Centerpiece Fish

[Razzagas]

i am setting up a 65 gallon reef, and am looking for a really colorful, not-shy fish that will be the centerpiece. I need it to be reef safe for most corals. I want it to be a bigger fish, like a butterfly, or tang, but i don't want it to outgrow the tank. I also want to have 3 anthias (1 male, 2 female, and 1 percula clown)
Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[burton61775]

Dunno if it will be big enough for you but most Fairy Wrasse are really corlorful but only get 3 to 5 inches. Plus they are jumpers.
For a tank I just bought a powder brown for me 75 gal tank. you have to be careful with tanks though since most will outgrow a 65 gal tank.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Razzagas]

Any butterflies really reef safe?

 

[burton61775]

Most are i think but the worry is they will outgrow your 65 gal

 

[elekamit]

What?!
most butterflies are reed safe?! HELL NO!!!!!
the only butterfly that even comes close to being reef safe is the copperband butterfly, and they are prone to nibble on clam matles.

plus!, the copperband butterfly is not an "easy" fish to take a swing at.

at 75 gallon I would recomend getting a pygmy angel, a coral beauty, flame or flameback!
they are a hit and miss but flameback often are reef safe material

 

[moonpod]

Griffis Angel. Unusual. Hardy. Relatively a good risk for a reef (for an angel)

If you are gonna try a butterfly try one from the mitratus/tinkeri/declevis/burgess family. They are putative deepwater plantinovores and for butterflies are RELATIVELY low risk and pretty hardy actually.

 

[Razzagas]

Thanks! Does anyone have any other ideas? I know tangs are out since they get too big, but what about a larger angel? like the regal angel? does that need a much bigger tank?
Thanks

 

[moonpod]

personally I think a 65 is too small for a regal.

 

[Ruu]

A 65 really isn't that big to responsibly keep a large "centrepiece" fish (especially something like a regal angel, which needs a MUCH larger thank than yours, and dosen't survive too well even then in many cases). I think a flame angel, or one of the other safer dwarf angels (flameback is my favourite) would be a good addition, rather than looking for something that gets way too big and is way too difficult to keep alive.

Dave

 

[Bebo77]

Chuck where are you getting your fish?

 

[JENnKerry]

Perhaps a bellus, swallowtail or lamarck angel?

 

[moonpod]

Gabriel I could tell you but I'd have to kill you....pm/email me.

 

[Jim_S]

Beautiful fish there moonpod!

Jim

 

[cateyes]

moonpod -- what is that butterfly with the yellow tail in your previous post??

 

[steveo32]

cateyes, Thats a conspiculatus angel. Beautyful reef safe angel but the cost anywhere from a grand to 25 hundred. Moonpod I'm sooo jealous !!!

>Razzagas, I think for that size reef your best would be a coral beauty. You can them really nice looking and grow him out. Or you might want to look up a pink tail trigger. They can be nice.

 

[Razzagas]

Could i fit a pink tailed trigger or any trigger in my 65?
What about a Potter's angel? are they reef safe? if not what corals will they eat?

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

moonpod -- what is that butterfly with the yellow tail in your previous post??

The butterfly in Moonpod's pics is a tinkers

There are many reef safe angels but a lot depends on which corals and inverts you want to keep. A 65 is pretty small for most angels besides the dwarves and all of those are risky in a reef. I dont think any trigger or tang belongs in a 65. If it was my tank I would go with a harem of flasher wrasses which would make an awesome reef safe display for a tank that size.

 

[moonpod]

I would agree with Kahuna. The biggest angels that I would say are ok in a 65g are like I suggested an apolomichthys angel like the griffis. Another well known safe fish would be a captive bred interruptus angel. Spectacular fish. Reef safe. They get to about 5" or so. You could get a pair if you've got the $$ fairly easy.

Pink tails no way. They get huge.

Potters are fine size wise. Reef wise you are rolling the dice with them loaded in the houses favor.

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

Moonpod- BTW, beautiful fish! That conspic is just awesome. What species is that juvi Pomacanthus just under the conspic's chin? Sixbar?

 

[moonpod]

putatively a chrysurus. It's not a Koran or a 6 bar--doesn't have the curves of a Koran or the 6 bars of a 6 bar. It MIGHT be a blueface, but the current most likely suspect is a chrysurus. It was putatively from africa and listed as a chrysurus, but it's so juvenile who knows.