looking for a peacful purple reef safe fish

[Zacktosterone]

Hey folks, I'm going to be ordering some fish soon and I'm looking for a peaceful purple reef safe fish. My tank is 90 gallons with the following fish
4 chromis
2 clowns
1 carpenter wrasse
1 bicolor blenny
1 yellow tang
1 firefish.
I'm looking for one more fish and I want it to be purple. I was considering a royal grammar but I'm worried that it may be too aggressive. I'm really far away from any pet store so returns arn't really an option. Also on a side note, are trochus snails able to right themselves if they fall on their backs? The is folks

[Allmost]

purple Queen anthias ? can be hard to keep.

purple tang would be too big for your tank unfortunetly.

[Zacktosterone]

purple Queen anthias ? can be hard to keep.

purple tang would be too big for your tank unfortunetly.

I haven't ordered the yellow tang and fire fish yet.but yes I love the purple tang and it would solve my issue and I would just order the firefish and tang

[Ambition]

A royal gramma shouldn't be aggressive with your tank mates. They are usually quite peaceful fish, though as with any fish we keep there are exceptions. Most often the worst that happens is it opening its mouth to intimidate anyone trying to enter its cave, and very rarely escalates to more than that.

I'd also suggest an orchid dottyback (P. fridmani). Make sure it is an orchid dottyback, not its aggressive cousin the purple dottyback. Orchid dottybacks are very peaceful IME, and I've noted no aggression other than working out the hierarchy in a pair (deciding who will become male and who stays female).

[ingtar_shinowa]

Orchid dottybacks are great.

[Zacktosterone]

A royal gramma shouldn't be aggressive with your tank mates. They are usually quite peaceful fish, though as with any fish we keep there are exceptions. Most often the worst that happens is it opening its mouth to intimidate anyone trying to enter its cave, and very rarely escalates to more than that.

I'd also suggest an orchid dottyback (P. fridmani). Make sure it is an orchid dottyback, not its aggressive cousin the purple dottyback. Orchid dottybacks are very peaceful IME, and I've noted no aggression other than working out the hierarchy in a pair (deciding who will become male and who stays female).

Lol I'm a ginger too. Anyway, are there any other fish that are purple

[Rea17]

+1 on the orchid dottyback

A purple tang would be far from peaceful, especially in that size tank.

Purple tilefish are also quite nice, assuming you have a sandy substrate for burrowing.

[Zacktosterone]

+1 on the orchid dottyback

A purple tang would be far from peaceful, especially in that size tank.

Purple tilefish are also quite nice, assuming you have a sandy substrate for burrowing.

Yeah its kind of huge lol

[Rea17]

Coral beauty angel?

[Zacktosterone]

Coral beauty angel?

I love that fish but its a risk for a reef tank

[r2odie]

I have a coral beauty and a flame angel in my reef no problems at all. Also have a royal gramma totally peaceful.

[Zacktosterone]

I have a coral beauty and a flame angel in my reef no problems at all. Also have a royal gramma totally peaceful.

How long have you had them for?



Also, what about a powder blue tang? Its literally 1 inch larger than a yellow tang which is acceptable for 100 gallons according to live aquaria. Would that be too much? I know its not purple but its pretty enough that it won't matter

[dragonfly1972]

I've got a purple dottyback in my reef tank and I love him. Beautiful bright color.

[Megatrev62]

Lubbocks wrasse has a nice purpley color. Just added to my tank and is really well behaved.

[xrayjeeper83]

Tagging along on this thread. My gf wants a bright purple fish for my 180 build and I needed names to look up.

[r2odie]

How long have you had them for?
r
the flame I've had for 5+ yrs. the coral beauty and the gramma 3 1/2 yrs.

[ingtar_shinowa]

Powder Blues are nasty angry fish.

[Rbs07fxstc]

Purple tilefish have a deep purple to blue look. The one i had was very peaceful.

[ca1ore]

purple Queen anthias ? can be hard to keep.

purple tang would be too big for your tank unfortunetly.

... plus it isn't really purple .....

[Zacktosterone]

What is the aggression like with the royal gramma? Is there a chance that it will pick on any of the fish I have listed in my first post?

[RDtrack]

Can't believe people are saying that Orchid dottybacks are peaceful. In my opinion all dottybacks are jerks. I've ripped apart a tank to get rid of a orchid dottybacks because of aggression issues.

