<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13220539#post13220539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
Interesting, you are the second person to comment like that on the Powder Blue. But I have to tell you, at least in my tank, its colors don't stand out garishly at all...
You are correct, the PBT looks appropriate in your set-up. Some reasons it does not stand out garishly in your tank are:
A) You have a tank with more depth than mine or it least the illusion of depth.
B) Your backdrop of brightly colored corals sets a stage for colorful fish and allows it to stand out appropriately from the many pink-toned corals.
C) Your other fish choices lend to a bright blue fish.
The chromis and anthias allow for it, both in size and color, by mixing with the backdrop of coral colors and allowing the PBT to look appropriate.
In my purposed tank, I have already chosen several fish that are beautiful, but not b/c of striking color, but b/c of contrast. For example, banggaii cardinal, Copper banded butterfly, and a leopard wrasse. I also stick with odd numbers in ''fishscapeing'', when I can, so for me, my tank needed either three larger fish or a single, roaming, knockout specimen. I chose the CBB, a PbrownT, and the C.bionotatus, so far. The different shapes and pattern allow them to not be the largest fish in the tank and showy, but not so much, that they are the focus and the smaller fish get missed. For pops of color, I chose C. parasema or yellow tailed damsels. Very bright, contrast, and activity, also able to be kept in an odd number of three. Red firefish, are another odd numbered choice.
You can tell, that I also try to occupy all levels of the tank with fish, but try to confine the fish choices to similar sizes in groups, but different shapes and colors. Some solitary fish, that are different enough to stand alone and add interest are a Pacific red striped hog and a false perc. I am going to try a mandarin, but will have to be prepared to move him to a dedicated tank, if he is out competed for pods by the leopard wrasse trio and the CBB.
I try to do the same with my coral choices as I do with my fish. I try to get odd numbers of similar corals and of similar colors to get a uniform, as opposed to ''patchwork'' look, with show pieces of different shapes and forms for interest. For me, it is like living interior design and I also consider each fishes' impact on the system in terms of diet, bioload, temperament, adult size, and so on. Maybe I take all of the fun out of it, by planning so religiously and having such concrete ideas of what looks like it fits well together, but assembling a ''look'' with my livestock choices in the fun part to me and I love the planning phase. The 150g display is empty now, in my living room. While I save and buy all of the thousands of dollars worth of equipment , I have months to tinker with my ideas and play with stock list proposals. I am hoping to have the tank filled and stocked with some inverts and corals by Christmas. In the mean time, I am getting lots of ideas and soaking up knowledge from the board.
Wonderful tank by the way!
