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Unread 08/27/2016, 11:47 PM   #1
rpc07
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Looking for a centerpiece fish

I have a Red Sea max E170 which is a 24" cube and I am looking to add my last fish but I want it to be something that pops. I have attempted a flame angel and it nipped my acans. I'd love to add a potters angel but again I am on the fence since I have a good amount of lps.

The sunburst anthia cought my eye last time I was at my lfs. The thought of adding a small juvenile tang (kole or tomini) crossed my mind but I don't really want to catch it a re home it when it starts to out grow the tank plus it isn't exactly fair to the fish so I have crossed that off the list.

Here is my current stock list :
Pair of false perc clowns
Flasher wrasse
Trio of purple fire fish

Any suggestions are welcome.


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Unread 08/28/2016, 01:02 AM   #2
ThRoewer
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Pictures of the tank would help.
What inverts and corals are in there?


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Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio
3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki

Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...
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Unread 08/28/2016, 01:03 AM   #3
SeaCucumberFan
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How big is the tank?


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Unread 08/28/2016, 04:37 AM   #4
ThRoewer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaCucumberFan View Post
How big is the tank?
24" x 24" x 24" (24" cube as stated in initial post)


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Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio
3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki

Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...
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Unread 08/28/2016, 04:44 AM   #5
mattberrytr
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I would add a toby puffer. Great looking, great with other fish, cool personality, generally good with most corals.



Another great fish would be a flame hawkfish, tonnes of personality.




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Unread 08/28/2016, 04:50 AM   #6
Dkuhlmann
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Midas blenny is another good choice. Great fish and will become a tank favorite.


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Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS.

Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300
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Unread 08/28/2016, 05:37 AM   #7
Taahirs
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Fuzzy Dwarf lionfish
Leaf fish
Fairy wrasses are nice and colourful, maybe find one you like.


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Unread 08/28/2016, 07:57 AM   #8
RyanSweatt2004
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Any of the small angels are hard to beat for a centerpiece fish in a smaller tank. You could try another flame angel again or the potters angel. I've had some that would nip and others that did t bother anything. Usually coral nipping is a sign of being under fed though.


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Unread 08/28/2016, 08:19 AM   #9
RDtrack
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I'd skip the angels and puffer (even though I love them) expessially if you like your corals

I think you could do a flame hawk or a shrimp/goby combo for a bottom dweller along with one other 'center piece' fish.

The flame hawk would be the aggressor of the two (shrimp/goby or hawkfish)

I like the sunburst idea as it is peaceful and would go with your purple firefish. Only thing is they can be tough to keep. I'd ask your LfS how long they had it. Also ask to see it eat. I probably wouldn't touch it if they've had it under two weeks.

Question is do you want something that swims around or stays in generally one location?

Stays in one location I would say cardinals (pajama), the sunburst.

Moves around I maybe would do another wrasse pending on what your flasher is.

Good luck


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Unread 08/28/2016, 08:43 AM   #10
rpc07
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThRoewer View Post
Pictures of the tank would help.
What inverts and corals are in there?
Inverts are a mix of snails, sand sifting conch about 6 or so Halloween hermits and a small fromia star. As far as corals it's pretty well mixed from acans, zoas, Acro's, a scoly and open brain on the sand. The tank is around 6 months old so corals are smaller and just starting to grow out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dkuhlmann View Post
Midas blenny is another good choice. Great fish and will become a tank favorite.
I had a flame tail blenny that I had to remove it was nipping at my lps but I'll look into the Midas.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanSweatt2004 View Post
Any of the small angels are hard to beat for a centerpiece fish in a smaller tank. You could try another flame angel again or the potters angel. I've had some that would nip and others that did t bother anything. Usually coral nipping is a sign of being under fed though.
I'd love to do another dwarf angel I'm just a nervous. And the flame wasn't underfed I feed heavy and dose nopox.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RDtrack View Post
I'd skip the angels and puffer (even though I love them) expessially if you like your corals

I think you could do a flame hawk or a shrimp/goby combo for a bottom dweller along with one other 'center piece' fish.

The flame hawk would be the aggressor of the two (shrimp/goby or hawkfish)

I like the sunburst idea as it is peaceful and would go with your purple firefish. Only thing is they can be tough to keep. I'd ask your LfS how long they had it. Also ask to see it eat. I probably wouldn't touch it if they've had it under two weeks.

Question is do you want something that swims around or stays in generally one location?

