I need some fish Suggestions for a 46 Gal Reef.

woody189

woody189

Member
Hi.
I have a 46 gal tank w/ 45 lbs LR, a 10 gal sump/fuge w/ a skimmer. I have some corals. It's been running for over a year.
My stocklist is:
1 midas blenny
2 clowns
1 royal gramma
1 fourline wrasse
I would like to know what my options are for future fish.
I would like to get a dwarf angel, but I fear it may eat my corals.
I would like to get a purple firefish, as well as a regular firefish, but I fear they are too passive to be added so late into the tank. (My old purple firefish was killed by one of the other fish just recently)
I would love a longnose hawk, but fear it may eat my shimp.
I don't like cardinals, and chromis are a last resort, if I can't find another fish to add.
I may get a goby, but they aren't my favorite (except for firefish).
P.S... My royal gramma is currently in the sump, so I will put him back in the DT after I add my next fish. He can be a bit of a bully.
Also, my tank seems to be getting a bit aggressive lately. (Which is why i'm leaning towards chromis because I hear they may reduce aggression in tank.)
Any other suggestions??
Thanks.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Hmmm, I've never heard that chromis reduce aggression...in their own school, they can be quite aggressive, picking off weaker individuals of their own type.
Your royal gramma could be an issue overall I hate to say. It probably would go after firefish, you are right.
Overall the risk of a dwarf angel with corals is relatively low. What kind of corals do you have?
I've always liked clown gobies personally, though they are small.
 
woody189

woody189

Member
Thanks.
I read somewhere on here that Chromis are a specific type of fish (I forget the name) and when you add them to your tank, the more aggressive fish become less aggressive. Maybe it's not true, I read it only once.
Anyway, any more suggestions?? Do you think it owuld be a problem even if I added the firefish, then added the RG a few weeks after?
I have GSP's, red star polyps, green hairy shrooms, leather, xenia, and kenya tree.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I think, truthfully, you have to make a decision on the RG. It is always going to be a possible issue. So you may need to decide if you prefer it to a firefish. Many of these small guys, which would include pseudochromis, have huge attitudes and can be real issues.
An option on the angel is to see if you can find a local reefer who may be taking down their tank, and who may know the behavior of the fish. Even then it can still be a risk, but it may be worth trying.
I'm drawing a blank on other options which annoys me. Hmmm. Have you ruled out all types of cardinalfish?
 
woody189

woody189

Member
I'll probably take my chances and add a flame last.
I'm really not a fan of cardinals. bangaii's are the only one's I would consider, but they are just too boring to me. Just stay in one spot all day long.
PJ's are ugly to me, and all others are too freshwater looking.
(I'm pretty picky w/ fish selection)
I love my RG, one of my 1st fish and I've had him for over a year. I'd hate to get rid of him, but he's too aggressive, I may have to.
 
number1gsxxr

number1gsxxr

Member
My sixline which has been fine since day one has now become quite the bully after I added a firefish. I have a 46-gal as well and I think I'll be ripping it apart trying to catch the sixline soon.
 
woody189

woody189

Member
Originally Posted by number1Gsxxr http:///forum/post/3045956
My sixline which has been fine since day one has now become quite the bully after I added a firefish. I have a 46-gal as well and I think I'll be ripping it apart trying to catch the sixline soon.
Thanks for the info.
Instead of ripping ur tank apart, you may want to look at this...
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/358007/to-catch-a-pseudochromis
 
pete159

pete159

Member
a longnose hawk fish is better to have then any mere shrimp in a 46g
Chromis's are a waste in a small 46g tank, they are ok in a 90+g tank when you can have a bunch of them.
if you want wrasses then Flasher Wrasses are good as well as most fairy wrasses as they are small and peaceful . I have a yellow wrasse in my 46g and he does fine.
 
woody189

woody189

Member
Originally Posted by pete159
http:///forum/post/3046035
a longnose hawk fish is better to have then any mere shrimp in a 46g
Chromis's are a waste in a small 46g tank, they are ok in a 90+g tank when you can have a bunch of them.
if you want wrasses then Flasher Wrasses are good as well as most fairy wrasses as they are small and peaceful . I have a yellow wrasse in my 46g and he does fine.
My blood shrimp was one of the very 1st things I added to my tank over a year ago. I would hate to lose it. Also, I plan on gettting a cleaner, and maybe a harlequin.
I feel the same way about chromis- no point in adding it unless they can school. I figured if I added them, I would add 5. But that's a lot for a small tank like mine, leaving little room for more fish.
I think I may look more into wrasses. They are pretty nice, but many are real expensive.
I'm still open to suggestions.
 
woody189

woody189

Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3046194
How about a jawfish or blenny? Many different ones to choose from.
I'm open to those. I have a midas blenny already though.
I wanted to get a Flametail blenny, but I was advised not to by you guys because multiple people said that the midas will likely pick on the flametail.
Any specifics blennies that won't be a problem??
THe midas is failry small for a midas blenny. Pretty long, but most I see are 150% the size of mine at least.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
I found this while looking to see if they can be kept with other blennies. Seems they like Lyretail Anthias.
"In the wild, Ecsenius midas will sometimes school with other fishes, e.g. Pseudanthias squamipinnis, and it is capable of changing its colouration to more accurately match the other members of the school."
"In nature, it often enters shoals of Orange Lyretail Antias as they feed in the water column."
Oh and this on keeping with other blennies.
"This Blenny likes to swim in the currents with Anthias in the wild, feeding on Zooplankton, and can be very territorial with others of its own kind, as well as other Blennys. "
 
woody189

woody189

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3046201
This is my new jawfish....I am also getting a midas blennie when they get back in stock
Attachment 225292

That's a cool looking fish. You may want to go get yours at a LFS though. I was VERY picky w/ my midas, and waited months until I found the right one. I wanted one that was fairly small, but bright yellow. Majority of them are larger, and a lot of them seem faded. A midas is one fish I wouldn't order online because their appearance varies so much from one fish to the next (to me at least)
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3046202
I found this while looking to see if they can be kept with other blennies. Seems they like Lyretail Anthias.
"In the wild, Ecsenius midas will sometimes school with other fishes, e.g. Pseudanthias squamipinnis, and it is capable of changing its colouration to more accurately match the other members of the school."
"In nature, it often enters shoals of Orange Lyretail Antias as they feed in the water column."
Oh and this on keeping with other blennies.
"This Blenny likes to swim in the currents with Anthias in the wild, feeding on Zooplankton, and can be very territorial with others of its own kind, as well as other Blennys. "
The female Lyretails are actually pretty nice, and not too expensive. That seems like possibility. I'll probably be dissapointed though if they don't take a liking to each other. If they do, I'll be sure to keep you posted. Thanks.
Originally Posted by premilove
http:///forum/post/3046204
that is a cool jawfish. where in jersey?
North Jersey----West New York area
 
woody189

woody189

Member
Bump.
Any more ideas?? I think I MIGHT try to get the biggest firefish I can find and throw it in there. THen add the Royal gramma back to the DT after a week, once the FF gets established.
I don't like the idea of getting a fish that may eat my shrimp, which the anthias might. IF I do risk it, I think I'd rather get a longnose hawk.
Any other suggestions?
 
woody189

woody189

Member
I was thinking about just getting a Yellow Watchman goby or another similar goby.
I saw one at the LFS that was nice, but it was a little too big. It said that it was a Diamond goby, but I don't think it was Maybe a pink/blue.
Do these types of gobies get aggressive?? Will I be okay adding a fairly large one to my tank w/ smaller tank mates?? I liked it, but i'm afraid it may be a mean.
what do you think?
 
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