Good starter fish?

[JackFrost3423]

Hey guys. I had a saltwater tank for over four years. I had to move because of the military and all I kept was my live rock. I have had the same tank set up for over a month now. I have added a few damsels and a cleaning crew. I was wondering if you guys can recommend some good starting and hearty fish. The previous tank I had set up I bought was already cycled, so I have never started from scratch like this. Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[AdamNC]

If you plan on keeping the Damsels, get more Damsels or other semi aggressive fish. They tend to get nasty as they get older. What size tank are we talking here and how many fish are already in the tank, that would help with your selection.

 

[JackFrost3423]

Only 2 as of now. It's a 40 gallon breeder. I donated all my old fish to a local store (yellow tang, 3 clowns, and a cleaner shrimp).

 

[JackFrost3423]

This is the tank right now.

 

[rssjsb]

Did they leave the scientific name. There is a whole Genus of maori wrasses. Some grow huge, some can comfortably be kept in aquaria.

wrong thread.

 

[Arronv]

Clown fish are quite hardy as are Bangaii and Pyjama Cardinals. You may find that in the future the damsels will prohibit your ability to put some fish in the tank due to their aggression.

It is one thing that really annoys me about some LFS they advise people to put in damsels as the first fish because they are cheap and hardy however because they are hardy they tend to survive the initial set up faze and potential errors made by a new reef keeper and then cause no end of problems further down the line.

 

[emcmilla]

Definitely clowns, and also IME, magnificent foxface, alas, your tank is too small for one though. My solar fairy wrasse is also pretty hardy.

 

[Betta132]

That top one looks like one of the blue damsels, one of the less aggressive ones. They're a bit nippy, but not horrible, just don't put them with timid things.
Not sure what the yellow one is. Keep an eye on him.

 

[paul87]

If you have no plans of coral you could do an angel fish like the coral beauty, they are a very pretty fish IMO. Blue/Green chromis, clowns, watchmen gobies, & SOME wrasses such as the 6-line or yellow chrysus would also be a good choice.

 

[3FordFamily]

Ditch the damsels. Seriously dig them all out. Sell them back to LFS for credit.

Favorite easy fish:

Vroliks or Melanarus wrasse ($30-40), Coral Beauty Angel ($15-30), Orchid Dottyback ($25-40), Bangai or Pajama Cardinals ($10), Pairs of fairy wrasses (both male OK, $20-400 lol), Yellow Watchman Goby ($20), Green Chromis ($4-7), Firefish ($10-30), Yellow Tang ($20-40), Yellow Foxface ($20-40), Flame Hawkfish ($30-50), Ocellaris Clowns ($10-30), Black Ocellaris Clowns ($20-50).

I think that gives you every color, several shapes of fish, and they're all pretty hardy in my opinion. I would avoid nearly any other angel, and most other tangs until more established. Even sailfin tangs can be edgy in new tanks. Purple tangs are hardy as snot too (perhaps hardier than yellow) but they fetch $150-300 so I didn't mention them. Buy the above fish and you'll have a neat community.

I keep several fairy wrasses of multiple colors and they're awesome additions. I also recommend the vroliks wrasse (search live aquaria) over the melanarus. They're prettier, more vibrant greens and blues, just as hardy, and less skittish (not that melanarus are skittish by any means though).

 

[Betta132]

I don't suggest green chromis, they often come in sick.
Watchman gobies are awesome. I suggest getting a pistol shrimp if you get a watchman.
Try chalk bass, they're nice.

 

[3FordFamily]

I don't suggest green chromis, they often come in sick.
Watchman gobies are awesome. I suggest getting a pistol shrimp if you get a watchman.
Try chalk bass, they're nice.

That's true about chromis.

 

[Betta132]

Oh, and crested oyster gobies! Nearly forgot about them. They aren't shrimpgobies, not that I've seen, but they're very peaceful and gentle. They stand up to jerks, though.

 

[JackFrost3423]

Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it. I am regretting going with live sand this time instead of crushed coral. Stuff is going all over the tank.

 

[3FordFamily]

Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it. I am regretting going with live sand this time instead of crushed coral. Stuff is going all over the tank.

Adjust flow, it's distirbing the bottom. Sand always trumps crushed coral. Much better catalyst for beneficial bacteria.

 

[JackFrost3423]

I'm on my second wave maker, I've tried moving both all over the tank.

 

[tolowkjr2]

green chromis are great, get a about 6 and they school together

 

[Coelli]

My royal gramma was my second fish and he's fantastic, very personable and a model citizen, doesn't bother anything.

The first fish added was a yellow watchman and he's great, but isn't out very much and mostly stays under the rock he shares with his Randall's pistol shrimp, who hasn't been seen since the tank upgrade 2.5 months ago. We hear him occasionally so we know he's alive but he doesn't come out. I love the watchman, but he's just so reclusive... and he was captive bred, so no excuse of being wild-caught.

Third fish was just added Monday, a starry blenny. He's going to be cool once he gets over his terror of the new tank. I hope.

 

[Betta132]

Green chromis usually kill each other instead of schooling, and they often come in sick. Bad choice. Consider blue-eye cardinals if you want a school, that's a guaranteed school if you get healthy ones.
Consider a rooster waspfish. They're venomous, but not dangerously so, and they only get 3" long. They'll eat very small fish, but they're too small to threaten most things.
Fangblennies are also really cool.

 

[JackFrost3423]

I bought a diamond goby today. Let's see what happens.