Fish suggestion

[JeannineC]

I have an 85 gal reef tank thats about 5 years old. I have not added any fish in several years. Everybody was getting along great. I lost my mimic tang last week...no signs of illness. Parameters are all good. I want to add a fish or two. Worried about the dynamics of adding a new fish. Really would like some more color. I have 4 pj cardinals, 1 bengaii cardinal, a pair of clown fish and a foxface. I have a fire shrimp, 3 peppermint shrimp, 4 BTA, various corals, and a CUC of various snails and hermit crabs. Any suggestions?

 

[griss]

Basslets or Pseudochromis are a good way to add color and they are generally peaceful, and readily available.

 

[OrionN]

Tangs are long live and should not have died. Do you know why he died?
For a 85 gal, maybe add a small tang like one of the Kole tang or Flame fin. I think Foxfacer and Mimic tang both can get too large for your tank.
Are you thinking of another tang or a different type of fishes? Perhaps two Flame Angels or other dwarf angels
Does the tank have tight cover? Sand bed? Wrasse may be the thing to add. There are all kinds of colorful reef safe fish. More information on the tank needed as requested above.
All these fish will do well in an 85 gal tank, but tank size is not the only requirements.

 

[JeannineC]

The power went out for about 3 days when we were out of town in April. I had a friend get the tank on our generator after about 10 hours. She was worried about him and said he didnt look good. When we got back a week later he seemed ok but it looked like someone had bullied him and took some bites out of his tail. I never saw any of the other fish picking on him but obviously they had. Thats really the only thing I noticed.

 

[OrionN]

For colors and activity in a 85 gal tank, there is nothing better than a few wrasses. But let me warn you, once you got infected with Wrase Disease, there will be no cure. There will never be enough wrasses.

 

[JeannineC]

Yes i have a tight cover and a sand bed

 

[griss]

For colors and activity in a 85 gal tank, there is nothing better than a few wrasses. But let me warn you, once you got infected with Wrase Disease, there will be no cure. There will never be enough wrasses.

Laughing about the Wrasse Disease, good one Minh.

 

[OrionN]

 

[OrionN]

Or one of my newest wrasse. The Splendid Pencil wrasse

 

[JeannineC]

I love the flame angels and the wrasses are beautiful. Would the angels get along ok. I tried an angelfish when i was first getting fish but didnt keep him because he was really aggressive. Also, if i went with wrasses, how many would be appropriate.

 

[OrionN]

@JeannineC
There are several genus of wrasses that will fit what you need. For colors and activity, I would add 4 Flasher wrasses and three small Fairy wrasses.
With Flasher wrasses, it really does not mater which species other than the Red Sea Eigth-lines Flasher wrasse (There is a wrasse call Eightline wrasse that you want to stay away from, not the same as Eightline Flasher wrasse). This is a large wrasse that growth to be 6 inches in my tank, and acts like a Fairy wrasse rather than Flasher. Prices of the flasher varies from 40 to thousands depends on how rare they are. I would get the common, but very beautiful flasher wrasses (Carpenter, McCosker, Yellowfin, Peacock... ...)These guys run at the most 50-70 or less each. I would get three more docile smaller Flasher wrasses. Exquisite, Naoko, Lubbock are all smaller and very beautiful Fairy wrasses you can get at the lower end of cost.
Other than Fairy and Flasher wrasses, I like to have a harem of Leopard wrasses of 3. I like Black Leopards or Meleagris Leopards. A harem of these guys are interesting and beautiful to keep.
Pencil Wrasse also rewarding and beautiful. I have Splendid Pencil that I really like in my tank.
A few Halichoeres wrasse also very nice to keep in our tank. I lover the Radiant Wrasse. I have a harem in my tank also.

I don't keep Cardinals so I don't have any ideal how the wrasse with deal with Cardinals. I do think that the wrasse likely not bother the cardinals at all. Perhaps somebody here keep cardinal together with wrasse can comment on this.

 

[OrionN]

I love the flame angels and the wrasses are beautiful. Would the angels get along ok. I tried an angelfish when i was first getting fish but didnt keep him because he was really aggressive. Also, if i went with wrasses, how many would be appropriate.

A harem of dwarf angels should do fine in your tank if the rock structure is right. They like a lot of crevies and caves to swim in and out off. Here are videos of my 65 gal with Flame Angels and another with Flameback Angels

 

[OrionN]

I have multiple tanks. That Powder Blue tang was moved to a much larger tank after a few months. He clearly outgrow that 65 gal tank quickly.

 

[JeannineC]

Thanks so much for the suggestions! Your videos are beautiful.

 

[JeannineC]

@JeannineC
There are several genus of wrasses that will fit what you need. For colors and activity, I would add 4 Flasher wrasses and three small Fairy wrasses.
With Flasher wrasses, it really does not mater which species other than the Red Sea Eigth-lines Flasher wrasse (There is a wrasse call Eightline wrasse that you want to stay away from, not the same as Eightline Flasher wrasse). This is a large wrasse that growth to be 6 inches in my tank, and acts like a Fairy wrasse rather than Flasher. Prices of the flasher varies from 40 to thousands depends on how rare they are. I would get the common, but very beautiful flasher wrasses (Carpenter, McCosker, Yellowfin, Peacock... ...)These guys run at the most 50-70 or less each. I would get three more docile smaller Flasher wrasses. Exquisite, Naoko, Lubbock are all smaller and very beautiful Fairy wrasses you can get at the lower end of cost.
Other than Fairy and Flasher wrasses, I like to have a harem of Leopard wrasses of 3. I like Black Leopards or Meleagris Leopards. A harem of these guys are interesting and beautiful to keep.
Pencil Wrasse also rewarding and beautiful. I have Splendid Pencil that I really like in my tank.
A few Halichoeres wrasse also very nice to keep in our tank. I lover the Radiant Wrasse. I have a harem in my tank also.

I don't keep Cardinals so I don't have any ideal how the wrasse with deal with Cardinals. I do think that the wrasse likely not bother the cardinals at all. Perhaps somebody here keep cardinal together with wrasse can comment on this

 

[JeannineC]

I Think I will go with some wrasses! How should i add them ? Several at once or one at a time? Flashers or fairies first?

 

[OrionN]

The flashers really does not matter. They can go in anytime, but been smaller and less aggressive, maybe they should go in first. Adding Fairy likely need an acclimation box. That will help the fish get use to each other.
I have a large tank so it really not a problem for me. Also I would get a larger mirror. Place a mirror in front of the tank will really distract the wrasse, keeping them from given the new wrasse a hard time.
It is hard for me to get nice wrasse in Corpus Christi, I take what I can get, in the order I can get.

 

[JeannineC]

Thats great info. Ill let you know how it goes!

 

[OrionN]

The one thing about wrasses, especially Flashers and Fairies wrasses is that they have short lives. You are lucky if you get the affaires to live 5-6 years. They often died of old age in a few years you get large males. Juveniles and small females can live 5-6 years in your tank. Lifespan of these wrasses are about 5-7 years. Longer with Leopards 7-10 years.