Reef Tank Fish Selection Sucks?

[Scizzle]

So after 9-10 months of reading about this hobby I've determined that the fish selection you can have in a reef tank sucks.

If you want bigger fish ( ie tangs, butterflyfish, angels ) they all are extremely susceptible to disease*and will most likely kill off your whole tank;*or you can't have them because your big a$$ tank isn't big enough for them in 3 years; or they aren't reef safe enough.

So you are left with a fox face which is cool but all it does is hide.

Anybody else feel this way. I almost wish I hadn't read anything and just bought the fish I truly wanted, but now I'm too afraid to buy anything that is bigger than a clownfish and I can only have 2 of those because they will kill each other too.

I have 3 gobies, 2 clowns, 2 bangais, 3 chromis and a foxface.

I want more fish but I can't get a basslet, dottyback or a damsel because they all kill each other.
I can't have any wrasses, firefish or hawkfish because I don't have a tight fitting lid.

I'm annoyed and considering a blonde naso tang in my 5ft 110 gallon tank because its beautiful and I can't take it anymore.

I need some good advice here I want a bigger fish damnit.

Any suggestions?

[Sithlord95]

How bout a bluejaw trigger, from what I've read they are the "reef safest" of the triggers. Almost everyone that has posted about them says they are great

[Reefmedic79]

Get a bigger tank, or just get what you want and deal with the consequences if there are any. I don't condone putting a Naso in 5 foot tank, but you certainly won't be the first person to do it and have either not had a problem with it or suffered a loss.

I can't speak for the forum, but I believe most of us are into reef keeping for the corals anyhow.

[trinidiver]

scizzle, you can put a number of fish with no problems.
royal gramma, flasher wrasses, anthias, mandarin, smaller hawkfish (geometric or longnose) Angels (bellus, lamarcs and swallowtail)

[mike r]

i had 4 tangs in my 125g with no probs.

[Empty Bottles]

There are a lot of tangs that can fit in a 5 ft 110 gallon. Check the sticky. From what I've read you're a little on the small side for the reccomended tank size, but you could try a group of anthias. Or heniochus

[Guygettnby]

just make yourself a screen top so you wont have any jumpers. its very easy and does not cost much. make it using screen door frame and bird netting. doesnt block any light and will prevent you from loosing any fish.

also if you dont have a secure top stay away from anthias.... they are jumpers. stay away from mandarins unless you have a fuge, lots and lots of rock work and a mature system... if you look at a heniochus make sure you do your research as there are several different kinds of heniochus and only 1 of them is reef safe from my understanding. my wife really wants one so i have been doing alot of reading on that fish.

[ken55]

Just my .02

There is a downside to just about every fish. As you mentioned, this one's a bully, this one hides, that one gets too big, that one is a predator, this one has a specialized diet, that one is ugly, etc etc.

As for the tangs, those are guidlines for a best case scenario. You will not be thrown in prison, have you credit ruined or lose your drivers license because you put a tang into a 5ft 110g tank.

In the end it's YOUR tank. Enjoy the hobby as you see fit. Go get a tang if you really want one that bad. Just remember that some of them do get big.

[KCombs]

As for the tangs, those are guidlines for a best case scenario. You will not be thrown in prison, have you credit ruined or lose your drivers license because you put a tang into a 5ft 110g tank.

There ya go....
I think the "Tang police"s job was more of guideline and education...too many newbies were buying blue, yellow & zebra tangs and plopping them into a 55g (heck I did long ago)

[trinidiver]

Originally Posted by ken55

Just my .02

There is a downside to just about every fish. As you mentioned, this one's a bully, this one hides, that one gets too big, that one is a predator, this one has a specialized diet, that one is ugly, etc etc.

As for the tangs, those are guidlines for a best case scenario. You will not be thrown in prison, have you credit ruined or lose your drivers license because you put a tang into a 5ft 110g tank.

In the end it's YOUR tank. Enjoy the hobby as you see fit. Go get a tang if you really want one that bad. Just remember that some of them do get big.

[SecretiveFish]

Originally Posted by Scizzle

So after 9-10 months of reading about this hobby I've determined that the fish selection you can have in a reef tank sucks....

I have definitely felt that way, often. I want this but this will kill that and might take out theother, but that will not take out theother but will take out..... I often wish I had just gone with a fowlr as it turns out a lot of the fish I like are fowlr only candidates. Anywho, looks like I will have a fowlr someday, probably a bigger tank too.

Originally Posted by Scizzle

I'm annoyed and considering a blonde naso tang in my 5ft 110 gallon tank because its beautiful and I can't take it anymore.

Totally hear ya on the blonde naso tang, but trust me you would be sorrier that you got one when it outgrows your tank. This is how I know... had a blonde naso tang in a 6 ft 150 gallon tank for ~1 year until it outgrew the tank and became aggressive towards my other fish and started acting a little weird. I had to remove ~85% of the water and mess up my a bit of my aquascape to get him out. Half a day project there plus having to get rid of a fish I had grown attached to.

Originally Posted by Scizzle

Any suggestions?

My suggestions:
- Kole Tang or Tomini Tang
- Yellow Tang (should be OK in there, I am sure others will disagree though)
- Longnose hawkfish (he stayed in just fine for me with an eggcrate lid)
- Yellow longnose butterfly or copperbanded butterfly (these can be touchy, but in an aged tank and with a healthy specimen I think you could do it)
- Blenny (midas, starry or bi-color would be my suggestions)

[reeferstace]

Many seasoned veterans with decades of experience have combined to create such guides that are available here on RC. IMO, we, as hobbyists, have an obligation to provide our animals with an environment that gives them a chance to live their lives in good health. If you want a fish that gets 12" or more, then provide a tank big enough for it to thrive in.

Naso tangs are my favorite fish, hands down. I have a 5' tank and never did put a Naso in it because I know it's ultimately too small. I obtained an 8' tank just so that I can have the Naso I always wanted. He's a small one about 2-2.5" currently in QT. He will eventually reside in my 300g.

[Scizzle]

Thx for the fish suggestions.

I know, I like coral better than fish in most cases. I have just been fed up with wanting a bigger fish and knowing I shouldn't have it or I'm too worried its gonna get a disease and kill my whole tank. I should've gone bigger I guess, but I think it'd be too much to handle, this tanks big enough for now. I'll steer clear of the naso.