small fish recommendations

[polarbear]

Hey everyone. I know that people are always asking about fish and which ones they should get but I need some help with ideas for small reef safe fish. Im looking for some small ones that will do well in my reef tank. I want to add more color and movement to the tank but dont want any more large fish. I have the following fish already so they will have to be able to get along with them. Thanks for any advice you can give.

I currently have:

Blue Hippo Tang
Yellow Tang
Fox Face
Six Line Wrasse
Breading pair of Clowns
Pistol Shrimp

[alton]

I love my Pair of Flame angels?

[FireWater]

In my experience since you already have a 6line that is at home in the tank it rules out a lot of wrasses. The 6limes can be mean.

How big is the tank again? How small are we talking?

small group of cardinals would be cool.
2 spot or candy hog.
Just a couple that popped into my head at the moment.

[Scutterborn]

I think it's a 90, John.

I'm thinking of a pair of Pajama Cardinals. I've always thought they were interesting.

I also like the idea of a hogfish.


- Ben -

[cniles]

I have almost same exact fish in my 90 minus fox face and have 3 pj cardinals and I love em. U can't go wrong with cardinals

[sdunn90fowlr]

I agree. A small group of cardinals, or a small group of green chromis. I always loved green chromis due to their schooling nature and nice color.

[polarbear]

Thanks Ben and yes it's a standard 90 gallon tank. I use to have a PJ cardinal but it passed. It was old and finally lost its battle. I like all of the suggestions. I thought about the chromis but the blue reef kind. Also had some other fish in mind to choose from. I looked up small reef safe fish. Can you let me know what you think? Just FYI I'm not planning on getting all of these.

Hector's goby
rainfords goby
neon goby
red spotted goby
firefish
purple fire fish
royal gramma basslet
bicolor dottyback
Purple dottyback

[Flyride95]

The purple fire fish is awesome. I have one in my aquarium and I must say I look at him the most.

[polarbear]

Ya that's one that I'm leaning towards. I love the color.

[Kristy]

Check out the orchid dottyback, they are available as ORA aquacultured, have amazing color, and are much nicer than their almost identical looking purple dottyback cousins who are known for their nasty dispositions. We have one (orchid dottyback ORA) in our 20 hex with a tiny green clown goby and a tailspot blenny who is full of personality and cute as can be!

[Sherita]

The Hectors and Rainfords are very difficult to keep alive in home aquaria, just an FYI. The rest of your list looks great. Personally, I'm a big fan of firefish. You might want to consider the possum wrasse and the zebra bar goby as well. Both have a ton of personality. Also, the tail spot Benny is a real character.

I don't like clown gobies at all. I had to tear a tank apart to get one out, he was taking bites out of every coral in the tank. Never again.

[polarbear]

Thanks for the FYI. I didn't know that about them. Ill look up the other fish you suggested as well

[polarbear]

bump. any other suggestions?

[FireWater]

The tailspot blenny and king midas blenny are pretty cool. I have both in my tank.
Like Kristy said look for the ORA dotty back. Less aggressive.

A lot of it is personal preference. Just look around and then do the research to see what would be best for you.

[polarbear]

thanks

[EpicWin]

Polar. Just FYI. With that list of fish u basically have an aggressive tank.

[bugj51]

I ve have rainfords gobies in older tanks. I currently have one in my tank. Ive never had a problem keeping one. This guy sifts the sand alot. He doesn t eat pellets.

[polarbear]

I'm not to sure about that. The fish I have all get along great and are shy when it comes to getting to close to the tank unless its feeding time. The only to that pick on each other are the mated clowns. But then again it might be lovers play. I've seen others with the same fish and they have no issues either. Not saying that your not right becuase of the fish I have listed becuase I know that all fish are different. Ill keep a close eye on any fish I add to the tank and if I see a problem ill pull them quick. Thanks for the heads up.

[Sherita]

Bugj51. Rainfords and hectors are not sand sifters. They require a tank with filamentous algae, they eat the small pods and other small life forms that live in and on the algae.

Op, sorry for the thread hijack.

[polarbear]

It's cool.

[OrionN]

I think you fish load is a littel high with large fish. I would remove one of the big three, but everybody is different. I am sure you can keep them thriving.

Small fish that I like are:
Royal Gramma. You can keep a harem of them in your tank. Maybe three in the 90 g tank, they will breed in your tank, colorful and nice interesting behavior. If you don't feed them a good diet their color will fade a little. If you go this rout you need to get small ones that keep together in LFS. Male RG will kill each other and they turn male very quick if stay alone for any length of time. Best to have LFS put them together on arrival and they should be fine. Get the smallest ones you can find. They should be fine with the rest of the fish in your tank, even with a mean fish like 6-line.

I love Marine Beta. On in your tank is great but they are secretive and only after several months you will be able to enjoy his beauty.

Mandarin is a great fish but it will have problem with you six-line. Donot kepp Mandarin with 6-line.

If you have a sand bed, one of the shrimp goby is very interesting. Which one is up to you.

One or two of the jaw fish, even the yellow head Jawfish, are very beautiful and interesting fish.

Orchid dotty back are grate fish and should also do well in your tank. Color fad is a problem unless it get good diet. Can keep pair that will breed

I would avoid clown goby in a SPS tank. They will kill a patch of SPS to make a nest and this can potentially cause death of the colony.