Help deciding on fish

[emcmilla]

I am currently looking to add a bellus angelfish (female), lavender tang, and melanarus wrasse to my 150G tank. I already have 2 clowns, 2 cleaner shrimp and 1 magnificent foxface.

Anyone have experience with any of these fish in relation to cleaner shrimp, occ clowns or magnificent foxfaces?

Please help decide. I've read some horror stories about melanerus wrasse and now am thinking twice.

 

[Kworker]

Bristletooth tangs are underrated IMO. Look into some of the more uncommon ones such as the squaretail or two spot. There are always the tomini and kole tangs, but if you are looking for something a bit different that could be it.

 

[emcmilla]

Kworker - bristletooth tangs are semi-aggressive though, correct? I was looking at the lavender tang because it's "peaceful". Have you had any experience with lavender tangs, bellus angel or melanerus wrasse?

 

[alten78]

I love my Tomini Tang, on occasion my Foxface will chase it, but, they both graze all day long and keep things looking nice.

 

[3dees]

my melanurus was one of the first fish added to my 120. gal. two years ago. great fish. gets along with all others, but will go after snails. my female turned into a beautiful male. don't have a bellus but I do have a lamarcks angel. totally reef safe and listed as peaceful. mine doesn't go near any coral but is now the bully of the tank and still not four inches. I added a four inch butterfly and the angel killed him in two days. trying to get him out but it won't be easy.

 

[emcmilla]

hmm. I suppose that's the risk we take when purchasing fish - never know how that particular fish will behave. It wouldn't be so bad if SW were not so expensive! Are lamarcks and bellus angels similar do you know?

What I'm worried about with the wrasse is that he'll go after my cleaner shrimp and some of my snails. Did yours kill all of your snails?

 

[dbl]

Can’t comment on angelfish or tang, but I have a Melanarus in a 120g with two clowns, cleaner shrimp, two Foxface, a yellow tang and others. The Melanarus hasn’t bothered anything except snails. I had to switch to Trochus snails because they can right themselves and at least it gives them a fighting chance. Other than that, it’s a model citizen and quite fun. It will actually follow behind the glass cleaner…thinks it’s snack time! Mine started out female as well and made the change.

 

[brett559]

I loved my melanarus. He was pretty intense though - he would occasionally spend a few days going crazy, flicking his tail at the sand, making a big mess. I sold him when I tore down my old tank. Amazing fish - always hunting, but shrimp are a no-no. Mine ate several peppermints that were in the tank already.

What about a regal angel? Much prettier than a bellus IMO.

 

[emcmilla]

brett559 - is the regal angel reef compatible? The reason I liked the bellus angel is it apparently is...according to LA.

It seems with the melanarus that they may or may not attack my shrimp...

 

[Kworker]

I would be cautious to call any saltwater fish peaceful especially tangs.

As far as bristletooths are concerned, IMO they're not bad too bad with aggression.

 

[Johnseye]

Can't comment on angelfish or tang, but I have a Melanarus in a 120g with two clowns, cleaner shrimp, two Foxface, a yellow tang and others. The Melanarus hasn't bothered anything except snails. I had to switch to Trochus snails because they can right themselves and at least it gives them a fighting chance. Other than that, it's a model citizen and quite fun. It will actually follow behind the glass cleaner"¦thinks it's snack time! Mine started out female as well and made the change.

I have 2 Melanarus along with a cleaner and Harlequin shrimp. No issues. The Malanarus do eat all my pods though and I was hoping to get a Dragonette. Might not happen now. I also have a tang, 2 clowns, a mccosker wrasse, a multicolored angel, a flame angel and a cardinal. All are in a 120g.

How do you know when the melanarus turn male? I'm pretty sure the females have dorsal dots as both mine do. Do they lose the dot?

 

[Allentown]

I have mostly had the generic Tommi tangs and Koles. I really like them and found them to be hardy, generally peaceful and practically part of the clean up crew. They eat other fishes detritus....

 

[postshawn]

I loved my melanurus wrasse too. Never had a problem with other fish I had including a clown pair. Now my smaller snails, any crabs and any shrimp have always wound up missing after a short while and I never did find out why for sure. The melanurus wrasse was definitely a suspect but I never actually saw it in person go after any of them.

While not a Bellus I did have a female Japanese Swallowtail Angelfish (or Spotbreast Angelfish) and she was also a model citizen. Never picked on the other fish including a smaller angelfish who was a little bastard. The swallowtail though was beautiful and always fun to watch.

Unfortunately both of these fish of mine died over a period of time that I had bad parameters. They are pretty hardy fish but I guess there was only so much they can take. I'm switching tanks soon so when I do I will get another CUC and no wrasse to start and see how long the CUC lasts without a wrasse. My shrimp never did last long even before the melanurus but that's probably because I am not the best about consistency of my parameters including salt and I know shrimp don't tolerate salt inconsistency. My next setup will be easier for me to maintain due to proper equipment so I'll get to see if my CUC lasts longer or not without a wrasse for a while. I love the wrasse variety though so we'll see which route I go with in the end.

 

[emcmilla]

Thanks for everyone's post. I think I will probably buy the Bellus Angel. As for the wrasse, as much as I think he'd be great, I like my shrimp and need my snails as a CUC lol. And the lavender tang, I'm still not sure.
I'm mostly worried about the tang becoming aggressive and me being stuck with her (I am having the fish shipped to me and unlike when I was in Ottawa, I can't bring fish to the only *ahem* "SW store" near me for credit)...

 

[droth335]

The regal angel would be fine in an SPS dominant tank IME. We have a regal, blue face and gold flake and flame angels in our tank and the only casualties were a few zoas. We have primarily SPS along with a couple of leathers that I don't think anything eats. The Bellus would definitely be a "safer" choice though as far as coral goes....but the regal is a gorgeous fish!