What is the ultimate reef fish?

[bluerug]

What is the ultimate reef fish? As far as looks and personality and overall just a great fish. My vote goes for the purple tang. I dont know what has gotten into me lately but i just love these fish and probably getting one for my aggressive tank, and that is also what makes them a great reef fish, they can put up with the triggers and angels. So my vote is for the purple tang. Lets hear what yours are.

[Briankook]

Sixline Wrasse - awesome fish

[hgbarwick]

Bicolor Blennys. I really love them.

[Paul B]

I don't think any fish compares to a Moorish Idol.
Paul

[Freyr]

Barwick, I was under the impression that Bicolor's aren't always reef safe. I was gonna get one for my 55 gal. once its cycled for a bit, but I reconsidered once I heard they aren't always reef safe. Is that true?


My favorite reef fish is the firefish goby. I love that huge dorsal spike.

[hgbarwick]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7524620#post7524620 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Freyr
Barwick, I was under the impression that Bicolor's aren't always reef safe. I was gonna get one for my 55 gal. once its cycled for a bit, but I reconsidered once I heard they aren't always reef safe. Is that true?


My favorite reef fish is the firefish goby. I love that huge dorsal spike.


I have one in my 12 gallon aquapod. I will be moving him up to my 90 gallon once he gets to big. My Bicolor Blenny dosen't touch any of my corals. I think they are reef safe.

[Teremei]

Naso Tang would probably get the popular vote. I can't get one though, I only have a 125.

[bluerug]

Alright keep the votes comin guys and gals. I do like the naso's also. But the purple all the way.

[hgbarwick]

Purple Tang is a very close second for me.

[Kinetic]

Sohal Tang
Genicanthus Bellus Angelfish
Big group of anthias

[hgbarwick]

ok hear woul be my list of ultimate reef fish

Bicolor Blenny
Purple Tang
Black Percula Clown

[Kent E]

Emperor angel

[Kahuna Tuna]

I guess if I had to pick one fish, or a group of fish as the perfect reef fish it would be the flasher/fairy wrasses. Awesome colors and behaviors, hardy, always reef safe, easy on tankmates/non aggressive, and you can keep them in pairs or groups. That just about fits my definition of perfection.

[xdusty6920]

bicoloreds arent always safe. i house one in a reef and i can tell you they will try and demolish open brains. i have a trachy that i have to move constantley to keep him from killing it. he's been pretty close to successfull before.

[bluerug]

Along with the purple i would have to go with also the blueface angel. I had no idea it would be this hard to decide which was the ultimate reef fish,lol.

[thor32766]

red sea sailfin, i love those guys!

[bluerug]

Thor those guys are sweet to. Well i am off to bed now, so i cant wait to see what other people think of the ultimate reef fish tommorow.

[ACBlinky]

In a smaller tank, I think I'd vote for clowns or fairy wrasses - looks, personality, and they're safe with inverts. For a large tank I'd probably go with a sohol tang or maybe a powder blue - I'd love to see a really big tank with a group of tangs cruising around with enough room to really stretch their legs... er, fins.

[DeltecRules]

My Lineatus wrasse :)

[witfull]

Harlequin Tusk~

[RBU1]

GoldFlake Angel
Crosshatch Triggerfish

[20reefer]

bluejaw trigger
pearly jawfish
pygmy angel

[glyle41]

Love my Sohal Tang and of course my little black and white osci's But my fovorite Reef fish would have to be the Cross Hatch Trigger

[RichConley]

Tangs in general arent always reefsafe either. Sixlines are rarely 'small fish' safe.

My vote, any of the fairy wrasses, or leopard wrasses.

Or my favorite: Halicoeres Iridis.

[Malolo]

Copperband butterflyfish is one of my favorites that no one has mentioned.

[hgbarwick]

I used to have a copperband butterflyfish. I really loved that fish. I cam home one day and I found him dead in my Long Tentacled Anenome. I took that anenome back to my LfS. RIP little guy.

[jda]

Crosshatch trigger.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/jdadams12/xhatchside.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/jdadams12/xhatch2.jpg

[Loralie]

Any of the fairy wrasses
Pearly jawfishes
my copperbanded butterfly

[hgbarwick]

I still say Bicolor Blennys. They are really fun to watch. Mine goes in and out of his hole in one of my live rock all the time. Bicolor Blennys are just one of those really neat comical fish.

[seanpercy]

I would have to say that my favourite fish is my own Black Longnose Tang (Zebrasoma rostratum). A truly beautiful fish that just glides through my tank like no other fish. I have had him for nearly two years now and he has even learned to eat from my hand.

[bluerug]

Now lets put a twist on things what is the prettiest tang, wrasse,trigger.
1. Purple Tang
2. sixline wrasse
3. Crosshatch trigger

[hgbarwick]

1 Purple tang
2 Filamented Flasher Wrasse
3 Queen Trigger

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7529410#post7529410 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
Tangs in general arent always reefsafe either. Sixlines are rarely 'small fish' safe.

My vote, any of the fairy wrasses, or leopard wrasses.

Or my favorite: Halicoeres Iridis.

