Tank mate puzzle advice please.

[pkstylez]

Ok guys I got a 120 gallon reef with fish. I adopted the tank and have restored it and now restocking and improving it.

Here is dilemma;
It has 2 adult clowns
1 Tomini Tang adult
1 lawnmower Blenny recently added
1 2 spot goby

Goals:
Add some tank mates that are colorful with character that won't clash.
I love the looks of the blue hippo and powder blue tang. But don't think would be good with Tomini.

I will be adding 1 or 2 Mandarin gobies in a couple months.
Any other ideas for good tank mates that are reef safe and not going to clash and also the obvious fun to watch!

Thanks vets!

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[oldhead]

You can look up the reef safe wrasses, there are a couple of with caution fish that some keep like a flame angle, fox face, bi-color angle. I'm in the same dilemma, trying to balance corals and colorful fish.

 

[rdnyva]

I have a Powder Blue with a Flame Tomini Tang. Tominis are non aggressive as tangs go. Just be aware that PBs are difficult to keep (ich) and will eventually outgrow your tank. Because they are so beautiful and sought after I find it easy to rehome them, especially since knowledable fishkeepers realize they are not coming straight from the ocean and are very healthy. A word of caution though, this fish is not for beginners.

A Yellow Tang would be great for your tank size and co-exist will with your Tomini

You should rethink the Mandarins. One may be too much for your tank, two is out of the question.

 

[Easy E]

Ok guys I got a 120 gallon reef with fish. I adopted the tank and have restored it and now restocking and improving it.

Here is dilemma;
It has 2 adult clowns
1 Tomini Tang adult
1 lawnmower Blenny recently added
1 2 spot goby

Goals:
Add some tank mates that are colorful with character that won't clash.
I love the looks of the blue hippo and powder blue tang. But don't think would be good with Tomini.

I will be adding 1 or 2 Mandarin gobies in a couple months.
Any other ideas for good tank mates that are reef safe and not going to clash and also the obvious fun to watch!

Thanks vets!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I love Flame Hawkfish. They are bold, won't hide, and can hold their own against even the most aggressive tankmates. Plus they are really colorful and interesting to watch. Mine comes right to the front of the rock pile as soon as I get home from work and stares at me like, "C'mon, put the food in already!" I have a very strong powerhead, and just for fun, he likes to sit right next to the outlet and spear food out of the fast current. He does it with phenomenal speed and he NEVER misses. When not feeding, he hops around from rock to rock like a mountain goat, just checking things out. Several years ago, I decided to let my tank go fallow in an attempt to get the nitrates down and eventually try my hand at corals. He's the sole survivor, so you can add tough-as-nails to the list of attributes.

,However, this fish does have one drawback, an ornamental shrimp won't last 10 minutes in the same tank. I made the mistake of dropping in a Peppermint one time, and the attack was immediate and vicious. Fortunately I was able to rescue the shrimp before all its legs were plucked off. That said, I've never seen him go after any other tankmates.

That's my 2 cents worth. I've kept a lot of different fish over the years, and the Flame Hawk is by far my favorite. If you do decide to go with one, hold out for out for a prime specimen. Some are pretty pale,, but mine is dark red with bright orange, almost fluorescent, fins and eye circles. Also be prepared to spend at least $50.

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[rdnyva]

I was a couple of keystrokes away from recommending a Flame Hawk but didn’t think an aggressive fish would be good for a beginner, especially if he wanted to add livestock later on. My two favorite fish are the PBT for its flashy colors, and the FH for its personality. Watching it sit on a rock and with its big eyes scanning the tank is cool.

You have probably a 50/50 chance of keeping them with Skunk Cleaner Shrimp if you get the shrimp first and they are big. Once the shrimp are established, then add a small FH.

When they reach full size FHs can become aggressive. Before I rehomed him mine took out the eye of a six line wrasse. 2 years later I still have the six line, but he can only make right turns.

 

[Sk8r]

My stocking list (sig line) has a number of really colorful peaceful characters appropriate for that size tank.

 

[Cancun]

Ok guys I got a 120 gallon reef with fish. I adopted the tank and have restored it and now restocking and improving it.

Here is dilemma;
It has 2 adult clowns
1 Tomini Tang adult
1 lawnmower Blenny recently added
1 2 spot goby

Goals:
Add some tank mates that are colorful with character that won't clash.
I love the looks of the blue hippo and powder blue tang. But don't think would be good with Tomini.

I will be adding 1 or 2 Mandarin gobies in a couple months.
Any other ideas for good tank mates that are reef safe and not going to clash and also the obvious fun to watch!

Thanks vets!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Hi! I vote for Wrasses....they are my favorite type of fish....reef safe would be any of the fairy Wrasses....very colorful and active.

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[pkstylez]

Hi! I vote for Wrasses....they are my favorite type of fish....reef safe would be any of the fairy Wrasses....very colorful and active.

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

Thank you!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Bent]

I love Flame Hawkfish. They are bold, won't hide, and can hold their own against even the most aggressive tankmates. Plus they are really colorful and interesting to watch. Mine comes right to the front of the rock pile as soon as I get home from work and stares at me like, "C'mon, put the food in already!" I have a very strong powerhead, and just for fun, he likes to sit right next to the outlet and spear food out of the fast current. He does it with phenomenal speed and he NEVER misses. When not feeding, he hops around from rock to rock like a mountain goat, just checking things out. Several years ago, I decided to let my tank go fallow in an attempt to get the nitrates down and eventually try my hand at corals. He's the sole survivor, so you can add tough-as-nails to the list of attributes.

