Reef Safe fish?

[Neoz]

I am researching various fish for my tank. Looking for reef safe fish suggestions. Have a pair of True Percs and a few blue chromis. I know I will be doing Tangs but they will be my last fish additions.

I'm looking for some colorful fish that swim alot to give the tank movement.

Anyone have any experience with these guys "Pyramid Butterflyfish". They are listed as reef safe? Feel free to post any other suggestions. Thanks..

 

[nwrogers]

I like anthias they are always out and reef safe. So are cardinalfish and many wrasses (mostly fairy and flasher wrasses). Gobies are nice and reef safe, so are Blennies and Jawfish (Stay away from the Bicolor Blenny). Then there are some others like the Chalk Bass, Royal Gramma Basslet, Pacific Redstripe Hogfish, and all Firefish which are nice (some can be very shy but not always).

 

[Newreeflady]

I love to watch Anthias swim around in groups. If I had a tank your size, that would be my first choice (sunburst.)

Butterflies are always iffy. You should probably post that question separately in a more visited forum.

Hawkfish are pretty cool.

Gosh, there are so many. The trick is to have a stocking list and determine the order of addition. You'll probably want to quarantine since you're getting tangs.

GL,
-A

 

[reefscape15]

You should also figure out which Tangs you will be getting, and based on them, there may be some choices that are better than others. Try to decide which fish will be the most important to have, and then base the rest of your choices around that one.

 

[Neoz]

I already know the tangs I'm going to get. Done all the research and talked with everyone. I will be adding them last and they will be introduced to the tank at the same time. They will be the main focus of the tank.

I looked at anthias. Think I'll have a go with them when I'm ready and done researching them. Thanks for the suggestions...

 

[daveverdo]

There are some nice reef safe wrasses. My Canary (Yellow) wrasse is very bright yellow and an active swimmer. If you are skipping a yellow tang it is a nice yellow fish. Another bright yellow fish is a Foxface Lo. I find both of these to be reef safe and active. If you plan on a yellow tang or other larger yellow fish that may be too much of the same color.

There are other reef safe wrasses but I couldn't seem to keep Carpenters Wrasses more than a few weeks. I have been told they are not good shippers.

The Canary Wrasse will help control bristle worm populations and the Foxface will help control some algae. I like to try to get some fish that help the closed biosystem as well as look nice. The Canary may get lost in a big tank but the Foxface will not.

Small angels?

Copperband Butterfly can help control some invasive pest corals.

Bannerfish school.

Hawkfish?

In a large tank you may want to try and get fish in all levels of the water column. Some bottom feeders, some mid level swimmers, and some that stay close to the top. It will make the tank appear fuller without overcrowding.

My Royal Gramma is very nice looking but hides in the rocks. I also have a Six-line wrasse but that may be small for your tank and go unoticed.

Dave

 

[Neoz]

I do plan on having fish at all levels of the tank. I am researching the bottom dwellers now. Found a few I like.

Everything I have read tells me that I probably won't be successful keeping a Copperband butterfly. They are a great fish and I would love to have one in my tank. Anyone local successful keeping one? Would like to hear more pros and cons from local reefers about the butterfly?

 

[pimpinitup6969]

dave i have had a few copperbands and was only able to keep one for more than a month... I think alot of it has to do with where the fish was from. If im not mistaken the one that i never lost was from Australia

 

[daveverdo]

First off, I do not have a Copperband but would like one. From what I understand its survivability depends on its origin. They come from all over Australia, Papau New Guinea, Singapore, Philippines, etc. Different locations use different capture techniques, some good, some not so good (cyanide, explosives).

Check out which are which. Check with Jim at Finnyas if you are really interested.

Dave

Just saw pimp said the pretty much the same thing as I was typing.

 

[Neoz]

Dave I'm bored and think I'll make a trip out that way tomorrow. Do you know what time he opens or a store phone number or address?

 

[reefscape15]

Finnyas Reef - 800 257-2736. You may need to call, as last I knew, they were still holding off on visits in hopes to finish up the new shop. Just make sure you call first. I think if no one picks up when you call, it forwards the message to George's cell.

I know that Jim had a Macro Algae tank that was in a 90gal (I think...Extremely Beautiful Display!), and he had an Aussie Copperband Butterfly. He said that the one's from Australia are the best survivors. The one he had in that tank was in there for over a year if I can remember right.

 

[reefscape15]

If you take a ride to Creature Comforts in the Vestal/B-ton area, they had a few Blue Line Rabbitfish for about $35. I personally like the Blue Lines, Scribbled, and Orange or Goldspot Rabbitfish. They seem to have a more interesting pattern, and not such a pronounced nose like the Foxface.

