Looking for Fish Suggestions for New Tank

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snapshooterr

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Feb 9, 2010
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Chris
Hi All;

I'm doing a little planning and I'm wondering what other people's opinions are about fish for FOWLR aquarium. I'm looking for ideas for fish that are 'pet-like' (for lack of a better term). Other criteria...

  • Personable and active (the pet-like part)
  • Suitable for a 100-gallon-long tank
  • Won't eat smaller fish tankmates
  • Easy to care for
  • Cool looking
Thanks!!
 

OldManOfTheSea

AC Members
Mar 21, 2007
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snapshooterr, you lack much responses to your thread for you want others to give you a complete list/idea and certain things and that just not work out well sometimes for you need to make a fish selection on your own to what you like to have more or less. Also, large fish with smaller fish? This only works mostly only with fishes like tangs and such, not groupers, triggers or such. So why don`t you do a little research of your own and list a few stocking ideas you decided on and from there you should get some answers to help you, with nothing of your own decision, you will hear no ideas for specially were you say easy to care for and are cool looking, most members will assume for the worst part that they will not be able to assist you in the manner that you are looking for.
I will offer you one idea however, you can house an eel with a certain number of fish tank mates. Well, good researching and do take your time.

Buddy
 

ranvan

AC Members
Feb 3, 2007
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IMO most SW fish are cool looking.

I have a book that is awesome in helping me. When choosing fish, I look through it and bot a marker at each fish I like.
Here is the Amazon link....
http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Fishes-Essential/dp/1890087386

Personal choices for me are for that size tank....

2 Nemo clowns (forgot the real name)
1 Royal gramma (personality plus IMO)
1 Yellow Tang (one of my favorite)
1 Firefish
A flasher wrasse or a fairy wrasse
Some bottom dwelling goby such as a watchman goby
Maybe a convict blenny (eel like but not going to eat fish)

Other combinations may include a dwarf angel (the flame is beautiful), but IME the dwarf angels can be a bit belligerent with tank mates such as clowns.

Or perhaps a different type of wrasse.

The other option is to have less fish and have a real personable fish. As long as you do not add smaller fish, the triggerfish are the best "pet fish" in the SW tanks. I am looking at getting a Picasso. BUt then, you would only be able to add one or two more fish with him. And the fish would need to be a more aggressive fish.

Get the book and that will give you a great idea of which fish are easier and which fish are compatible.

Another good book by the same author lists only the reef safe fish, but maybe if you plan on corals down the orad, this may be even more helpful to you.
http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Aquarium-Fishes-Essential/dp/1890087890/ref=pd_sim_b_5
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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The first thing you should consider is whether or not you will eventually want to convert this tank to a reef. If so, you can eliminate a large pool of candidates. Of course you can always remove fish but I am not a proponent of swapping fish back and forth to the LFS. It's just too much stress for an animal that in most cases was wild caught.

If you want activity go with smaller, peaceful fish such that you would find in a reef tank setting. I think you will get a lot more color, movement and diversity out of your tank this way. If it were me I would go with:

-Pair of ocellaris (black and white would be my choice) or true percula clowns
-Black Cap Basslet
-Midas blenny
-Pair of Flame, Coral Beauty, Cherub, or Flameback angels
-Yasha Hasha goby
-Trio of Bartlett's Anthias
-Radiant Wrasse

If I was dead set on going with a FOWLR these would be high on my list (I am not sure if the lions will work with the other two but they are just spectacular)

-Fu Manchu Lion fish pair - http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=82644
-Harlequin Tusk
-Blue Throat Trigger


You could do a tang as well but 100 gallons is kind of the bare minimum for most tangs. Maybe a Yellow Eye Kole tang would be a good one to check out.
 
Last edited:

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Really? That is pretty impressive since they aren't that big of a fish. So it could take down a fish the size of a harlequin? I always thought the pics of these fish were amazing but a LFS here got in a pair and they are even more incredible in person.
 

OldManOfTheSea

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Mar 21, 2007
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Adult of this species will eat even smaller members of their own and larger specimens and will grow anywhere from 4" to 6" in size.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Graham
  • Personable and active (the pet-like part)
  • Suitable for a 100-gallon-long tank
  • Won't eat smaller fish tankmates
  • Easy to care for
  • Cool looking
Thanks!!
Well I guess the Fu Manchu's wouldn't quite make the bill then. They are "cool looking". 1 out of 5 ain't bad :).
 
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