A royal gramma is a whole lot more peaceful.

Coral beauty's can be reef safe but again they have some agression issues.

If you want a nice peaceful purple fish I would look at a purple tilefish or a blackcap basslet.
I've never had agression issues with blackcaps. They will though defend there cave/home.

Good luck. You could always go the wrasse route; lineatus are a beautiful purple and would only be aggressive to another wrasse.

[ingtar_shinowa]

I've kept a dottyback in my tanks for 13 years never had any issue. I've only heard of one confirmed case of an aggressive orchid in all the years I've been around.

[RDtrack]

Probably all in the individual fish, but I had a whole terror and a couple of my friends will only house them in a aggressive tank.

[ingtar_shinowa]

I agree with all other dottybacks, and most the time its purple dottys a bad LFS passed as orchids.

[RDtrack]

No this was a true orchid, black streak through the eyes. I don't know I just would never recommend one to someone, based on my experience.

[hey.its.me]

Royal Gramma aggresive? I dunno? I could be an exception, but my first two fish were a firefish and royal gramma lfs purchase. Then this week I added a fairy wrasse (the cheap one) a mcclusker wrasse, a purple firefish and a purple dottyback.

My observation so far with the dottyback is that he is the most timid of the lot. Always hiding in the rockwork except for feeding time. One of the wrasse's is the largest and the original two are holding their own so I'm starting to think it's all to do with tank size and room to flit to. So yea I have purple on a budget. I'm only afraid I might be addicted to wrasse's now that I have inexpensive one's that color up a mostly bleak tank. A beginner's opinion/input.

[fletch999]

I have a coral beauty in my reef for over a year now with no problems with aggression or anything else

[MikeandNicole]

Helfrichi fire fish, problem solved assuming you have a cover.

[ingtar_shinowa]

Helfrichi fire fish, problem solved assuming you have a cover.

boom headshot. I lost mine to a bobbit worm. Also my orchid dotty and him hung out all the time.

[ca1ore]

Whether a fish will be aggressive is a function of a lot of variables - tank size, other fish, layout .... and the temperament of the individual fish. I bought a Splendid Dottyback from a local reefer who was having aggression issues with it in his tank, yet it has been a model citizen (and at the bottom of the pecking order) in my tank. ANY fish, frankly, can be aggressive, given the right set of circumstances. The key is to avoid those fish that are downright mean always. In my 30 years of reefing I only had two of these: a Sohal Tang in a 300 gal (just an evil fish) and a large three-stripe damsel in a 180 gal (also evil).

[Zacktosterone]

@Ca1ore
In my first post I explained the amount of fish in my tank as well as a the size of the tank. With your experience could you predict or give an educated guess as to how the outcome will be?

[Elrodg]

Pseudochromis.

[ThreeMoneyJ]

I would recommend both the Orchid Dottyback and Royal Gramma. I have both in my tank along with a number if other peaceful fish and have never had a problem with either.

The orchid is an active hunter and is always cruising the rocks for food. He's fun to watch swim. The royal gramma doesn't seem to be an active hunter but is also always out in the open.

If you get either if these fish be careful on adding any small (enough to eat) decorative shrimp. I added some peppermints a while back and they were quickly eaten!

[Zacktosterone]

So you're saying that he'll eat my pom pom crabs? Or threaten my cleaner shrimp?

[Zacktosterone]

So you're saying that he'll eat my pom pom crabs? Or threaten my cleaner shrimp?

[ThreeMoneyJ]

Size is the issue. If you have large fish and small shrimp then yes. That was my issue. And that could possibly go for any fish that you want to get. For a reference my fish are in the 4 inch range and the peppermints were 1/2 inch long at best.

I DO have a cleaner shrimp and larger peppermint shrimp with the gramma and dottyback with no issues.

If your inverts are adjusted to the tank and decent sized and you introduce smaller fish then you should be ok.

[Zacktosterone]

Royal gramma seems to be out of the question, how many of you have had a coral beauty without coral problems

[Rea17]

I had one a few years ago in a reef, no problems. What sorts of corals do you plan on keeping? Some corals are riskier than others, but I had mine with open brains and zoas no problem. Each fish is an individual though.

[ingtar_shinowa]

Keep in mind you should QT and treat a coral beauty they are magnets for parasites.