Rich......what tangs aren't reef-safe?

[BenjieC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7527324#post7527324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by witfull
Harlequin Tusk~

Got to love the Harlequin. Far and away my fav!

[highland135]

I do like the trigger fish, but I have a small 37 gal. tank. My vote for a small tank would be the purple firefish and the yellow watchman goby. The goby has a great personality.

[TOURKID]

clownfish :D they are so much fun.

[hgbarwick]

I do love black percula clowns. I have one in my 12 gallon aqua pod.

[unicornis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7530722#post7530722 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jda
Crosshatch trigger.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/jdadams12/xhatchside.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/jdadams12/xhatch2.jpg

That crosshatch is awesome:p

[Ironsheikh]

ive never been a trigger man but the shape and color of that looks sharp --ill have to look up the info on one of those

[Kaos]

I can't believe no one has said the Hippo Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus). If healthy they are extremely beautiful IMO (of course my fav. colors are blue and black). It's cool to watch them hang out on an acro colony. A close second would be a Powder Blue (Acanthurus leucosternon).

[Corwyn]

Wow, I am surprised this thread is not full of wrasses!?

My favorite is
Rosy Fin Fairy Wrasse
Japanese Pygmy Angel
Purple firefish
yellow candy hogfish

[Kahuna Tuna]

Wow, I am surprised this thread is not full of wrasses!?

It should be. I love big angels and some of them can be successful in a reef but they are not reef safe fish for the most part. Triggers, tangs, a lot of blennies, angels, and a host of other common reef fish have issues in a reef aquarium ranging from coral sampling, waste production, size limitations, and aggression. Fairy and flasher wrasses may just be the perfect reef fish whan all factors are looked at, they are often stunningly beautiful, hardy, non aggressive, and they rarely get very large. They are easy to feed and nearly always reef safe. I'm looking at a group of Carpenter's for my 180 reef.

[Fire Dude]

I have to put a vote in for the Foxface Lo. Great fish to watch with great utility.

Check this out:

http://www.marineaquariumadvice.com/Siganus-vulpinus-or-Foxface.htm

[Philwd]

For bluecarpet

prettiest wrasse - lineatus or rhomboid

[bluerug]

Rhomboid wrasse b/c they are far more exotic.

[jelwyoming]

A couple of you have mentioned copperband butterfly fish. I didn't think that they were reef safe either (at all!) or I would cast a vote for them as well. I love my manderin and starry blenny. A mated pair of clowns in an anemone is hard to beat too!

[maddyfish]

I like yellow tail blue damsels.

[Ironsheikh]

what are you guys judging on?

for me you have to consider hardiness, color, shape of the fish, how common, are we talking temperment too?

str8 reef fish or are aggressive to be included too?

for instance mandarins are colorful and hardy but hard to feed and pretty common, so it loses some points.
lionfish black morph are really nice to me - they should do a contest for them like they do for bettas

or panther groupers when they are flared out and the colors are sparkling but they arent community fish so they lose points

tangs and triggers have really nice colors, but I cant get into them cuz I dont like the actual shape of the fish.

something that I think is like a ferrari of fish is the supermale version Flame Wrasse like the pic on marinecenter - same colors as a ferrari red /yellow, high price tag fits most of the criteria up top

[dfcjr]

1. flame angel
2. bi-color blenny
3.flame hawkfish

[hgbarwick]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7537336#post7537336 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jelwyoming
A couple of you have mentioned copperband butterfly fish. I didn't think that they were reef safe either (at all!) or I would cast a vote for them as well. I love my manderin and starry blenny. A mated pair of clowns in an anemone is hard to beat too!


I had a Copper Band Butterfly in my 90 gallon reef. He did not touch any of my corals. But he did eat my little feather dusters that I got on my live rock. If you can live without feather dusters this is a great fish!

[Sk8r]

mandarins
most any goby.

[Hens4Fish]

I like the naso tang and powder blue tang, but you have all mentioned angelfish. e.g. Blue faced, and emperor, are they reef safe, I would love to put them in my 150.

[Reefeross]

The PERFECT reef fish is IMHO hands-down the Neon Goby (Elastinius (formerly Gobiosoma) species) why?

1) They are colorful (Jet black, cream, electric blue, vivid yellow, and bright white).

2) They barely affect your bio-load because they are so small.

3) They will clean other fish.

4) They are extremely easy to breed.

5) Very hardy, have a short lifespan (2-ish years) but are hard to kill.

6) Very personable, perching on various corals or "sticking" to the glass.

7) Can be kept in pairs or groups in larger tanks.

[Ironsheikh]

where have you seen the color morphs of a neon goby? ive only seen yellow stripe and blue.

they are pretty mean to eachother --petco usually puts them all in the same tank and there was def aggression in there

[blface]

Blue spot jawfish!!:bum:

[SDguy]

Fully male (supermale for you wrasse fans) bartlett anthia with some females to keep him active and pretty. The ones at the Long Beach Aquarium blew me away! With a male squarespot a close second...

