Fish FAQ

[marrone]

PLEASE DON'T POST IN THIS THREAD, I'M UPDATING IT.
THANKS
MARRONE



Fish FAQ
Please download and use this guide to environmentally safe reef fish to purchase.


http://reefprotect.org/fish_guide.htm


This list of reef safe fish, and fish that should not be purchased or kept has been put together by our member Marrone. He has over 25 years of fish keeping experience, and two 260 gallons tanks in his living room devoted to just fish. Thanks Michael for your help

- jonathan

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Whether a fish is reef safe depends on a number of different things.
Any fish that eats corals, inverts, clams, sponges and worms would be considered not to be reef safe. They should either be avoided or care taken before one is introduced into your tank. Also fish that can cause damage to corals and rocks in the tank, either by their movements around the tank or their habits of moving rocks or sand should be considered not to be reef safe.
Due to their large size and habits triggers and eels would fall into this category. Also the additional amount of bio-load that a fish can place on a system needs to be taken into account, as to whether a fish is really good for the health of a reef tank, and not so much as if the fish is reef safe.
Size also needs to be taken into account as with some fish they need larger systems to do well and because of their large size need to be fed more, this results in additional bio-load being placed on your system.

Remember a reef safe fish doesn’t depend only if you can place it in a reef tank for a short term situation, but the long-term effects that that fish will have on your system as most fish live a long life. Easily 10 - 20 years in some cases, and since most people are in for the long haul that needs to be taken into account.

EELS
There really is only one eel suited for a reef tank:

Gymnothorax melatremus Golden Dwarf Moray
This eel gets about 10” and is known for having blue eyes and a yellow body. Not very aggressive and will only eat very small fish and ghost shrimp.

Rhinomuraena quaesita Ribbon Eels
Most of them either die from not eating or escaping from the tank. Hard eels to get to eat. They will eat small ghost shrimp but mostly are reef safe. Juv start off as Black but turn to Blue as they become adults. A good fish to pass on.

Problems with keeping most eels is that they get very large. They are predators and will eat fish and inverts, produce a large amount of waste, will throw up their food from time to time which creates additional bio-load in the tank. They will also attack your hand so you need to be careful placing your hand in the tank. They carry bacterial diseases so you need to be careful not to get bitten and if you are bitten you need to clean the wound very well and you should go to hospital just in case.

Triggers

The following Triggers are not reef safe:

These Triggers get very large, some like the Titan can grow to 2’+, and will eat fish, inverts and take bites into anything in the tank that they find interesting. Triggers also like to move rocks around; Undulatus are known for this. Triggers like to sleep amongst the rocks and will wedge themselves in between rocks. In order to get into spaces, they will move sand out of the way to get under the rocks, so if you have a sandbed, triggers could be a problem. Also triggers will blow sand around looking for food.

Balistoides Conspicillum-Clown Trigger
Balistapus Undulatus-Undulatus Trigger
Balistes Vetula-Queen Trigger
Pseudobalisted Fuscus-Fuscus Trigger
Balistoides Viridescens-Titan Trigger
Rhinecanthus Rectangulus-Rectangulus Trigger
Rhinecanthus Aculeatus-Humma Trigger
Rhinecanthus Lunula-Lunula Trigger
Rhinecanthus-Bursa Trigger
Melichthys Undicus Niger-Black Durgen Trigger
Melichthys vidua-Pink Tail Trigger
Rhinecanthus Assasi-Assasi Trigger(Red Sea)
Odonus Niger-Niger Trigger –This Trigger can get very large and become very aggressive over time and probably shouldn’t be housed in a reef tank, even though small Juv. seem to be ok. They do grow fast and you have to think long term here.

The following are Triggers that are Reef Safe:

The triggers that are reef safe will get anywhere from 4”-8” so a large sized reef is needed to house them.

Xanthichthys Mento-Crosshatch Trigger
Xanthichthys Ringens-Red Tail Trigger
Xanthichthys Auromarginatus-Blue Throat Trigger
Sufflamen bursa- Sickle or Boomerang Trigger
Sufflamen albicaudatus-White Tail Trigger
Sufflamen chrysopterus-Half Moon Trigger

The biggest problem with some of these Triggers is that a lot of them aren’t good eaters, and with them not being aggressive to begin with, leads to some of them just wasting away. So care needs to be taken when getting one of these reef safe Triggers.

 

[marrone]

Tangs
I’m going to group certain Tangs together as they’re very similar in size and shape.

Large Tangs:
The following tangs get pretty large in size and require large tanks of at least 6’+. Most are reef safe but occasionally may nip at corals or clams. Most become aggressive when they start to reach larger sizes. Care must be given with them as they have scalpels or spines by their tails that can inflict bad wounds. Some carry poison in the scalpels or spines. They’re great to have in FO or FOWLR tanks with plenty of open swimming space. Care is needed in mixing them together in one tank. Usually the best way is to have different sizes of each tang so a pecking order will develop. Because of their large size these fish need to be fed more often and have a lot of greens in their diets. So if you plan on keeping some of these tangs you need to take into account the additional load that will be placed on your tank.



