What's A Good Watching Fish?

[intarsiabox]

I have a 90g reef with a foxface, 2 seabe clowns, 2 percs, a royal gramma and a yellowtail blue damsel in it. The royal gramma hides all day and the rest of the fish will only swim around one side of the tank in about 1 foot of space. This is leaving me with 3 feet of fishless tank. I am looking for a fish that is compatible with both my current fish and corals and likes to be an active swimmer. I've even tried feeding on the other side of the tank but only the blue damsel and my shrimp will make the trip across the tank for food. Any suggestions?

[Skimmerking]

Zebra Dart fish are cool

[mark]

find my 6line about the most interesting swimmer. Not so much high up but always moving over and through the LR. Also really neat when it sort of curves it's body and then cruises back and forth in the CL streams

[daniella3d]

si the current so high that the fish can't go there? this is really wierd.

I have a 90g reef with a foxface, 2 seabe clowns, 2 percs, a royal gramma and a yellowtail blue damsel in it. The royal gramma hides all day and the rest of the fish will only swim around one side of the tank in about 1 foot of space. This is leaving me with 3 feet of fishless tank. I am looking for a fish that is compatible with both my current fish and corals and likes to be an active swimmer. I've even tried feeding on the other side of the tank but only the blue damsel and my shrimp will make the trip across the tank for food. Any suggestions?

[mattdean]

There are lots of beautiful wrasses. My favorites are Leopard wrasses, especially Blue Star leopard Wrasses.

http://www.mattdean.com/build/starsky.jpg

[intarsiabox]

The side they don't go on has less current than the other side. Actually my whole tank is rather low flow. It only has a Mag9.5 throttled down to 2/3 and Koralia 2's (one in each corner). The fish will venture over to the other side for a moment but swim right back to the other side. I guess the only good thing is that all my fish really get along to live so closely together without fighting.

[intarsiabox]

The Zebra Dartfish looks really nice but I've never actually seen one for sale locally, I'll have to make some inquiries.

I like the 6-lines but am a little concerned about one becoming aggressive.

Wrasses are on my list but having never owned one before I wasn't sure if they were active swimmers or not.

Thanks for the ideas so far!

[Aquattro]

There are lots of beautiful wrasses. My favorites are Leopard wrasses, especially Blue Star leopard Wrasses.


I just added a Leopard Wrasse last week, really nice fish. I have a BB tank, so needed to add a bed for it (tub of sand).

[Cubeman]

My fish that covers the most real estate is the good old reliable yellow tang.

[Kevotron]

Flame Hawkfish !

[lastlight]

My leopard wrasse swims throughout the rockwork all over the tank. Maybe not in open water a whole lot but always hunting down the pods. He goes to bed earlier than all the other fish too but is really fun to watch. As soon as the main halide goes off he swims past his secret burial ground a few times until nobody is watching and POOF under the sand he goes.

[gobytron]

if you add another gramma or two, you will get MUCH more action out of them...

[Madreefer]

Another vote for a leopard wrasse. I have a potters wrasse which is pretty much the same thing. Not trying to hijack but those of you that have leopard wrasses, can you have more than one per tank?

[Ian]

My melanarus wrasse is great as is my yellow tang

[mattdean]

Not trying to hijack but those of you that have leopard wrasses, can you have more than one per tank?

I have 3. One Ornate Leopard Wrasse and 2 Blur Star Leopard Wrasse. The trick is, I believe to have all females. Hopefully one turns to a male and you get the variety.

[ScubaSteve]

I have a 90g reef with a foxface, 2 seabe clowns, 2 percs, a royal gramma and a yellowtail blue damsel in it. The royal gramma hides all day and the rest of the fish will only swim around one side of the tank in about 1 foot of space. This is leaving me with 3 feet of fishless tank. I am looking for a fish that is compatible with both my current fish and corals and likes to be an active swimmer. I've even tried feeding on the other side of the tank but only the blue damsel and my shrimp will make the trip across the tank for food. Any suggestions?

Dude, I've got the same issue. My clown, midas blenny and goby all hang out on one side of the tank. The only one that goes over to the other side is my mandarin but he stays pretty hidden in the LR looking for pods.

I'd second the wrasse vote. I have a 6-line in my nano and he's all over the place (not that he really has all that for to go). Since I've already got a wrasse in the other tank I've been looking for something different that'll swim on the other side of the tank.... so I'm gonna see what you go with here...

[mark0933]

Flame angel seem to cruise around all day in my tank.

Mark

[teemee]

Another vote for a leopard wrasse. I have a potters wrasse which is pretty much the same thing. Not trying to hijack but those of you that have leopard wrasses, can you have more than one per tank?

I have a common leopard and an ornate one, in a 75g.

I think dragon faced pipes are fantastic watching fishes. As well as Midas Blennies.
I would avoid any pygmy fish, or coral crouchers. I've seen mine, about twice?!

[Marlin65]

2nd the flame hawk mine is great to watch and goes all over the tank.

[dsaundry]

My fish that covers the most real estate is the good old reliable yellow tang.


+1:biggrin:

[intarsiabox]

Well, I picked up a yellow tang for a great price locally. It sure made a huge difference in my tank. The tang swims all over the place picking at everything in sight and now all the other fish have started to follow his lead. The only one who refuses to budge is the foxface. The leopard wrasses look awsome as well. I called a couple of places and nobody had any in stock. I'll wait a couple of weeks and then try again for one after I see how my tank is handling the bioload. Thank you for all of the ideas, it was a big help!

[Alleycat_99]

Flame Hawkfish !
+1 on the flame hawkfish it one of the most entertaining fish I have sean

[intarsiabox]

+1 on the flame hawkfish it one of the most entertaining fish I have sean

I saw one of these guys on the week-end and it's a great looking fish but I'm concerned that it may go after my shrimp. The one I saw spent about 5 minutes with his face pressed up against the glass staring at me.

[zum14]

I saw one of these guys on the week-end and it's a great looking fish but I'm concerned that it may go after my shrimp. The one I saw spent about 5 minutes with his face pressed up against the glass staring at me.


Im always having staring contests with my hawk. Funny fish. Lots of head turning and eye expression but mines not a huge all around the tank swimmer. More of a perch and stare.

[KPG007]

A word of warning with Leopard wrasses. they can be difficult to get eating brine shrimp and have been known to starve themselves to death. Make sure your LFS shows you that it is eating otherwise you might loose it.
Shops will loose 3 of every 4 leopard wrasses they get in, so a lot of them don't bother.
Also they can hide in the sand for the first few weeks when you first get them. That's why they are rated a 'difficult' fish to keep.