Suggestions for a reef safe fish?

[Eardison]

OK folks, I can't find a fish I want for my 'centerpiece' so I'm taking suggestions. The current inhabitants in the 3 year old 75G tank are:

1 Midas Blenny
1 Tomato Clown â€"œ Small
3 Chromis
Three Zoa colonies
Xenia
Kenya Tree
Cleaning crew

I want something a little larger, but I’m stumped. My first choice would be a Sailfin, but my tank is too small. Everything else I like isn’t reef safe. I plan on adding more coral in the future - HELP!!

 

[mflamb]

I would keep a Sailfin Tang in a 75, but then I'm not the Tang Police.

 

[DaddyJax]

Cirrhilabrus lineatus
Cirrhilabrus labouti
Cirrhilabrus scottorum
Cirrhilabrus exquisitus

 

[triggerfish1976]

Sailfin Tang would be a bad idea IMOP. They get rather large and will outgrow a 75g tank very quickly and can be somewhat mean.
What about a nice pair of Fairy or Flasher Wrasse's?

 

[A.T.DAWG]

i agree with triggerfish1976, i plan on getting a either a pair of fairys or
exsquisite wrasses.
also what about a koles tang?

 

[Eardison]

Was thinking about a Koles tank.. Pretty picky eaters, but then again I am a slave to the tank.. LOL

Yeah, Im nixing the sailfin.. Love their shape, but... I gotta check out daddy jax's suggestions.

Now flashers might be a good idea. I will look them up online, but do they have to be a mated pair?? I would assume they would.

 

[A.T.DAWG]

im not sure about the flashers, but you could also get a Tomini tang
im not sure if they are easier or harder to keep though.

 

[Eardison]

It seems the wrasses have it.. I do like the Kole tanks, saw some at FAOIS today... Hmmm... FAOIS also has a Tomini Tang, got a glimpse of him today.. He may just have won the race..

Kole, fairy or exsquisite wrasse or Tomini?

 

[triggerfish1976]

Cirrhilabrus exquisitus is part of the fairy wrasse family and a beautiful fish if you can find one.
Getting a mated pair of flasher or fairy wrasses is not required but certain male fairy wrasses will not keep their vibrant colors if you do not pair them up with a female. The fairy's are a little bit easier to sex then Flashers IMOP. Try to avoid getting two male wrasses. I have a Male Ruby and Labouti Fairy Wrasse and they chase each other non-stop.
I forgot about the Bristletooth Tangs. A Kole Tang would be a nice active fsh and they are much easier to keep than you think.
If you decide on a Wrasse, make sure you have a lid on the tank to keep it from jumping.

 

[TAMike97]

Red Sea Sailfin was my choice in my 75. He is growing and getting big but I setup my rocks for more swimming room.

 

[mflamb]

Eardison, buy a small Red Sea Sailfin, if that's what you want. When he gets too big for your tank, I''ll buy it from you.

 

[markandkristen]

i agree with mflamb
most people on this forum are looking for good healthy fish and will pay you what you paid for it if not more .

 

[Eardison]

Hmm.. Well folks, I guess that makes sense. Im deciding today... Its narrowed down to Kole tang, bristletooth tang or a sailfin (back in the running).

 

[triggerfish1976]

If you're planning on getting a tang and then get rid of it when it get's to big, why not get a Chevron Tang. They are one of the most stunning tangs IMOP when they are small and are also in the Bristletooth Family.

 

[mflamb]

I'll buy that one from you too!!!

 

[dmbedard]

I absolutely loved my Kole tang for "personality and pizazz"

 

[Acolin]

75-gallons too small? Too support a Tang without macro algae supplements?

I’ve had Kole Tangs, good glass cleaners, mine seemed to like a hidey hole to sleep in at night, kept Yellow Tangs in 55-gallon for several years, I found them to be cheap, hardy, bright and friendly,

the secret with Tangs and other reef pickers is to feed them small sheets of dried seaweed (sushi nori) sold in Asian food stores (one on Hillsboro, across from Goodwill). I also like Vibragro and frozen Angel Formula, both of which are the only foods with minute amounts of sponge

What about Flame Angel or blue Hawaiian Tang, Green Parrot Wrasse, checkered Hawkfish, bright yellow Cloris wrasse, small Moorish Idol, Obis batfish or Neon Goby?

 

[Acolin]

Idol is probabaly not reef safe

 

[Acolin]

Other Dwarf angels can be very good too, especially if you feed the foods above, a small Ribbon eel is nice, if the tank top is fairly well closed-

a dwarf Lionfish is nice, but their larger diets will increase your bio-load and they still can get up to 3-4 inches overall-

a small school (minimum 3) of Banggai Cardinals looks good, in fact yopu could add more than just a showpiece fish, if your tank is NOT just for growing corals-

Seahorses are OK, if you don’t mind conditioning them from live to frozen brine and don’t have anemones or strong water flow, the Mandarin Goby is excellent in that regard, so are Boxfish and Pipefish…

 

[Acolin]

oh yeah, definitely get a Royal Gramma, or one of its cousins, and a Jawfish, if you have a sand bottom