Suggestions for next fish I should get

[Shalco]

I'm hoping I can get some suggestions from some experienced members as for a good fish to get for my tank.

My tank:
34 Gallon Solana, Mixed reef. The pic is of my rock-scape right when I set up the tank, tank looks very different now, almost everything is covered with coral, sand bed as well, but you can see there is some rock work for the fish to swim through and hid in, but it's not a tremendous amount of space. (It's about 45lbs of rock)

I do a 3 - 4 gallon (10%) water change every week

Fish: Purple firefish ~2", royal gramma ~2", green mandarin ~2"
Fire fish and gramma spend part of their time hiding in the rock, part time out in open. Mandarin grazes all over tank

My thoughts:
-All of my fish are pretty peaceful, I'd like another really peaceful fish.
-I'd like a fish that will spend most of his time out in the open (Damsels, clowns, cardinals), I don't know if there is enough space for another fish to hide in the rock
-I'd like them to be colorful (Cardinals are too bland color for me but I like that they're peaceful and spend their time out in the open)
-I love angels but I'm afraid they might be a little too dominant and I don't think their is enough space for one in the rock with the other fish. Also, some angels will nip at certain corals and I don't want to risk my corals
-Wrasses can be aggressive in my experience, may cause disturbance in the rockscape with the other fish
-I've had clowns in the past, I like them but they can become dominant, semi-aggressive, all of my clowns eventually started nipping at my hand when i would have it in the tank. Although, after seeing those picks of the snowcasso in Andre's tank (Ducati), I'm leaning towards that. My previous clowns have all been normal ocellaris'
-I think the helfrichi firefish is a beautiful fish but I don't know if I want another firefish


Any suggestions on a cool fish to get?

Thanks
Dave

 

[al0ha]

frogfish....but they dont swim in the open. if i were to get a clown pair, i'd do picassos or white knights

 

[Shalco]

Frog fish are cool, there is no place in my tank for him to hang out though. I like clowns but i feel like they get a little aggressive, they have all started attacking my hand

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Frogfish will eat the other fish in the tank. They will also sit on your corals and may smother them.

 

[Custom05Taco]

Clowns are great they have personality! I would get a pair of clowns

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[fishman1069]

Possum wrasse is a cool and very peaceful fish

 

[The_Robert_Loo]

Starcki Damsel is relatively peaceful, however its a 40-50 dollar damsel lol

 

[Shalco]

That possum wrasse is pretty cool looking. Has anyone else had any experience with these?

The starki damsel is pretty as well, 40 -50 isn't too bad when I'd consider a $100+ for a snowcasso or a platinum clown

 

[albano]

That possum wrasse is pretty cool looking. Has anyone else had any experience with these?

I have/had one...not sure because it hides in rocks, all the time!

 

[E.intheC]

If you buy one clown, it's more than likely going to be more peaceful than if you bought 2x (especially when they pair up)

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

frogfish will eat the other fish in the tank. They will also sit on your corals and may smother them.

1+

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

What about a pair of firefish?

 

[E.intheC]

He already has a firefish. Adding another is a bad idea.......

 

[Shalco]

Is another firefish a bad idea? I was thinking about maybe getting a helfrichi.

I'm leaning towards another clown at this point, maybe a high end one (platinum, snowcasso) or maybe just an original ocellaris

 

[Shalco]

I was also questioning maybe a six line or four line wrasse. I was told at somepoint that four lines are more chill than six lines

 

[stooops718]

I was also questioning maybe a six line or four line wrasse. I was told at somepoint that four lines are more chill than six lines

Don't do the Sixline. Mine took out my firefish. Wrasse went back to LFS. Plus they are a PITA to catch.

 

[rbtwo4]

I was also questioning maybe a six line or four line wrasse. I was told at somepoint that four lines are more chill than six lines

man that six line is the devil! i had no problem housing two firefish

 

[jedimaster1138]

Multiple Firefish will scrap unless they are mated pairs has been my understanding...I agree that they are cool though. I dig mine....he kinda just hovers in the current looking around.

I'm in a similar boat as you - 50g mixed reef and...I'd like something else that swims about in the open more than my chromis, which hide a bit, and my firefish which hides half the time. Something...swimmy and colorful. I guess a clown...

Still torn about flame angels too...some people swear they have no problems with eating corals...some take their's back to the store the same day after their new angel chomps down a 100$ frag...

 

[albano]

Still torn about flame angels too...some people swear they have no problems with eating corals...some take their's back to the store the same day after their new angel chomps down a 100$ frag...

Don't tell anyone that I said this, but, some people say that some angels are not eating the frag, only cleaning dead/decaying tissue off it!...
Not to mention, the fish does not belong in their DT, the same day that they bought it.
After QT, I put 'questionable' fish into my frag tank, so that I can watch them with my corals.

 

[jedimaster1138]

/hijack

Don't tell anyone that I said this, but, some people say that some angels are not eating the frag, only cleaning dead/decaying tissue off it!...

I've read this several times. (Fenner's book is a fan of them in reefs, and his reputation is sterling) I've also read the opposite....Or that if you feed enough they won't bother a healthy coral ever ... Or that they will turn and devour your reef after 2 years of never touching a polyp...Or that they will jump out of your reef, grow legs, and eat your family and burn your house down.

I've seen arguments in every direction and it makes my head hurt to the point where while I love the fish, I gave up thinking about getting one. That's not helped by the elitist-know it all's who say "no, this is right or wrong" which drives me nuts and winds up sending me to the couch to watch TV and not think about my aquarium. There are very few absolutes, especially with living creatures. That's why I like it here...this community is less..."you're doing it wrong, noob" than others...especially one that rhymes with smeef smentral, which, while being a great resource, makes me more than a little afraid of getting epically flamed dare I open my mouth in the wrong direction.

Not to mention, the fish does not belong in their DT, the same day that they bought it.

Amen to that. I used to not QT...I learned via the having to flush things way. My 25 year old glass 10g makes a nice QT in my kitchen now. And it's using up an empty space that I never knew what to do with It's way prettier than the rolling butcher block thing my gf wanted!

After QT, I put 'questionable' fish into my frag tank, so that I can watch them with my corals.

This is a good idea... I don't have a frag tank... maybe if I do go dwarf angel I'll get a frag of something from my DT and leave it in the QT after the angel is eating and happy and see what happens...

I take it you've had success with dwarf angels in reefs then Albano?

/end hijack