Active fish for rocks?

[newton]

Hey all, I've just started my marine tank (38 gallons, 30 lbs of live rock and growing), and I've got a couple green chromis in there right now. As the tank develops, I want to eventually add a fish that will be fun to watch moving around in the rock, darting between caves and such. I'm looking at royal gramma/blackcap basslet right now, not something excrutiatingly difficult to keep, any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[frankthetank]

Man, I love my royal psuedo! He's half purple and half yellow... and he loves to hide in caves and in rock work only to dart out for food. He's a great purchase!

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by newton
Hey all, I've just started my marine tank (38 gallons, 30 lbs of live rock and growing), and I've got a couple green chromis in there right now. As the tank develops, I want to eventually add a fish that will be fun to watch moving around in the rock, darting between caves and such. I'm looking at royal gramma/blackcap basslet right now, not something excrutiatingly difficult to keep, any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
Hey newton, welcome to the boards

How long ago did you start this tank?
Chromis are okay, but they fight until there is only one left unless you have a group of six or more. Please tell us all about your tank.

 

[redinator]

My 6-line wrasse moves in and out of the rock work all day.

 

[azul1994]

I second the sixline wrasse.

 

[newton]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Hey newton, welcome to the boards

How long ago did you start this tank?
Chromis are okay, but they fight until there is only one left unless you have a group of six or more. Please tell us all about your tank.

I started the tank about a month ago, added the pair of chromis last week, thinking about throwing 2 more in, although what you say makes me want to dump them all and find something else to put in there for a while. I wanted to go with damsels as a starter fish but everbody I talked to was just "OMG NO DAMSELS." I'm adding about 6 lbs of live rock every week until I get up to 50 or so. I think a cleaner crew is one of the next things I need to add, and then in another month or so I'd like to try and put an ebli angel in there and only keep two fish (this thread being dedicated to the other!).
thanks for the replies, I'll definitely check out the wrasse

 

[rcoultas]

Although I believe your tank is too new to be adding more fish right now....
after you have given it a chance to become seasoned then I would offer this suggestion...
In one of my tanks I have a six line wrasse and a flame angel and they are none stop in and out and are best buds as well - thay race and chase eachother all the time - I think they are the best combo I've ever had.

 

[newton]

Originally Posted by rcoultas
Although I believe your tank is too new to be adding more fish right now....
after you have given it a chance to become seasoned then I would offer this suggestion...
In one of my tanks I have a six line wrasse and a flame angel and they are none stop in and out and are best buds as well - thay race and chase eachother all the time - I think they are the best combo I've ever had.
Yeah, I agree completly, I wasn't going to add any more fish yet. I'm counting on going for another month of adding a bit more rock. I'm just getting ideas now so I can start looking up compatability, as well as availability of the different fish I'm interested in (and get a get a good "fish fix" so I don't have to add anything!). I had a roommate with a coral beauty and flame angel (not at the same time), and both fish had a lot of character. I'm hoping an eibli will follow in that same vein.
I'm definitely going to start reading about the six line wrasse, since its been suggested several times now.

 

[anonome]

So I am thinking this will be a fish only tank? The elibi is a gorgeous fish, but not reef safe.
The six line is a great darting type of fish.
Any of the wrasse family fish would complement this tank. But of course, when the tank is matured.

 

[jkcrumb]

I agree with the wrasse........my Female Bird Wrasse is the most active fish in my tank.......Shes in and out of every crevis the rock offers....She also loves skimming sideways across the sand......pretty cool..........but be careful, the bird wrasse will limit what u can use for a cleaning crew.

 

[newton]

Originally Posted by Anonome
So I am thinking this will be a fish only tank? The elibi is a gorgeous fish, but not reef safe.
The six line is a great darting type of fish.
Any of the wrasse family fish would complement this tank. But of course, when the tank is matured.
See, this is where I know I'm going to make my first big mistake (and I see it playing out in my mind). I know some of the angels nip corals and it seems some don't. Maybe they're never introduced to it and don't develop the taste for them until they try it, I'm not sure. I know its also not feasible to feed the angel whenever its hungry as it likes to just graze all day. I'm overly optimistic that if I develop my rock and and tank enough that there are other things to pick at, I can keep an angel from wiping out a couple zoos and other pieces. I'm sure I'll get that one demon angel though that will break my heart. I'm definitely going to keep reading though, see if perhaps there's an equally beautiful fish with maybe less expensive taste.
I read the wrasse will kill shrimp and other invertabrates though. So this would include most cleaner shrimp? I'm looking to add a peppermint as I think the live rock I got has some aptasia growth.

 

[thirty5]

My royal garama hides all the time. Hardly ever see him. I personally like my hippo tang, and also I have a Goby that likes to back into the holes in the rock, with his little head sticking out.