,However, this fish does have one drawback, an ornamental shrimp won't last 10 minutes in the same tank. I made the mistake of dropping in a Peppermint one time, and the attack was immediate and vicious. Fortunately I was able to rescue the shrimp before all its legs were plucked off. That said, I've never seen him go after any other tankmates.

That's my 2 cents worth. I've kept a lot of different fish over the years, and the Flame Hawk is by far my favorite. If you do decide to go with one, hold out for out for a prime specimen. Some are pretty pale,, but mine is dark red with bright orange, almost fluorescent, fins and eye circles. Also be prepared to spend at least $50.

Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk

My flame hawk does nothing but hide and just destroyed my porcelain crab population.

He's one of my fish regrets. Beautiful but I only ever catch glimpses.

 

[Easy E]

My flame hawk does nothing but hide and just destroyed my porcelain crab population.

He's one of my fish regrets. Beautiful but I only ever catch glimpses.

The OP was seeking help with a dilemma. Which I assumed was due to the adult Clowns, possibly the Lawnmower. Sorry if I was wrong about that.

I had a mated pair of Clowns, and they were extremely territorial. I saw them attack way more tank mates than the Hawk. The female bit me every time I stuck my hand in the tank. I also watched her pick up a snail, beat it against a rock, and try to pluck it out of its shell. I faced a similar dilemma, and found the Hawk was one of the few fish that was not intimidated by the Clowns.

It's not surprising that a Hawk would treat an ornamental crab the same way it would an ornamental shrimp. Crustaceans are part of their natural diet. I'm guessing Clowns might like them too. Neither crabs nor shrimp were listed amongst the inhabitants of this particular tank.

I'm not sure why yours does nothing but hide. I guess maybe different fish have different personalities. I don't see mine all the time either, but he always comes to the forefront at feeding time. They are clearly ambush predators, so the natural instinct would be to hide and wait for an opportunistic meal to pass by. Perhaps mine has lost its instincts by being domesticated for so long.

Anyway, I was just trying to help with an aggressive tank. I know it's hard to find peaceful fish that will thrive in that type of environment.

 

[Bent]

The OP was seeking help with a dilemma. Which I assumed was due to the adult Clowns, possibly the Lawnmower. Sorry if I was wrong about that.

I had a mated pair of Clowns, and they were extremely territorial. I saw them attack way more tank mates than the Hawk. The female bit me every time I stuck my hand in the tank. I also watched her pick up a snail, beat it against a rock, and try to pluck it out of its shell. I faced a similar dilemma, and found the Hawk was one of the few fish that was not intimidated by the Clowns.

It's not surprising that a Hawk would treat an ornamental crab the same way it would an ornamental shrimp. Crustaceans are part of their natural diet. I'm guessing Clowns might like them too. Neither crabs nor shrimp were listed amongst the inhabitants of this particular tank.

I'm not sure why yours does nothing but hide. I guess maybe different fish have different personalities. I don't see mine all the time either, but he always comes to the forefront at feeding time. They are clearly ambush predators, so the natural instinct would be to hide and wait for an opportunistic meal to pass by. Perhaps mine has lost its instincts by being domesticated for so long.

Anyway, I was just trying to help with an aggressive tank. I know it's hard to find peaceful fish that will thrive in that type of environment.

No no that wasn't meant as some kind of snarky or passive aggressive dig friend. I was merely voicing my annoyance with a single fish who does not seem to fit the mold of the rest of the species.

Sorry if I offended you.

 

[Easy E]

No no that wasn't meant as some kind of snarky or passive aggressive dig friend. I was merely voicing my annoyance with a single fish who does not seem to fit the mold of the rest of the species.

Sorry if I offended you.

It's all good. I was not offended at all. In fact, I was glad you posted a counterpoint. It got me thinking that suggesting a hawk fish maybe wasn't such a good idea. They could be great for a fish only setup like mine, but not so good for a reef with a clean up crew.

Hopefully my response was not interpreted as snarky either. The bad thing about typing is that it doesn't reflect the person's tone of voice. I would never want to squelch someone else's opinion. Ideally a forum like this should be contain multiple opinions so that the person who needs help can decide which solution is best for their situation. Reef Central has always been a great place to get answers, although there are a few here who can't seem to disagree without getting personal.

I hope your hawk fish eventually comes out of hiding so you can enjoy it more. I've experienced fish regret many times, so I know how frustrating it can be. As always, if you're patient things seem to work themselves out. My tank is absolutely loaded with amphipods, so maybe that's why my hawk is always on the prowl.

Cheers and good luck to you!

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[Bent]

It's all good. I was not offended at all. In fact, I was glad you posted a counterpoint. It got me thinking that suggesting a hawk fish maybe wasn't such a good idea. They could be great for a fish only setup like mine, but not so good for a reef with a clean up crew.

Hopefully my response was not interpreted as snarky either. The bad thing about typing is that it doesn't reflect the person's tone of voice. I would never want to squelch someone else's opinion. Ideally a forum like this should be contain multiple opinions so that the person who needs help can decide which solution is best for their situation. Reef Central has always been a great place to get answers, although there are a few here who can't seem to disagree without getting personal.

I hope your hawk fish eventually comes out of hiding so you can enjoy it more. I've experienced fish regret many times, so I know how frustrating it can be. As always, if you're patient things seem to work themselves out. My tank is absolutely loaded with amphipods, so maybe that's why my hawk is always on the prowl.

Cheers and good luck to you!

Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk

:beer:

No it wasn't snarky at all, I was just afraid you took my response the wrong way is all.