What are your must have utilitarian fish?

[Oregon Grown Reef]

There are several fish that serve vital roles for our slices of the reef from algae control to pest control/eradication. For my tanks I must have a tang for algae (bristletooth or zebrasoma), some sort of wrasse for coral pests (six-line or one of the Halichoeres), and a Molly Miller Blenny for aiptasia (has always worked for my tanks). What are some fish that you'll always have due to the benefit they provide to the tank?

 

[Bucs20fan]

Readily available and cheap, would be sixline for sure. My personal favorite is a diamond goby.

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

Readily available and cheap, would be sixline for sure. My personal favorite is a diamond goby.

I run barebottom tanks, so I wasn't even thinking about sand sifters. Great addition to the list!

 

[TWYOUNG]

Not a lot of experience yet but from what I've heard I think I want a Bristletooth Tang. Kole, Square Tail, White Tail, Two Spot? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

Not a lot of experience yet but from what I've heard I think I want a Bristletooth Tang. Kole, Square Tail, White Tail, Two Spot? Any advice would be appreciated.

I have both the yellow eye and white tail in different tanks. Both are constantly grazing and equally beautiful, just in different ways. They don't have an appetite for bubble algae, unfortunately, but they're hard workers nonetheless.

 

[firechild]

A rabbitfish (favourite is Siganus corallinus as they seem to be the best bryopsis option), bristletooth tang and sixline wrasse. I currently have a spotted mandarin to control flatworms (and she's done an amazing job) but that is more situational.

 

[doubleshot00]

Complete rookie here but tangs and foxface are a must.

 

[Oregon Grown Reef]

A rabbitfish (favourite is Siganus corallinus as they seem to be the best bryopsis option), bristletooth tang and sixline wrasse. I currently have a spotted mandarin to control flatworms (and she's done an amazing job) but that is more situational.

I'm guessing the six-line is going to be high on a lot of lists. Those and peppermint shrimp were proven to be incredibly effective against aefw.

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[Slocke]

I don’t trust tangs. So I do a foxface and a halichores wrasse. I’d also add a sand-sifter but my hawk has become a goby killer unfortunately so I have to rely on stars and conchs.

 

[jamie1210]

I don’t trust tangs. So I do a foxface and a halichores wrasse. I’d also add a sand-sifter but my hawk has become a goby killer unfortunately so I have to rely on stars and conchs.

What's wrong with tangs?

 

[Slocke]

What's wrong with tangs?

Idk really… I guess I’m mostly worried about disease and aggression. (I swear I see a dead blue hippo at even the best LFS's.) And honestly every time I go looking for a tang I run into a wrasse or something I like better.
I get why people like them I’m sure they’re great, just not for me.

 

[jamie1210]

Idk really… I guess I’m mostly worried about disease and aggression. (I swear I see a dead blue hippo at even the best LFS's.) And honestly every time I go looking for a tang I run into a wrasse or something I like better.
I get why people like them I’m sure they’re great, just not for me.

the trick is to first ask the LFS to feed them. If they don't eat, don't even bother. If they eat, then it's worth taking it home. Then, QT like crazy! With tangs I copper them, regardless of whether they're showing spots or not. Then I treat with Prazi for parasites. By then they're pretty much bullet proof. I've had all of mine for multiple years now with no problems

 

[TWYOUNG]

I have both the yellow eye and white tail in different tanks. Both are constantly grazing and equally beautiful, just in different ways. They don't have an appetite for bubble algae, unfortunately, but they're hard workers nonetheless.

Thanks. It's not looking good for finding a Yellow Eye Kole so I'm likely going with one of the other bristletooth's. Pleased to hear good things about the white tail. My main concern will be how things go when my 7" PBT goes in. He's currently in another tank and will be added either at the same time or after the bristletooth.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Idk really… I guess I’m mostly worried about disease and aggression. (I swear I see a dead blue hippo at even the best LFS's.) And honestly every time I go looking for a tang I run into a wrasse or something I like better.
I get why people like them I’m sure they’re great, just not for me.

Although my experience doesn't seem typical as I've had good luck with PBT's I've never been able to keep a Hippo alive for long.

 

[mandarin417]

Idk really… I guess I’m mostly worried about disease and aggression. (I swear I see a dead blue hippo at even the best LFS's.) And honestly every time I go looking for a tang I run into a wrasse or something I like better.
I get why people like them I’m sure they’re great, just not for me.

My own dislike of tangs is that they bully new fish when added and they seem neurotic and never just relax. I like foxface but find they need to hang out with a buddy fish similar in size or they just hide and also act neurotic. I save the term psychotic and psychopathic for a pair of clarki clownfish.

 

[Bucs20fan]

My own dislike of tangs is that they bully new fish when added and they seem neurotic and never just relax. I like foxface but find they need to hang out with a buddy fish similar in size or they just hide and also act neurotic. I save the term psychotic and psychopathic for a pair of clarki clownfish.

I agree, my onespot foxface was always hiding at the LFS before I bought it. Now that its in my tank it doesnt leave the area of my copperband except for nap time.

 

[kevgib67]

I don’t have a tank large enough for tangs but my go to is a sixline wrass for pest and my diamond watchman gobie for white, although uneven, sand. Both accomplish their tasks well.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Not a lot of experience yet but from what I've heard I think I want a Bristletooth Tang. Kole, Square Tail, White Tail, Two Spot? Any advice would be appreciated.

I love my tomini tang. Pretty, generally peaceful, and always looking for algae.

 

[Sdot]

Tangs and wrasses are a must for any reefer.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I couldn’t imagine a reef without tangs. My current tang fang.