Acanthurus Lineatus-Clown Tang
Clown tangs are very aggressive tangs and will attack a lot of other tangs even when very small. They also get very large in size and become even more aggressive. They don’t do well and most, even if they do start to eat, don’t make it. Clown tangs, even small ones in general have a bad track record and should probably be avoided.

Acanthurus Olivaceus-Orange Shoulder Tang
Orange Shoulder tangs are great tangs to have in a reef tank, you can get small ones, yellow Juv. stage, and they’ll adapt to your tank very well. They do get large, up to 10”-14”, so a minimum of a 4’+ tank is required for smaller ones and larger tanks will be need as the tang grows. Usually they get along with other fish, except its own kind and Sohal tangs. They usually doesn’t bother corals or inverts. They eat large amounts of algae and should be given nori sheets in addition to other foods. It's very common, in the beginning, that once it starts to change into the adult colors, for it to change back into the Juv colors, specially if there is an aggressive fish in the tank. Eventually this will stop and will go on to complete the full adult colors.

Acanthurus Nigricauda-Nigricauda Tang
A tang that doesn’t show up that often. Usually when it does it’s comes in very large, 8”+, and requires a large tank. They’re reef safe as they don’t bother any corals. Unless you have a very large tank you should pass on them as they don’t do well in a small tank.

Acanthurus Tennenti-Lent. Tang
Very similar to Orange Shoulder tangs but usually are slightly smaller. They don’t start to color-up until they reach 6”+ or so and look very bland until then; because of this, a lot of people pass on them. Otherwise, a very good tang and does very well in a reef tank, but because of the size that it reaches. it does still require a large tank.

Acanthurus Sohal-Sohal Tang
A tang that does well in a reef tank but gets very large and over time becomes very aggressive not only against other tangs but other fish, small ones aren’t as aggressive but that does change over time. They also do very well in FO tanks with very aggressive fish like triggers, groupers and large angels. Before purchasing one of these, you really need to think as they do become problematic over time and need large tanks.

Naso Vlamingi-Vlamingi Tang
This is a very large tang that reaches lengths of 2’+ and should really be only kept in very large tanks or public aquariums. Small Juv. can be obtained but they have nowhere near the colors or streamers of the larger adults. They don’t start to color up until they reach about 1’+ or more and anyone getting a small one, and thinking that there going to have an adult in time, will be greatly disappointed.

Acanthurus Dussumieri-Dussumieri Tang
A tang that shows up from time to time and is a great tang for a reef tank or a FO tank. They do get large, 12”-16” range, and start to really color up on the body when they get about 8”-12” range. Because of the size that they get they will need a large tanks as even small sizes, 4”-6”, are still pretty large. No less than a 6’ tank is needed here.

Acanthurus Achilles-Achilles Tang
An Achilles tang is a fish that is for the most part very tough to keep. They don’t usually ship very well and are very hyper and get stressed out very easily. They’re also very prone to getting ich and usually don’t do well with treatments of copper or for that matter, in quarantine tanks. They do get pretty large and because they stress out so easy, they should only be placed in large tanks with plenty of hiding spaces and swimming room and a good amount of flow. This is a very beautiful fish but really should be left to someone with a very large tank and a lot of experience as most just don’t make it.

Acanthurus Japonicus-White Cheek or Powder Brown Tang
These tangs are reef safe and usually do well with other tangs that aren’t similar in shape. They don’t get too large, even though some very large ones do come around from time to time, but they still need a good sized tank. They are prone to ich and don’t always come in in the best of conditions, so care needs to be taken when getting one as a lot of them do die because of either ich or from shipping.

AcanthurusGlaucopareius-Gold Rim or Lollypop Tang
See Acanthurus Japonicus

Acanthurus Coerulesus-Atlantic Blue Tang
Juv. are usually yellow but turn blue over time. They do well in reef tanks but adults get pretty large. They do well with other fish and tangs but you need to be careful with tangs of similar shape.

Naso Lituratus-Naso Tang
Naso tangs are good reef tangs and small Juv. do well and can be kept in 75gal tank but your going to need to upgrade as Naso do get large and require a good deal of swimming room. They eat very well and usually get along with other fish and tangs without any problems.

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[marrone]

Small Tangs
These tangs are smaller in general, even when they reach full adult sizes. They can be kept in smaller tanks, 30gal – 75gal. Smaller sizes of these tangs can also be acquired and they usually do very well and require very little feeding as they can live off the algae growing in the tank. Most aren’t aggressive towards other fish except tangs that are similarly shaped.

