Rare, reef safe fish recommendations.

[DerekG4]

Hi there, I was wondering what rare or unique fishes are out there that I could add in my current tank.

The fish has to be small (4 inches max) but at least 1 inch large or a little bigger. Has to be reefsafe, I don't mind if there's a slight chance if it'll eat shrimp or crabs, as long as it won't eat corals at all I'm fine with it. Has to be a peaceful fish, semi aggressive / a little territorial at most. I don't mind it hiding a bit, as long as I see it preferably once a day or 2. I don't mind it being a dull or colorless fish but bonus points if it's pretty, and of course it has to get along with all the fish I currently have. I don't mind the occasional chase, as long as they don't hurt or kill each other.

My tank is a 150 gallon reef tank, has about 180 pounds of rock and a 35 gallon refugium. Livestock include:
4" Male Blue Jaw Triggerfish
3.5" Blue Tang
3.7" Yellow Tang
4" Sailfin Tang
3" Starry Blenny
2" Solar Wrasse
1.7" Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse
3.5" Yellow Coris Wrasse (Halichoeres leucoxanthus)
2" Banggai Cardinal
2.3" Pajama Cardinal
2" Green Mandarin Dragonette (May have to remove one day, he eats frozen brine but he's very slow to eat, kinda competes with all the other fish)
2 Ocellaris clowns (Female 2.3", male 1.5")
2" Black Cap Basslet
1.8" Chalk Basslet
1.5" Swissguard Basslet (most recent addition, hides most of the time, as expected for a new fish, especially a basslet)
2" Purple Firefish
Mixed corals (SPS, LPS, Softies, Leathers, corallimorphs)
Anemones (rock anemone and 2 bubble tips)
3" Cleaner shrimp
Couple trochus snails and nassarius snails
A sand sifting starfish

I know I already have a lot of fish, which is why I just want 1 or 2 small fish and be done with fish for good.

The fish I have in mind are assessors (Randall's specifically), leopard wrasses (I hear they're all very finicky to eat, is that true?), either a Kamohara blenny or a yellowtail blenny (I've had both before, I had read that in a big enough tank fang blennies will get along, which wasn't true. My Kamohara killed the yellow tail. I believe my trigger may have eaten my Kamohara, he was only about 1" and the only thing I can think of that killed him, he was otherwise super healthy and fat), an orangeback basslet, Helfrichi firefish, or some kind of non sand sifting goby (I don't want it to compete with my starfish, I've had him for a while already). I would really appreciate any suggestions.

I've always really wanted a Jawfish, but for some strange reason they just always die in my tank. It's definitely not my fish killing them or the water quality. I don't know if they're (Pearly Jawfish) the same as the blue spot Jawfish in the sense that they need colder water, but it's the only thing I can think of. I've had 3, 2 of which disappeared and never seen alive or dead. The second one was the only one that came out, and at one point he was gasping for air quite a lot. 2 days later i found him dead. My temps are at 84°, could it be that? All my other stuff is doing just fine. I've kinda accepted so far they just don't do well in my tank.

 

[Joe0813]

id say youre pretty much maxed out.

 

[Half Vaped]

I like to overstock my tanks as well, but even I have to say you're maxed out. I'm sure with proper care (and some luck), you can keep everything you have thriving long-term.

The problem is when unexpected events happen. With such a high bio-load, a two-hour loss of electric power can be enough to trigger a tank crash. While the same power loss will have negligible impact on a properly stocked tank.

 

[DerekG4]

Yea, I wanted to add as much fish to my tank is possible without overcrowding or causing much aggression, which is why I didn’t want any more big fish. Depending on the fishes that are out there, I’ll probably just switch out my mandarin and put him in my frag tank.

 

[Half Vaped]

With the fish you keep, it's difficult for the Dragonet to get enough frozen food for itself. You would need to maintain a high count of pods, which, again, is difficult with the fish you keep.

You're probably making the right decision re-homing it. Most sane aquarists would recommend you keep your stocking level as is. But if you want to live on the edge, you can probably get away with replacing the Dragonet with a Leopard Wrasse.

I've had four of three different species and three of them thrived. All three that thrived were eating frozen food literally the same day they were added to my tank, so luck did have a lot to play in it. I think Leopard Wrasses are much easier to keep than Dragonets. They're equally beautiful and a lot more active as well.

