I Want the Blues!!

[blange3]

My daughter says I need a blue fish for my 55gallon LPS/Softie reef.

Currently I have a pair of ocellaris, a firefish and a canary wrasse. I also have a peppermint shrimp.

Suggestions?

[AdidaKev]

A few blue devil damsels?

[m3ntal]

blue/green chromis?

They add a splash of color and they arent that territorial

[wwildcats04]

blue spot jawfish
alenni/neon damsel (peaceful)

[SDguy]

starki damsel?

[t0mmy108]

blue tang is a safe bet

[Outerbank]

flameback angel

[garvondavis14]

NOT A BLUE TANG....seriously

[johnb0184]

blue assecor bassalet. A very dark and beautiful blue as well as an intresting fish

[Kahuna Tuna]

I just ordered a pair of blue gudgeon gobies, they are very cool little fish. Here's a second for not putting a blue tang in a 55. The blue assessor is another good call.

[cateyes]

Kahuna Tuna -- i'd like to see your gobies when you get them. how about posting a pic when you can..

thanks

[goleafsgo]

how bout a cherub, very very nice little blue fish

[20reefer]

I second the cherub

[Monkeyfish]

My cherub looks more purple than blue, but that may be due to the lighting. I'd go with either the assessor or a more peaceful damsel (avoid the Fiji devils - they are VERY aggressive). I'd love to get a blue hamlet, but have never seen one at either a store or wholesaler.

[Cutiewitbooty]

i love the blue damsels, and i think they are the prettiest blue ever in the marine fish world, but they can be a little aggressive to new fish. I have had a few without any problems, but it's your call.

[Angel*Fish]

I have 3 hemicyanea damsels & they aren't really that aggressive except for the one that bites me when I put my hand near his shell home.

The main thing besides being caerulean blue that I like about them is that they stay very very small.

The damsels of the Pomacentrus genus are less aggressive than Chrysipterus & have some of the most beautiful blues available - just make sure you buy one that stays extra small like a max size of 2.3 inches. When a belligerent fish gets big it is not a good thing :)

It's not blue, but I bet your daughter would like a blackcap basslet. Nice purple purple purple fish.

Here's a pic of my damsels... I love them - and they don'tshow any signs of getting larger than about 1.25 in. from nose to end of tail (sorry I don't have one of just them)
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/505/5247125angels.jpg
There's a cherub angel in the photo, too

[Monkeyfish]

I have the same damsels as Angelfish. Beautiful fish and got along fine with my clown goby.

[Cutiewitbooty]

Angel*Fish, is that a lemon peel angel? I love them, they are my favorite angel :D

[deadmanh]

i dont think thats an lemon peel..... is it? cant see the blue on the eyes..

[ezhoops]

Blue Acessor without a doubt is your best bet, can be hard to come by though

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7293396#post7293396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by deadmanh
i dont think thats an lemon peel..... is it? cant see the blue on the eyes..

Looks like a Herald's...can't tell if it has the black edge to the dorsal fin in that shot though.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7293482#post7293482 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezhoops
Blue Acessor without a doubt is your best bet, can be hard to come by though

And if you are lucky, you'll get the kind that swims upside down. :)

[karid]

Some other options not listed above (I also like the blue assessor):

-chalk bass (nice and vibrant blue)
-yellowtail fang (forktail) blenny (blue head/body and yellow tail)
-Red Sea mimic blenny (mimics the blenny above)
-neon goby (has some blue in it, but not the whole fish)
-sunrise dottyback (blue with yellow stripe on top)

[deadmanh]

personally the damsel has the nicest blues of the options ive seen....

[blange3]

Thanks for all of the great ideas! I got busy yesterday and didn't get back to this thread.

I was thinking about the cherub as well. I love damsels, but I'm worried about the firefish with them, and I'll never get them out of the tank if there are problems.

I like basslets, I'll have to check out the blue assesor.

Thanks!

