Predators and Carnivores

Chago09 · 05/05/2009, 01:01 PM

Ok I started in the hobby long ago with South and Central American cichlids. Basically the biggest and the baddest. Then got rid of all my large tanks when I got into the SW hobby.

Well I have my 90 gallon reef going fairly well. But I was planning on setting up perhaps another 90 gallon but wanted something like I used to have. A predator which will eat live foods etc. I find it very exciting having almost like a wet pet, that strikes hard at live foods etc. Now it seems to me that in the SW hobby the only fish that fit the description as my old cichlids are fish that require gigantic tanks like sharks, tavallis, groupers etc. Is there anything that is suitable for a 90 gallon?

der_wille_zur_macht · 05/05/2009, 01:04 PM

Lots of choices - you may be better served asking in the Fish Only & Aggressive forum.

Will it be a species tank (i.e. one inhabitant) or do you want to have a mix?

Anemone0524 · 05/05/2009, 01:11 PM

Lionfish.

Seems to be the most common. They are straight-up killers.

Uncle Salty 05 · 05/05/2009, 01:14 PM

V-tail groupers fit the bill pretty well.
Most of the groupers in the hobby do.
I had a V-tail that was really vicious.

romsoccer12 · 05/05/2009, 02:08 PM

honestly get a peacock mantis there amazing to watch and you dont need that big expensive 90gal type it in on youtube and watch them fight

Sajbchs · 05/05/2009, 03:37 PM

Undulated triggerfish.

KarlBob · 05/05/2009, 04:05 PM

I'll second the mantis shrimp nomination. There are indeed amazing videos on YouTube showing the ferocity of these little guys. Instead of a 90 gallon tank, you can keep one quite comfortably in a 10 or 20 gallon tank.

sevendigitcake · 05/06/2009, 06:48 AM

are you looking for one fish or a couple fish? If it is one fish, go with an undulate trigger. They are probably the meanest fish you can get and would be a perfect fit for this tank. but be warned that if you decide you want tankmates for the trigger, you will find that the trigger will more than likely kill the fish. If you want a community, you go with a group of dwarf lionfish, thallasoma wrasse are mean, some of the dottybacks can be nasty, certain hawkfish can be terrors, and there are other triggers like the bursa or picasso that can be mena but kept in a community. Oh yeah dont put any of the fish with lionfish; if the lionfish can eat it it will, and triggers nip lionfish.

Uncle Salty 05 · 05/06/2009, 06:53 AM

Triggers are mean but they do not swallow their live prey whole which is what I think he is looking for.

sevendigitcake · 05/06/2009, 06:56 AM

ok my mistake, in that case a russell lionfish would be perfect, not as big as a volitan but just as beautiful

IslandCrow · 05/06/2009, 08:12 AM

There are also a host of eels (some more practical than others) that you may be interested in.

05/05/2009, 01:01 PM	#1
Chago09 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Georgetown Posts: 1,132	Predators and Carnivores Ok I started in the hobby long ago with South and Central American cichlids. Basically the biggest and the baddest. Then got rid of all my large tanks when I got into the SW hobby. Well I have my 90 gallon reef going fairly well. But I was planning on setting up perhaps another 90 gallon but wanted something like I used to have. A predator which will eat live foods etc. I find it very exciting having almost like a wet pet, that strikes hard at live foods etc. Now it seems to me that in the SW hobby the only fish that fit the description as my old cichlids are fish that require gigantic tanks like sharks, tavallis, groupers etc. Is there anything that is suitable for a 90 gallon? __________________ Currently no tank!

05/05/2009, 01:04 PM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Lots of choices - you may be better served asking in the Fish Only & Aggressive forum. Will it be a species tank (i.e. one inhabitant) or do you want to have a mix? __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

05/05/2009, 01:11 PM	#3
Anemone0524 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NoVA Posts: 434	Lionfish. Seems to be the most common. They are straight-up killers. __________________ Aaron 150g rimless 60x30x20, ATI Sunpower x8, 2 48" Reefbrite Blue LED, MSX 200, Vortech MP40w x 2, BRS CA/ALK Dosers, Biopellets and GFO

05/05/2009, 01:14 PM	#4
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	V-tail groupers fit the bill pretty well. Most of the groupers in the hobby do. I had a V-tail that was really vicious. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

05/05/2009, 02:08 PM	#5
romsoccer12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ohio Posts: 2,625	honestly get a peacock mantis there amazing to watch and you dont need that big expensive 90gal type it in on youtube and watch them fight __________________ Colin R Current Tank Info: 3rd tank working fine!(29gal oceanic biocube) 5-6months old

05/05/2009, 03:37 PM	#6
Sajbchs Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 67	Undulated triggerfish.

05/05/2009, 04:05 PM	#7
KarlBob Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Laveen, AZ Posts: 2,309	I'll second the mantis shrimp nomination. There are indeed amazing videos on YouTube showing the ferocity of these little guys. Instead of a 90 gallon tank, you can keep one quite comfortably in a 10 or 20 gallon tank. __________________ Later, KarlBob Current Tank Info: No tanks for now. Starting over in Austin sometime next year.

05/06/2009, 06:48 AM	#8
sevendigitcake Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 452	are you looking for one fish or a couple fish? If it is one fish, go with an undulate trigger. They are probably the meanest fish you can get and would be a perfect fit for this tank. but be warned that if you decide you want tankmates for the trigger, you will find that the trigger will more than likely kill the fish. If you want a community, you go with a group of dwarf lionfish, thallasoma wrasse are mean, some of the dottybacks can be nasty, certain hawkfish can be terrors, and there are other triggers like the bursa or picasso that can be mena but kept in a community. Oh yeah dont put any of the fish with lionfish; if the lionfish can eat it it will, and triggers nip lionfish.

05/06/2009, 06:53 AM	#9
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	Triggers are mean but they do not swallow their live prey whole which is what I think he is looking for. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

05/06/2009, 06:56 AM	#10
sevendigitcake Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 452	ok my mistake, in that case a russell lionfish would be perfect, not as big as a volitan but just as beautiful

05/06/2009, 08:12 AM	#11
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	There are also a host of eels (some more practical than others) that you may be interested in. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?