Good fish choice? opinions welcome!!

[sparkiesford]

OK I am getting close to setting up my tank and I am to the point where I am trying to decide what kind of fish I want.
Here is the (soon to be) setup.
65g AGA tank 35x18x25
reef devil skimmer
(2) 250watt MH 14K
(2) 55 watt actinic
20g sump/refugium



OK I trying to decide what I want in my tank.
I really like eels, and I thought about a snowflake, but they are not really reef safe, poo machines (apparently), and it might get a little cramped for him after a while.

What is a good " show fish" that can be my main focal point in a 65g?
I like the tangs, but they are all too big.

Or another option being, a lot of small fish
in which case I may end up going this route.
What would be a fish that is schooling and stays small?
I like activity.
I appreciate the advise
also this is going to be a reef tank.

[rustybucket145]

I might get flack for this but if you want a big show fish a Dwarf Lion fish would be fine in a 65gal of your size.

note: any big fish/eel is a poo machine. Some are especially messy eaters too which leads to tank pollution.

[Chibils]

Bluegreen Chromis are small, schooling fish that get 1.5-3".

[GL]

Look at a Flame Angel or Coral Beauty. They would be good.

Even a nice pair of clowns would work.....

[sparkiesford]

I love the flame angels, but I thought they weren't "reef safe"
I want to have a good clean up crew as well, so i don't want them getting eaten either.
\
Would a dwarf lion be "reef safe"?

[GL]

The angles are listed as "with caution" as is the lion fish.

You won't have a problem with the cleanup crew with the angles but you might with the lion. That is some of their natural food.

I had both a fire angle and a coral beauty and never had a problem with corals, others have. It is hit and miss. I would mostly be concerned with the SPS if anything.

[Vinnie71975]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10800033#post10800033 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sparkiesford
OK I am getting close to setting up my tank and I am to the point where I am trying to decide what kind of fish I want.
Here is the (soon to be) setup.
65g AGA tank 35x18x25
reef devil skimmer
(2) 250watt MH 14K
(2) 55 watt actinic
20g sump/refugium



OK I trying to decide what I want in my tank.
I really like eels, and I thought about a snowflake, but they are not really reef safe, poo machines (apparently), and it might get a little cramped for him after a while.

What is a good " show fish" that can be my main focal point in a 65g?
I like the tangs, but they are all too big.

Or another option being, a lot of small fish
in which case I may end up going this route.
What would be a fish that is schooling and stays small?
I like activity.
I appreciate the advise
also this is going to be a reef tank.

I like the Cream Angelfish myself as a focal point but i also love Lionfish.

[seapug]

50 Eviota Gobies.

[kuoka]

I just got a 6line wrasse... they're soooo friggen cool they way they 'cruise' over the LR. My vote is for a 6line.

[zippopunk1]

i like my marine betta

[coastalaqu]

My flame angel never bothers anything, mine is reef safe with my corals, some do pick corals, but no fish is totally reef safe. Ive known plenty of tangs that pick corals as well. Flames are a good choice. If he picks your corals in the future take him to the LFS and trade them in on something else.

[Aimforever]

With regard to the dwarf lion, I am keeping one successfully in a reef tank. Just make sure all the other inhabitants are too big to fit in its mouth.

However, this is not a good fish for a 'main focal point' of your reef. It is my favorite fish indeed, but they are VERY shy and the only time I see him is at feeding times. He comes to life like you would not believe, but he spends 90% of the day blending in and hiding in the rockwork.

[ACBlinky]

Fish you could consider as your 'showpiece' might include:
- lined wrasse (sixlines are gorgeous IMO, eight and four lined wrasses are also very pretty)
- fairy wrasses - some are absolutely stunning, the rest are just beautiful; you can't go wrong. Don't keep them with aggressive fish though; these guys jump!
- leopard wrasse - tough to keep AFAIK, but if you get one that's eating well, there are some out there that are absolute show stoppers
- a pair of clowns - preferably smaller, less aggressive species. Want something really eye catching? Once the tank is mature, get a beautiful anemone to host the pair. One clown is fun. Two are really cute to watch. A pair in an anemone is something else all together.
- a Potter's angel - absolutely beautiful, but not the boldest of angels, and they need a well-established reef with lots of grazing area. Might nip corals, and it can be hard to find a healthy specimen
- another dwarf angel - no guarantee they won't munch corals, but they're all so pretty they have to be on the short list
- a Brazilian gramma - slightly larger and bolder than a royal gramma, IMHO much prettier too. Mine gets all the attention from guests, even though I've got a swallowtail angel I consider the showpiece fish of the tank.

