag a little stressed from being in it.

timrocks311 · Jan 31, 2019

TheBackAndForth said:
I just bought a harlequin bass from live aquaria for 22 dollars, and he or she is very striking.

I always thought they were cool looking fish. Don't know much about them though. Are they fish only or reef safe?

As far as nice fish on a budget for a reef, I think a lot of wrasses are fairly inexpensive and really beautiful.

chowwil · Jan 31, 2019

Ruby red Dragonet. $24-$30

Jacked Reefer · Jan 31, 2019

Halichoris wrasses can get very interesting and most are under 40
Convict tangs are a very overlooked tang but cost around 20
Dwarf angels such as elbis and Pygmys are around 30 bucks and are not seen often.
Clowns like tomatoes and skunks are uncommon but relatively cheap.
Smaller eels like snowflakes and bandeds are 20-40 bucks and are always fun to watch
There are a bunch more but you just have to look.

sde1500 · Jan 31, 2019

Gumdrop coral croucher

ihavecrabs · Jan 31, 2019

sde1500 said:
Gumdrop coral croucher

Is that a type of clown goby? Neat looking fish..

sde1500 · Jan 31, 2019

ihavecrabs said:
Is that a type of clown goby? Neat looking fish..

Yea I believe it is. They definitely look cool. One draw back it seems is they are not fond of swimming so it seems many owners choose to spot feed them so they don't get out competed by the other fish. Lazy buggers...

Sailingeric · Jan 31, 2019

I think a Valentini puffer is different. Pretty colors, great personality.

TheBackAndForth · Jan 31, 2019

timrocks311 said:
I always thought they were cool looking fish. Don't know much about them though. Are they fish only or reef safe?

As far as nice fish on a budget for a reef, I think a lot of wrasses are fairly inexpensive and really beautiful.

I mean, I think they fall into the What fits in the mouth will go down the hatch category. That said, the bugger is around 5 inches and non-aggressive, He hasn't touched any of my inverts but smaller ones might be fair game I guess. A tiny fish would probably get swallowed.

He's super fun to watch now.

TheBackAndForth · Jan 31, 2019

Sailingeric said:
I think a Valentini puffer is different. Pretty colors, great personality.

I had one years ago.. interactive with owners too

TheBackAndForth · Jan 31, 2019

Kayden Hutchings said:
Halichoris wrasses can get very interesting and most are under 40
Convict tangs are a very overlooked tang but cost around 20
Dwarf angels such as elbis and Pygmys are around 30 bucks and are not seen often.
Clowns like tomatoes and skunks are uncommon but relatively cheap.
Smaller eels like snowflakes and bandeds are 20-40 bucks and are always fun to watch
There are a bunch more but you just have to look.

The halichoris wrasses are very very cool. I found a pair of back footed clown for 30 dollars each last year and didn't buy them... regret that

nereefpat · Jan 31, 2019

timrocks311 said:
I always thought they were cool looking fish. Don't know much about them though. Are they fish only or reef safe?

As far as nice fish on a budget for a reef, I think a lot of wrasses are fairly inexpensive and really beautiful.

Cool looking for sure. I agree that they are a little underused.

They would be safe with fish that are big enough not to be eaten. I would guess that most motile inverts would be on the menu.

I took care of a tank that had one for a while. It was kind of a tank full of misfits. A mean humu trigger, some large dark blue grouper with spots, and this basslet. It was fast enough to avoid the trigger. I don't know how it kept from being eaten by the grouper. That thing was the fastest attack I've ever seen. It hit feeder fish like a hammer.

lion king · Jan 31, 2019

sde1500 said:
Yea I believe it is. They definitely look cool. One draw back it seems is they are not fond of swimming so it seems many owners choose to spot feed them so they don't get out competed by the other fish. Lazy buggers...

It's actually a scorpionfish and has poisonious spines. They look cool but are generally very reclusive. They are small but will eat anything it can get down. Not a fish for many.

Angel_Anthias lover · Jan 31, 2019

Filefish are cool and unusual

TheBackAndForth · Jan 31, 2019

nereefpat said:
Cool looking for sure. I agree that they are a little underused.

They would be safe with fish that are big enough not to be eaten. I would guess that most motile inverts would be on the menu.

I took care of a tank that had one for a while. It was kind of a tank full of misfits. A mean humu trigger, some large dark blue grouper with spots, and this basslet. It was fast enough to avoid the trigger. I don't know how it kept from being eaten by the grouper. That thing was the fastest attack I've ever seen. It hit feeder fish like a hammer.

This. But I think my bigger crabs (like an inch) are big enough to be off the menu. Big left handed hermits and so forth. THere are some little blue legged hermits in there that I expect to get eaten. Honestly I like him as much as any fish I've ever had.

Soon I will be adding a bluethroat or red tail trigger, maybe a dwarf puffer, and something else unique. Leaning towards a halichores wrasse honestly.

Leslie Tabor · Jan 31, 2019

Engineer goby! $14! If your rock work is SUPER stable.
Bangaai cardinals...not super unique but pretty and cheap and captive bred!
PJ cardinals...same
Yellowhead Pike fish...if you have a small tank, very tiny, huge attitude