Help me choose next fish

[elfloyd]

I need to add something new... how about some ideas?

I'm running an established (4+ years) 180 gallon mixed reef tank. Have coral but can't keep zoas or hammers. (Someone in my tank loves them and new frags only last a few days. I think I know who!)

I am considering:
- A pair of Bellus Angelfish (Genicanthus bellus)
- White Tail Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus flavicauda)
- Harlequin Tusk (Choerodon fasciatus)
- Blue Throat Triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus)
- A number of wrasses are attractive
- Anthias
- or???

My wife says we need purple, pink, red, and lavender (!)

Here's current livestock:
<ul>
<li>Green Wrasse (Halichoeres chloropterus)</li>
<li>Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus) (male)</li>
<li>Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris) (female)</li>
<li>Sleeper Banded Goby (Amblygobius phalaena)</li>
<li>Unidentified Very Drab Tan Goby</li>
<li>Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)</li>
<li>Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)</li>
<li>Achilles Tang (Acanthurus achilles)</li>
<li>Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula)</li>
<li>Obligatory Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) (female)</li>
<li>Obligatory Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) (male)</li>
<li>One Eyed Goldflake Angelfish (Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus)</li>
<li>Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus)</li>
</ul>

 

[seand]

My next fish is the Aussie tusk, IMO one of the prettiest fish you see in tanks

 

[lsu_fishfan]

+1 on a tusk or a blue throat. Both are beautiful fish!

 

[gacolt]

bellus angel pair great looking fish

 

[elfloyd]

Yes, I like pairs.

 

[Adam]

I have a juvenile Blue throat that lost all of its coloring until I added a female to the tank. His throat is starting to regain it's blue but the fins are still red. If you go with them be sure to start out with a pair.

I also have a purple queen anthias that is a very nice looking fish. If I'd have known how hard they could be to get eating I most likely would not have got it. I think I got real lucky because it went thru QT with the male blue throat and yellow eye kole. I believe by seeing them eating triggered his feeding response. It is still the pickiest eater in the tank, mysis only and they have to be smaller ones, even then if it doesn't like it for some reason it will spit it right back out.

 

[camellia]

anit77;1115402 wrote: I have a juvenile Blue throat that lost all of its coloring until I added a female to the tank. His throat is starting to regain it's blue but the fins are still red. If you go with them be sure to start out with a pair.

I also have a purple queen anthias that is a very nice looking fish. If I'd have known how hard they could be to get eating I most likely would not have got it. I think I got real lucky because it went thru QT with the male blue throat and yellow eye kole. I believe by seeing them eating triggered his feeding response. It is still the pickiest eater in the tank, mysis only and they have to be smaller ones, even then if it doesn't like it for some reason it will spit it right back out.

+1
I've been there & done that with a trio of Purple Queens....errr!

 

[elfloyd]

I think I've had it with trios (or) more. Usually end up with a pair anyway.

I'm on the lookout for a pair of Bluethroats or Bellus.

Thanks for the input.... always welcome more.

 

[Adam]

Rit usually has Blue Throats. I got the male from Simon and the Female from Rit.

When I added the female, the male, who turned tranny, went nuts at first. Heshe chased the new female around like crazy. So I netted it and put it in an acclimation box. After a week in the box it got used to the new comer and there's been no aggression since and the male coloring is slowly returning.

If you decide to go with them and are going to buy online, look for a pair that are from Hawaii. Their coloration is better from what I've read.

 

[jennm]

I'm partial to the Bellus pair. Unusual and completely safe around corals. Plus the dimorphism between sexes is neat too - they look so different.

Jenn

 

[seth the wine guy]

I've got a Bellus Trio. While I like the fish ok, they don't stay in real close proximity. I really like fish that stay tightly to their mates. They don't bother corals or other fish and quite docile. Colors aren't striking and they pale in comparison to my Anularus Angel. (Which I know isn't supposed to be reef safe. Grew him from a quarter size guy into a salad plate. He doesn't touch a thing in the tank!)

Without question, the most beloved fish by all those who see my tank is my Anthias. I have much more rare and singularly striking specimens, but, there is no substitute for seeing a schooling dynamic. I'm partial to a particular Anthias species. (One never seen in ATL stores and the best kept Anthias secret!) I've kept several different species over the years and have a good grasp on the good/bad of many commonly found types.

You're not far from me. Come by sometime and see what you think of a couple of the possibilities you're considering. You can see how they act in an actual mixed reef with other fish in common with yours. Just don't look at my corals. I'm in my first year with this tank being up. Tough filling up the real estate quickly.
We both have 5 fish in common already.

Flame Hawkfish
Purple Tang
Achilles Tang
One Eyed Goldflake Angelfish
Clown

 

[seth the wine guy]

Camellia;1115472 wrote: +1
I've been there & done that with a trio of Purple Queens....errr!

Buying Purple Queens is like buying fresh cut flowers from a florist. They are INCREDIBLY striking and beautiful. But, they all soon wither and die. These fish have no business being sold to hobbyist. Best left where they can actually have a chance at life.

 

[elfloyd]

Looks like my choice wasn't even on my list! I picked up this guy over the weekend.

White Tail Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus flavicauda)

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[dapperjman]

Seth The Wine Guy;1115608 wrote:
Without question, the most beloved fish by all those who see my tank is my Anthias. I have much more rare and singularly striking specimens, but, there is no substitute for seeing a schooling dynamic. I'm partial to a particular Anthias species. (One never seen in ATL stores and the best kept Anthias secret!) I've kept several different species over the years and have a good grasp on the good/bad of many commonly found types.

You have me curious on the species of anthias you like, are you willing to share?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[jhutto]

I like the lyretail anthias...one of my favorite fish.