Reef safe fish that swim around??

Just to be clear Angels of the Genicanthus genus are reef safe. However IMO they would not be suitable in a 55g. Good luck just my 2 cents
 
If your tank parameters (nutrient level in check, good lighting, flow etc.) are good you can always try adding an anemone so the clowns will host them, it is very interesting to watch, but do research on an anemone first to make sure you can keep one in your setup, as they are pretty delicate.

Easier options might include blue-green chromis (be careful as a school will eventually dwindle down to 1 or 2), a trio of the smaller anthias (resplendents, dispar, barlett's, they however require more frequent feedings of at least 3x a day), yellow-belly damsels (or "Azure damsels" on liveaquaria, make sure you get this kind as other types of damsels are more aggressive, this may not work with your clowns however), tomini tang are nice too and they eat algae.

Dwarf angels are nice but they may nip at your corals, so if you want a tank focusing on corals then angels are risky, if you want a tank focusing on fish then they will make great additions as they are colorful, active, and can be kept in a tank your size.
 
Tank is only a month old everything ammonia is 0 ppm nitrites is 0ppm nitrate is 0 ppm high range pH is 8.2 and have 2 powerheads + returns plenty of flow.. lights are the only thing I need to upgrade right now running two fluorescent bulbs. What is the purplish color I can't remember what it's called the other one is 6500 K white
 
McCosker's wrasse are beautiful I'm just worried that they will nip at corals will do some more research on them before I make any decisions and I love gobys and Benny's but they eat pods correct? I know that a tank my size will not reproduce the pods to keep them happy and full..
 
And from what I've read you need at least 6 months of tank running and good parameters to have a anemone

True I would wait on the anemone and go with other fishes/options for now, but a year down the line maybe consider an anemone if your parameters are still stable and good. Good luck!
 
McCoskers do not nip on corals, they're totally reef safe in that regard.

All fish can and usually will eat pods if they're available. It all depends on the fish you're talking about. Don't lump all gobies and blennies in the same group as they're all different with different eating habits.
 
mccoskers wont nip, blennies and gobys will eay mysis and algae depending on the species.

my favorite was my flametail blenny he would eat algae strips from my hand.
stary blenny, lawnmower blenny.

wrasse hasnt tried to jump at all but its all for piece of mind. I bought a sheet of egg crate for $14 cut it to size and thats my lid so it doesnt effect my light plus its fits perfectly AND i have a ton left over for if I want a diy frag rack.
 
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So here's the challenge:

The nature of reef keeping being a hobby means that there is a lot of information and opinion on every subject. So it is easy to get overwhelmed, confused, or even misled.

To add to it, there are exceptions to just about every accepted norm. LOL!

So you're going along the right path... and if you can see some other people's tanks and hear their experiences, you'll get an even deeper understanding.

You can learn a lot in a conversation with someone about their tank.

Myself, I like to keep things simple and functional. I like having a sand sifting goby, and a tang which isn't yellow. I'm a sail fin and kole junkie.

I really like the yellow fox face.

A small fleet of cardinals is nice (although there will most likely be some losses).

I've grown to like melanarus wrasse, but too many like to play "flip the snail."

Blennies can be pretty cool, too.

Hope this helps!
(and that it doesn't add to the confusion!!!)
 
So here's the challenge:

The nature of reef keeping being a hobby means that there is a lot of information and opinion on every subject. So it is easy to get overwhelmed, confused, or even misled.

To add to it, there are exceptions to just about every accepted norm. LOL!

So you're going along the right path... and if you can see some other people's tanks and hear their experiences, you'll get an even deeper understanding.

You can learn a lot in a conversation with someone about their tank.

Myself, I like to keep things simple and functional. I like having a sand sifting goby, and a tang which isn't yellow. I'm a sail fin and kole junkie.

I really like the yellow fox face.

A small fleet of cardinals is nice (although there will most likely be some losses).

I've grown to like melanarus wrasse, but too many like to play "flip the snail."

Blennies can be pretty cool, too.

Hope this helps!
(and that it doesn't add to the confusion!!!)

Ha yes I agree so much info it's hard to keep up with it all. But I know to learn u have to ask ? And do research and I appreciate e everyone's opinion and options makes it a lot easier to know what to look for and what not to thanks everyone
 
I had a yellow coris wrasse that was really cool. He didn't survive the tank transfer when I moved, but he was really cool and I have been thinking about getting another. They are bright yellow and swim a lot. They eat bristle worms, but can eat small feather dusters too. It was really fun to watch him swim. Just make sure you have a couple inches of sand bed for him to sleep in.
 
55g is too small for any tang including Bristletooths. I went down that path. Just not enough room.

All red firefish I've ever had just either hide until time to eat or sit in the corner. However, some other darts can be active like zebras.
My clown just chills under the overflow all day.

I suggest a school of smaller anthias like threadfins. Just know you will have to make sure they eat dry and set up an auto feeder. I use the Eheim. It's cheap and effective.

I have a single lyretail male in my 55g and he is very active. But he's too big and I may try to gift him to someone with a larger tank.
 
I'd recommend a fairy or flasher wrasse. Best fish out there in my opinion. Most stay small, all are very colorful and active. My lineatus, exquisite, and solerensis fairy wrasse are all model citizens and my favorite fish. They are very agile and swim through crevices in my rock I didn't know existed. Check out the solerensis, ought to be a good fit for your tank and meets all the requirements of your original post.
 
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