Pick my last fish - 90 gallon

[Genera]

Any other options than other than wrasse for a final fish?

If you want something unique you could go with a few Glassy Sweepers (Pempheris Schomburgkii). Diver Tom sells collects them along with lots of other Caribbean fish and they go for $12 a piece. Peaceful nocturnal schooling fish that hangs out in darker areas. They grow to about 3-5in and eat mainly zooplankton so they won't cause harm to coral, or fish or inverts that aren't tiny (i.e. Periclimenes Pedersoni). Not the most colorful fish though, a shiny brown/copper color with a lighter underside.

A group of Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia Latipinna) would be nice too. They get to about 3-6in and vary in color greatly from green, brown, silver, white, black, marbled, orange, yellow, red, dalmation, spotted, I've even seen some with blue on them. Acclimating them to saltwater is pretty easy IME. Drop them in a 5gal bucket with a heater and airstone and drip for 6-8 hours. Fast breeders so you will have a source of natural live food. VERY easy to keep and tolerant of a bit of abusive water parameters unless you get a sick one. Eat all types of algae and a great member of a cleanup crew. They are herbivorous and males will fight over females so make sure to have a least two females for every male.

Another cool option that would be a nice addition to your tank is a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins. They eat fish and crustaceans so I would rehome everything in your tank. Bottlenoses can get to know you really well and make all sorts of noises and will perform many tricks. I saw one at my LFS once and they are a very nice grey with a white underside.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Ok you want suggestions, what is your budget for this last fish?

 

[SoloChromis]

- Cardinals (bangaii, pajama, longspine/blue eye, checkered)
- Fairy/Flasher Wrasses
- Possum Wrasses
- Benign Dottybacks (Springeri, Orchid, Sankey's, Indigo)
- "Normal" Blennies (Midas, Tailspot, Bimaculatus, Red Sea Mimic, Linear etc.)
- Fang Blennies
- Fathead Sunburst Anthias
- Any of the Firefish
- Zebra or Scissortail Dartfish Group
- Neon Gobies
- Clown Gobies
- Green Banded Gobies
- Dwarf Angels (Flame, Coral Beauty, Cherub, Flameback, Multicolor, Potter's)
- Benign Damsels (Talbot's, Rolland's, Annulata, Tuxedo, Starcki, Azure, Springeri, Turnate, Tracey's, Pink Smith, Neon etc.)
- Chalk Basses
- Assessors
- Geometric Pygmy Hawk
- Mollies
- Genicanthus Angels (Spotbreast, Bellus etc.)

... I think that's most of 'em :rollface: These are some of my favorite fish, and I've kept nearly all of them at some point, and would highly recommend them. Good luck :dance:

 

[SoloChromis]

If you want something unique you could go with a few Glassy Sweepers (Pempheris Schomburgkii). Diver Tom sells collects them along with lots of other Caribbean fish and they go for $12 a piece. Peaceful nocturnal schooling fish that hangs out in darker areas. They grow to about 3-5in and eat mainly zooplankton so they won't cause harm to coral, or fish or inverts that aren't tiny (i.e. Periclimenes Pedersoni). Not the most colorful fish though, a shiny brown/copper color with a lighter underside.

A group of Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia Latipinna) would be nice too. They get to about 3-6in and vary in color greatly from green, brown, silver, white, black, marbled, orange, yellow, red, dalmation, spotted, I've even seen some with blue on them. Acclimating them to saltwater is pretty easy IME. Drop them in a 5gal bucket with a heater and airstone and drip for 6-8 hours. Fast breeders so you will have a source of natural live food. VERY easy to keep and tolerant of a bit of abusive water parameters unless you get a sick one. Eat all types of algae and a great member of a cleanup crew. They are herbivorous and males will fight over females so make sure to have a least two females for every male.

Another cool option that would be a nice addition to your tank is a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins. They eat fish and crustaceans so I would rehome everything in your tank. Bottlenoses can get to know you really well and make all sorts of noises and will perform many tricks. I saw one at my LFS once and they are a very nice grey with a white underside.

Not to derail the thread, but what has your experience been with glassy sweepers? I've seen them on DD from time to time and they've always interested me, but there's very limited info online. Would they be safe to house with small gobies (neon, yasha, green banded), firefish etc.?

 

[Grandlotus]

Ok you want suggestions, what is your budget for this last fish?

I would like to stay under $150-225ish.