An Assessor would add practically no bioload at all, so you can get away with adding one (or more) of those. I personally like the Yellow Assessor more than the Randall's when seen in person. The Randall's looks like a dull, uniform blue under most aquarium lighting. They have to be lit from the side for their colors to pop like they do in internet pictures.

 

[DerekG4]

With the fish you keep, it's difficult for the Dragonet to get enough frozen food for itself. You would need to maintain a high count of pods, which, again, is difficult with the fish you keep.

You're probably making the right decision re-homing it.

Yea, I had bought him out of an impulse buy because he was a nice size and was fat, even more so he readily accepted frozen brine so I thought it was a major plus. But now that I see even with that, he's just not active and aggressive enough to swim towards the food first than all the other guys.

But if you want to live on the edge, you can probably get away with replacing the Dragonet with a Leopard Wrasse.

I've had four of three different species and three of them thrived. All three that thrived were eating frozen food literally the same day they were added to my tank, so luck did have a lot to play in it. I think Leopard Wrasses are much easier to keep than Dragonets. They're equally beautiful and a lot more active as well.

If it's easier than a dragonette, I'll gladly get one and replace him. I always stayed away from them because I heard they're just as finicky as dragonettes and not very hardy. Is there a particular species that is easier? I'd like to get one that is kinda rare. My job (I work at a fish store) gets in a lot of female M. Meleagris so I'm gonna assume they're a very common species. Only weird one I saw was a Moyeri leopard wrasse, when I first saw it it didn't even look like a leopard wrasse but it was. It was a little big though.

An Assessor would add practically no bioload at all, so you can get away with adding one (or more) of those. I personally like the Yellow Assessor more than the Randall's when seen in person. The Randall's looks like a dull, uniform blue under most aquarium lighting. They have to be lit from the side for their colors to pop like they do in internet pictures.

I think the yellow one does indeed look better, it's just that I already have 2 yellow fish (yellow tang and yellow coris), didn't wanna add too much yellow to the tank. Is there any other species besides the Randall's and the yellow one? I really only wanted the Randall's because it was different.

 

[Half Vaped]

I've had luck with M. meleagris, M. bipartitus and a Potter's Wrasse. M. meleagris and M. bipartitus seem to be the easiest and most attainable of the Leopards. The rare ones are more expensive and usually more finicky, so it would be prudent to start out with a common one. The key is getting them from reputable sources; mine were from LiveAquaria, Blue Zoo Aquatics and Among the Reef.

Leopards are only tricky when first added. IME, they're very hardy once settled. Mine have survived tank crashes that killed almost all my other Wrasses (and most of the rest of fish). They tend to bury themselves when stressed, which I believe helps them survive crisis situations.

The third species of Assessor is the Blue Assessor, which is mostly a solid dark blue color. The plainest of the three, IMO.

 

[DerekG4]

I like the look of the M. bipartitus and I really like the Potters wrasse, but if the potters can
Be more difficult I think I’d rather start off with the other. I wouldn’t mind paying the money for the potters, just afraid it wouldn’t do too good. I’ll try to order both in at my job, whichever one I guess I see eating first is the one I’ll get. Do these guys change sex?

Do the assessors get along with each other? If it doesn’t do much on the bioload, I may get a Randall’s and a yellow. If not I’ll choose one day one or the other.

 

[Half Vaped]

The Potter's can be tricky to acclimate and are a bit pricey. Yes, they change sex. Check out the Primer if you haven't already. Lots of good info in there.

I've read that multiple Assessors might bicker with each other, but I have not experienced that. I kept one Yellow and one Randall's in my 150G and they've never shown any aggression to each other. Mine just pick out their territory and stay within a few inches of it at all times. As long as they can maintain their own areas, they should be fine.

 

[steallife904]

Man I have a 150 and only have 9 fish. You really are probably maxed. The hard part about adding another might also be any of your current tank mates not fighting. Another tang or wrasse would probably not work well with your current group. Maybe a blenny or a goby though? Starry blennys are cool (I have 1) or a watchman goby. Neither are rare thought.

 

[DerekG4]

The Potter's can be tricky to acclimate and are a bit pricey. Yes, they change sex. Check out the Primer if you haven't already. Lots of good info in there.