I wouldn't keep a predator (marine betta, eel, lionfish etc.) as my showpiece; these are fish that lay in wait for prey to swim by, and you're probably looking for something active and colourful that will be out and about all the time.

[sparkiesford]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[kuoka]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10803538#post10803538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Fish you could consider as your 'showpiece' might include:
- a pair of clowns - preferably smaller, less aggressive species. Want something really eye catching? Once the tank is mature, get a beautiful anemone to host the pair. One clown is fun. Two are really cute to watch. A pair in an anemone is something else all together.


Amen! I don't mean to come across as self serving but check out this post I made yesterday on what one of my clowns did. It was too cool not to share IMO.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1210793

Good luck!

[techigirl78]

If you really want an eel and have a decent amount of money, look into the dwarf golden moray. Much smaller and due to its size it is not very risky for tankmates. Bioload is also a lot smaller.

[sparkiesford]

techigirl78

nice call on the dwarf golden moray, they are cool...
I however don't have the money now, but in the future I may actually get one.

[Mavrk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10803538#post10803538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Fish you could consider as your 'showpiece' might include:
- lined wrasse (sixlines are gorgeous IMO, eight and four lined wrasses are also very pretty)
- fairy wrasses - some are absolutely stunning, the rest are just beautiful; you can't go wrong. Don't keep them with aggressive fish though; these guys jump!
- leopard wrasse - tough to keep AFAIK, but if you get one that's eating well, there are some out there that are absolute show stoppers
- a pair of clowns - preferably smaller, less aggressive species. Want something really eye catching? Once the tank is mature, get a beautiful anemone to host the pair. One clown is fun. Two are really cute to watch. A pair in an anemone is something else all together.
- a Potter's angel - absolutely beautiful, but not the boldest of angels, and they need a well-established reef with lots of grazing area. Might nip corals, and it can be hard to find a healthy specimen
- another dwarf angel - no guarantee they won't munch corals, but they're all so pretty they have to be on the short list
- a Brazilian gramma - slightly larger and bolder than a royal gramma, IMHO much prettier too. Mine gets all the attention from guests, even though I've got a swallowtail angel I consider the showpiece fish of the tank.

I wouldn't keep a predator (marine betta, eel, lionfish etc.) as my showpiece; these are fish that lay in wait for prey to swim by, and you're probably looking for something active and colourful that will be out and about all the time.

Nice list. I second the Brazilian Gramma. I plan on picking one up myself a little later if any LFS have them.

[harryk]

If you want a tang, Tomini Tangs only get about 5-6 inches so they are one of the smaller tangs. not the flashiest fish but they are nice looking.

[petoonia]

This would be my list 2 percula clowns, a coral beauty, a midas blenny, a pink spotted goby, and a black cap basslet. In time if the tank could support it I would also get a mandarin.

[steri]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10800056#post10800056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rustybucket145
I might get flack for this but if you want a big show fish a Dwarf Lion fish would be fine in a 65gal of your size.

note: any big fish/eel is a poo machine. Some are especially messy eaters too which leads to tank pollution.

Rusty, I wouldn't give ya flack for this. Honestlly, if I had thought about it and researched it more before buying a small clown and firefish, I would have considered a dwarf Lion. They are awesome looking fish.

A dwarf Angel (Flame, Pygmy, Coral Beauty, Lemon Peel, ect.) is a good choice though, or a colorful wrasse. Those are nice and colorful for the cernterpiece of a tank IMO, but a dwarf lion would be awesome, as long as you have no small fish, no shrimp, and no crabs.

[rbtwo4]

Dude I say go with a pair of clowns, firefish, gobies and blennys. The gobies and blennys have lots of character and the firefish have beautiful color and as for the clowns need I say more?