[Zacktosterone]

Mixed reef mostly LPs with some sps

[Megatrev62]

Have a coral beauty for the past 1.5 years, soft corals,zoas and some lps. Has touched nothing. Have flame in with him and the same thing.

[Zacktosterone]

What about a Helfrich's firefish??? What are the needs of this fish?

[Sacohen]

Purple Firefish I had one in my tank with a Red Firefish for a while.

[Zacktosterone]

Purple Firefish I had one in my tank with a Red Firefish for a while.

I haven't ordered the red firefish or tang yet. I was going to replace the idea of a red firefish and dotty back with the helfrich's fire fish

[Sacohen]

Besides the helfrich's fire fish there is an actual purple fire fish that is typically a lot less expensive.

[Zacktosterone]

I don't find the purple firefish to be all that purple

[Sacohen]

To each his own. :)

[MikeandNicole]

What about a Helfrich's firefish??? What are the needs of this fish?

They are firefish so they are pretty easy to keep. Just make sure you have a lid or a 1/4 inch mesh cover because they are jumpers. They are very peaceful and take prepared foods easily. They can be a bit skittish among active boisterous fish, but generally they are good. They will do fine as a single, and you can find pairs on DD, however if they are not a true pair, they can go after one another pretty violently. I have 2 in my 205g, I don't think they are a true pair, but they have enough room to be happy.

The cost has come down on helfrichs, I saw some locally for around 75$. Check PIA, they get them in pretty often and I think sell them for around $50. They are worth every penny, we have owned them for years.

[Zacktosterone]

They are firefish so they are pretty easy to keep. Just make sure you have a lid or a 1/4 inch mesh cover because they are jumpers. They are very peaceful and take prepared foods easily. They can be a bit skittish among active boisterous fish, but generally they are good. They will do fine as a single, and you can find pairs on DD, however if they are not a true pair, they can go after one another pretty violently. I have 2 in my 205g, I don't think they are a true pair, but they have enough room to be happy.

The cost has come down on helfrichs, I saw some locally for around 75$. Check PIA, they get them in pretty often and I think sell them for around $50. They are worth every penny, we have owned them for years.

How Harty are they

[yeldarbj]

Blackcap basslet - never had a problem with it and amazing purple color.

[Zacktosterone]

I'm worried that it will eat my pom pom crabs

[Zacktosterone]

What about a Lamark's angelfish in a 90 gallon. I know its not purple but I'm willing to compromise. I would like a reef safe angelfish

[Dmorty217]

A coral beauty would fit the bill and it is purple.

[Dmorty217]

Mine is 100% reef safe with no aggression or picking at all, sorry for e back to back post

[Zacktosterone]

Coral beauty may be a danger to corals though

[Zacktosterone]

Mine is 100% reef safe with no aggression or picking at all, sorry for e back to back post

How long have you had her for

[DopeCantWin]

For all those saying purple firefish, make sure you only have a single firefish in a 90 gallon.

[Zacktosterone]

for all those saying purple firefish, make sure you only have a single firefish in a 90 gallon.

+1

[Salty Dog24]

Royal Gramma... Is your best option for a 90, most cost effective, Reef safe fish you could add. Mine is always peaceful. If your worried about them eating shrimp, then make sure you buy the largest shrimp you can. Mine doesn't go after my Cleaner Shrimp at all, and my Peppermint Shrimps are big enough where they are left alone too. I'm telling ya, Royal Gramma!

[Deinonych]

+1 on Royal Gramma, Blackcap Basslet or Purple Tilefish. Helfrichi firefish are more pink/lavender than purple to me.

[Marshall O]

Helfrichi firefish are more pink/lavender than purple to me.

But still beautiful none the less :) Here is mine:

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s305/ohearn1221/28%20Nano/DSC_5513_zpsbdb046b3.jpg (http://s155.photobucket.com/user/ohearn1221/media/28%20Nano/DSC_5513_zpsbdb046b3.jpg.html)

[humaguy]

black cap basslet...

[Salty Dog24]

Nice Hellfrichi!

[Deinonych]

But still beautiful none the less :) Here is mine:


Agreed! They are stunning fish. :)

[Marine fish man]

U could get a purple tile goby

[RDtrack]

+2 on the purple tile fish. You might even be able to do a pair. Extremely peaceful and 100 %, reef safe. I like them because they are always and got don't always see them.

[Marine fish man]

I have a silver one but it is not a flasher tile goby