What is the most colorful reef safe fish out there?

[SOCOMMike]

I believe the first picture is an orangebanded stingfish, Choridactylus multibarbus. I personally keep some scorpions in my reef tanks, and they haven't gone after ornamental fish, but of course, there always is the possibility of them going after them. I stick train the ones I have to eat, some use the net method. Once they become accustomed to the fact that you are going to feed them, they usually don't go after tankmates.

 

[SOCOMMike]

*Ornamental shrimp.

 

[jaa1456]

The brightest color fish avaliable that I can think of are Ventralis Anthias. I have yet to see any other fish as bright, any pics you can find of them do not do them justice.

 

[leveldrummer]

define "colorful"

do you mean the brightest color?
most flurescent?
most multicolored?

This is a weird question that is totally up to each individual to define.

 

[bonomo53]

lineatus fairy wrasse is one of the most colorful reef safe fish but its also very expensive

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Put a very brightly coloured Macropharyngodon in an aquarium with a room full of tanks and Im rather sure it will be the biggest eye catcher.

 

[Dmorty217]

It's a open ended question that is a different answer for everyone

 

[bradleyj]

My Earlei.

My Ventrallis

My Goldflake

My Emperor.

 

[brad]

As others have said, it is open ended unless you define "colorful". A yellow tang is very bright yellow, but so are other fish. Flame angels are bright red, and I think they make tanks look more colorful than yellow tangs since not many fish are red. Something like the lineatus bonomo53 posted could be considered more colorful because it is multi-colored or considered less colorful for the same reason.

I would not underestimate damsels for adding color. Those $5 electric blue fish are hard to beat.

I just had a tank crash, and am going to pick out new fish with my wife. Her number 1 criteria is she wants colorful fish.

So far I bought:
1) Harlequin tuskfish
2) Flame Angel
3) Annularis Angel
4) Coral Beauty

I really wanted to pick out fish with her, and I will for the rest, but we haven't had time and it is so depressing coming home to a huge empty tank.

The rest of my fish wish list (to steer my wife towards):
Yellow Tang
Hepatus tang
Blue throat trigger
Ocellaris clown
damsels (pomacentrus or chrysiptera)
anthias (pleurotaenia or squamipinnis, mixed feelings due to maintenance)
fairy wrasse
red coris (but I don't want to add sand)
longnose butterfly
flame hawkfish
toby puffer
squirrelfish
Liopropoma/basslets


If you have a 90g SPS, 46g LPS, 29g nano, your fish selection will very different than mine. Have you looked into a Catalina Goby? This is the perfect fish for someone who wants colorful in a very small tank, if they can keep the water colder.

 

[aquaph8]

Im with Brad

 

[Empty Bottles]

Almost any fairy wrasse will color up a tank, but the colors may fade with time. There's also the mystery wrasse, but it will go after shrimp. Anthias are also good. A Tomini tang is probably the flashiest bristletooth. You can never go wrong with a gramma cheap, colorful and even tempered. You can roll the dice on a dwarf angel and purple firefish are awesome and affordable if you're like me and can't see spending that much on the Helfrichi. I also haven't seen anybody mention the blue spot jawfish if you have a deep sand bed and and more than a few dollars to spend. I also like the melanaurus wrasse.

 

[dnsfpl]

you should instead add b/w fish to bring out the stunning color of your reef, shouldnt you?

my avatar is the best option

 

[alex gonzales]

Beautiful pics Bradleyj!

 

[steelsinger]

Didn't the OP say "Reef" fish. Angle's by large are NOT reef safe. And diffently not Harlequin tuskfish
Just sayen.

Also the OP should also define the budget...between something you can afford and having to take bids on your first born. :lmao:

 

[steelsinger]

Are any of the fish in these pictures reef safe? Will they all eat a cleaner shrimp? What size fish are safe with these fish?

What are the names of these guys?

Thanks

I dont think any of these are reef safe. Most if not all anglers, scorpians and lion fish aren't reef safe as they will eat fish and shrimp.

 

[Lsufiregal]

lineatus fairy wrasse is one of the most colorful reef safe fish but its also very expensive

I agree. I love mine. If the lights are on he is out front putting on a show.

 

[evolved]

Also the OP should also define the budget.

The OP started this thread 2 years ago, and hasn't logged in for over a year and a half. Don't hold your breath!

 

[Paul B]

Unless I'm loosing my mind, they are also known as Mandarin Goby...

Seahorses are also not horses and sea hares are not hares. Then again box fishes are not made from boxes and glassfish have no glass in them, I also don't think pencil fish have any pencils nor do needle fish have any needles, porcupinefish are not porcupines, lionfish are not lions and cowfish are not really cows, fiddler crabs don't live on the roof and devilfish don't live in hell. But mandarins are dragonettes. :uhoh3:

 

[Andyf30]

I would have to agree that the wrasse variations are my favorites. (I personally have a Melanurus and love it). The more pricey ones are incredible (Earlei, Lineatus, etc)

 

[9thwonder]

Seahorses are also not horses and sea hares are not hares. Then again box fishes are not made from boxes and glassfish have no glass in them, I also don't think pencil fish have any pencils nor do needle fish have any needles, porcupinefish are not porcupines, lionfish are not lions and cowfish are not really cows, fiddler crabs don't live on the roof and devilfish don't live in hell. But mandarins are dragonettes. :uhoh3:

Haha +1 well put.:celeb1: