It' time for fish - Your suggestions

[rioreef]

Ok,

 

After almost 7 months of letting my 90gal startup and establishing my quarantine tank, I am ready to begin adding fish. I am up for suggestions here, my kids have already expressed the Finding Nemo line, but I am asking you the 'Professionals' you opinions and two cents. To aid any forthcoming thoughts this is what I have in the tank now:

 

Stationary Life:

Acropora Yongei "Acro"(Caribbean Jake)

Euphyllia paradivisa "Frogspawn" (Tropicorium - Romulus, MI)

Hydnophra sp. "Horn Coral" (Tropicorium)

Pavona sp. "Cactus Coral" (Tropicorium)

Montipora capricornis "Green Cap" (Caribbean Jake)

Favia sp. "Green Brain" (The Marine Scene)

Caulastrea curvata "Trumpet coral" (Grav)

Sinularia flexibis "Spaghetti Finger Leather" (The Marine Scene)

Pachylavularia sp. " Starburst, Green" (Caribbean Jake)

Gorgonia spp. "Purple Ribbon" (GARF - UT)

Capnella sp. "Kenya Tree" (Caribbean Jake)

Lobophytum sp. "Devil's Hand Leather" (Tropicorium)

Zooanthus sp. "Zoos" (Caribbean Jake and Pedalpower)

Actinodiscus sp. " Green Striped Mushroom" (The Marine Scene)

Ricordea yuma "Rics" (Kanan)

Tridacna maxima "Ultra Maxima Clam" (Kanan)

Tridacna crocea "Crocea Clam, second grade" (Kanan)

 

Mobile Life:

Ophioderma sp. "Green Brittle Star" (The Marine Scene)

Lysmata amboinensis "Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp" (Tropicorium)

"Clean up crews" (Dr. Macs)

 

 

Chris

[HowardofNOVA]

Chris,

IMO:

Short answers, 100% neutral reef fish!

Meaning Fish:

No Damsels, enough said, Those cute littel fish become real Bast#$@ later!

No Maroon Clowns, see above!

No Triggers

No Psuedo's, too dang territorial!

No Eels

No Sharks

No Hawkfish

No Large Angels

No Groupers

No Large Hermit Crabs, Cost me about $150 in one week when they went sushi!

 

Yes to

Fish:

Tangs, beware of those requiring alot of room!

B/W Heniochus Demitrius

Gobies, Yellow Clowns, Rainfords, Firefish, But not Mandarans until system has aged at least 9 months

Yellow Canary & Sixline Wrasses, other Wrasses be careful with invertebrates

Clowns but not Maroons

Royal Grammas

 

Invertebrates:

Yes to

RedTipped Leg Hermits

Blue Neon Striped Hermits

Nassarius Snails

Cerith Snails

Margarita Snails

Cleaner, Fire and Peppermint Shrimps

Serpent Starfish

Sallies

Emerald Crabs

 

...this ought to get you thinking! :D

Howard

[rioreef]

Very helpful. Thanks.

 

The yellow canary wrasse, is that the same as the coris wrasse? Years ago I had a pair in a FOWLR tank, didn't know how they would be in a reef system.

 

cr

[Caribbean Jake]

sorry Master Howard... but I have to disagree with you on oneof the Damsels.

 

The Blue Yellow Tail Damsel is the only and most docile of all Damsels, they are hardy, and very very colorful "brilliant ".

 

Also Chris

When you include snails, no matter what type of snail, do not include blue hermit crabs. The blue leg hermit crab will eat your snails. Do not include a sand shifting star fish, these like to eat snails at night too. When selecting Mythrax Crab make sure they are the emerald green Mythrax or you will end up with a Zoo eater and fish predator that is not a Mythrax but looks identical.

 

just few pointers to keep you on track. let me know if I can be of further asistance.

 

 

Master; 1180 and closing.

[Guest minimalist]

If it were my 90...

 

Something schooling (one of the below):

3 x purple firefish *my favorite*

3 x firefish

3 x blue reef chromis

3 x green reef chromis

 

Some clowns for the kiddies (one of the below):

2 x Amphiprion perculas *my favorite*

2 x Amphiprion ocellaris

2 x black morph ocellaris

2 x onyx percs

 

One bottom dweller (one of the below)

1 x scooter blenny

1 x red scooter blenny

1 x green mandarin *my favorite*

1 x lawnmower blenny

 

Cleaner/maintenance

1 x blue neon goby

 

And of course, a tang

1 x powder blue tang

 

I think the above combination would give you activity in all areas of the tank.

