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-   -   Best reef fish for the home aqua (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1981074)

JT3069 02/22/2011 07:39 PM

Best reef fish for the home aqua
 
What is the best fish for 75g reef tank that will give me that natural look

Recty 02/22/2011 07:50 PM

One fish you always see around the reef are anthias. However, if you're a beginner aquarist, it might be better to shy away from them as some are finicky.

You could get away with one of the smaller tangs in a 75g reef and it would help keep your rocks free of algae. Perhaps a yellow tang or a tomini tang...

zreefs 02/22/2011 07:51 PM

lawnmower blennys are cool they clean algea off your tank and rocks

JT3069 02/22/2011 07:56 PM

I have a yellow tang, a hippo tang and a lawnmower but it still feels like
im missing something im 2 years in would like to keep anthias
is that what im missing

ps what kinds would work in 75g

JT3069 02/22/2011 08:01 PM

I all ready add cyclopezze and reef snow for my short tentacle plate and
encrusting flowering pot

would that feed an anthia

tcmfish 02/22/2011 08:02 PM

Small fish will give you the natural look. And groups of fish. Rarely are fish alone on the reefs, unless they are a top predator and even top predators aren't found alone in rich areas.

In a 75 gallon tank, a clown anemone combo, a pistol shrimp goby combo, a large group of cardinalfish or small anthias, and then a bigger centerpiece fish like a small tang as Recty suggested or a copperband butterfly or maybe a pair of dwarf angelfish. That would be a pretty natural looking tank and most fish besides maybe the anthias and copperband would be pretty beginner fish.

tcmfish 02/22/2011 08:09 PM

Small fish will give you the natural look. And groups of fish. Rarely are fish alone on the reefs, unless they are a top predator and even top predators aren't found alone in rich areas.

In a 75 gallon tank, a clown anemone combo, a pistol shrimp goby combo, a large group of cardinalfish or small anthias, and then a bigger centerpiece fish like a small tang as Recty suggested or a copperband butterfly or maybe a pair of dwarf angelfish. That would be a pretty natural looking tank and most fish besides maybe the anthias and copperband would be pretty beginner fish.

Moonstream 02/22/2011 08:09 PM

for a natural look, nothing beats a group of small shoaling fish.

a group of three to five blue chromis (not blue/green, these are a caribbean species that tend to be less likely to pick eachother off), plus a mated pair of shrimp gobies with a pistol, or a jawfish, a blackcap basslet and a blenny of some sort (saddled blenny, or a fang blenny, maybe a tailspot)

JT3069 02/22/2011 08:28 PM

i have had a pajama cardinal for 2 years and i never see it if i mad a shoal of them would they act different

chimmike 02/23/2011 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JT3069 (Post 18385658)
i have had a pajama cardinal for 2 years and i never see it if i mad a shoal of them would they act different

probably.

psusocr 02/23/2011 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JT3069 (Post 18385561)
I have a yellow tang, a hippo tang and a lawnmower but it still feels like
im missing something im 2 years in would like to keep anthias
is that what im missing

ps what kinds would work in 75g

The yellow and blue hippo are going to outgrow that tank VERY fast IMHO if your feeding them properly, i would get rid of them and do alot of smaller colorfull fish.

Korrine 02/23/2011 11:44 AM

^the yellow will be fine for years...the hippo will not.

Moonstream, do you know what fang blennies do? take BITES out of their tankmates :eek2: This site states they should be avoided at all costs.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sabertoothblens.htm


Diver's Den has had the group of glass cardinal fish several times.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden...-_-DDN-_-PRDCT

tcmfish 02/23/2011 11:56 AM

Korrine you have the wrong type of fang blenny. Even check your own link. Meicanthus blennies are great fish and not aggressive at all. Please get your facts straight and if you post a link make sure you know what it is about. It is part of the reason these fish get such a bad rap and are so underrated. You can even get aquacultured ones from many of the mainstream ornamental aquaculture companies now too which is a great plus. The scale biting fang blennies are rarely offered in the trade so it isn't a fish people should worry about.

Also the red spot cardinalfish are very delicate and there is a thread on here about them documenting successes and failures and Kevin Kohen from liveaquaria even commented on them. I don't think they are for everyone and require a fairly quiet tank. Zoramia leptacanthus, however, makes a great choice for a cardinalfish.

Korrine 02/23/2011 12:03 PM

^haha my bad. Just did a quick search and didn't thoroughly read. I just saw this part.

These Blenniids of the genera Aspidontus and Plagiotremus should be avoided at all costs (unless you want to keep one to a tank by itself or with non-fishes). These vampires have a pair of enlarged canine teeth in their lower jaw for ripping scales and bits of flesh from other fishes. Some do this by stealth, hiding in a hole in the reef and darting out for a fast-attack chomp. Others are sophisticated underwater con-artists, closely mimicking benign, even beneficent fishes.

psusocr 02/23/2011 01:07 PM

[QUOTE=Korrine;18388732]^the yellow will be fine for years...the hippo will not.QUOTE]


IMO they shouldnt be in anythign under 100 gallons , if you own one and feed it properly it should outgrow that tank in a years time. I cant imagine any of my tangs in under 100 gallons for more than a year, they would have been very cramped especially more than one.

ReefKeeper2009 02/23/2011 02:32 PM

Skimmed through this thread pretty quick so sorry if someone already suggested them. I would go for a pair or cave basslests or the like. I have one and just love it. Thanks Tony

zreefs 02/23/2011 05:23 PM

+1 for school of blue chromis


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