Upgrading and looking for a centerpiece fish

[Perellis]

Just like the title says I'm upgrading my tank in a few months just waiting for the last of the cash for it. But I'm upgrading to a 90 that's the biggest I can keep in my home. What would be a good colourful fish that will live happily and as stress free as possible seeing as it is a fish out of it natural environment. I don't want anything that will eat at my corals though. Thanks for the help

[Perellis]

Oh I have a diamond watchman gobie and two clowns at the moment as well as a handful of corals

[Isaacs55]

possibly a wrasse of some sort...I would try a male blue leapord wrasse or an esquisite wrasse...check our liveaquaria.com
if its a 90 long maybe a tang...maybe
check out any of the dward angels as well

[Crooked Reef]

I would look towards wrasses personally. Yellow and purple wrasse, coris wrasse ,fairy wrasses, flasher wrasses etc. They are generally reef safe, look them up on live aquaria to be sure, will be out all the time once fully acclimated and sure of their safety, and are very active. The only one I have had that I didn't like was one of the ones designated as a Christmas wrasse. It was fine but never comes out when the lights are on even after 6 months. Truthfully I have given up even looking for it in the early morning and don't even know if mine is still alive. There are different species designated as Christmas wrasses though so you may have luck with one.

The dwarf Angels are hit and miss with corals. I have had a coral beauty that was a model citizen for years and died. I replaced it and the new one are every single polyp off of my birdsnest in a couple of days. I also believe it was responsible for my pipe organs demise.

[Isaacs55]

Originally Posted by Crooked Reef

I would look towards wrasses personally. Yellow and purple wrasse, coris wrasse ,fairy wrasses, flasher wrasses etc. They are generally reef safe, look them up on live aquaria to be sure, will be out all the time once fully acclimated and sure of their safety, and are very active. The only one I have had that I didn't like was one of the ones designated as a Christmas wrasse. It was fine but never comes out when the lights are on even after 6 months. Truthfully I have given up even looking for it in the early morning and don't even know if mine is still alive. There are different species designated as Christmas wrasses though so you may have luck with one.

The dwarf Angels are hit and miss with corals. I have had a coral beauty that was a model citizen for years and died. I replaced it and the new one are every single polyp off of my birdsnest in a couple of days. I also believe it was responsible for my pipe organs demise.

+1
forgot to mention that even with dwarf angels be very cautious becaue its like hit or miss with a reef tank

[pyithar]

a kole or a tomini tang would be nice

[heathlindner25]

Midas blenny are pretty

[Sapelo]

+1 Tomini tang -- we have a Bristletooth in our 90. Tons of personality.
Then again, wrasses are lovely too! We also have a red velvet fairy wrasse and I had no idea how much I would come to enjoy her movement and interaction.

[bigsink]

A pair of Bellus Angels or a pair of Flame wrasses.

[Saltliquid]

See if you can find a blue whiptail, they grow to a max of 8inches, always moving, feeds on anything you give it, harms nothing at all and very colourful, this is mine!

[kenpau]

I'd be looking at a Kole Tang or a Flame Angel as a show fish in a tank that size, although it's hit and miss with the Flame, definitely worth the risk though if you're confident you can catch it if you need to, it is a show stopper!

[Wsufan18]

I think you'll need more fish than 4 fish in a 90. I suggest waiting on the "centerpiece" fish and invest in more fish. Schools of green chromis, and a yellow tang would all be good starters.

[ericarenee]

Originally Posted by Wsufan18

I think you'll need more fish than 4 fish in a 90. I suggest waiting on the "centerpiece" fish and invest in more fish. Schools of green chromis, and a yellow tang would all be good starters.

chromis do not school together in a tank.. and they kill off the weakest one . one at a time..
Cardinal fish anthias

[Marchillo]

I'm battling with a similar dilemma with my 80G. Some of the wrasses are very nice but I only cover with eggcrate so that makes me nervous. I think I've settled on a Bartletts Anthias. I don't want to risk (caution with corals). I've read the Anthias can jump as well (as well as all fish) but I think it's less than the wrasses. I've thought about a kole tang as well but the color is close to my starry blenny and I think it could cause problems.

