What type of fish can I add?

Jblakeman · Oct 22, 2015

I have a 75 gallon mixed reef tank, standard 4' size. I have a tomini tang, 2 Wyoming White clowns, engineer goby and a blue tang (I know the tank is small but I have a good LFS that takes them back when they get big and let me exchange for a small one).

I'm looking for an active fish or two that I can add. The current hippo tang sticks with my tomini that hangs out near the rocks. The clowns stay near their anemone and I only see the engineer when he eats. What is something reef safe that I can add that swims a lot. I was looking at some anthias but wasn't sure what type and if I needed 2 or 3 and even if I have enough room for that many.

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Salty0331 · Oct 22, 2015

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1445562877.756287.jpg

These are awesome....mine is very active and loves to show off....when it's feeding time he smokes thru the water like a Mako![emoji6][emoji106]

EnLight · Oct 22, 2015

I think a wrasse would be a good fit, some of them are super active. I see a lot of my yellow coris and christmas wrasse

shoelaceike · Oct 22, 2015

The square spot anthias is beautiful. You could also get a blue jaw trigger, they are very cool. I have both in a reef tank.

4FordFamily · Oct 22, 2015

Yellow coris wrasse are awesome and I agree that melanarus are a fantastic addition. Perhaps a pajama or bangai Cardinal, an orchid dottyback and a yellow watchman goby

DeniseAndy · Oct 22, 2015

The christmas or yellow coris are both great additions. They are very active and stay a good size. Once the flasher and fairy wrasses get comfortable, they are out all the time too.

Breakthecycle2 · Oct 22, 2015

Melanarus can get nasty though.

DeniseAndy · Oct 22, 2015

Breakthecycle2 said:
Melanarus can get nasty though.

so can the christmas at times. I loved my yellow coris. However, it loved to jump!!!

Breakthecycle2 · Oct 22, 2015

I had to take my 250 apart to just catch him.

eatbreakfast · Oct 23, 2015

A melanurus won't give any of the current inhabitants any issue, and the yellow coris was a good suggestion too.

If the OP wanted to try anthias, squamipinnis are pretty forgiving, though I also highly recommend dispars as a good starter anthias.

Tank2379 · Oct 23, 2015

Formosa Wrasse would be a great addition to any tank that will keep pest in check, only down side they will eat hermits, shrimp and snails which I don't really care to much about but are peaceful tank mates. Mine is already almost adult size so he is about to change colors. I also have a cosmetus wrasse which also keep the tank mates in good spirits. My Rabbit fish or Fox Face is pretty large and my Blue Hippo Tang are pretty much buddies they are getting kind of big for my 90G so might be time for a new home for the both of them.

If you look into Anthias the Lyretails are nice I would get all females and let one Morph into a male. I would suggest adding 4 as a group.

4FordFamily · Oct 23, 2015

Breakthecycle2 said:
Melanarus can get nasty though.

I've never had a nasty one I've had maybe a dozen over 12 years. But I've only kept a few or two with flasher or fairy wrasses. No issues but doesn't mean it's impossible.

4FordFamily · Oct 23, 2015

Tank2379 said:
Formosa Wrasse would be a great addition to any tank that will keep pest in check, only down side they will eat hermits, shrimp and snails which I don't really care to much about but are peaceful tank mates. Mine is already almost adult size so he is about to change colors. I also have a cosmetus wrasse which also keep the tank mates in good spirits. My Rabbit fish or Fox Face is pretty large and my Blue Hippo Tang are pretty much buddies they are getting kind of big for my 90G so might be time for a new home for the both of them.

If you look into Anthias the Lyretails are nice I would get all females and let one Morph into a male. I would suggest adding 4 as a group.

Formosa are a tougher wrasse to keep than the others mentioned. Also tend towards terrorizing clean up crew more. Beautiful and neat wrasse though

Jblakeman · Oct 23, 2015

Thank you everyone for all the great suggestions. Wrasses seem to be a big suggestion from most everyone so I'll look in to those and possibly the lyretail anthias. I'll post a pic when I get something. Thanks again.