Need "Oddball" Fish Recommendation!

[ostrow]

So, I have an "opening" (lol) for a fish for my 155 display/300 system.

Current inhabitants, all of whom I prefer to survive:

Desjardin Sailfin
Foxface Lo
Radiant Wrasse
Blue Spot Goby
3x Royal Gramma
Clown Goby
6x peppermint shrimp
2 starfish
snails/crabs
Acropora and Montipora of various makes and models

I recently removed a mystery wrasse implicated in the disappearance of several peppermint shrimp

I recently lost a cosmetus wrasse to old age who also was implicated earlier in the loss of the shrimp. Due to intermittent aiptasia blooms, the pepps are needed.

By "oddball" I'm thinking in the cow/frog/leaf/trigger/puffer fish range, but I need not be locked into those categories. Those seem all to have "problems" with my requirements!

So... something unusual, cool, and peaceful to the above list. Might be a tricky find...

 

[lespaul339]

It can be risky with a reef tank, but my suggestion would be Matted Filefish. I plan on adding one to my reef soon to help out with my Aiptasia problem.

 

[ostrow]

It can be risky with a reef tank, but my suggestion would be Matted Filefish. I plan on adding one to my reef soon to help out with my Aiptasia problem.

Here's the problem: I have had problems and I know many others who also have had problems keeping these alive more than a few months, especially after aiptasia is gone. I see there are now captive-bred specimens...wonder if those fare better? I love these guys!

 

[lespaul339]

I plan on getting the ORA captive bred one. I didn't know they are hard to keep alive after aiptasia is gone though. But I do feed my fish live black worms, so maybe that will increase my chances of keeping one? IDK.

 

[farfromsea]

I would say a sea robin but it would probably eat your peppermint shrimp? Not sure though I had just seen one in my LFS the other month and found it intriguing

 

[Triggerfish]

blue spot puffer. not really odd but super cool..

 

[Walla2GSP]

It can be risky with a reef tank, but my suggestion would be Matted Filefish. I plan on adding one to my reef soon to help out with my Aiptasia problem.

I second this, I bought mine for the aiptasia, but it has been an awesome addition to my puffer tank, he cleans up everything they won't eat. But he might peck at your montis and acros.

 

[ostrow]

I would say a sea robin but it would probably eat your peppermint shrimp? Not sure though I had just seen one in my LFS the other month and found it intriguing

I thought those were not safe with any inverts!

 

[ostrow]

blue spot puffer. not really odd but super cool..

Dont those eat coral and inverts?

 

[tanksfishtank]

Most of your list seems to be "Not" reef safe? I have seen people keep the longhorn cow fish in reef aquariums, but not sure of the outcome.

 

[Triggerfish]

Dont those eat coral and inverts?

my understanding is for the most part, they should be ok in a reef.
there are two that look similiar. must have the blue dot on the top of body area.

 

[ostrow]

Most of your list seems to be "Not" reef safe? I have seen people keep the longhorn cow fish in reef aquariums, but not sure of the outcome.

Thus my original post!

I'm trying to see what I can add! Looking for actual experiences and maybe something I have overlooked.

Will scout out the puffer idea...anyone with experience??

 

[MuShu]

Dont those eat coral and inverts?

Not really. Anything in the sharpnose family may eat smaller inverts. I'm not sure how they would do with shrimp. I have a Valentini and a bunch of dwarf ceriths and micro hermits. The puffer leaves everything along.

 

[Triggerfish]

had mixed experience with the valentini. first one 8 years ago seemed ok.
tried another last year . he started on sps shortly after. out he went.

 

[Cliving1]

Puffer or hawkfish. Hawks have great persinality mine would almost perch in my hand. Puffers will follow you around the tank.

 

[Walla2GSP]

Dont those eat coral and inverts?

I have no experience with Canthigaster puffers, so maybe Blue spots will be okay, but all of my puffers eat any inverts I try to put in the tank including corals. I did some aquascaping in my puffer tank the other day and my dogface ate a whole patch of tubeworms in front of me just because he was upset I moved the rocks. The other thing with puffers is the constant aquascaping to supply caves for them to hide in and replace the rock they have eaten.

 

[eastlake]

I vote for clingfish

 

[ThRoewer]

How about pipefish?
Doryrhampus species do well in reef tanks and are not at all afraid of other fish.
And pipefish are about as oddball as it gets.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[ostrow]

How about pipefish?
Doryrhampus species do well in reef tanks and are not at all afraid of other fish.
And pipefish are about as oddball as it gets.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Love this idea. Have you kept them?

Dr's say only eat live pods....I have a fuge but wonder if that'd be enough.

 

[thetedinator]

I have had an ORA Aiptasia-Eating Filefish in my system since the end of May. I also have a couple of Peppermint shrimp. No issues with the Filefish. No Aiptasia.

The filefish is very cool. Changes color to match whatever he is near. I have a video of him locked onto an Nori clip and having a ride in the current. When in the mood, he will eat food out of my fingers. Eats flake food, frozen food and live California Blackworms. When I feed blackworms he gets motivated to swim fast but otherwise he just cruises around looking for food.

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