Acanthurus leucosternon-Powder Blue Tang
Powder Blue tangs are reef safe, but is a fish that doesn’t usually do well and there are a lot of deaths along the way. Most Powder Blue tangs arrive in bad shape and have a number of problems that should be looked at carefully before you purchase one. Things to look: consistently moving back and forward of the eyes and consistent swimming in circles. Sometimes, the fish will come out of this but most times, they will not and will die eventually. Also look for signs of ich or marine velvet as Powder Blues are very prone to both. Also, Power Blue tangs can be very high strung and attack all the other fish in the tank, a lot of times this will lead to the Powder Blue being over stressed and eventually dying. Powder Blue tangs need good size tanks, at least 75gal, and plenty of space to move around it. Some get along with other tangs but for the most part Powder Blues are very aggressive and it’s best to keep them without any other tangs as adding others tangs is always a crapshot. Even if you get a good one, they usually don’t have long life spans, some living for only 3 – 5 years.

Paracanthurus Hepatus-Hippo Tang
Hippo tangs are really good tangs for a reef tank and usually don’t have any problems with any other fish outside of other hippo tangs. There are very ich prone and need to bequarantined before placing them into your main tank. They do grow to a pretty large size, but most small ones will do well for some time in small tank, 55gal being about the smallest as anything smaller and they will outgrow it in a short time. When purchasing small Hippo tangs, try staying away from the very small sizes, usually around a nickel or so, as they have a very bad track record and most don’t make it. If you're going to get a small Hippo, try getting one that is at least the size of a quarter or even larger.

Desjardin/Zebrasome Veliferum-Sailfin Tang
These tangs do well in reef tanks, but do get on the large size over time. One of the hardiest tangs around, they do well with other fish and tangs. Small Juv. can be kept in 55gal tanks, but since they do grow large, a good sized tank will be needed.

Acanthurus Triostegus-Convict Tang
Convict tangs are very non-aggressive tangs, but most of the time they come in a very poor condition and just waste away over time. They do well with other fish, but you need to be careful with tangs of similar shape. Hawaii Convict Tangs have only a particle strip, just before that tail, and not the particle strip and then a dot. The Convict Tang picture is NOT from Hawaii.

Ctenochaetus Hawaiiensis- Chevron Tang
The Chevron tang is a great tang that does well in reef tanks and small ones can be kept in tank as small as 30gals to 75gal for larger adults. It does well with all other fish, although some tangs of similar shape may fight with it. It’s very pricey and a small Juv usually goes for more then some adults. Most people don’t like the adult color as the fish turn very dark and in some case almost black.

Ctenochaetus Striatus/Strigosus-Striatus/Strigosus Tang
This group covers a number of tangs that are very similar in color and body markings. You have the Blue Line tang, Bristle-tooth tang, Tomi tang, and a couple that come from Africa. They all do very well in a reef tank and a lot of times, the algae that is in the tank, is enough to keep them going; they don’t need to be feed as often. Since they don’t get very large, small ones can be kept in tanks as small as 30gal and larger ones in 55-75gal tanks. Over time some can become aggressive, mostly against another tangs, but for the most part, they get along with other fish.

Ctenochaetus Marginatus-Kole Tang
See Ctenochaetus Strigosus-Striatus

Zebrasoma Scopas-Scopas Tang
Scopas tangs do very well in reef tanks and usually don’t cause any problems except possible with Yellow, Purple, Kole tangs as they have similar body shapes. Scopas Juv. usually have better colors and the adults turn to a dull brown color.

Zebrasome Flavescens-Yellow Tang
Yellow tangs are good reef fish and small ones can keep in tanks as small as 30gal with large ones in tanks from 55-75+gals. Yellow tangs can be very aggressive, not only against other tangs, but other fish as well. They do a lot of fighting, so you need to be careful with what tankmates you place it with. Yellow tangs need regular feedings of food and good water quality. If not, they start to lose the bright color yellow.

Zebrasoma Rostratum-Black Tang
Black tangs come from Hawaii and usually command a very high price tag. They are very hardy, but usually come in in large sizes that make it harder to keep in small tanks. They’re not that aggressive and usually do very well in reef tanks. They may fight with yellow or purple tangs, so you need to be careful when trying to mix them together.

Zebrasoma Xanthurus-Purple Tang
Purple tangs are good reef fish and very hardy. Small ones can be kept in 30gal tanks while larger ones will do well in tanks from 55-75+gals. They usually get along with other fish, but probably will fight with yellow tangs. They need to get a good diet of greens.

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[marrone]