 

[Genera]

Not to derail the thread, but what has your experience been with glassy sweepers? I've seen them on DD from time to time and they've always interested me, but there's very limited info online. Would they be safe to house with small gobies (neon, yasha, green banded), firefish etc.?

I believe they only feast on zooplankton or other small floating particulate matter, not small fish/inverts unless purposely offered as food (ie- frozen mysis, brine, cyclops, etc.). I was just suspecting they might but then I took a better look at their mouth shape and it doesn't look like its meant for eating fish at all. They most likely would be completely safe with smaller fish and inverts (<1in). Never seen one eat anything except food/particulate matter in the water column. I might consider feeding them at night as well as the day just to encourage natural behavior.

 

[SoloChromis]

I believe they only feast on zooplankton or other small floating particulate matter, not small fish/inverts unless purposely offered as food (ie- frozen mysis, brine, cyclops, etc.). I was just suspecting they might but then I took a better look at their mouth shape and it doesn't look like its meant for eating fish at all. They most likely would be completely safe with smaller fish and inverts (<1in). Never seen one eat anything except food/particulate matter in the water column. I might consider feeding them at night as well as the day just to encourage natural behavior.

Thanks for the info I can't get one now, but I'd love to add a group in a couple years once I get my large tank set up.

 

[Genera]

Thanks for the info I can't get one now, but I'd love to add a group in a couple years once I get my large tank set up.

Go for it!

 

[Genera]

Thanks for the info I can't get one now, but I'd love to add a group in a couple years once I get my large tank set up.

Go for it!
Anyways so your last fish?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I would like to stay under $150-225ish.

OK that opens up to some pretty nice fish. Later I'll go back and look at what you currently have and see what I can come up with. I've already got a few ideas :fish2:

Just had spine surgery a week ago today and yesterday and last night was very painful due to over doing things. I'm going to go back to bed for a while and see if I can't get some sleep.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Some choices that you may like. I think we both like the butterfly/angelfish look

These are mostly blue choices
Bicolor Angelfish with caution Could maybe do a pair
Regal Angelfish still think a possibility tight on size but I think doable
Pyramid Butterfly Same maybe as Regal
Heniochus Black & White Butterflyfish with caution, I love these and you could do a pair easily.


I've got a few more but wanted to ask what colors you would like. Yes some will be borderline as to your tank size but I still think since you don't have large numbers of fish as possible can do.

 

[rssjsb]

Some choices that you may like. I think we both like the butterfly/angelfish look

These are mostly blue choices
Bicolor Angelfish with caution Could maybe do a pair
Regal Angelfish still think a possibility tight on size but I think doable
Pyramid Butterfly Same maybe as Regal
Heniochus Black & White Butterflyfish with caution, I love these and you could do a pair easily.


I've got a few more but wanted to ask what colors you would like. Yes some will be borderline as to your tank size but I still think since you don't have large numbers of fish as possible can do.

Bicolors are beautiful, but not considered coral safe. Not to sound like a broken record, but I wouldn't put any of those butterflies (including the heniochus) or large angels in a 90. Putting aside considerations of what's good for the fish, they'll end up making your tank look cramped.

If you really want a butterfly maybe a rosy or other prognathodes? They don't get bigger than 4" if I recall correctly.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Robin, sometimes some sacrifices need to be made and some decisions are marginal. I think the heniochus would be a borderline on both nipping corals and on size. The bicolor is a hit or miss, sure mostly miss but there are many people with them in reef tanks.

The biggest problem here is the marginal 90 gal, it's just not a great size tank as it is big for small tanks but small for big tanks LOL It's that out there size and you really need to go to 125 to make any kind of difference in what you can add fish wise changes.

 

[Cosmojo]

A pair of flame wrasses

 

[rssjsb]

Robin, sometimes some sacrifices need to be made and some decisions are marginal. I think the heniochus would be a borderline on both nipping corals and on size. The bicolor is a hit or miss, sure mostly miss but there are many people with them in reef tanks.

The biggest problem here is the marginal 90 gal, it's just not a great size tank as it is big for small tanks but small for big tanks LOL It's that out there size and you really need to go to 125 to make any kind of difference in what you can add fish wise changes.

Agree with all of this.

I've had a 90 and a standard 4-foot 120 and found both very frustrating. I think the sacrifice made as a result of having a tank this size is that you can't keep bigger fish long term. I ultimately concluded that dwarf angels were the biggest fish I would put in there. So I got a bigger tank. When I moved, I downsized. Now I've only got one small tank and I've had to adjust my expectations accordingly.