[kenpau]

Originally Posted by ericarenee

chromis do not school together in a tank.. and they kill off the weakest one . one at a time..
Cardinal fish anthias

Generally I agree that this is the case. However I've got a group in my tank that school together very closely. I lost one fish initially, and while still early days I have had seven fish for three months now with no loss or signs of aggression.
There is a thread going on here about them and there are a few people out there who have successfully kept them in groups, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any clear reason why some people have success and some don't.
It could be the presence of a very dominant fish causing them to keep their numbers and school for protection (I have an Emperor Angel), or other schooling fish to encourage the schooling behaviour ( I have 6 Dispar Anthias), or increased feeding to decrease aggression (I feed 5 times a day).
It is definitely more normal for them to end up as one, however there are some success stories out there.

[ericarenee]

Originally Posted by kenpau

Generally I agree that this is the case. However I've got a group in my tank that school together very closely. I lost one fish initially, and while still early days I have had seven fish for three months now with no loss or signs of aggression.
There is a thread going on here about them and there are a few people out there who have successfully kept them in groups, unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any clear reason why some people have success and some don't.
It could be the presence of a very dominant fish causing them to keep their numbers and school for protection (I have an Emperor Angel), or other schooling fish to encourage the schooling behaviour ( I have 6 Dispar Anthias), or increased feeding to decrease aggression (I feed 5 times a day).
It is definitely more normal for them to end up as one, however there are some success stories out there.

I agree.
I know i had 9 chromis They would stay together in the display and not pick each other off until i moved the Vlamingi tang out of the tank and into the pond. As she decided she liked to re decorate the tank by moving small corals around or beat them on the glass.. Once she was not playing Chromis bowling anymore the chromis changed behavior and started picking on the weakest... I now have 5 in the pond with the vlamingi and they stay together two in the display that actually spawn together. But OMG Right before spawning they are evil and Make this clicking sound that annoys me to no end......

[Perellis]

Originally Posted by Wsufan18

I think you'll need more fish than 4 fish in a 90. I suggest waiting on the "centerpiece" fish and invest in more fish. Schools of green chromis, and a yellow tang would all be good starters.

Why would I need more than four fish in a 90gallon. wouldn't it be a matter of preference on how many I have in the tank. I want my reef tank to have an abundance of coral/growth on them with a few fish swimming around. Just wondering
Everyone thank you for your opinions wrasses seem nice but I might not run it with a lid and the jumping out doesn't sit to well with me. Also I have been looking into chromis but if they won't always school and just kill each other I don't want that happening. And I definitely don't want anything that is place cautiously with corals. Again thank you for all the great ideas

[Shawn O]

A pair of Indian Ocean Lyretail Anthias would look good in your tank and be quite colorful. Max size should be 5", probably a bit smaller for the female.

[Spacekitty]

Originally Posted by Perellis

Why would I need more than four fish in a 90gallon. wouldn't it be a matter of preference on how many I have in the tank. I want my reef tank to have an abundance of coral/growth on them with a few fish swimming around. Just wondering
Everyone thank you for your opinions wrasses seem nice but I might not run it with a lid and the jumping out doesn't sit to well with me. Also I have been looking into chromis but if they won't always school and just kill each other I don't want that happening. And I definitely don't want anything that is place cautiously with corals. Again thank you for all the great ideas

You don't need more than four fish in the tank. How many fish you want is your choice. Its always better to have less fish than risking overstocking because you are determined to have a full tank. A lot of people do coral only tanks and those are just fine too. I personally like the look of a mostly coral tank with a couple fish just for the movement and personalities. I would not try to get a bunch of chromis. Marine fish just don't school well in tanks, especially smaller ones, and will normally kill each other. Some people get them to live peacefully, but it is rare.

If you are worried about fish jumping out, a mesh top works well. It blocks out less light than eggcrate anyway, and you can get it with small enough holes that the fish can't get out.

[Sk8r]

To a certain extent a 'centerpiece' fish tends to grow into the job. I have a damsel 105 with a variety of damsels and other fishes---all different kinds: I find two of most things create problems of aggression. All fishes started about the same size, but of my two dascyllus damsels, the golden domino has appointed herself queen bee. She is twice the size of the other dascyllus, a 3-stripe, probably male, and the others kowtow to her, especially when she's in a mood. This is not atypical of fish in an area. One fish will grow, and the others will stay smaller. Happens also in my koi pond, entirely unrelated species.

Schooling is a protective behavior. Damsels will school in the presence of a threat or larger damsel. Take the dominant out, and the behavior becomes chaotic until a new threat grows into the job.

[nuxx]

Midas Blenny would be a good choice