Fish suggestions (color) please

[Menace2Sobriety]

I have a 72 gal bowfront (4' long) with a 30 gal sump.

I realize my stocking options are limited but I do want a good variety of bright colours.

Currently I have 2 false percs. And a yellow tail blue damsel. So I got orange and blue covered. I'm buying a spotted foxface this weekend.

Can anyone make some suggestions of REEF SAFE fish with different colors that'll fit in my tank?

My biggest issue is the desire to keep several bright and different colors but being too new to the hobby to really know what's out there. I was thinking flame angel but have heard they nip corals?

I'd love a bright purple fish but the grammas are small and I don't wanna waste my limited space with a bunch of tiny fish.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Menace

[RayL]

In a tank your size, some small fish is a better idea then a couple large ones IMO.

A small, but nice purple fish is the Helfrichi firefish

[thegrun]

Flame Angel

[Crooked Reef]

Firefish, Midas blenny, fairy or flasher wrasse

[Crooked Reef]

Is that a Hawk in your sump?

[Menace2Sobriety]

Originally Posted by Crooked Reef

Is that a Hawk in your sump?

Hah! Funny you noticed that. Yes it is (Falco Hawkfish).... until Friday anyway. Was either someone else flushed it or I threw it in my sump till I found a home for it. Figured the latter was the lesser of the 2 evils.

I hate to see fish get killed off simply because they don't "fit" well with someone's tank. Seeings hawks don't swim all that much I figured the sump would at least keep him alive for a few days till I found an owner for it.

Menace

[Spork3245]

4 feet wide? You have a lot of options:
Royal Gramma, Coral Beauty, One-Spot Foxface (not foxface lo), flasher and/or fairy wrasse, green mandarin (if your pod population is high!!!), Flame Angel (mine will nip at some, not all, LPS once in awhile but ultimately leaves them alone), Clown Goby, Neon Goby, various Watchman Gobies.
The wrasses and dwarf angels would be the most active and colorful afaik. Grammas may be small but you can spot them a mile away due to their brightness btw.

[Crooked Reef]

Originally Posted by Menace2Sobriety

Hah! Funny you noticed that. Yes it is (Falco Hawkfish).... until Friday anyway. Was either someone else flushed it or I threw it in my sump till I found a home for it. Figured the latter was the lesser of the 2 evils.

I hate to see fish get killed off simply because they don't "fit" well with someone's tank. Seeings hawks don't swim all that much I figured the sump would at least keep him alive for a few days till I found an owner for it.

Menace

I used to have a Falco. Loved that fish and I would get another in an instant if it wasnt for my inverts. Mine never bothered my snails and hermits, but I have shrimp now and just don't trust one.

[Menace2Sobriety]

Originally Posted by Crooked Reef

I used to have a Falco. Loved that fish and I would get another in an instant if it wasnt for my inverts. Mine never bothered my snails and hermits, but I have shrimp now and just don't trust one.

Well this one got kicked out of my buddies tank cuz it was bugging his sand sifting goby and his lawnmower blenny.... both would spend more time on powerheads than on the substrate cuz the hawkfish would pick at them. Left his cleaner shrimp alone though... but with fish it can quite often be hit and miss aggression wise.

I'm trading him for a frogspawn tomorrow.

Menace

[ReeferKimberly]

Avoid the foxface, they can go a little crazy in a tank under like 150. Not saying it will necessarily die but it might swim back and forth and develop a pattern like tigers pacing in captivity. I have seen it happen in a 75. Substitute the yellow with a yellow watchman goby. Very neat fish.

Or I would say lemon peel angel or yellow clown goby...but both can be known to nip corals if hungry enough.

[trinidiver]

A gramma is really not going to make a big dent in your system.......very colorful fish with a lot of spunk. I have 0ne in my 6ft and trust me, he brings alot of color to my tank. Every one sees him first in my tank beacuse of the color way before my tangs. As the other reefers said, firefish, coral beauty and wrasses. Solon wrasse is very nice. You can even look at a midas blenny and even the cherub angel. Lot smaller than the flame. Think you might need a little more rock for angels though. How long has the tank been up.

[jerseygurl]

I would get rid of the damsel now while you can, he's bound to cause you problems in the future.

[formsix]

Maybe an orchid dottyback? I think you'll want fish that can hold their own with the damsel -- he might terrorize some of the more peaceful wrasses. A midas blenny would be another good option, I think.

[trinidiver]

Originally Posted by jerseygurl

I would get rid of the damsel now while you can, he's bound to cause you problems in the future.

Agreed on that (getting the damsel out)...... anything big or small that comes in on their territory will feel its wrath.

With the other poster, the dottyback might have to go in last.

Some other fish that will be nice are some anthais....2-3. real nice color

[toothybugs]

I'd say no dottyback if you're planning to have any shrimp, otherwise have at it. Some seriously colorful options that way.

Yellow-headed sleeper goby?

Ruby Red dragonet?

Those two should fill in a couple holes for you on the friges of your water column.

[ah_notty]

Originally Posted by ReeferKimberly

Avoid the foxface, they can go a little crazy in a tank under like 150. Not saying it will necessarily die but it might swim back and forth and develop a pattern like tigers pacing in captivity. I have seen it happen in a 75. Substitute the yellow with a yellow watchman goby. Very neat fish.

Or I would say lemon peel angel or yellow clown goby...but both can be known to nip corals if hungry enough.

Maybe thats like a prediction with the Flame Angel. SOME will pick at corals and SOME do not. I have a foxface and hes not crazy. Swims peacefully around my 75 gallon tank and hangs out mostly with my yellow eyed Kole Tang. Ive seen several videos on Youtube of other foxfaces behaving the same way as mine.

[Solar Dragon]

Originally Posted by ah_notty

Maybe thats like a prediction with the Flame Angel. SOME will pick at corals and SOME do not. I have a foxface and hes not crazy. Swims peacefully around my 75 gallon tank and hangs out mostly with my yellow eyed Kole Tang. Ive seen several videos on Youtube of other foxfaces behaving the same way as mine.

From what i read and understand Flame Angels usually only nip corals when there not being feed enough

[Menace2Sobriety]

I can't have a dottyback. Bought a bi-color and he beat the crap outta the damsel over and over again and wouldn't quit. Then he chewed half the legs off my peppermint shrimp. He's currently in quarrantine and has been sold pending pick up tomorrow. Lol

Too bad really cuz it was cheap and super colorful!

Also... I need the Foxface. I broke several "rules" regarding handling/curing of live rock and I need a grazing fish big time or I'm gonna end up in an algae mess a month from now!

Menace

[trinidiver]

algae blenny

[Spork3245]

Originally Posted by ReeferKimberly

Avoid the foxface, they can go a little crazy in a tank under like 150. Not saying it will necessarily die but it might swim back and forth and develop a pattern like tigers pacing in captivity. I have seen it happen in a 75. Substitute the yellow with a yellow watchman goby. Very neat fish.

Or I would say lemon peel angel or yellow clown goby...but both can be known to nip corals if hungry enough.

That's actually Foxface Lo you're thinking of, One-Spot Foxfaces are several inches smaller and are suitable for 4' long tanks. Foxface lo can get 9-10" in size, One-Spots top out around 6-7".

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...04&pcatid=2704