The perfect reef fish

[lifesworksataol]

i want to get some fish for my tank and i dont want to have any troubles. i have two clowns and thats pretty much it for fish in a 90 gal reef. i have softies and sps (a little bit of everything) and i want to be able to keep all my cleaner stuff (shrimp, snails, sea urchin,hermits, feather dusters) oh i also have a serpent star - he is red and pretty small - just trying to give you a complete list - i want to stock it up with bright colorful fish that dont eat or mess with anything that i have :-D
oh and i have tons of calurpa and i dont want it to be eaten, but if it has to go in the sump so i can get some cool fish i understand :-D

 

[cstires]

What about some Anthias? I have 4 and love them!

 

[cschweitzer]

Anthias are a great choice, but can be jumpers. Fairy wrasses are another, but again, jumpers. With a 90G, you can put a couple tangs in, but they are macro eaters, so the caulerpa would have to be fugitized(just made up that word, look for it in Webster's soon). I love tangs and they have so much personality and grace. My favorite fish behind my clowns.

I also love my yellowhead jawfish pair. They do mess with your sandbed, so do not keep corals on the bottom near where they post up.

 

[lifesworksataol]

i would like a list of fish if poss - i would love a jawfish i was hoping someone would say that :-D - actually i would love a pair of them - i like tangs as well :-D - do they mess with anything else? iam not sure what anthias are - going to check it out - thanks for the posts - please keep posting - my tank is bare :-D

 

[cschweitzer]

Anthias are a beautiful fish that has the same bright colorations of the fairy wrasses, but are obviously a different shape/size/pattern. Really gorgeous fish and many to choose from.

Tangs will only mess with algaes. Some tangs, like the purple tang(Zebrasoma genus) will fight with other tangs of the same genus...most will not. I have two bristletooth tangs(Ctenochaetus genus) that are best friends.

Oh, I almost forgot, Signus genus, the foxfaces and rabbitfishes. These guys are absolutely awesome, they are extremely peaceful, they eat algaes for energy, but they love meats, just like tangs do, although meaty foods have no nutriotional value to either the tangs or signus.

Almost any gobies are cool, blennies, firefish, chromis, pretty much any reef-safe fish should do fine with clowns and most will not outgrow a 90G for quite a while, as long as you get the bigger ones(tangs, rabbits, etc.) as juveniles or at least smaller sizes.

 

[cschweitzer]

In the wild, clowns will usually only fight with other clowns, damsels, and sometimes cardinals. This is only due to fighting for territory or a specific anemone. In captivity, usually clowns will do fine with cardinals and other clowns, but still not recommended to put in damsels in almost any tank.

 

[chrisstie]

You could probably do a foxface or a henoichus in that size tank, maybe even a copperband if you can find one that eats

 

[cschweitzer]

Nope, no copperband...he wants to keep his feather dusters. Same issue with butterflys and some corals...you have to do some serious work to keep them from eating your tankmates.

Foxfaces are of the signus genus, along with rabbitfishes, and are awesome fish.

 

[lifesworksataol]

are tangs to big for a 90? my brother called sitc today and they said they wouldnt sell him a tang for his 90 - that he had to have atleast a 130 or something like that. he talked to a younger girl - so i know it wasnt marcie - but what do you guys think? i think her name is spelled with a y but iam not sure - so sorry if i spelled it wrong :-D

 

[InLimbo87]

It depends on the tang really. Some species such as naso tangs (which are commonly known to outgrow 300g+ tanks), will need bigger tanks. For a 90, I wouldn't do more than one tang, possibly two. They are territorial and really need their space. Plus, I like the look of a lightly stocked reef tank. Too many fish looks crowded imo.

 

[Me No Nemo]

I agree with Inlimbo...I don't suggest most tangs in a 90 gallon unless you consider a kole tang. But, many kole tangs will not tolerate blennies and will chase them constantly and often the blennies will starve (mine is going once I upgrade my tank). Tangs swim constantly in the wild and I just don't think they do well in tanks where they don't have lots of swim room. Setting your rock up so that thay can swim laps will often solve that problem, but that's hard to do in a 90, IMO.

