Stocking my tank w/ fish...Need Help!

reef dude

Member
ok guys, i havent been to this forum in a few weeks,ive been extremely busy with that start of school and such. anyways heres whats going on.....
My 90 gal reef has been up for almost exactly 5 months, i have:
2 true percula clowns, yellow wrasse, 3 firefish gobies, longnose hawk, apprx 50 blue legs, 20 scarlets, 60 turbos, 1 feather duster, 2 peppermint shrimp.
The last fish to go in was the longnose hawk about 2 weeks ago and all are doing great! I plan on adding a 2" royal gramma in a few days, and then about 2 weeks later, an algae blenny. Once those 2 fish get into the tank i would like to consider one large fish to go in the tank as my "show" fish(tang, dwarf angel)
My question is, whats the best "large fish" to go in?
I was thinking of a powder blue tang, or marine betta. Could i get away with both of those? Basically i want a larger type fish that will always be out in front of the glass, unlike the gobies, wrasse, and shrimps. PLEASE GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS! THANKS
*****I work at the local fish store, and i get to order all of our saltwater inventory so if i need to, i can always bring the small fish in if they get picked on or if i run out of space to add fish.***
 

stacyt

Active Member
I would not recommend the marine beta. They are normally an aggressive fish, and will eat what they can fit into their mouth. I would say the shrimp would become a meal. That hawkfish may make a meal out of them as well. The powder blue tang is not a very hardy tang. Maybe look at a purple or yellow tang. If you plan on adding corals I would avoid the dwarf angels.
 

jedimaster

Member
I would also stay away from a powder blue they are ick magnets, more so than yellows. I have a Naso Tang in my 90 and will get plenty big. Mine is always out and about and looks really cool. goto my websites for pics but here is a head on shot.

Its hard to see but the eye lines are a bright glowing blue the picture does not do it justice.
 

maryc137

Member
Personally I hate yellow tangs. I would get a hippo tang, sailfin tang, or a purple tang. I have all 3 and they are great fish. Easy to keep.
 

reef dude

Member
Ive read that marine bettas are reef safe and i tend to think that their agressiveness is really dependent on the fish. For example my hawkfish doesnt bother shrimp, hermits, or snails, which i have read that they tend to prey upon all of those. It eats brine shrimp and just swims at the top of the tank all day and perches on the rocks and powerheads occasionally.
As for the marine betta and lets say a powder brown OR blue tang, would those fish fight or get along??
 

sistrmary

Member
I have a Marine Betta and I've never seen him get the least bit aggressive...I've never even heard of one being aggressive. They're wonderful fish. Mine hangs out with my sailfin tang.(Which is a very pretty combination) They live together in harmony with various peppermints, a cleaner and a coral banded shrimp. It's easily one of my favorite fish. (and I have a lot, so that's saying quite a bit LOL) They're a bit hard to get to taking frozen food at first, but after that, perfectly fabulous fish!
I do have a question though...*how* are you keeping a firefish with a hawkfish? Firefish are so edgy and hawkfish are so...mean. I guess it's because it's a long-nosed hawk? A particularly un-aggressive one?
 
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