Rabbit Fish/Fox Faces

Lo Vulpinus-Foxface

Lo Unimaculatus-Foxface

Lo Uspi-Fuji Foxface

Lo Magnifica-Magnifica Foxface

Siganus Doliatus

Siganus Virgatus

Siganus Puellus

Siganus Chrysospilos

Siganus Guttatus

Siganus Lineatus

Rabbitfish and Foxfaces make good additions to a reef tank, but they need a good size tank, at least 4’+, as they’re very skittish and grow quite large, some up to 12”-14”, but most only get in the 8”-10” range. Care needs to be taken with them, as their spines are poisonous and when stressed, they will flash and point them at any fish or hand that is placed in the tank. Their sting is similar to a Lionfish, and if stung, you should run you hand under hot water until the pain stops. If that doesn't work place your hand under the hot lights, MH, or see a doctor. At night, Rabbitfish and Foxfaces like to hang in the water motionless or up against pipes or rocks with the spines out, so you need to be careful when placing your hand in the tank as not to touch the spines. Rabbitfish and Foxfaces are big algae eaters, and will consume large amounts in the tank including hair algae. Since Rabbitfish and Foxfaces eat so much algae, a sheet of nori should be supplied as well as other foods like, Formula I & II, mysis shrimp and flake food. Rabbitfish and Foxfaces will get along with most reef fish without any problems, but since they’re somewhat skittish, you need to be careful that tankmates aren’t too aggressive. If you want to keep more than 1 kind in a tank, it’s best to go with a group of 3 or more, otherwise, they’ll will fight with each other. All Rabbitfish and Foxfaces are good around corals, with the exception of the Magnifica Foxface, which is known to pick at some sps corals, so you need to be careful when introducing one into your tank.
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Angel Fish
Pygmy Angels

These angels usually do very well in reef tanks as they?re usually smaller in size and don?t grow very large. Because of the small size, most can be kept in reef tanks as small as 30-55 gal tanks, but they do require hiding spaces. Some are hardy while others are actually pretty shy and actually will not eat and just waste away. Like all angels, some will pick at corals and clams, so they need to be watched when placed in a reef tank. These angels don?t live as long as some of the larger angels, with some living only up to 5 years, while others, quite a bit less. Some pygmy angels can be mixed together, but it?s usually best to just have one per tank unless the tank is large as they will usually fight. They do very well with the larger angels and usually can be mixed very easily. They also do very well in FOWLR tanks and get along with most other fish. They do best in established tanks, whether reef or FOWLR tanks. They will pick on algae in the tank, but should be fed nori, flakes and formula foods.


Centropyge Acanthops-Flame Back Angel
A very hardy pygmy angel that does well in both reef tanks and Fowlr tanks. They will pick at some corals so they need to be watched.

Centropyge Agai-Agai
The smallest of the group, usually does very well but will pick at corals.

Centropyge Aurantius-Golden Angel
A very shy angel that will hide for weeks at a time. Because of this it need a good amount of rocks to hide in. Is know to pick on corals.

Centropyge Bispinosus-Coral Beauty Angel
A shy fish that once it starts to eat, usually does well. Does have a habit of coming down with ich and marine velvet.

Centropyge bicolor-Bicolor Angel
Can be tough to get to eat, as they some what shy, but once settled in, does pretty well. They are known to pick at corals so they need to be watched in a reef tank. Even if they start to eat they don?t usually have a long life span in captivity.

Centropyge Nox-Nox Angel
A very shy angel that is easily spooked. Also will spend a lot of time hiding. Because it?s so shy, it can be tough to get to eat. It helps if they?re given plenty of hiding spaces in the tank, and if they are the the only angel in the tank. Not really a good fish to keep.

Centropyge Loriculus-Flame Angel
Probably the best of the pygmy angels. They usually eat right away and do very well in a reef tank. Not as shy as the other pygmy angels. They regularly are out in front. They also tend to live the longest amongst the pygmy angels.

Centropyge Potteri-Potter's Angel
A pretty good angel to keep in a reef tank, as it does pretty good and usually starts to eat pretty fast. Doesn?t always get along with other angels, so care needs to be taken when mixing with other angels.

Centropyge Trimaculatus-Flagfin Angel
A tough angel to get to start to eat though, smaller Juv. seems to do better. It?s probably a good angel to pass on.

Apolemichthys Xanthopunctatus-GoldFlake Angel
Similar to the Flag fin angel but carries a much higher price tag. Usually very hard to get to start to eat, although small Juv. do better. Still a hard fish to keep. Size wise, it?s larger than most of the pygmy angels and does require a large tank.

Centropyge Multicolor-Multicolor Angel
A very hardy angel that usually does very well in a reef tank. They will pick at corals sometimes, so they need to be watched.

Centropyge Flavissimus-Lemon Peel Angel
Can be hard to get to eat at first, but usually settle in pretty well. Because of their color being the same as yellow tangs, you need to be careful placing them together in the same tank, as the yellow tang may attack them.

Centropyge Colimi-Colimi Angel

Centropyge Venustus-Venustus Angel

Centropyge Heraldi-Heraldi Angel

A group of angels that doesn?t always eat and usually aren?t a good addition to a reef tank, as they have a high death rate.

Centropyge Multispins- Multispins Angel
Similar to the Coral Beauty, but much more shyer and difficult to keep.

Centropyge Shepardi-Shepardi Angel

Centropyge Eibli-Eibli Angel

Centropyge Fisheri-Fisher Angel

Centropyge Multifasciatus-Six Bar Angel

Centropyge tibicin-Tibicin Angel

Centropyge Vroliki-Vroliki Angel

Apolemichthys Xanthurus-Buttercup Angel
A tough angel to get to start to eat, and most of the time, doesn?t make it. It?s probably a good angel to pass on.

This is a group of pygmy angels that is very expensive, even though they have started to be bred in captivity. They usually do very well in a reef tank but the price tag is usually very high, and for most people isn?t worth the risk.

