Capt_Cully
Active member
Looking for a few small guys that you might not see unless you stare long enough. Neon gobies? Smaller rarer wrasses?
Whaddya got?
Whaddya got?
Recs for small reef safe fish
- Thread starter Capt_Cully
- Start date
SkiFletch
New member
psuedochromis are nice small little fish that like to hide and roam around the rockwork. They can get spunky though in a big tank that might not be as much of an issue. I really liked my old springers pseudochromis until he jumped, landed on my horizontal stabilizer and wasn't smart enough to flop back in the tank 
Also an added bonus, they eat flatworms 
Also an added bonus, they eat flatworms 
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
How about small/cool livestock that's not a fish? You could get a shrimp for your goby. Or a porcelain crab.
I have a pair of transparent cave gobies - liveaquaria has them sometimes. They're strictly bottom dwellers and dig a bit, but fit the bill of "interesting fish you don't see unless you look for them." Also have a starry blenny that's incredibly secretive but really cool when you do actually see him - that might be a better choice since you already have the goby to dig in the sand.
I'm interested in this niche, too so I'll be reading what other suggest. It's a hard one to fill IME - some fish dig too much, others eat desirable microfauna, others spend their days sitting on corals and killing them... I think you've got a good start with your hawkfish and goby though.
I have a pair of transparent cave gobies - liveaquaria has them sometimes. They're strictly bottom dwellers and dig a bit, but fit the bill of "interesting fish you don't see unless you look for them." Also have a starry blenny that's incredibly secretive but really cool when you do actually see him - that might be a better choice since you already have the goby to dig in the sand.
I'm interested in this niche, too so I'll be reading what other suggest. It's a hard one to fill IME - some fish dig too much, others eat desirable microfauna, others spend their days sitting on corals and killing them... I think you've got a good start with your hawkfish and goby though.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
How about small/cool livestock that's not a fish? You could get a shrimp for your goby. Or a porcelain crab.
I have a pair of transparent cave gobies - liveaquaria has them sometimes. They're strictly bottom dwellers and dig a bit, but fit the bill of "interesting fish you don't see unless you look for them." Also have a starry blenny that's incredibly secretive but really cool when you do actually see him - that might be a better choice since you already have the goby to dig in the sand.
I'm interested in this niche, too so I'll be reading what other suggest. It's a hard one to fill IME - some fish dig too much, others eat desirable microfauna, others spend their days sitting on corals and killing them... I think you've got a good start with your hawkfish and goby though.
I have a pair of transparent cave gobies - liveaquaria has them sometimes. They're strictly bottom dwellers and dig a bit, but fit the bill of "interesting fish you don't see unless you look for them." Also have a starry blenny that's incredibly secretive but really cool when you do actually see him - that might be a better choice since you already have the goby to dig in the sand.
I'm interested in this niche, too so I'll be reading what other suggest. It's a hard one to fill IME - some fish dig too much, others eat desirable microfauna, others spend their days sitting on corals and killing them... I think you've got a good start with your hawkfish and goby though.
Capt_Cully
Active member
I should have listed other fishes, but all are fairly peaceful.
Melanurus wrasse
Purple, sailfin, tomini tangs
Flame hawk
3 false percs
Diamond goby
Cherub angel
Keep the recs coming, I'll be looking into them online. Any polyp nippers or potential nippers not welcome.
Decorative inverts would only become an expensive dinner for my hawk. Been several lobster dinners on me in the past.
Melanurus wrasse
Purple, sailfin, tomini tangs
Flame hawk
3 false percs
Diamond goby
Cherub angel
Keep the recs coming, I'll be looking into them online. Any polyp nippers or potential nippers not welcome.
Decorative inverts would only become an expensive dinner for my hawk. Been several lobster dinners on me in the past.
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
Chrysiptera parasema
Small...beautiful...inexpensive...non-aggressive...
Not a real secretive/unusual fish, but definitely a looker who isn't going to cause problems.
Small...beautiful...inexpensive...non-aggressive...
Not a real secretive/unusual fish, but definitely a looker who isn't going to cause problems.
teamdulski
The Saltiest!
Yasha with pistol or chalk bass would be my picks.
Capt_Cully
Active member
LOVE something like a tamarin wrasse but I wouldn't be able to keep up with its feeding requirements. But that's the sort of niche I'd like to fill.
teamdulski
The Saltiest!
Then I would suggest finding a leopard wrasse that is eating frozen.
gary greguire
Premium Member
blue fin damsels small colorful and seem to be very peaceful for damsels
Capt_Cully
Active member
I had a pistol, yasha, and watchman trio in an old tank. Pretty cool but the pistol pop used to drive me nuts.
Guess I'll just have to get a gem tang....
Guess I'll just have to get a gem tang....
GMaquarium
New member
a pair of swissguard basslets or barnacle gobies would be cool. A band of bar or scissortail darts another idea.
MD Ocean Girl
New member
+1 on the barnacle blennies. I have a few of them, and they're awesome. When people look at my tank, and it's a small one, they often look over them first, and then notice there's small cute fish that roll their eyes at them. People then tend to hunker down and really notice the stuff in my tank, which is awesome
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Overrated. Go for a wrought iron butterfly.
For a small wrasse this one is fun:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+2908&pcatid=2908
Strange eyes; darts in and out;plays well with others, fairy wrasses, halochoeres and a leopard are among its tank mates. Had it for a few years; it's healthy. Probably helps with pests too.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+2908&pcatid=2908
Strange eyes; darts in and out;plays well with others, fairy wrasses, halochoeres and a leopard are among its tank mates. Had it for a few years; it's healthy. Probably helps with pests too.
block head
New member
Tailspots and neons have been great additions. Havent sprung for assessors yet. +1 on the yashi. They kinda suck. I'd have to have a pair of mandrins in your tank. Fairies and flashers aren't really small,but have a lot to offer
