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View Full Version : Looking for "centerpiece" fish



Captain Jack
Fri, 11th Feb 2011, 12:44 AM
I have a 36x24x18 reef tank; so approx 67 gallons.
Is this too small to keep a Kole Tang or Foxface happy? If so, any other recommendations?

Other thoughts are: flame (or other dwarf) angel or hawkfish. Maybe Midas or stary blenny. Basically I want mediumish-size fish, Bright colors and/or personality. ...or I might just try a lion fish and get rid of anything else that isn't compatible, that might rekindle some interest/excitement for the hobby in me.

Tank has been stable with few changes for close to a year I think. Lots of rock with various openings and swim path-ways.
Corals: various softies, zoas, mushrooms, caps, birdsnest, candycane, etc...
Other Inverts: No shrimp or hermits. Some snails. A couple large feather dusters (2+ years old).
Fish: pair of perculas, large banghi cardinal, orange-tail damsel, randalls gobie. I recently lost a coral beauty angel when it jumped out of the tank while no one was home. :-(

SABOB
Sat, 12th Feb 2011, 11:57 PM
I have a Foxface and Rusty Angel in a 55 gallon with a sump and refugium.Both are fat and happy.Watch Dwarf Angels with corals, could be problems.

Captain Jack
Sun, 13th Feb 2011, 12:59 AM
In determining if the tank is large enough for fish, some people think the length is more critical than total gallons because the fish needs the room to swim back and forth. so even though I have close to 70 gallons (plus sump), it's still only 3 feet long. So I'm wondering if people had experience one-way-or-another. I.E. is a 3 foot tank too short for either foxface or Kole tang (regardless of total gallons).

I'm thinking probably foxface + starry blenny. or foxface + dwarf lion - existing fish.

BTW, I found a cleaner shrimp in the refugium that has been MIA for a couple months. crazy considering I was doing major cleaning it out a week ago without seeing it!

justahobby
Sun, 13th Feb 2011, 01:36 AM
One of the problems with too small of space is they being very skiddish. I have had small gangs in my 58g and learned my lesson. I won't add another without going to 4 ft (and sticking with the smallest of tangs too.) Foxfaces get pretry big and, from what I understand, are even more timid than tangs .

Other options would be a nice school or reef safe wrasse

profntbtr
Sun, 13th Feb 2011, 10:30 AM
you should snag one of the genicanthus angels, either a lamarck's or a watanabe, or a blackspotted. all beautiful and not often seen in the hobby. even better they are midwater planktivores, so there is next to no danger of them turning corallivores

Big_Pun
Sun, 13th Feb 2011, 10:52 AM
before my mishap I had a orange shoulder tang, med foxface, adult yellow wrasse, coral beauty, and 3 other small fish. with no problem in 3 foot tank, 36x18x25. I'm restocking now and i have Gabe on the look out for a spotted bristle tooth tang(smaller tang). you could also look for a nice wrasse or a large Mandarin( i have one and everyone notices it) b

Kristy
Sun, 13th Feb 2011, 11:09 AM
+1 on the genicanthus angels as a beautiful and unusual addition to your reef, but profntbtr forgot to mention the most beautiful of that family, the bellus. I really love our female bellus angel who has never given us a moment of trouble and never looked twice at our corals - far more truly reef safe than any dwarf angel!