Centropyge Resplendens-Splendens Angel

Centropyge Hotumatua-Hotumatua Angel

Centropyge Joculator-Joculator

Centropyge Interruptus-Interruptus

 

[marrone]

Plankton Feeder Type Angels

This group of angels usually do very well in reef type tank, but because of their size, which can range from 4”-8”, they need larger sized reef tanks. Most are plankton feeders and eat food out of the water column. Because of this, most will not pick on any corals, clams or inverts, but you still need to watch them, as in a closed system, they may start to pick on them. Males and females have different color patterns and you can usually keep a male and female together, or one male with a harem of females. If only one male is present some will convert back to female colors. You need to be careful, as a lot of the times, they come in with some type of disease and need to be quarantined before being placed into the main tank. They should be feed mysis shrimp, plankton, and formula foods.

Genicanthus Caudovittatus-Zebra Angel

Genicanthus Watanabei-Watanabei Angel

Genicanthus Semifasciatus-

Genicanthus Melanospilus-Zebra Angel

Genicanthus Bellus- Bellus Angel

Genicanthus Lamark-Lamark Angel

Medium Size Angels

This is a group of Angels that can be placed in a reef tank, but there is a good chance of them picking on corals. Because they get large in size, they need to be placed in larger reef tanks or large FOWLR tanks. They’re for the most part, pretty hardy and usually live for quite some time. They should be fed mysis shrimp, flake, nori and formula food.

Chaetodontoplus Melanosoma-Poma Angel
Chaetodontoplus Mesoleucus-Mesoleucus Angel
These two angels can be tough to get to eat and usually are best to pass on.

Chaetodontoplus Duboulayi-Scribble Angel
An angel, that once you to start to get it to eat, usually do very well. They do get to be a pretty good size and usually require a large size tank. They’re ich magnets, so they need to be quarantined before being placed into your main tank.

Chaetodontoplus Personifer-Personifer Angel
An angel that doesn’t get too large and usually does very well. They may pick at corals. Super males can cost a good amount of money, but usually do very well.

Chaetondontoplus Septentrionalis-Six Line Angel
An very expensive angel that doesn’t always come in the best of conditions. They are usually on the shy side and can take a little while to get to eat. Because of this, it's probably a fish that should be passed on unless the individual is in good condition and eating.

Chaetodontoplus Conspicillatus-Conspicillatus Angel
A very expensive angel that does well in a reef tank, but because of it size needs a large tank, 6’, to do well. They usually eat very well and is also good in a Fowlr tank.

Pygoplites diacanthus-Regal Angel
It's an angel that is hard to get to eat and even when it start to eat, doesn’t always make it. They will eat zoo’s and may pick at soft corals so you need to take that into account when placing it in a reef tank. Very shy and needs to be given places to hide and also tank mates that aren’t that aggressive. Red Sea ones seem to do better, but it’s still a very hard fish to keep and most, even from the Red Sea, usually don’t make it.

 

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Large Angels

This is a group of Angels that get very large, and aren’t for the most part, reef saf. Although, a number of people have been able to keep them in reef tanks. Most will pick at corals, clams and worms in the tank, so if introduced into a reef tank, they need to be carefully watched. For the most part, they do very well in FO or FOWLR tanks, but need tanks that are at least 6’+ or larger. They need to be fed large amount of greens and meat foods so they will be a bigger load on a reef system.

Pomacanthus Zonipectus-Cortez Angel
Cortez Angels are usually very large angels, though you will see small Juv. for sale. They do very well in tanks, but do require large tanks, 6’+. Not as aggressive as some of the larger angels. They usually do very well with other angels, as long as the other angels aren’t that aggressive.

Pomacanthus Paru-French Angel
Pomacanthus Arcuatus-Grey Angel
An angel thats gets very large and can be semi-aggressive. Can be kept with other angels, but because of their size, they may fight. Care needs to be taken, as they can easily get ich, and a lot of times, it will attack their eyes. Also, injury and diseases to their eyes are quite common, so care needs to be taken when getting one.

Pomacanthus Maculosus-Maculosus Angel
An angel that is being captive raised and smaller sizes have been showing up. They’re very hardy and do very well, even though they can be aggressive. They usually do very well with other angels.

Pomacanthus Imperator-Imperator Angel
An angel that although has been regularly kept in reef tanks, still need to be watched as they will pick at corals and clams. They do get on the large side over time and become somewhat aggressive. They usually do well with other angels as long as they’re the largest angel in the tank. If they’re not the largest angel in the tank, they usually don’t do well and a lot of times, hide and may eventually die. They're prone to getting ich and marine velvet, so you need to be careful when purchasing one and quarantine it before placing it into your main tank. Something to consider when purchasing a Juv., is that some will change into adult colors, but they never seem to turn completely into the adult colors, or aren’t as colorful as when purchasing full adults.

Pomacanthus Annularis-Annularis Angel
A very hardy angel that can be some what aggressive and does grow to a large size.

