Ramblings about fish stocking

[NateHanson]

The last of my 4 chromis has finally disappeared (I never found any of them, but assume they became carpet-surfing cat treats).

Things are looking empty, so I'd like suggestions of some small, bright, active not too-expensive background fish for the tank. Think of them as attractive extras in the music video that is my reef tank.

My lead singer is a Majestic Angel. The Doo-Op girls are a pair of clowns. The reclusive drummer is my YashiHaze Goby (who is now living between two acro colonies near the top of the rock work ). And my hardworking Roadie is a Lawnmower Blenny named Bart.

I've considered getting a psych. mandarin again (not sure what instrument he'll bring). Or I've been toying with getting a small indo-pacific kole tang for nibbling the occasional tuft of Hair Algae, but I'm probably on the small end for housing that one. Not decided yet.

I've also toyed with getting a couple chromis again because I like the movement they add, but not sure if I want to keep feeding my cat that way.

The tank is a 65g, soon to have a 55g sump, with about 100# of rock, and a large skimmer.

Thoughts? Admonishments?

 

[dz6t]

how about a school of small yellow tangs

Ok, sorry, now for real, how about some yellow tail damsels? They are not that bad after all.

 

[NateHanson]

eh. Most of my fish are pretty shy, so I don't want any borderline personalities.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Nate, for some reason I have never been able to keep chromis' for a long period in my tank. They just seem to dissapear! I currently have 3 Anthias, 2 females and one supermale. They definitely light up any tank. They need to be kept 1 male to N females; 2 males will not get along in the same tank. Supposedly they need to be fed 3 times a day, but I feed only once and they are doing fine...they may be getting some nourishment from my refugium. These fish love all foods, but especially cyclopeeze and mysis. There are many types of anthias ...mine are the squamipinnis, two of which are shown on Tullock's great book "Natural Reef Aquariums". I got them at Tropic Isle in framingham and they have been doing great for the last 2 years or so.

 

[NateHanson]

That'd be neat to have a trio of anthias (anthia?). I've never young anthias though. They always seem to be a good 2 1/2-3" long by the time they make it to the store. Is that your experience?

If I could get a set of small ones, I'd probably be happy to call it a full tank with that.

 

[Chris L]

nate i just saw some bartlett anthias at seaworld pet in salem. they had male and females and they are about 2 inches. if your interested

 

[NateHanson]

Thanks Chris.

I'll peek in there after my daughter's class tomorrow at "MyGym".

 

[dima96]

what about a pair or trio sunburst athias. the aren't the cheapest fish but they don't need the room some of the other athias do.

 

[NateHanson]

Is that right Doug? Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check into it.

 

[synchiropi]

February's Tank of the Month at Reef Central had a school of "purple-eye" cardinals. I don't think there was a close picture of them and I don't think I was able to find them online after a quick look. They were little transparent fishes with a purple-reddish zone around their eyes.

 

[NateHanson]

Yeah, Cardinals wouldn't be a bad idea. After thinking about it/looking into it, I'm not sure I've got the room to keep an anthias posse happy. What do you folks think? 65g big enough for anthias? (anthiases? )

 

[nitrofish]

fem. purple queen anthia

 

[NateHanson]

Can you keep two female anthia without a male?

 

[~Flighty~]

Anthias are jumpers too. Not as bad as wrasses, but still jumpers.

I have three Randall's anthias and the supermale gets more beautiful every day and I haven't had the predicted problems with once a day feedings either.
My big problem with them is that they just don't have that much personality. They are skittish and just sit there with a vacant look on their faces. All of the other fish "do stuff" and are interesting to watch. The male will sometimes do a quick lap around a female, but he just seems like he's being a jerk.

I had bar gobies when I first started. They were neet to watch and not many people have them. They swim together and try to look like seagrass, but would sometimes stir up the sand by darting into their cave. Jumpers too.

Seeing tangs in the wild made me understand why people become tang police. Some fish stay close to the reef to do their thing, but the tangs were out crusing around. It would be a bit like keeping an antalope in a cage.

Butterflyfish are fantastic. Mine has partnered with my mandarin and they hunt together. He always is the most interesting fish to watch.

 

[~Flighty~]

anthias turn male like clowns turn female

 

[JustDavidP]

Nate, my pigs...er...Banggai are JUST about ready to spit another clutch of fry. If you are interested, lemme know. The male has smartened up now, after his 4th batch, and is hard to catch. I used to be able to scoop him with the net easily. Now, as soon as I open the canopy, he's gone. I've put netting around the pumps of my skimmer and Mag7, hoping to save SOME of the babies, but it's all a crap shoot now. I'll fish out as many as I can from the sump and set them in the grow out tank. Let me know if you want some. They are already free swimming in his mouth and will probably be "baptized" tonight after the photoperiod.

Dave

 

[Moe_K]

How about the very long nose butterfly? It's reef-safe. It has great color.
Get one that you see eating in the fish store.

 

[jmkeary]

nate could try a copperband or maybe some small flasher wrasses? or what about one of those tiny hippo tangs that are around?

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Anthias

Can you keep two female anthia without a male?

If you bought two young anthias, the smaller would turn female and the larger one would turn male. I think you would be all set with a pair.

 

[shearwater]

Nate, How about a nice, plump yellow coris wrasse? Seriously, I thought the long-nose hawk fish was a fascinating member. Unfortunately, he made a mysterious disappearance one day. Maybe he jumped ... no evidence, body found - if so, I suspect the cat cleaned up after the suicide. Besides this fish's interesting feeding habits and rotating eyes, I liked the way he inhabited a specialized spatial niche - resting on corals - instead of contantly swimming around.