[Angel*Fish]

SDguy - You got it! Mine doesn't have the black/blue trim on the dorsal - BTW, just so you know supposedly that fades in captivity, so I would never pay extra for it. My theory is it might not fade in the presence of a female,

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7292733#post7292733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cutiewitbooty
Angel*Fish, is that a lemon peel angel? I love them, they are my favorite angel :D It is a Herald's angel. For some reason they have a reputation as being difficult, but IME they are not. However my tanks always have rich grow of all sorts of things on the LR & I only feed frozen or live food 95% of the time. Also we have a LFS here that has always carried them for the 8 years or so that I can remember - maybe they have the monopoly on healthy specimens.

Unlike the potentially belligerent , though beautiful, lemonpeel - they have the best community fish personality of all fish IMO, not just angels. However they are less reef-safe than flames & CB's. Open brain = buffet table. And I know this is anecdotal with a splash of anthropomorphizing, but I think I've seen this fish break up aggression episodes on occasion between other fish.

blange3 - Sorry for the off topic discussion - If I was going to get a P. damsel, I'd buy 2 of the same species making sure at least one is definitely a juvenile, Quarantine them together & see if they form a pair. if not it'd be easy to catch one & return to store.

I don't always quarantine fish, it just depends on different factors. But damsels & chromis's should be quarantined - they usually come from disease laden tanks/groups & can spread awful stuff to your other fish that the damsels are tough enough to handle longer. I would even consider treating them for parasites during quarantine.

[Cutiewitbooty]

yeah i was wondering because it has the same body shape but lacked the blue lol Lemon peels are great (used to have one) i just wish they were reef safe lol

[Kahuna Tuna]

Kahuna Tuna -- i'd like to see your gobies when you get them. how about posting a pic when you can..

These blue gudgeons are just beautiful fish. They are very shy and have managed to dig a burrow under a good sized piece of live rock so the only thing I have got a good look at is their faces as they peer out. Fantastic looking little fish, I hope my tank isnt too busy for them and they start coming out. I will try to get a pic of them.

[blange3]

So I made it to an LFS at lunch the other day and saw an African Flamback Angel.

Way Cool! But I did a search and it seems they can be aggressive.

Too much for my Firefish? I'd hate to loose my avatar!

[blange3]

So I made it to an LFS at lunch the other day and saw an African Flamback Angel.

Way Cool! But I did a search and it seems they can be aggressive.

Too much for my Firefish? I'd hate to loose my avatar!

[MIKE NY]

they don'tshow any signs of getting larger than about 1.25 in. from nose to end of tail (sorry I don't have one of just them)
I do here is mine and a few other blues in my tank and all are suitable for yours except the PBT.
http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A4%3C5%3B%3B%7Ffp335%3Enu%3D3233%3E2%3B2%3E964%3E23242%3B2%3A557%3A3ot1lsi
http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A4%3C5%3B%3B%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D325%3A%3E555%3E568%3EWSNRCG%3D32333%3A3965473nu0mrj
http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A4%3C5%3B%3B%7Ffp335%3Enu%3D3233%3E443%3E%3B%3B8%3E2324443%3C%3A95%3C8ot1lsi
http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A4%3C5%3B%3B%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E2323%3D%3A%3A%3C%3D%3B96%3D3232%3A%3A%3C%3A%3A5794nu0mrj

[PatrickB101]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7339858#post7339858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blange3
So I made it to an LFS at lunch the other day and saw an African Flamback Angel.

Way Cool! But I did a search and it seems they can be aggressive.

Too much for my Firefish? I'd hate to loose my avatar!


i dont think a flameback would bully a firefish. they dont share the same swimming space generally.

i have a potters angel and a helfrichi w/ no problems.


if the flameback is small i would be all over it . beautiful BLUE fishy :P

[G13]

I have an african flameback angel and it is awesome. Dark Blue and a bright orange, very cool fish. Very aggressive against other angels IME and will show aggression to any fish added after it.

[blange3]

Well the Flameback would probably be the last fish in the tank. He would definitely be the only angel.

I can't get back to the store for a few days, if he's still there when I go, maybe I'll give him a try.