Pomacanthus Semicirculatus-Koran Angel
Korans do very well and are the least aggressive amongst the larger angels. They’re actually are on the shy side and small Juv. can easily be placed in small tanks, but a 6’ tank is usually needed, as they do grow large. They may pick on corals, so if placed in a reef tank they need to be watched. They usually get along with other large angels.

Pomacanthus Chrysurus-Chrysurus Angel
An angel from the African coast area that shows up from time to time, though most in Juv. form. They can also be on the expensive side. They do very well and are very hardy. Can be some what aggressive but usually gets along with other fish and different angels.

Holacanthus Clarionensis-Clarion Angel
A very expensive angel that usually isn’t exported from the Mexico area. They usually are very hardy and do very well.

Holacanthus Ciliarus-Queen Angel
Holacanthus Isabelita-Blue Angel
2 very large angels that can become very aggressive over time and care needs to be taken when trying to mix with other large angels. Small Juv. do very well, but they grow fairly quickly over time and need to be housed in a large tank. Smaller Juv. will do cleaning on larger fish. Queens and Blue angels are usually ich magnets so care needs to be taken with them. You can tell the difference between Juv Queens and Blue Angels by the bars. The Queen has curved bars which the Blues bars are straight.

Holacanthus Passer-Passer Angel
The smallest of the larger angels, Passer are very aggressive and care needs to be taken when keeping them with other angels and other fish. They do very well with trigger, groupers and other aggressive fish. Can be mixed with other angels, but the other angels need to be larger and should be very hardy as the Passer can be very aggressive. Small ones do well in 55-75 gal tanks as Passer doesn’t grow that large.

Pomacanthus Asfur-Asfur Angel
A very hardy angel that does well and smaller adult sizes can regular be obtained. Doesn’t grow very large they and usually develop long streamers. They do very well with other large angels also, but the other angels may bite off the streamers. Not too aggressive, smaller adults have been kept in reef tang, but like all angels you need to watch them as they will pick at corals and clams.

Holacanthus Tricolor-Rock Beauty
An angel that doesn’t always eat, smaller sizes seems to do better, but still a tough fish to keep.

Euxiophipops Navarchus-Majestic Angel
A smaller angel that is on the shy side and usually is placed into reef tanks, but like all angels, needs to be watched. They’re usually hard to get to eat and spend a lot of time hiding in the tank. It’s best to be the only angel placed in the tank, and if other angels are added, it should be after this one has settled in. Because of it small size, adults can easily be placed in 4’ tanks but the bigger the tank, the better chance of success. They come down with ich a lot, and usually don’t come in the best of conditions.

Euxiphipops Xanthometapon-Blue Face Angel
An angel that can be very hard to get to eat at first, but once started usually does very well. They do get large but small adults can be found. Care needs to be taking with tankmates, especially other angels, as they can be on the shy side and easily bullied. If you listen closely, you will hear them making grunting sounds, especially when chasing other angels.

Euxiphipops Sexstriatus-Six Bar Angel
An angel that isn’t always the hardiest and usually does well if placed into a tank without other large angels. They don’t get to large and small one will actually do well in 4’ tanks. Usually doesn’t show up for sale that often and ones that do, aren’t full adult sizes.

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Pseudochromidae/Dottybacks/Basslets

This is a great group of fish that no reef tank should be without. They do well in reef tanks and usually get along with most other fish. They can be somewhat aggressive, so you need to be careful with some of the group as they will become very territorial and chase and pick on other fish, and may attack shrimp and other inverts. They may fight with small wrasse or hogfish, like the six line wrasse as they?re similar in size and shape. They like to move things around the tank and some will pick up sand and drop it on you rocks and corals. They need a good amount of rockwork in a tank and you?ll see that a lot of them will hang upside down below rock faces. They are very hardy and will usually eat almost anything you feed them. They are usually very funny to watch, and they?re very active, as they never seem to lose the wild nature in them as a lot of other fish do once housed in a tank. They do jump from time to time, so you need to take that into account when keeping one.


Pseudochromis diadema- Diadema
A small dottyback that does well in a reef tanks and in Fowlr tanks also. A minimum of 20gal tank with rock work is required, though some have found their way into Nano tanks and have done very well.

Pseudochromis porphyreus-Strawberry
A small dottyback that does well in a reef tanks and also in Fowlr tanks also. Can be aggressive against other dottybacks and small fish, so care needs to be taken with tankmates. A minimum of 20gal tank with rock work is required though some have found their way into Nano tanks and have done very well.

Pseudochromis paccagnella-Bi-color
Behavior is very similar to the Strawberry Dottyback just with a different color pattern.

Pseudochromis aldabraensis-Neon
A larger dottyback that does very well in reef tanks and in Fowlr tanks also. Can be kept in groups but usually doesn?t do well with other Dottybacks as they can be aggressive. Because they can get to a good size, the smallest tank that they should be kept in is a 55gal.

Pseudochromis perspicillatus-Cats Eye
This is a large fish that usually is very aggressive and usually does better in a Fowlr tank as opposed to a reef tank. Will rearrange the rocks and sand in a tank so care must be taken before introducing one of these into you reef tank. Needs a good sized tank of at least 75gals with plenty of rock work.