 

I also really like engineer gobies. They have a pair at Marine Scene right now. They're black with white lines down their back. They grow to over a foot long. they're like peaceful goby eals, if that makes sense. I also like the black cap basslet over the royal gramma. I too would stay away from damsels, dottybacks, and most wrasses. I'd also avoid angels because you never know if you're going to end up with a reef safe one or not. Let us know what you decide.

 

Just my 2 cents,

-David

[Guest clownfish4]

Very helpful.  Thanks.

 

The yellow canary wrasse, is that the same as the coris wrasse?  Years ago I had a pair in a FOWLR tank, didn't know how they would be in a reef system.

 

cr

42877[/snapback]

 

Coris and canary are different fish, DO NOT get the coris. Personally I try to avoid putting any kind of tang in a tank smaller than 125g. Also, I agree/disagree with both Jake and Howard. First, I don't like ANY damsels and would avoid all of them. Second, get snails and stay away from the hermits. And third, stay away from crabs in general, meaning no mithrax either, just get some shrimp. For your tank, I would go with the following:

 

Pair of clowns

Heniochus

Sixline Wrasse

Royal Gramma

some shrimp

snails

and maybe a few others

 

I would also avoid neon gobies, chances are they'll disappear in your tank, but the yellow clown gobies are good, they stay out in the open usually.

[fishface]

For specifics, after 7 months you probably have developed an excellent sand bed!!! The sand sifting star exists soley on 'pods and will decimate the happy diversity the you let develope. I bought one, thinking that it only shifted, but then read that it's an eating machine and will strip the bed.

 

And for the mandarin and scooter-they rely it too so you need caution. Here's a quote from WetWebMedia, which is a great reference:

I find that they don't pull punches and state things accurately. There are exeptions to any rule ie what species normally will normally co-exist. But there no point in testing

Whatever other writers have stated, Mandarins almost never accept enough of anything other than live foods that are omnipresent in their system to sustain themselves. A nutrient rich live rock reef tank, read that as one heavily populated with hard substrates, with substantial interstitial crustacean and worm, and other small sessile invertebrate life of about 100 gallons will support one individual. And this assumes you have no similar food-competing tankmates.

 

FF

[quazi]

Ophioderma sp. "Green Brittle Star" (The Marine Scene)

 

I had 2 serpent stars. 1 red, the other a "brittle" red. I was unable to keep new fish in my tank after the starfishes matured. They got about 18" tip to tip, with a silver dollar size body (like an Eisenhower silver, not the new ones). I suspect they ate the fish as the the new fish slept. I never found any remains. I hear the green one are more aggressive than the reds.

 

So, if you have a tough time keeping fish, that may be the problem. I got rid of mine when I moved by tank. Beware! :pumpkin: :whip:

[martin]

but three strip damsels are so cute and friendly ha, mine is a psycho fish-but I like him and the way he lives to bite my hands.

 

Really, I like gobies of all types. Jaw fish are neat as well.

[Guest clownfish4]

Just watchout for the jawfish leaping to its death. Damsels are like every other fish, they are dependant on the fish itself. I have had a docile yellowtail that got beat up by chromis and I have also had an aggresive yellowtail that beat up bigger fish. Damsels in general are just ugly and mean, personally I think they should be left in the ocean.

[rioreef]

I know I can read many sources of 'reef' safe fish and they are great starters, but I knew if I asked fellow club members I would get much more info on experience and preferences. Again thanks for all the input.

 

First I should have added that I have a 'southdown' sand bed so, anything to kick that up and create sand storms I am going to stay away from. Regarding the brittle star, I have never had a problem with my old 50gal that it was in. What I do like about them is when I did have a fish die (not because of it) I never attempted to retrieve it. First, because the fish would always wind up in in an area that I couldn't get to and second the brittle can. The star would consume every bit down to a pure white bones, cycle of life. I recently found an unknown crab in the 90gal and to not take any chances, I used a long 1/4" wooden dowel and took it out. Within 5 seconds the star was all over it.

 

I do have a cover on my tank except for a couple of inches in the back so if I wanted to get any jumpers I could put some eggcrate over that area and fix that issue.

 

Can anyone elaborate on the "B/W Heniochus Demitrius" in the way of needs, food, temperment, do they really hold initiation meetings, etc.

 

I will continue my research and come up with a shopping list...now where to get the money :idea2:

 

If anyone else has suggestion please keep them coming.

 

cr

[miller]

if it were my tank i would probably go with something like ...

 

pair of genicanthis angels (probably bellus or watanabea)

pair of clowns

trio of anthias

atleast one zebrasoma tang (yellow,purple,black,desjardini.....)

and since i beleive yo u mentioned the tank os covered may a fairy wrasse or two

[ErikS]

I'd go with what Miller suggests - except for the clowns (more anthias = harem)

 

Genicanthis angels are unique & reef safe.

