Easiest fishes
- Thread starter xdave
- Start date
cagrn
Member
For anyone still reading this for the beginner:
My first fish were a 2 spot goby, and a yellow clown goby. ( After the damsels )
The 2 spot is awesome to watch. It is constantly busy upkeeping its burrow or changing to a new one. The yellow clown goby just hangs around on the LR most of the time, but he does on occasion think hes a clown fish and hangs out with my 2 false percs.
I also have a royal gramma basslet, which I primarily bought because I think they are beasutiful fish. However, they are reportedly very hardy fish and can tolerate sub standard water quality, so would be good for a beginner, ( another reason I bought it, I'm only 3 months in )
Good luck to all beginners, take it slow. I know now that I moved to fast. I have been fortunate enough to have not had any majorly bad events occur. The only fish I have lost are the damsels I cycled the tank with. That is something I will not do again.
My first fish were a 2 spot goby, and a yellow clown goby. ( After the damsels )
The 2 spot is awesome to watch. It is constantly busy upkeeping its burrow or changing to a new one. The yellow clown goby just hangs around on the LR most of the time, but he does on occasion think hes a clown fish and hangs out with my 2 false percs.
I also have a royal gramma basslet, which I primarily bought because I think they are beasutiful fish. However, they are reportedly very hardy fish and can tolerate sub standard water quality, so would be good for a beginner, ( another reason I bought it, I'm only 3 months in )
Good luck to all beginners, take it slow. I know now that I moved to fast. I have been fortunate enough to have not had any majorly bad events occur. The only fish I have lost are the damsels I cycled the tank with. That is something I will not do again.
seannmelly
Active Member
XDave, I think that this is a great thread that you have started. Here is my contribution. I think all of the suggestions above are good starter/beginner fish. The are all pretty much self explanatory, and if there were any questions, there's alot of information you could find about them. Here's my list:
1. Lemon Peel Angel-this is a dwarf angel that can be kept in a smaller tank, I would say min tank size is 30gallons.
2. Emperor Angel-this is a full size angel and his juvenile colors are different from adult. A more mature specimen is IMO hardier then a small Juvenile. Min tank size 125
3. Royal Gramma- they can be kept in a small tank. They can jump if harassed. Needs peaceful tank.
4. Green Chromis-best kept in odd numbers. Very nice schooling fish.
5. Fridmani Dottyback-very colorful, and same as Royal Gramma
1. Lemon Peel Angel-this is a dwarf angel that can be kept in a smaller tank, I would say min tank size is 30gallons.
2. Emperor Angel-this is a full size angel and his juvenile colors are different from adult. A more mature specimen is IMO hardier then a small Juvenile. Min tank size 125
3. Royal Gramma- they can be kept in a small tank. They can jump if harassed. Needs peaceful tank.
4. Green Chromis-best kept in odd numbers. Very nice schooling fish.
5. Fridmani Dottyback-very colorful, and same as Royal Gramma
dogstar
Active Member
sean, with respect I will have to disagree with you on the two angels you have recomended for beginners....The LP is IMO one of the least hardiest of the Centropyges and the Emperor needs an established tank and older juvies ( not tiny ) are much better at acclimating/adapting than adult ones. However those are all very nice fish and would be nice to attempt once one has more experiance under their belts. JMO
seannmelly
Active Member
Originally Posted by Dogstar
sean, with respect I will have to disagree with you on the two angels you have recomended for beginners....The LP is IMO one of the least hardiest of the Centropyges and the Emperor needs an established tank and older juvies ( not tiny ) are much better at acclimating/adapting than adult ones. However those are all very nice fish and would be nice to attempt once one has more experiance under their belts. JMO
I respect that, but IME the Lemonpeel was bombproof. That is actually one of a couple fish I got from this site! For me that was one of the easiest fish I've ever had.
Melly
sean, with respect I will have to disagree with you on the two angels you have recomended for beginners....The LP is IMO one of the least hardiest of the Centropyges and the Emperor needs an established tank and older juvies ( not tiny ) are much better at acclimating/adapting than adult ones. However those are all very nice fish and would be nice to attempt once one has more experiance under their belts. JMO
I respect that, but IME the Lemonpeel was bombproof. That is actually one of a couple fish I got from this site! For me that was one of the easiest fish I've ever had.
Melly
dogstar
Active Member
Oh, I understand how systems and livestock can be different in any case, however from researching as well as personal experiance should be considered....this is from Bob Fenners web site....
