Reef Safe Beginner Fish

[ReefTank327]

I have a fully cycled 66 gallon reef tank with an 18 gallon sump. I currently have my clean up crew, 2 ocellaris clownfish, and 3 skunk cleaner shrimp. I also have some green star polyps, a kenya tree, and another small green coral (I have no clue what it is). I want some suggestions for fish. I do not have a lid as it is rimless, so wrasses and other jumpers are out of the question (sad because the melanurus wrasse is my favorite fish). Please leave a list of fish that you think would be suit for my tank.

 

[Reefpuck]

Bangaii cardinal
Royal grama
Clown goby
Chromis
Dwarf Angel

Any of those would work...with the angel being on a bit more on the cautious end due to potential nipping at corals.

 

[Pericyte]

Green mandarin if you have enough rock work

Bartlett anthia
Six line wrasse
Starry blenny
Maybe a Kole eye tang or white tail bristletooth if you want something unique.

Any fish can jump, but I had these fish when i has a rimless.

You could also make a screen for day to day function. Bulk reef supply has some cheap kits to make screens.

 

[Cliving1]

I would go with a midas blenny or flame/longnose hawkfish. Royal gramma. Flasher wrasse. Perhaps a dwarf angel. I would go with reefpucks over pericytes. Tank is too young for a mandarin. Six line are the devil. Starrys are great. Tank is too small for a tang.

 

[ReefTank327]

I would go with a midas blenny or flame/longnose hawkfish. Royal gramma. Flasher wrasse. Perhaps a dwarf angel. I would go with reefpucks over pericytes. Tank is too young for a mandarin. Six line are the devil. Starrys are great. Tank is too small for a tang.

I don't have a lid, so do you think I could get away with a fairy wrasse? I have heard that all wrasses are jumpers.

 

[mike61289]

I don't have a lid, so do you think I could get away with a fairy wrasse? I have heard that all wrasses are jumpers.

No. Don't risk it. Either get a lid so that it can't jump out or don't get a wrasse.

At the end of the day, the wrasse has a life. If it jumps out because there's no cover, it's a waste.

 

[Cliving1]

All fish can jump. Make the choice and invest in some form of lid. Opens your options as well.

 

[ReefTank327]

All fish can jump. Make the choice and invest in some form of lid. Opens your options as well.

I want a melanurus wrasse so bad but I do not want a lid. I have a rimless tank and I feel like lids ruin the aesthetic. I think I will maybe add a pair of bangaii cardinals, a royal gramma, and a green mandarin once my copepod population is enough (I'll give it another 6 months).

 

[OrionN]

I recomend Orchid Dottyback pair tank raise. LA have them on sale. Flame back angel pair also wonderful and very reef safe. One of the smallest tang species like flame fin tang. Two or three of the above recommendations would do great in your tank

 

[saf1]

I recomend Orchid Dottyback pair tank raise. LA have them on sale. Flame back angel pair also wonderful and very reef safe. One of the smallest tang species like flame fin tang. Two or three of the above recommendations would do great in your tank

You can do those in pairs? I didn't know. Very striking fish and my wife has always loved those. I had one years ago and it was always the fish everyone noticed first regardless of the other larger fish.

 

[ReefTank327]

I recomend Orchid Dottyback pair tank raise. LA have them on sale. Flame back angel pair also wonderful and very reef safe. One of the smallest tang species like flame fin tang. Two or three of the above recommendations would do great in your tank

Could I do just one orchid dottyback? And would an orchid dottyback and a royal gramma get along?

 

[OrionN]

Orchid dottyback will be fine with Royal gramma, at least in larger tanks. I got harem of RG (7) with Orichid Dottyback pair in my larger tank (420 gal) with no problem. Both were breeding.

saf1
I recommend you read thia thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243359

 

[ReefTank327]

Orchid dottyback will be fine with Royal gramma, at least in larger tanks. I got harem of RG (7) with Orichid Dottyback pair in my larger tank (420 gal) with no problem. Both were breeding.

saf1
I recommend you read thia thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243359

I have also read that dottybacks are aggressive. I don't want aggressive fish, so how have orchid dottybacks been in your experience?

 

[OrionN]

Orchid Dottyback are very mellow fish. Never agressive to any fish. Just mind his own business. The are brilliant purple, but only stay porple if you feed them a well round diet. Otherwise they get a washout purple color. I never have them bother any of my other fish, like never ever.
Same with Royal Gramma. Both of these species are very easy to keep, good community fishesColoration of Royal Gramma also stay brilliant if have a good diet. These two species not get easy bully but are not bullies.