 

Might try a "cherub" dwarf, C. arigi - great color, personality & are active. I've never heard of one that wasn't reef safe, tough I'm sure there are some that aren't.

[steveoutlaw]

sorry Master Howard... but I have to disagree with you on oneof the Damsels.

 

The Blue Yellow Tail Damsel is the only and most docile of all Damsels, they are hardy, and very very colorful "brilliant ".

 

Oh Jake, how wrong you are. The yellow tail blue damsel is a son of a gun just like all the other damsels.......and they are impossible to catch!

[Guest HVF21221]

There are exceptions to every rule....Allen's damsels are great looking and peaceful. most pics of them are terrible but in nice lighting you would swear they got batteries in them.

[martin]

The Blue Yellow Tail Damsel is the only and most docile of all Damsels, they are hardy, and very very colorful "brilliant ".

 

Oh Jake, how wrong you are. The yellow tail blue damsel is a son of a gun just like all the other damsels.......and they are impossible to catch!

 

 

That is true, I had to drain the tank down to an inch to catch a yellowtail. My yellowtail also seems to live to bite my fingers. I get a kick out of the aggression show. I swear the three strip keeps his beady little eyes on me the whole time I am in the room. As for the other fish, my triggerfish can handle them with ease.

[Folta]

Will firefish school with purple firefish? I have a purple in my 55 now, but was wanting to get a few more when I transfer him to the 180 so he's no longer lonely. I was considering doing a mix of firefish and purple firefish, if they would all school together. If not, it will just be purples.

[Armson]

Rioreef,

 

None of these people know what they are talking about!!

 

You want to add the following to your reef.

 

 

 

1) A shark (they always get great publicity in the news)

2) An Octopus (Very entertaining, Have you seen the video of the giant one eating the shark?)

3)Parrot fish (they will automaticly frag your corals for you)

 

 

 

On a more serious note.

 

IF you want to be completly safe then I would simply add very small fish. Even tangs can destroy corals (Ask Doug). they don't eat them but they knock them down.

 

And as for the damsel debate......

 

I have been biten by those little buggers way to many times to put one in my fish tank. I wasted an entire dive chasing a damsel around a reef because he bit me one to many times. I had the entire boat laughing when I got out of the water.

 

They are EVIL little fish!!!

 

 

 

Byron

[rioreef]

It is funny how a 'cheap' little fish can cause a debate.

 

Just wondering if the original name was Sel, and then D A M was added later. Similiar but in reverse, this coworker I had that once told me he was twelve before he found out 'd a m yankees' was two words. :P

[rioreef]

I actually never heard of the Genicanthis angels, but I looked it up and that is a beatiful fish, striking color difference between M/F. Like the female coloring better. Also, looked up pricing... :( for now.

 

Lots of similiar suggestions, but a few gems are coming through that I did not consider. These will all be added to my list of potentials.

[ErikS]

Genicanthis angels

 

I concur if you're talking about the Wantanabie (sp?), but there a few of them in the "budget" price range such as Lamark's (a lot better looking in person) or the Genicanthus melanospilus (swallowtail). Check the pics of the adult male of these.

[rioreef]

I concur if you're talking about the Wantanabie (sp?), but there a few of them in the "budget" price range such as Lamark's (a lot better looking in person) or the Genicanthus melanospilus (swallowtail). Check the pics of the adult male of these.

42963[/snapback]

 

I did a search on the Bellus. I will check the others out, are those you listed reef safe or are all Genicanthus safe?

[ErikS]

All Genicanthus are reef safe (I'm sure there are exceptions), they're vegitarians by nature. Yep, bellus are $$$$ but there are others that are very nice w/o the price tag. LiveAquaria has just started carrying Genicanthus varietys.

 

I like the swallowtails, pretty fish w/o the $$$$$

[miller]

the Genicanthus melanospilus or blackspot angels are very nice looking and somewhat common also the watanabea are becomming a little more common is LFS also i have only seen bellus on wholesale lists and at roozens. or you could just go all out and find a pair of genicanthis personatus whihc should only put you back several thousnad dollars should you actually be able to locate them. all in all i think these angles are great fish and a must have in each of my tanks. also most species live in trios or herums in the wild

[Lee Stearns]

Nothing says reef quite like a male and a couple of female Lyre tail anthias- They will "settle" all your other fish down so that they are out and about more- At least that is the way it worked in my tank - If the Anthias go in everybody ducks, and when they are out everyone comes out. Picture's on line do not do it justice-

Oh I also would strongly uge you to hunt down and extract the green bristle star- they are fair aggressive fish hunters at night, but will also nab shrimp.