[Reefeross]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7543095#post7543095 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ironsheikh
where have you seen the color morphs of a neon goby? ive only seen yellow stripe and blue.

they are pretty mean to eachother --petco usually puts them all in the same tank and there was def aggression in there

There are blue, yellow, white, and combo striped Neons, all of them have cream lower bodies and black upper bodies. Usually they are pretty easy to pair up. In *larger tanks groups can coexist. Shoulda specified that, oh well.

[55semireef]

The prettiest trigger is by far the Clown Trigger but obviously those aren't reef safe eh Bluecarpet?

My top three ultimate reef safe fish:

1. Mandarin
2. Purple/Yellow Tang
3. Clownfish

There is no other fish that comes close to how hard to keep and how interesting a Mandarin is. With striking colors, reasonable price and interesting behavior earns it a #1.

The Purple Tang and Yellow are a tie in my book. They look so sweet.

And of course, the clownfish. No other fish like a clown can host an anemone like they do. DON'T EVEN MENTION DAMSELS. LOL.


A tusk isn't reef safe BTW. Maybe you got lucky. Personality is everything.

[wrasse777]

Scotts fairy wrasse.

[Nemoislame]

The green mandarin is the most beautiful IMO. I like the character of porcupine puffers. I also like scooter blennies.

[RBU1]

PORCUPINE PUFFER?????? They are NOT reef SAFE!!!!!!

[55semireef]

Either is a tusk. :)

[hgbarwick]

People are listing fish here that will eat corals. Reef Safe fish only, I think. But I could be worng.

[55semireef]

Yes, a Copperband Butterfly is not reefsafe and if you have one, your lucky. :)

[hgbarwick]

the only thng my copperband ate was feather dusters. I guess I lucked out!

[55semireef]

I heard they eat anemones too!

[jda]

I currently own 3 tangs in my FOWLR that are known coral eater. Hippo, Sailfin and PBT. ;)

The only fish that I have that have aboslutely no interest in corals or picking at LR are my genicanthus angels and crosshatch trigger.

[Kinetic]

genicanthus angels are very reef safe, but of course, I've heard of one nipping before, but only slightly.

[agilis]

Spearing.

[edwar050]

Of course these people know these fish are not always reef safe, the question was favorite reef fish I believe. That crosshatch trigger was awsome looking, stunning colors.

Some of my favorites-
Valentini Puffer
Green Mandarin Dragonet
Harelequin Tusk

[achillesheel]

my regal angel is exactly that... an angel. and then my black longnose tang.
http://www.cvreefers.org/gallery2/d/24673-1/P1010075.JPG

then my leopard wrasse. i never thought id be successful with them but but after not seeing mine for 3 weeks, i found it today when i got home from work. so excited!

[witfull]

a tusk will never bother any coral. they will eat shrimp. but i dont keep crabs or shrimp in my tanks. they are non aggressive, active swimmers and look great. this equals a great Reef fish.

[boomsticks]

I would say the Rhomboid Wrasse, but very hard to find and very expensive. My next would be the Maroon Clown I love those guys! Personality wise they are jerks, well mine is...bites me everytime I clean the tank.

[Tridacna_Reef01]

By FAR..the Interruptus Angelfish.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b315/schmiggelywiggelywormenheimerjunior/interruptusasdfdsfg.jpg

[bluerug]

Now that is a nice angel^.

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7560141#post7560141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluecarpet
Now that is a nice angel^.

Its also one of the most oversaturated photos I've ever seen.

THeyre pretty, but that photo is silly. Theyre also 900+, and not all that hardy, and prone to nipping. Sounds like a poor reef fish to me.

[dkh0331]

Everyone has their own definition of their ultimate reef fish. I've seen some really interesting photo's. Thanks all for posting them.

My ultimate reef fish is a Black Tang.

David

[DirtySouth056]

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/dirtysouth056/whacky10.gif

[dkh0331]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7560547#post7560547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DirtySouth056
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/dirtysouth056/whacky10.gif

HEY!!!!

The ole Norm Crosby line "I resemble that remark" :D

[DirtySouth056]

its all in good fun, I would love to own an black tang some day!
:rollface:

[dkh0331]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7561006#post7561006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DirtySouth056
its all in good fun, I would love to own an black tang some day!
:rollface:

I know - and so would I. Maybe if we pool our resources we could group buy one - you have him for 6 months and then I have him for six months, etc, etc.

[Orangeman]

Hmmm...

No mention of a Gem Tang?

[dougie]

Emperor Angel, Beautiful fish.

want to setup a 300g just so i can get 1!!!!

[jefathome]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7525143#post7525143 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hgbarwick
ok hear woul be my list of ultimate reef fish

Bicolor Blenny
Purple Tang
Black Percula Clown

Black Percula OR...
any Fairy/flasher wrasse

I guess we are all biased here though b/c I doubt ANYONE mentioned a fish that they do not already have. ;)

I have a black Percula (Osc), a Solar Fairy, and 3 Juv Carpenter's
The black Perc is my favorite though. Any fish starts messing with him and SWOOSH... Back to the store for YOU!!

[Kinetic]

all the fish I mentioned I don't have yet =( but want.