Stays in one location I would say cardinals (pajama), the sunburst.

Moves around I maybe would do another wrasse pending on what your flasher is.

Good luck


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I will check out the sunburst next time I'm at the lfs. I'm also going to look into the hawk fish.

I appreciate all the suggestions.


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Unread 08/28/2016, 04:40 PM   #11
Dkuhlmann
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Have you seen the fairly new to the hobby Golden Hawkfish? Amazing looking but kinda spendy.


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Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS.

Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300
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Unread 08/28/2016, 05:03 PM   #12
BlueDolphin123
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Well... A flasher wrasse would be your best bet. Uber-pretty, sparky personality and peaceful w/tankmates.

-BlueDolphin123


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Unread 08/28/2016, 05:17 PM   #13
reefeqmover
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Does your tank have a lid? There are some really nice flasher wrasse.


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Unread 08/29/2016, 08:22 AM   #14
scooter31707
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Maybe a Pygmy Angel


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Unread 08/29/2016, 08:58 AM   #15
Sk8r
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My own favorite for that size tank is a yellow watchman, or watchman pair. Personable, bright, and funny. Also the most devoted pair-bond I've ever seen in fish.


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Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low.

Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.
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Unread 08/29/2016, 09:40 AM   #16
brett559
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Tiny Red Sea regal angel. They grow super slow. Many people (in the thread I will say!) have kept regals with success in tanks smaller than yours. Nothing pops like a regal.


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Unread 08/29/2016, 09:53 AM   #17
lifeoffaith
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+1 for wrasses. Fairy or Flashers for the most part should be fine in that tank.


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Unread 08/29/2016, 11:15 AM   #18
rpc07
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Mentioned in the first post I have a flasher wrasse already.


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Unread 08/29/2016, 11:37 AM   #19
ThRoewer
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To me the ideal centerpiece fish in a shrimp-less and rather calm tank would be a Marine Betta (or better 2). Other than eating shrimp they are perfectly reef safe. They usually don't bother any other fish and have not the slightest interest in corals.

My suggestion would be to get tank raised baby bettas from ORA (you may need to contact them as they don't have them listed).

I have right now 2 in a 42 gallon tank, a larger wild one, a smaller tank bred from Sustainable and plan to add a tiny tank raised from ORA as the third.



If the rockwork is right (lots of overhangs and shelves) you will see them all the time.


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Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio
3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki

Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...
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Unread 08/29/2016, 06:40 PM   #20
Marshall O
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Just throwing this out there, but this is a 37 gallon tank we are talking about. Some of the fish mentioned seem to need more than that IMO.

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Unread 08/29/2016, 08:29 PM   #21
ThRoewer
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Marine Bettas don't need much room for swimming. I kept spawning pairs in smaller tanks and as long as the rockwork is right and not minimalistic they will do fine.

A Regal Angel can work for a while but is definitely not ideal - especially not for someone without experience with these fish. Again, plenty of rocks in the right arrangement are key. I have 3 small singles in 40 gallon tanks and so far they haven't complained. I would however advise against a Red Sea regal as those usually come in larger. Juveniles of less than 3" total length would be the only ones to go with. Size with these fish is not a linear relationship to length, a 4" regal is about twice the size of a 3". The one in my picture above is 2.9".

A Golden Hawk is in every way unsuited for this tank: they are usually coming in large and will definitely eat small fish - the firefish will just be his welcome meal and the flasher wrasse dinner.

The Flame Hawk (or a pair of them) would probably be the ideal choice. They are colorful, stay usually smaller and usually prefer smaller bites.


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Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio
3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki

Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...
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Unread 08/29/2016, 08:33 PM   #22
hotdogmj71
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24' cube should be a 60 gallon tank.


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Unread 08/29/2016, 09:58 PM   #23
rpc07
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I'm not looking to get anything I'll have to re home later one I have ruled those options out.


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Unread 08/30/2016, 08:55 AM   #24
RyanSweatt2004
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Some of the basslet species would make a good last fish that pops. Royal grama and black cap baselet come to mind as colorful options. Swales Swiss guard basslet is a neat little fish too and if money is no concern, a Candy basslet would make one hell of a centerpiece fish lol. Since you already have purple firefish I say mixing in a helfrichi firefish would look great as well.


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Unread 08/30/2016, 10:53 AM   #25
horseplay
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If you do not keep SPS, a pair of orange-spotted filefish is very unique and colorful. Mine swim all over the tank grazing for food.


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