I've read that multiple Assessors might bicker with each other, but I have not experienced that. I kept one Yellow and one Randall's in my 150G and they've never shown any aggression to each other. Mine just pick out their territory and stay within a few inches of it at all times. As long as they can maintain their own areas, they should be fine.

If I happen to find a healthy potters that's eating well I'll probably get it, but if I see the other first I'll just get that one.

Just in case I'll only get one assessor then, if I find one.

Man I have a 150 and only have 9 fish. You really are probably maxed. The hard part about adding another might also be any of your current tank mates not fighting. Another tang or wrasse would probably not work well with your current group. Maybe a blenny or a goby though? Starry blennys are cool (I have 1) or a watchman goby. Neither are rare thought.

I really want another tang (specifically a Naso tang), but knowing I already have 4 big fish, I know I simply can't have another. One day once my tangs are big enough I'm gonna have to sell them, I know they'll end up getting fairly big. I'd like another blenny, but I'm pretty sure my current starry blenny would fight any other blenny I add.

I'd like a goby as well, but I would want one that doesn't sift sand, I don't want it to compete with my starfish, I've already had it for about 3 years and I'm kinda attached to it lol. I know some gobies get pretty big as well, so it would have to be something kinda small.

I think I may go with a leopard wrasse once I rehome my mandarin. I know it's a bit risky, but I'm sure if I acclimate them well and put them in a acclimation box, it should go well, after all it is a different family of wrasse so I doubt there'll be much fighting.

 

[mike61289]

Your tank is on the small size for a naso, unless you plan to grow it out a bit and then sell it like the rest.

 

[ca1ore]

None of the leopards mentioned are really rare though. M. Lapillus is rare.

 

[DerekG4]

Your tank is on the small size for a naso, unless you plan to grow it out a bit and then sell it like the rest.

I know, I would've gotten a small 2" one and then I would've sold it by the time it hit 5". I can't get it now anyway.

None of the leopards mentioned are really rare though. M. Lapillus is rare.

That ones definitely nice, I've never seen that one. Know of any other suggestions? Doesn't have to be a leopard wrasse, any other small fish works.

 

[ca1ore]

I've only ever seen a lapillus for sale once - and I bought her (and still have her). Do you REALLY mean rare? Rare = expensive. Polyzona tang is rare. Tigerpyge dwarf angel is rare, so is the interrupta. Gem and black tangs are relatively rare. All will cost you north of $500 per.

 

[DerekG4]

I've only ever seen a lapillus for sale once - and I bought her (and still have her). Do you REALLY mean rare? Rare = expensive. Polyzona tang is rare. Tigerpyge dwarf angel is rare, so is the interrupta. Gem and black tangs are relatively rare. All will cost you north of $500 per.

Doesn’t have to be expensive, as long as it’s something that’s pretty uncommon and not usually seen for sale. I’d prefer not to spend any more than $200 on a fish, especially if it’s one that can be a little challenging to keep. You may suggest other expensive fish, I may be tempted enough just to get one.

The tang is nice and so are the angels, but I definitely can’t have any of those. I don’t wanna risk adding an angel with a reef, even if it may be a minor chance.


Just came home from work and now suddenly both my black cap basslet and my chalk basslet died. They were eating just fine this morning. I think my chalk basslet may have choked on something. He died with his mouth wide open and my dad had fed him about an hour ago. I’ll probably try getting the same fish again in a few weeks, maybe a few months.

 

[OrionN]

I think you should not add anymore fish into that tank.

suddenly both my black cap basslet and my chalk basslet died

I would really rethink adding more fish. Somehow, I don't think choking is the correct diagnosis, at least very unlikely. What was he feeding the tank?

 

[DerekG4]

I think you should not add anymore fish into that tank.

I would really rethink adding more fish. Somehow, I don't think choking is the correct diagnosis, at least very unlikely. What was he feeding the tank?

He had given them pellets before I arrived. I feel like it is unlikely he choked, but it’s just strange how just randomly died, it’s the only thing I can think of that he may have died. He was literally doing just fine the morning yesterday. Same with the black cap but I can’t say what killed him. I found him half eaten by my snails. Water quality is fine, no one messed with them, they were almost always out eating just fine. No signs of any illness. I’ve had both for about 3 or so months now.