"" The majority of Centropyge angels make for suitable to great aquarium specimens; however there are a few notable exceptions. In my opinion the Colin's, bicolor, multi-barred, Herald's, the (true) Lemonpeel, midnight, Potter's, and venustus are on-average, less hardy by far than other dwarf angel species. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the coral beauty (except from the Philippines), flame, Japanese, pearl-scaled, and rusty dwarf and most of the smaller (dwarf-dwarf) angels (C. acanthops, C. argi, C. aurantonotus, C. fisheri, flavicauda, C. resplendens) are my favorites as being most hardy and adaptable to aquarium conditions. The "rest" of Centropyge species, , either lie somewhere between the worst and best rating or my personal and recorded experience is too limited to rank them high or low. ""
In regards to the Emperor....
"" For most hobbyists I strongly encourage the trial of individuals only starting between 10-14 cm. size. These seem best suited for beginning life in captive conditions. Larger one's have more difficulty adapting to aquariums and smaller one's don't accept prepared foods as well. There are, of course, exceptions, but this is my rule of thumb guideline. ""
BTW, congraulations on haveing some success with the Lemmonpeel but can you explain how long you had yours and why you speak of yours in the PAST tense....
"" The majority of Centropyge angels make for suitable to great aquarium specimens; however there are a few notable exceptions. In my opinion the Colin's, bicolor, multi-barred, Herald's, the (true) Lemonpeel, midnight, Potter's, and venustus are on-average, less hardy by far than other dwarf angel species. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the coral beauty (except from the Philippines), flame, Japanese, pearl-scaled, and rusty dwarf and most of the smaller (dwarf-dwarf) angels (C. acanthops, C. argi, C. aurantonotus, C. fisheri, flavicauda, C. resplendens) are my favorites as being most hardy and adaptable to aquarium conditions. The "rest" of Centropyge species, , either lie somewhere between the worst and best rating or my personal and recorded experience is too limited to rank them high or low. ""
In regards to the Emperor....
"" For most hobbyists I strongly encourage the trial of individuals only starting between 10-14 cm. size. These seem best suited for beginning life in captive conditions. Larger one's have more difficulty adapting to aquariums and smaller one's don't accept prepared foods as well. There are, of course, exceptions, but this is my rule of thumb guideline. ""
BTW, congraulations on haveing some success with the Lemmonpeel but can you explain how long you had yours and why you speak of yours in the PAST tense....
seannmelly
Active Member
The majority of Centropyge angels make for suitable to great aquarium specimens; however there are a few notable exceptions. In my opinion the Colin's, bicolor, multi-barred, Herald's, the (true) Lemonpeel, midnight, Potter's, and venustus are on-average, less hardy by far than other dwarf angel species.
I completely agree with this with the exception of the Lemonpeel. I speak of the Lemonpeel, my adult Imperator, Clown Trigger, Niger Trigger, and Purple Pseudochromis, because I had all these in my FOWLR. When I decided to go reef, I sold most of the fish and brought the rest back to the first store. I brought back the Purple Pseudochromis because he was extremely aggressive. I never had one problem whatsoever with my Lemonpeel angel. I fed this and the Imperator mysis, enriched brine, Formula 1(Angel formula), Krill, Formula 2, and put a leaf of Romaine lettuce in once a day for them to graze on(yes I know the nutritional benifit of the lettuce was minimal). I am just saying IME that this and the Imperator was an easy fish for me.
Melly
I completely agree with this with the exception of the Lemonpeel. I speak of the Lemonpeel, my adult Imperator, Clown Trigger, Niger Trigger, and Purple Pseudochromis, because I had all these in my FOWLR. When I decided to go reef, I sold most of the fish and brought the rest back to the first store. I brought back the Purple Pseudochromis because he was extremely aggressive. I never had one problem whatsoever with my Lemonpeel angel. I fed this and the Imperator mysis, enriched brine, Formula 1(Angel formula), Krill, Formula 2, and put a leaf of Romaine lettuce in once a day for them to graze on(yes I know the nutritional benifit of the lettuce was minimal). I am just saying IME that this and the Imperator was an easy fish for me.
Melly
poniegirl
Active Member
Originally Posted by xDave
Well I guess I'll unsubscribe to this thread. I was going to refer beginners to it for help, but with only 4 out of 20 posts actually listing any choices, whats the point. On behaf of all beginners making an effort to learn, thanks anyway.
Sorry, XDave. Almost not likely to get a thread without some conversation mixed in...
I think pennant fairy wrasses are a nice, colorful starter fish. Not difficult.
