What fish next?

[Sharkey18]

So my fish are doing well.

Even the Powder Blue Tang I posted about last week is still alive and doing well. (Well it has some ick spots but eating, swimming and accessing cleaner shrimp so I think it will be ok... )

 

 

My tank is a 120:

Current fish inhabitants are

 

1 Powder Blue

1 Melanurus wrasse

1 Algae Blenny

1 Midas Blenny

5 Bangaii Cardinalfish

1 She-Male lyretail anthias

 

I recently added 2 female anthias but they both died... several days apart.

I am also thinking about re-homing the cardinalfish because they are BORING...

 

So I am trying to figure out what I should add next... (after the ick clears up)

I am considering a jawfish or a watchman goby but am concerned about the amount of sand they move around. Anyone keeping them in an SPS system have problems?

Any other reef safe suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

Laura

[Coral Hind]

I have a mandarin and a six line you can have.

 

I would add another wrasse or tang.

Edited May 23, 2010 by Coral Hind

[truestelf]

id happily take the Cardinals as they are my FAVORITE saltwater fish !

[truestelf]

Have a pair of Tomato clowns they have been together over 2 years.

[Jon Lazar]

Bangaiis become very interesting if you can get them to breed.

[zygote2k]

Laura- I'd be willing to bet that Justin (ctenephore) would be interested in all of the Banggai's.

[davelin315]

Hey guys, remember that this is a general discussion forum and NOT for trading or offers to buy.

 

As far as what's next, if you were able to keep 5 bangaiis together for an extended period of time, I'd keep them! That's hard to do and I have yet to have any bangaiis survive for more than a few weeks at most in 15 years. Plus, one thing to consider is how difficult it might be to introduce a fish after a Powder Blue. They can be very mean fish and so your selection is limited to fish that are either not going to be noticed by it or fish that are bigger and/or meaner than it and can handle the abuse they'll take. Jumping is also an issue if you have no top - the Powder Blue may harass a lot of fish into jumping. Last time I added a copper band to my tank the Powder Blue killed it within a few days.

[zygote2k]

There's a yellow watchman goby in the 90 SPS tank that has been living in the same hole for 2 years now. He never chases any other tankmates or causes any harm to the surrounding corals.

You could also get a Swissguard basslet.

[cabrego]

How large is your algae blenny? I have had issues with introducing any other type of long bodied bottom dwelling fish like sand sifting gobies due to my large, very territorial algae blenny. How about a nice pair of clowns? Another tang would be nice too, my PB and yellow tang get along very well.

[L8 2 RISE]

I'd add an angel, a regal would be awesome, either that or a pair of any centropyge.

[Sharkey18]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

 

I think I need to get more familiar with the Bangaiis. I know they breed in captivity so I didn't realize that having these five get along in my tank was anything special....

 

I also really appreciate all the ideas. I definitely have enough to choose from... and the ick is clearing up!!!

 

Laura

[davelin315]

I'd avoid a Regal considering you already have a PB in the tank. My thought is that given your inhabitants they will fight upon introduction and that may be enough to cause another outbreak of the ich and also cause the regal to go off feeding.

[Sharkey18]

WOW.

 

What I learner most from this thread was to watch my Bangaii's better!!

 

Upon closer examination I realized that one was really small and was getting totally bullied and wasn't allowed out to feed.

The pair on the left, I think is a true pair.

The pair on the right... not so sure. May be two equally sized males that just hang together.

 

I set a trap this morning that worked like a charm and caught the little one that was getting bullied. Now the pair on the right seem to have expanded their territory to the right and middle and the pair on the left have stayed put. Totally fascinating.

 

Hopefully I'll be able to get them to start spawning. Don't know if I'll be able to raise fry... but I'll think about it if they do spawn.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Laura

[davelin315]

Laura, the Bangaiis are a bit easier to care for as their young are like little sea horses when they come out, miniature versions of the adults, as far as I know. If you get a long spine urchin you might be able to see their natural habits as they hide in the spines, hence their black striped pattern.