What fish are benificial for reef tanks?

[keegoaz]

What fish are out there in the hobby that will in some way benefit your corals and tank?

Fish must help in some way. Sand sifter, algae eater, pest control.

Anyone out there have a tank with species that were only added for beneficial purposes and not for show?

 

[sponger0]

Yes..since I am a coral junkie and only so into fish, I add fish so they can poop and feed my corals.

 

[gemini aquarius(t)]

My tank's helpful fishes:
Lawnmower blenny - Cleans the every day algae
Melenarus Wrasse - Takes care of any pests
Tangs (yellow, blue, sailfin, scopas) - Eats any algae that they can find
Mandarin Goby - I assume he would eat any flatworms that he can find, but I have never seen any so its speculation
The other 10 or so are for coral food

 

[justhaag]

i have a twinspot goby to sift my fine sand!! although i wouldnt recomend a twinspot for everyday cleanup he is a very difficult fish

 

[cubsFAN]

+melanarus wrasse.

 

[o2manyfish]

Yellow Tangs for Algae in the nooks and crannies (and a purple)
Chevron Tang for Algae on the Rocks
Lawnmower Blenny for Algae on the Rocks
Goldflake Angel to keep my pretty zoas from growing out of control
Speckled Reef Chromis (supposedly eat red bugs off SPS)
Wrasses to keep an eye on the underside of the SPS

Dave B

 

[Guygettnby]

every fish is benificial to your reef tank in some way or another. my personal favorite to keep in any reef tank would be some form of wrasse. my personal favorite would have to be a mystery wrasse.

 

[Jopalmighty]

Melanarus Wrasse, took out all of my flatworms after multiple attempts to rid them with flatworm x. Although he has killed a couple of snails.