Centrepiece Fish

So the rhomboid wrasse is out of the question. My lfs said he would only get one with a couple of females because the male will lose his colors otherwise. It's a very valid point and I respect that, but that increases the price too much. He has a pair of pintails in his display tank, but they're full grown already and also above the price range.

Back to the drawing board... I don't think I want to spend more than $300 for a pair of anything. Any other recommendations?
 
Peppermint Candy Cane Hogfish (Bodianus sepiacaudus) or if you want a little rarer and pricier; Candy Hogfish (Bodianus Neopercularis).

Very flowy and active. Eats from you hand and is always out and about.

LA listed B. sepiacaudus as peaceful and I had to rehome it from my QT for chasing a 1" possum wrasse. Really miss that gorgeous fish.
 
Lineatus is more expensive than rhomboids and laboutei isn't attractive to me. Gotta nix those.

The hogfish would kill my cleanup crew so no thanks to that too unfortunately.

Budget is $300 and under, not over.
 
How about a leopard wrasse? Any of those should be well under $300 (you could probably even do a pair for less). They are more difficult to keep but definitely worth a look as a centerpiece.
 
Centrepiece Fish

deleau said:
How about a leopard wrasse? Any of those should be well under $300 (you could probably even do a pair for less). They are more difficult to keep but definitely worth a look as a centerpiece.
Click to expand...



Yeah but the problem is the difficulty. It's really about luck with keeping leopards. I have had mine for 10 months with minimal effort, although I did QT her. She was the first one I tried. Other people can go 0/6 or even worse...

I mean of course I'm not saying don't try one, but it's just a thought. Most people have success with leopards by building a system for them, or by simply getting lucky and getting a healthy one that eats.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I kept one in the past and it didn't go well unfortunately. Besides, I have a mandarin in my tank now that feeds on both pods it finds and frozen food. I don't want to add competition for it and I'm pretty sure a leopard wrasse would deplete my pod population if it chose not to eat frozen food.

Good suggestion though! I always loved leopard wrasses, but that first one didn't love me...
 
I'm running out of ideas...

I know you didn't like the idea of a group of anthias, but what about a single (maybe a pair) of deep water anthias? The fathead/sunburst or borbonius would exist well with your stock list. I have two borbonius in mine, and they don't behave like or hang out with the other anthias.
 
I kept a bourbonius anthias years ago. Easily one of my favourite fish! I managed to find a small one (about 1.25 inches). Are they still coming in that small? That's definitely a fish I'd love to keep again if I could find one that tiny!
 
I saw a couple at a LFS recently; they were probably at least 1.5" but certainly not 2". My two have been in captivity for a couple years (inherited from a tank tear down), and they are only about 2.5", so they don't seem to grow very fast, at least in my experience.
 
Great thread & just what I'm looking for. I think I'll look for a Tomini Tang for my 75g lps & sps dominated tank. Other livestock is 2 perc clowns, coral banded shrimp, 4 hermits 2 Trocus & 2 Astraea snails. Plan to add a Blennie or gobie down the road & consider the bioload capped there. 18 g sump.
 
deleau said:
I saw a couple at a LFS recently; they were probably at least 1.5" but certainly not 2". My two have been in captivity for a couple years (inherited from a tank tear down), and they are only about 2.5", so they don't seem to grow very fast, at least in my experience.
Click to expand...

Mine didn't grow too quickly either. It's been awhile since I've seen a small one though. My lfs has a big one right now, but it's at least 5 years old. I don't want one that big and old.

Do yours get along? Are they a real pair? When I got mine years ago, it was a runt in a group of 3 others and the other 3 were picking on him.
 
mike61289 said:
So the rhomboid wrasse is out of the question. My lfs said he would only get one with a couple of females because the male will lose his colors otherwise. It's a very valid point and I respect that, but that increases the price too much. He has a pair of pintails in his display tank, but they're full grown already and also above the price range.

Back to the drawing board... I don't think I want to spend more than $300 for a pair of anything. Any other recommendations?
Click to expand...

To go back to the rhomboid idea, I have a female in my 65 SPS dominated tank as my showpiece. I absolutely love the female colors - she looks very opalescent and almost glows a pearly pink/lavender. She also eats pellets like a pig and has a wonderful curious and friendly personality. I couldn't be happier :)
 
mike61289 said:
Mine didn't grow too quickly either. It's been awhile since I've seen a small one though. My lfs has a big one right now, but it's at least 5 years old. I don't want one that big and old.

Do yours get along? Are they a real pair? When I got mine years ago, it was a runt in a group of 3 others and the other 3 were picking on him.
Click to expand...

From what I was told, they did not come as a pair, but they are a pair now.

I've never had any issues with them; the previous owner said that these two guys bullied/killed the two sunburst anthias he had. I don't have any other similar anthias (they leave the carberryi & lyretails alone), and I doubt your other stock list would be an issue.

It may be getting late in the season to get them this year; I usually see them for sale in Jan/Feb most often. Hopefully, you can find one of the size you want if that's the route you take.
 
You're lucky to have managed to pair them up! They must be so much nicer to observe as a pair than as an individual.

I'm sure my lfs would be able to get me one in the size I want. He seems to have very good contacts.

Good call on the anthias! Thanks again for your help!
 
I don't think they'll go after cleaners if the shrimps are big enough. They likely mean shrimp species along the lines of sexy shrimp and other smaller shrimps like that.
 
mike61289 said:
I don't think they'll go after cleaners if the shrimps are big enough. They likely mean shrimp species along the lines of sexy shrimp and other smaller shrimps like that.
Click to expand...



Yup ^^

Also most of the time when the shrimp is in the tank before the fish the fish will not think of it as food. You should be fine :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
They're nice, but not my favourite. I saw a few years ago. Their colors are a bit too dark for my taste. I want something flashier.

Looking into the borbonius anthias, hawaiian anthias (Pseudanthias hawaiiensis), or a trio of flasher wrasses. There's no rush to get this(ese) fish now as I'm still waiting for my frags to grow and become colonies.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

JeannineC
Fish suggestion
Replies
18
Views
399
OrionN
OrionN
P
Can I get another fish?
Replies
3
Views
527
griss
griss
P
50 Gallon Stocking Help
2
Replies
21
Views
1K
Urka
U
LJA
Fish addition order
Replies
2
Views
206
OrionN
OrionN
V
Feedback on this stocking list for 30g
Replies
0
Views
122
Varanis
V
Back
Top