Reef Safe Fish Advice

[therealkilo]

Looking to add a couple more "reef safe" fish to my tank...

55 Gal. Been up and running for a couple years.

50+ lbs of LR
Lots of SPS and LPS (too many to list)

Fish stock:
2 True Percula Clownfish (with a BTA)
2 Pajama Cardinal (wish I would of got Banners)
2 Purple Firefish Goby

Thoughts on a couple extra REEF SAFE fish?

Thanks in advance!

 

[therealkilo]

I feel like every online store and lfs says that 97% of fish are REEF SAFE... however this is not the case.

Found this article but a lot of the fish on here are NOT reef safe.

https://www.thespruce.com/reef-safe-saltwater-aquarium-fish-2924811

 

[nereefpat]

Pair of gramma or chalk bass.

Any fairy/flasher wrasse.

If you don't have small shrimp that you care about: most any Halichoeres wrasse or hawkfish.

 

[therealkilo]

I have no shrimp...

 

[hkgar]

Wrasses, LA is pretty good at classifying fish as reef safe or not and in the write up, explaining why they are not reef safe.

 

[therealkilo]

What about a leopard wrasse?

 

[Tripod1404]

What about a leopard wrasse?

If you think your tank has enough microfauna and sandbed to sustain one, those are great additions and are also reef safe.

 

[ReefMaster48]

How about a Flame Angel? Great color! There is a slight risk, but nearly all are reef safe. I wouldn't let a few bad apples turn you away.

 

[therealkilo]

Never mind about the leopard, looks like it needs at least 4" sand depth. Pretty fish though.

 

[xCry0x]

I have read of people keeping a leopard wrasse by putting a tupperware in their tank with sand in it =)

In my 65 I have:
- YWG + Pistol shrimp
- Banghai Cardinal
- Carpenter's flasher wrasse
- Flameback angel (dwarf angel)
- Blue star leopard wrasse
- Royal Gramma

Highly recommend both wrasses, very active fish.

Royal Gramma is pretty but spends 99% of its time hiding in caves.

Flame angel is great too -- I hear they can be aggressive but I think this is all order of addition to tank. Mine got punked by the cardinal early on and for the past year never really see it bothering anything =)

Always a personal fan of goby + shrimp combos but you want some sand for them to burrow in.

 

[xCry0x]

If you think your tank has enough microfauna and sandbed to sustain one, those are great additions and are also reef safe.

At least with my blue star it was never like a mandarine that requires 100% pod diet. They are more like a 6 line wrasse where sure they hunt the rocks all day but they also eat anything else you feed the tank.

My fish eat a diet of flake, mysis, spectrum pellets throughout the week.

 

[Lsufan]

U don't need to have a 4" deep sandbed for leopards. 1.5" to 2" is plenty for them to sleep in or escape to if they want to hide. Personally, leopards are one of my favorite fish & I have 5 of them total. I like all wrasses, I had a melanarous forever that I like to. He would pic at smaller snails every once in a while though. I wouldn't have a tank without some type of wrasse, but that's just me.

 

[Joshua I.]

Get a coral beauty I have one he does fine or an algae blenny is cool

 

[lionfish300]

U don't need to have a 4" deep sandbed for leopards. 1.5" to 2" is plenty for them to sleep in or escape to if they want to hide.

True my 3 Leopards are sharing a bowl of 1 1/2" sand in QT. After one week they start to eat pellets food

 

[scooter31707]

How about a Flame Angel? Great color! There is a slight risk, but nearly all are reef safe. I wouldn't let a few bad apples turn you away.

I would do a Flameback Angel and a couple of Fairy wrasses.

 

[therealkilo]

Every angel mentioned is either listed as semi-aggressive and / or not fully reef safe. I really want one. They are all super cool; flame, flameback or coral beauty.

I have a mix of sps, lps and softies.

 

[hkgar]

I have an SPS tank and have had Coral Beuties and Flam Angels with no problem. I currently have a Cherub Anglel who has nipped a a couple corals when I first got it. I moved the corals and it has never bothered them again. Yes, it is a crap shoot.

With regards to Wrasses, check why the are reef safe with caution. I have a Melanurus, and a Yellow/purple and they do not bother anything.

 

[Joshua I.]

I have some soft coral np with the coral beauty. As long as their well feed they should be ok.

 

[Fiver]

Can't beat the intrigue and comedy of a YWG and shrimp. They add a nice surprise to the tank for first-time viewers.

I love my orchid dottyback -- colorful, active yet also swims in and out of the rock work, and peaceful.

And I have to say Springer's damsel for its amazing electric blue. Mine is peaceful, but was also the last addition to a tank ruled by my female ocellaris clown.

 

[Papermonkeys]

In my 65 I have:
- YWG + Pistol shrimp
- Banghai Cardinal
- Carpenter's flasher wrasse
- Flameback angel (dwarf angel)
- Blue star leopard wrasse
- Royal Gramma

Any chance you have a link to your tank pics/videos? I also have a rsr 250 and always looking at directions to go!

Thanks in advance