Jawfish would be great as would blennies, a goby/pistol shrimp pair, anthias (I keep anthias and fairy wrasses in my 90...gorgeous colors and pretty easy, but I would suggest a refugium (an easy addition usually) as they need lots of food). Rabbitfish are great, just stick with the smaller ones, like the one spot. Some get really big. I like the blennies as they perch and have great personality. Midas blennies are fantastic, but jumpers. You would have to make sure you have the tank secure against that. If you have a canopy I can give you a great way to do that. If you'd like, I have a book you can look through and see which fish you are interested in. Helps to check out sizes, compatibility etc. Also, it's always a good idea to stock the tank in least aggressive first to most aggressive last. I applaud you for taking the time to research first. Marcye

 

[cschweitzer]

First, it is "Marcye". Second, you probably talked to Francesca(don't know if this is correct spelling).

With the height of your tank, you could put enough rock formations to have a nice bristletooth tang, a zebrasoma, some acanthurus species. There are easily some good choice for tangs that will fit fine in a 90G for at least a couple/few years. Yes, tangs do grow large, many over a foot in length, but if you buy as a juvinile, you should be fine with your size for a couple years before deciding either to give it away or compensate for its size

I know people are going to come on here and say that I am bad for doing this, but I have two bristletooths in a 55G, one about 5", one about 3" and they are doing absolutely perfect. They are fat and healthy. They are swimming fine and always picking at the rocks. They are not showing any signs of stress. Yes, in the next few months I will be giving them a much larger home(180G) but they have been fine for over a year and looking healthy. Truthfully, please don't come here and tell me I'm worng for doing so. Everyone has their own opinion on how a reef should be set up. Once my fish show the first sign that the tank may be too small, then I will decide what needs to be done.

All, that being said, I do not recommend a tang for a 55G(even though it works fine for me), just like I will not tell people PC lighting is okay for a BTA(although this has been my best BTA tank of all of my three clones; it seems that the BTA likes it better than the MH lighting). Although it can work, I don't like being held responsible for others misfortunes, hence the reason I do not recommend...I just tell what has worked for me.

I would think a 90 for any juvi tang should be fine, for most small adults should be fine again. Just don't get a tang that grows exceptionally fast or exceptionally big and a 48" length with a 18" width and 24" height should be perfectly fine. I'm sure if you talk to Marcye and release her of any responsibility, explaining that you won't hold it against her if something happens, then she may be okay with selling you a tang for your 90G. Put some time and research into them before you get one to make sure you feel comfortable with the idea of keeping it in that tank.

 

[Me No Nemo]

Tangs and tank size are always a matter of debate, and I, personally, am just one to buy my fish for life. I've had fish in my tanks that I've kept for over 10 years, but that's just me. Even the tang I have that will not go into my 300 will stay with me, just in a different tank where he will have more swim room and be the lone grazer in that tank at the farm. I've had him for a long time, but looking back, would not have purchased him for a 90 gallon tank. I feel that most of the problems I have with him at this point are the result of the environment being too small for him to share with other grazers. I know of others that have had the same problem with Koles and blennies and I love blennies. It's totally a matter of personal opinion, tank mates and what you feel comfortable with. Sometimes tank mates will get along in one tank and not another. I would just rather point out potential problems so you can evaluate your choices. I get too attached to my fish to swap them (I could never imagine parting with Cyndi!!) hence my views.

 

[cschweitzer]

I completely agree, which is why I will continue to build around my fish and reefs instead of building them around the tank. When things grow, they definitely need more room than a 90. Of course you want to keep your fish for life, but if you cannot care for them, giving them to someone who can I feel is a better option. I'm definitely not condoning buying a temporary pet, but a temporary one is better than a stressed one. Yes, a move does cause stress on a fish, especially an established one, but if it means a move from a 90G to a 300G, then I'm sure he'll get over the stress pretty quickly. Again, it is just an option. I'm not saying go get a few and see what happens. I'm just saying that they are a friendly possiblity as a tankmate for clowns.