Need fish that will swim all around the tank

[Tod]

My 55g reef tank has been up since mid-April and seems to be doing fine. I have a pair of small tank raised clown fish that are doing fine, but almost never leave one side of the tank. Some day when I have more pods I want a scooter blenny. I really like the blenny's and would like another one too. And, the last fish added will likely be some damsel fish.

Wife and 6 year old want a new fish that will swim all around the tank and look very fish like, Not at all excited about my desire to add a blenny or two. So, what should the next fish be? Dwarf angel? Must be a fish that will explore and swim around a lot. Something a bit bigger than clowns.

Very interested to hear your ideas! Thanks.
-Tod

p.s. tank has quite a lot of algae, a dozen crabs, a few dozen large snails and about 50 babies, plus various spaghetti worms, pods, and alas some digitate hyrdoids

 

[wanabebell]

how about a Midas blenny???? always out in the water column satisfies your desire for the blenny and hopefully the wife and kids desire to have a more active fish??

 

[lhm nole]

Flame hawk

 

[wanabebell]

non of the hawkfish are really going to be active swimmers.....sure they will move all about the tank....but active swimmer not so much

 

[Gogandantess]

Yep definitely a dwarf angel would be perfect for swimming around all over the tank. :artist:

 

[whipit]

if you like your coral I would avoid the angels I had two that were great fish for a while (2 years) then bam! started nipping my corals and completely distroyed one of them ended up a real pita to catch them.
why not a sixline wrasse? their reef safe swim all over the tank are really nice looking and have a great personality. when I walk up to my tank my sixline comes to greet me and wiggles and makes weird fishlips at me he's one cool fish and a ham! by the way Damsels are mean!

 

[gotmilkmailit]

I agree with the six ine wrasse, also chromis are a good reef safe addition and are peaceful fish. I also have a royal gramma that swims around the tank too.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

You could do one of the larger wrasses. Melanarus wrasses are very active swimmers. http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/32-fish-profile-

 

[velvetelvis]

I don't think a wrasse is a great idea if you want to get a scooter blenny someday. Too much competition for food (i.e., pods and other tiny invertebrates). I would look into fangblennies: fairly small (about 4"-5" fully grown), very active, and totally peaceful (except with each other). The canary fangblenny, which is solid bright sulfur-yellow, is one of my favorite fish.

 

[small alien]

I don't think a wrasse is a great idea if you want to get a scooter blenny someday. Too much competition for food (i.e., pods and other tiny invertebrates).

Would have to disagree. Of all the dragonets we keep, the scooters (not a blenny) are easiest to get on frozen foods like mysis, roe, and cyclops. And most wrasses should be easy to feed prepared foods also. The need for a giant pod supply for scooters is over-blown ime. Mandarins can be much more challenging.

 

[d0ughb0y]

I agree with the idea of getting a fish that swims all around the tank. nothing is worse than paying top dollar for a fish that will end up always hiding or swims back to their hidey hole when someone comes near. its like sticking your green bucks behind a live rock.

the good old blue green chromis are cheap and will swim around the tank all the time.
you can look at the easier anthias also.
but chances are, what you will end up getting is what is available at the LFS when you go pay them a visit.

 

[reef_doug]

Leopard wrasse, most eat pellets with no problems. Just make sure he's eating at the LFS.

 

[small alien]

Leopard wrasse, most eat pellets with no problems. Just make sure he's eating at the LFS.

I've had good success with my pair of leopards for about 6 months. Your statement about pellet eating is too sweeping. Mine definitely do not eat pellets but they love PE mysis and prawn roe. I don't think they're the hardest fish if you get a good specimen to start, but there's something about your wording that is just too cavalier for this rather delicate fish.

 

[fish77]

+1 Midas Blenny!

 

[curlykid]

melanurus wrasse. Mine is SWEET! Very colorful, active, and cute.

 

[Aquaman!]

My clownfish used to hide in the corner and side like that too. I changed the position of your powerheads to create a cross current flow. I have 11 clownfish that now swim everywhere.

 

[velvetelvis]

Would have to disagree. Of all the dragonets we keep, the scooters (not a blenny) are easiest to get on frozen foods like mysis, roe, and cyclops. And most wrasses should be easy to feed prepared foods also. The need for a giant pod supply for scooters is over-blown ime. Mandarins can be much more challenging.

I knew wrasses were no problem feeding prepared foods, but I didn't know that about the scooters. I thought they were just the same as the mandarins, since they belong to the same genus (or at least are related).

 

[gweston]

+1 African Midas Blenny.

There are color variants.. so may want to research to see what you might prefer. Mine is always swimming around the tank. Somewhat eel-like due to their elongated body and swimming motion.

I have seen some yellow/bland colored midas, and others that are very colorful. But, understand that the fish should color up substantially if fed a quality varied nutritive diet.

 

[Tod]

Great ideas

Great ideas

Great ideas everybody, I really am happy to hear the suggestions. I'll write these all down and see what I can get locally... I'll let you know what I end up with!

Thanks!
-Tod

 

[agreeive?fish]

drawf angel gets my vote and most of your choices there will be out and about swimming every where in the tank and in and out of the rock work as well