Labracinus cyclopthalmus-Dampiera
The largest of the group. They?re very aggressive and better housed in a Fowlr tank. Can be very aggressive and usually does well with larger fish.

Gramma melacara-Black-cap
A Dottyback that does very well in reef tanks and usually is not aggressive. It is very shy to the point where it will hide among the rocks. Can grow large, but even then it?s usually very peaceful. Should be kept in a minimum tank size of 55gals and supplied with plenty of rock work for it to hide. Rock faces need to be supplied in the tank as they like to hang upside down.

Peudochromis flavivertex-Sunrise
A very non aggressive Dottyback that does well in reef tanks and also in Fowlr tanks also. Can be kept in groups, as long as there the tank is large enough and there is rock work. They have also been breed in tanks. If introducing more than one more Sunrise into a tank, it?s best to do it all at once. Females don?t have the yellow and are usually a dull blue with dots on the body; females don?t usually show up for sale. Should be kept in a minimum tank size of 55gals and supplied with plenty of rock work for it to hide.

Pseuochromis sankeyi-Striped
A very non aggressive Dottyback that does well in reef tanks and also in Fowlr tanks also. Can be kept in groups and does well with other non-aggressive Dottybacks as long as the tank is larger enough. Should be kept in a minimum tank size of 30gals and supplied with plenty of rock work for it to hide into.

Gramma loreto-Royal Gramma
A fish that does very well in reef tanks and in nano tanks also. Can be keep with most fish and with other Royal Grammas as long as there are hiding places in the tank. Some larger sizes do show up from Brazil and need to kept in larger tank, like a 55gal.

Pseudochromis springerii-Springeri
One of the smaller and non-aggressive Dottybacks that do well in reef tanks as small as 30gals. Even though they have been captive breed, they usually don?t show up that often for sale.

Pseudochromis fridmani-Orchiard
A very non-aggressive Dottyback that does well in reef tanks. Can be kept with other non-aggressive Dottybacks, as well as its own kind. Needs good rock work and a 30gal tank should be the smallest.

Pseudochromis Splendens-Splendens
A very colorful Dottyback that does well in reef tanks, but is does get fairly large and can be aggressive. It needs a good sized reef tank and is probably better off in a Fowlr tanks.

Pseudochromis-Novaehollandiae-Novadeholland
A really nice colorful Dottyback that does well in reef tanks and Fowlr tanks also. It can be aggressive so you need to be careful with what fish you mix it with. It doesn?t do well with other Dottybacks.

Liopropoma swalesi-Swalesi
A lot of time sold as Liopropoma carmabi(Candy), but for a lot cheaper than what a Liopropoma carmabi would cost. It?s a very good reef fish, but can be somewhat shy and will hide, so plenty of rock work is needed. Can usually be kept together with other non-aggressive Dottybacks. The smallest tank size should be 30gal-55gal tanks with plenty of rock work and caves.

Liopropoma carmabi-Candy
A very expensive fish, that rarely show up for sale, Liopropoma swalesi are often sold as Candy. Because of the price and the rarity of the fish, before purchasing one, you must make sure that it really is a Candy Basslet and not one of the others.

Liopropoma rubre-Swissguard
Similar to the Swalesi and Candy Basslets in behavior, usually priced along the lines of the Swalesi.

There are countless other Pseudochromidae/Dottybacks/Basslets that show up, some small, others larger, but they?re all usually from the same mold. They can be some what aggressive, especially against other Pseudochromidae/Dottybacks/Basslets, and should be the only one in the tank. They?re reef safe and all need hiding spaces in the rock work. They will jump from time to time, so you need to be concerned about that also.

 

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Batfish

Batfish aren’t reef safe as they will eat just about anything in the tank that they can get, which includes inverts and coral polyps. The small juv. that you see in stores, with the long fins, turns into very large fish, 2’+, and lose the long fins which attract most people to them in the first place. They need very large tanks and can’t be placed with fish that will attack their fins. They’re very hardy, except for the Pinnatus Batfish, which usually doesn’t eat and dies most of the time. Because of the size that this fish can attain, it really should be either left in the ocean or public aquariums.

Platax orbicularis-Orbic Batfish

Platax teira-Teira Batfish

Platax pinnatus-Pinnatus Batfish

Dragonets

Dragonets are great reef fish, but they have special food requirements and unless you can supply them with live pods, most don’t make it. Some will start to eat brine shrimp or flake food, but most don’t and even those that do it’s usually not enough to keep them alive. They can be kept in tanks as small as 20gals with plenty of rock work and a good pods population. You can keep more than one in a tank but two males will fight. Males have an elongated first dorsal spine, whereas the female's is short and squarer looking. They have been breed in the aquarium with the male and female facing each other and then spiraling up towards the water surface. This usually happen late in the day or at night. Basically if you can’t supply them with a large population of live pods, you should think of not adding one to your reef tank.