Well I guess I'll unsubscribe to this thread. I was going to refer beginners to it for help, but with only 4 out of 20 posts actually listing any choices, whats the point. On behaf of all beginners making an effort to learn, thanks anyway.
Sorry, XDave. Almost not likely to get a thread without some conversation mixed in...
I think pennant fairy wrasses are a nice, colorful starter fish. Not difficult.
aquatics24
Member
as for the racoon butterfly, they will eat some inverts, but do they eat at corals too?
dogstar
Active Member
Melly, please dont think that Im arguing with your success, as you said earlier, that theres information available for researching.....
I understand that others can have success with difficult species and others dont....The thread is for easy fish for beginners and many people will have different Ideas and experiances with all of them. Just as someone will have bad experiances keeping other wise easy species for whatever reasons and may say that that species is difficult....
My point is that for someone to just take what they are told here by someone incudeing myself, and not do further research could end up with different results....
I understand that others can have success with difficult species and others dont....The thread is for easy fish for beginners and many people will have different Ideas and experiances with all of them. Just as someone will have bad experiances keeping other wise easy species for whatever reasons and may say that that species is difficult....
My point is that for someone to just take what they are told here by someone incudeing myself, and not do further research could end up with different results....
chrisarc
Member
Dogstar,you're a pretty sharp person and I dont post very often but ive been lurkin around along time and your advise is always on the money. Beginners should stay away from any angels or butterflies. royal grammas,clowns,damsels,Pseudochromis can dealwith alot of beginner mistakes,but they're are ALOT of variables to take into account. Tank size,tank mates,fish only,reef,available foodsource. I know alot of people who say Mandarins are easy but their tanks are well established reefs with viable foodsources. Put one in a sterile new tank and bye bye. This message board is all opinions and you Must do research to find what fish or anything you might want to throw into your tank is not only gonna survive but THRIVE. Isnt that what we all aiming for?
woolfe
Member
I see someone posted the niger trigger. I want a trigger SOOOOOOOo bad. I don't even care what kind it is. Well, to an extent... I want a pretty one but have heard/read that triggers need tanks bigger then mine. Are there any triggers that can be kept in a 90gal for their whole lives. I tend to get attached to my animals I don't think fish will be any different. I won't get anything I have to get rid of later. Please help........
jam1e
Active Member
"Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator): a much-admired species with a high rate of mortality in captivity. It can do well if net-caught, carefully selected, and well-fed, but can be recommended to experienced marine aquarists only."........ -Robert M. Fenner
keep in mind that he wrote this in 2001 and there have been food advancements and treatment advancments since then so that fish are easier to keep but I still agree with him. .. Melly . while I highly respect your opinion I think your experiences were mosly luck ... an Emporer angel is a hard fish to keep .. while I haven't had one myself yet I've done a lot of research on them becuase i'm looking to get one in the near future .. -Jamie
keep in mind that he wrote this in 2001 and there have been food advancements and treatment advancments since then so that fish are easier to keep but I still agree with him. .. Melly . while I highly respect your opinion I think your experiences were mosly luck ... an Emporer angel is a hard fish to keep .. while I haven't had one myself yet I've done a lot of research on them becuase i'm looking to get one in the near future .. -Jamie
dogstar
Active Member
woolfi I will say that IMO, most all the Triggers are hardy and may do fine for beginners but still should research what can be kept with them because they can limit your choices as to other pets that you may wish to keep as well.
The Niger is one of the more larger species ( nearly 20'') of triggers and although I personally would not reccomend any triggerfish for a 90g, ( all are very active open water athletes ) there are other types of triggers that stay under 10'' and some books I have seen say they can go in one.
The Niger is one of the more larger species ( nearly 20'') of triggers and although I personally would not reccomend any triggerfish for a 90g, ( all are very active open water athletes ) there are other types of triggers that stay under 10'' and some books I have seen say they can go in one.
merredeth
Active Member
Originally Posted by xDave
As sebae09 said it's not nutritional. Also Tangs eat more algae than meat so its especially less useful for them. Even though they may look plump, they're starving. There are really only 2 reasons an LFS would give them brine, they dont know how to care for them, or, they cant get them to eat anything else.
There is a third reason as well - CHEAP! Way cheaper than feeding them Formula One or Formula Two.
Denise M.
As sebae09 said it's not nutritional. Also Tangs eat more algae than meat so its especially less useful for them. Even though they may look plump, they're starving. There are really only 2 reasons an LFS would give them brine, they dont know how to care for them, or, they cant get them to eat anything else.
There is a third reason as well - CHEAP! Way cheaper than feeding them Formula One or Formula Two.
Denise M.