Fish suggestion thread

[ponokareefer]

I am having a difficult time determing what fish I should get next for my 125 gallon and was looking for help. My current stock list is in my signature. If you think I am already "full" or "overloaded", please let me know.

I have recently tried to add a cherub angel(took a risk on not being reef safe) and a firefish pair, but my hogfish terrorized them all. For this reason, I am not looking for smaller fish(ex.goby's) or more passive fish(cardinals). I am hoping to only get fish that won't risk my corals/anemones/clams/shrimp.

Here are a few fish I had considered but had reservations about:

Leopard Wrasse(difficult eaters)

4 Lyretail/Dispar/Bartlett Anthias(difficult to get eating)

Cirrhilabrus solorensis(I have read from many sources their colors fade a lot over time)

Longnose Hawkfish(possible shrimp eaters)

4 Flasher wrasse's(hogfish would likely terrorize them)

Take into consideration that I have a 125 gallon tank, but it is only 4 feet long. I tried a regal tank and a bluechin trigger, but both became very aggressive with time and paced as they got bigger. Also, I'm not big into spending a lot on a single fish as I have seen too many hardy fish die for no apparent reason. Also, I am hoping to get something with some different color than what I already have.

Thanks.

[Aquattro]

I have a Leopard Wrasse, it eats any food I put in the tank. Awesome fish, I'd recommend one.

[ponokareefer]

I have a Leopard Wrasse, it eats any food I put in the tank. Awesome fish, I'd recommend one.

Did you get it from the pet store like that, or did you have to switch it over from live foods?

[Aquattro]

It ate right out of the store, it's a very greedy fish :)

[gobytron]

aren't they quite docile fish?
I have never kept one, but was under the impression they did best in peaceful community tanks.

[Carmen]

My Leopard wrasse was a pig too, ate everything! Mike (ElGuappo) recently had one for sale from his tank (brother or sister to mine I believe so likely a pig too!)
Love the yellow Tail wrasse - striking black with white polka dots, and yellow tail and really neat eyes! Super active!

Also one of my fav fish was my blue face tile fish! Neat fish!

[Aquattro]

aren't they quite docile fish?
I have never kept one, but was under the impression they did best in peaceful community tanks.

My tank is a bit busy with a large XMas Wrasse, and the new Queen Angel is a bit bossy. A few large Tangs to mix things up, but the Leopard does just fine. Had him going on a year now.

[ponokareefer]

My Leopard wrasse was a pig too, ate everything! Mike (ElGuappo) recently had one for sale from his tank (brother or sister to mine I believe so likely a pig too!)
Love the yellow Tail wrasse - striking black with white polka dots, and yellow tail and really neat eyes! Super active!

Also one of my fav fish was my blue face tile fish! Neat fish!

I was under the impression that blueface tile fish are really difficult to keep alive as well as they are poor shippers. Maybe this is a myth.

The Yellowtailwrasse looks pretty interesting, almost similar to a lepard wrasse. I can't say that I have ever seen them before.

[Carmen]

I was under the impression that blueface tile fish are really difficult to keep alive as well as they are poor shippers. Maybe this is a myth.

The Yellowtailwrasse looks pretty interesting, almost similar to a lepard wrasse. I can't say that I have ever seen them before.

My tile fish seemed hardy enough-trouble was they jump...

No the yellowtails are not seen too often but I would absolutely include one in my future fish lists (if I could track one down...)
:-)

[ponokareefer]

I've got a covered top, so jumpers are not an issue.

[Carmen]

I've got a covered top, so jumpers are not an issue.

So did I...:lol: but they find a crack through occasionally:neutral:

[ponokareefer]

I see no one has comments on anthias. Is this because they are hard to keep alive, or have not many people kept them.

Also, I was condering a rabbit fish. I had one a long time ago when I had my regal, but they didn't get along at all.

[ponokareefer]

Well, I just realized that something ate all my shrimp over this last weekend. I thought maybe they were hiding, but I guess not. I guess the longnose hawkfish is definitely an option then. Anybody have any other suggestions on reef safe fish that may eat shrimp that might be an option?

[Gripenfelter]

Coral Beauty-very hardy.
Bellus or Lamarck's Angel.

Magnificent foxface or regular foxface.
Naso or blonde naso.

Always add fish at night or put mirrors up against the side of the tank to distract the aggressive tank mates during first introduction for a few hours.

[ponokareefer]

Coral Beauty-very hardy.
Bellus or Lamarck's Angel.

Magnificent foxface or regular foxface.
Naso or blonde naso.

Always add fish at night or put mirrors up against the side of the tank to distract the aggressive tank mates during first introduction for a few hours.

I'm not really interested in going with the larger fish in a 4 foot tank. Also, I've read to many times about people having issues with dwarf angels eating corals/clams.

I've also read a few reports now that foxfaces eat corals as they get bigger. Anyone on hear have those experiences?

[Gripenfelter]

I'm not really interested in going with the larger fish in a 4 foot tank. Also, I've read to many times about people having issues with dwarf angels eating corals/clams.

I've also read a few reports now that foxfaces eat corals as they get bigger. Anyone on hear have those experiences?

I have the above fish in my 120 gallon right now. Mind you I'm switching to a 180 gallon next year.

My coral beauty would pick on my clams but after he got used to the feeding schedule he stopped. My keyhole angel is very shy and killed an open brain and modern coral. He eats some food I give them but normally still pecks at corals. I heard they are notorious for it.

My Lamarck's angel is great. Doesn't bother anyone.

My foxface is getting big but never bothers any coral.

I would still recommend the above mentioned Coral Beauty or Lamarck's Angel.

[fishytime]

If there are no shrimp left in the system then hawk fish are cool.... Had a lognose before and a flame now and love them both..... I know you said that you didn't want to spend a ton, but I love my mystery wrasse..... Leopard wrasse or melenarus wrasse, beautiful fish with the added benefit of pest control.....what about a small group of scissortail dartfish or blue gudgeons?.....

[ponokareefer]

If what about a small group of scissortail dartfish or blue gudgeons?.....

I had thought about a small group of fish, but not sure that my hogfish wouldn't terrorize them like my firefish. Firefish are very timid though, but I'm not sure how timid those 2 specifically are compared to firefish. I had also thought about a group of zebra dartfish, but again, I'm not sure that the hogfish wouldn't haress them as well. I would think anthias would be aggressive enough that the hogfish wouldn't bother them too much.