 

[sedorusc]

I had a scribbled rabbit and regret downsizing and seling it. was a truly beautiful fish to watch

 

[drbronx]

I agree with Daverdo in that I select fish on the basis of function as well as aesthetics. That said, I could not imagine a tank without some kind of foxface or rabbitfish for their voracious algae eating ability. though tangs are useful in that regard, any tank I've had with a foxface has required no other algae control. If I could, at some point I would love a Magnificent Foxface. Nate had one once and it was awesome. I also had excellent luck with a non-Australian Copperband from Fosters-Smith which is one of the most beautiful fish IMO and I was aptasia free. The Hoeven's wrasse is gorgeous and will control many pesky critters such as pyramidal snails and possibly even asternia stars. Allegedly, some keep harlequin shrimp as well to control asternias. Other wrasses as well wil eat pyramidal snails and bristle worms. Some of the sand sifting variety gobies are beneficial to aerate the substrate but not the blue cheeked goby which will spread sand all over the tank. One must be careful with engineer gobies as well since they can up-end rock due to their "excavations".

 

[Neoz]

I do like the foxface but also agree Copperband is by far one of the nicest fish to have. Been doing a lot of reading on them. If I can have one it would be at the top of my list.

I wonder if you can have both a foxface and a scribbled rabbit? I'll have to read more on both of them. Just trying to finalize my stocking list. Once I have that down then its adding them in the right order

 

[block head]

friend has a foxface and rabbit in his 180 ,no problems. gary m has kept pyramid b fly's. he'd be a great person to ask

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Re: Reef Safe fish?

I usually avoid these types of threads.

"Reef safe fish" = poor choice of words. If a fish occurs in, on or around a reef it eats something in, on or around it.
So we use the term "reef compatible". Research compatiblity and you'll be much more successful.

upfront disclaimer: I'm a poor example to follow when it comes to fish stocking. I do know a few things about stocking fish in a reef aquarium. It's very important to remember that although you can read about generalizations regarding a fish species every fish specimen may have a different idea what tastes good.

IME Pyramid Butterflies (and other planktivores in general) are much more of a challenge to keep than other types of fishes.
If you want to keep planktivores you'd better have a really good filtration system. Anthias and other Planktivores are better suited to LPS/softy type reef aquariums than SPS (clean) type displays.
IME Copperband Butterflies are easier to keep than Pyramids. (This isn't an opinion you'll often hear.)
None of these Butterflies are good species for the beginner although it's usually cited that Pyramids are "easy".
I wouldn't try a CBB until the aquarium develops a strong population of microfauna. Give the aquarium at least one year.

The only Rabbitfish I trust in a reef aquarium are the Foxfaces.
Bicolor and Magnificent are the cream of the crop but the more common types are great choices for aquariums IMO.
I recommend avoiding Blue Lines, Scribbled, and Orange or Goldspot Rabbitfish as they are potential reef wreckers IME.

If you know what species of Tangs you're going to add that's great. I would introduce them from least aggressive to most aggressive- not all at once.
Obviously you need to pay special attention when adding Acanthuriids because they're prone to carrying disease.
I only add Tangs to my aquarium that I know are "clean".
Ctenochaetus Tangs are underrated by the vast majority of aquarists.

Wrasses would be my most important suggestion IMO.
Get some Flasher and/or Fairy Wrasses. Get a yellow coris for pest control. Cover the aquarium!

I was asked to comment on Angelfish.
There's no brief summary that can be made of them except that if you want an Angelfish in your reef aquarium be prepared to make some sacrifices. 180 gallons is probably the smallest size aquarium you should place an Emperor. Personally, I'd go with a smaller species in a 180 although all the Centropyge species that I've ever kept have been worse coral nippers than their larger cousins.
For a 180 reef I'd be leaning towards a Majestic, Flagfin or a Regal. JM humble O

 

[reefscape15]

Neoz - Did you get a hold of anyone at Finnyas? I'm thinking of driving out there just to have a look around, but don't know if they are wanting people there yet. Thanks! BTW, if I can go, it'll be around 5 or 6ish.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Dave:

LMK if you're interested in a Centropyge multicolor. I can hook you up with an extremely reef compatible specimen.

 

[drbronx]

Excellent post Gary! I especially want to underscore your caution about adding acanthuriids (e.g., Powder bues, Achilles tangs etc) late in the game as they are notorious ich magnets. I combated ich with my PBT for close to 6 months before he kicked it for good. It was not a fun time. I have seen several tank populations get wiped out by the addition of unquarantined tangs. I have never had a problem with any of the Ctenochaetus tangs (I have had kole tangs and lavender tangs) and I think they make a beautiful and lower risk addition.