Small Active Reef Fish?

[Richard Reefer]

I am looking for a small active reef safe fish for my tank. I would like something the would occupy the water column and swim often. The tank is a 35 gallon shallow rimless completely open top without any screening or protection, with a total water volume of around 50 gallons. The tank has been up for over 14 months with ideal stable parameters. The current live stock are two Clown Fish, a Citron Goby, a Cleaner Shrimp, several dozen LPS and SPS coral, and a handful of assorted snails and hermits.

I'm just looking for a little more activity in the tank. Do you think there are any suitable fish for me? Do you think one more is just too much? I am looking for the community's knowledge and expertise.

Thank you.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

Longnose hawk, cherub angel, bangaiis. Those are 3 I've had/ have that are active and well behaved.

 

[doobie]

Orchid dottyback might be good. A lot of other possibilities like firefish and six line wrasse are jumpers.

 

[Fig]

Kaudern's Cardinal Fish

 

[iamwrasseman]

melanurus wrasse ,he will even work for you as he grazes on flatworms and red bugs too !

 

[Sharkkeeper]

Cardinal Fish

 

[Richard Reefer]

All good thoughts. I was trying to avoid wrasse's and firefish because of the greater risk of jumping. I was on the fence about angel's because of the possibility of nipping at corals or clams. I'll have to look more into cardinals and dottybacks. Thanks for the advice thus far.

 

[PiXieCath]

Assesor!)

 

[rsaha]

+1 on the assessor. I have a blue assessor and am thinking about adding a yellow one. My midas blennie is always out too. My orchid dottyback is more secretive.

 

[mark54321]

royal gramma maybe

 

[teemee]

I would suggest dragonfaced pipefish, which are absolutely fine in a reef tank - I have them in mine, after seeing them exclusively on reefs, when diving all over the indo pacific. And they're great for eating amphipods, as well as red bugs, should you ever get them. If you try them, get a pair, as they seem to keep each other constant company.
My other suggestion would be a pygmy wrasse, otherwise known as pink streaked wrasse. They only get to a couple of inches, cruise around the tank from morning to night, mostly at mid-levels of the water column (I've never seen mine at the very bottom, or top).