What are some good personality filled fish?

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Hello I am 14 years old and in the process of setting up my 40b reef tank. I want some fish for my reef tank but I can’t decide which ones. I was looking for some fish with lots of personality! Preferably fish that are reef safe and generally peaceful. I really want a sandsifting goby but since my tank is only 40 gallons and doesn’t have a refugium, I stress it would not have enough food to eat. Thank you for reading.

theMeat · Feb 18, 2020

Long nose hawk fish

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

theMeat said:
Long nose hawk fish

I really like these fish but I’m afraid of them attacking my inverts. I want a cleaner shrimp and am unsure if that would ultimately become one of his midnight snacks.

Johniejumbo · Feb 18, 2020

Most blennies have good personalities!

Angel_Anthias lover · Feb 18, 2020

Komohara fang blenny, geometric pygmy perchlet, butterflyfish are supposedly very personable, filefish, basslets

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Angel_Anthias lover said:
Komohara fang blenny, geometric pygmy perchlet, butterflyfish are supposedly very personable, filefish, basslets

Would a butterfly even fit in my tank? They are spectacular fish regardless. I really like filefish and I’ve heard they pair up very well. I really want a dwarf angel but I don’t want to risk my corals.

TwistedFX4 · Feb 18, 2020

Flame Hawkfish

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Johniejumbo said:
Most blennies have good personalities!

Which ones would you recommend?

Angel_Anthias lover · Feb 18, 2020

noxel56 said:
Would a butterfly even fit in my tank? They are spectacular fish regardless. I really like filefish and I’ve heard they pair up very well. I really want a dwarf angel but I don’t want to risk my corals.

Sorry i did not read that well lol, a prognathodes would tho

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

TwistedFX4 said:
Flame Hawkfish

I really like hawkfish but I’ve heard they can be a risk to ornamental shrimp.

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Angel_Anthias lover said:
Sorry i did not read that well lol, a prognathodes would tho

Is that a scientific name for a certain fish? I can’t seem to find anything named “prognathodes.”

Mr_Knightley · Feb 18, 2020

Good fish for smaller tanks are the 6, 4, and 12 lined wrasses. Just add them to the tank last or close to last, they set up a big territory.

Silverfish · Feb 18, 2020

noxel56 said:
I really like hawkfish but I’ve heard they can be a risk to ornamental shrimp.

Yes, I bought two scarlet cleaners thinking they were too big for him to eat. Wrong! One 50$shrimp dinner plate special coming right up.

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Mr_Knightley said:
Good fish for smaller tanks are the 6, 4, and 12 lined wrasses. Just add them to the tank last or close to last, they set up a big territory.

I plan on having a McCosckers flasher wrasse so I don’t know if they would be compatible.

Han · Feb 18, 2020

Any kind of smaller jawfish, except maybe the blue spotted.

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Silverfish said:
Yes, I bought two scarlet cleaners thinking they were too big for him to eat. Wrong! One 50$shrimp dinner plate special coming right up.

Yeah, great fish just not willing to take the risk.

noxel56 · Feb 18, 2020

Han said:
Any kind of smaller jawfish, except maybe the blue spotted.

I’m not sure I have the right sandbed for a Jawfish. Mine is about 2”

Silverfish · Feb 18, 2020

Gramma...wonderful coloration and great community fish. Doesn’t get too big either. For small size and for the most bang for your buck, personality wise it’s the clown fish. Though pugnacious they can be.