Synchiropus splendidus-Mandarin

Synchiropus picturatus-Bullseye

Synchiropus ocellatus-Scooter Blenny

Squirrel Fish

Squirrel fish are very hardy. They don't bother corals, but they will eat snails, crabs, starfish and small fish, so if you plan on placing one in your reef tank, you need to take this into account. They do get to a large size, with Sargocentron spiniferum getting about 20” or so, but the striped squirrels group are smaller, 4”-6” range. Squirrel fish are very active during the day and are nocturnal, so they will become even more active when the lights go off. It’s a good fish for a FO or a Fowlr tank and can be kept with both aggressive and non-aggressive fish. They also make knocking sounds that you can hear from some distance away.

Sargocentron xantherythrum-Striped

Holocentrus refus-Stripped

Myripristis sp.-Black Bar

Big eye Squirrell

Sargocentron spiniferum

Sargocentron rubrum

Sargocentron diadema

Myripristis jacobus

Goat fish

Goat fish sift through the sand looking for worms, inverts and small fish. They can get large, anywhere from 1’-2’, and usually do better in a large FO or Fowlr.

Parupeneus barberinoides-Bicolor

Parupeneus cyclostomus-Yellow

Cardinal Fish

A good fish for a reef tank, but some do get large, though some stay smaller and are usually thin looking and shaped like a bullet. They need tanks at least 30gals-55gals. They’re a nocturnal fish, and need caves to hide in. They usually hover in the tanks, and need to be kept with tank mates that are peaceful, otherwise they’ll hide. Even though you see them in groups in pictures and in LFS, they need to be kept either individually or in pairs in a tank, otherwise they’ll fight and usually kill one another. Cardinal fish will eventually pair off and spawn.

Pterapogon kauderni-Banggai Cardinal

Sphaeramia nematoptera-PJ Cardinal

Apogon Cookii-Black banded Cardinal

Apogon sp-Blue Stripe Cardinal

Apogon srubrimacula-Orange Line Cardinal

Apogon Cyanosoma-Yellow stripe Cardinal

Apogon leptacamtus-Threadfin Cardinal

 

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Damsels

Damsel fish are reef safe, but they bring a lot of baggage with them and before introducing one into your tank you need to consider the problems that they can cause.
Damsel fish, except for a few, are very aggressive and will attack other fish or inverts in the tank, even if the fish is larger and more aggressive. It’s very hard to mix different kinds of Damsels together, let alone Damsels of the same kind, as they’ll usually fight. Also, those small Damsels that you see for sale in LFS grow quite large, anywhere from 4”-8”, and can become even more of a problem. Damsel fish are also known to move corals around and rip out soft corals.

One exception to this are the Starcki Damsels, which for the most part, are pretty non-aggressive. They resemble the Flameback Angel and only get about 2”-3” big. Two other non-aggressive Damsels are the Blue Damsel and the Yellow Tail Damsel, but even so, they will fight amongst themselves.

The Garibaldi Damsel fish is the largest of the group and reach sizes of 1’+. They’re from colder waters, and because of this, usually don’t do well in reef tanks as temperatures there can reach close to 80. Juv. have blue spots, which as they get larger and become adults, fade away leaving an orange fish.

Dascyllus aruanus-Three stripe Damsel
Dascyllus trimaculatus-Dominos Damsel
Dascyllus melanurus-Four stripe Damsel
Chrysiptera parasema-Yellow Tail Blue Damsel
Abudefduf cyaneus-Blue Damsel
Chrysiptera cyanea-Blue Damsel
Paraglyphidodon oxyodon-Blue Velvet
Microspathodon chrysurus-Jewel Damsel
Abudefduf saxatilis-Sergeant Major Damsel
Hypsypops rubicunda-Garibaldi
Chrysiptera starcki-Starcki


Chromis

Chromis are very peaceful fish, and will school together in groups. They may still fight somewhat amongst themselves. They are good candidates for a reef tank, and when in groups, add alot to a reef tank. They can get on the large size with some growing up to 4”-7” but most only getting around 2”-3”.

Chromis cyaneus-Blue Reef chromis
Chromis iomelas-Black and White Chromis
Chromis altus-Blue Chromis


Fire/Worm Fish
A very good fish that does well in both reef and nano tanks. They require a sandy bottom or rock rubble with caves to do well. Try not to mix with any aggressive fish that may think of them as a meal, such as a Wrasse, Hogfish or a Dottyback. Even though they usually live on the bottom of the tank, near a hole or open in a rock crevice, they need a good cover on top of the tank, as they are prone to jump.

Nemateleotris helfrichi-Helfrich Firefish
Nemateleotris decora-Decorated Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica-Firefish
Ptereleotris zebra-Bar Gobie
Ptereleotris hanae-Blue Gudgeon
Ptereleotris heteroptera-Blue Gudgeon

Jawfish

Jawfish are fish that do well in reef tank that have sandy bottoms. They like to dig tunnels in which they live. Jawfish will usually dig tunnels and move sand around the tank, as they live in the tunnels and have their head sticking out waiting for food to float by and then come out and grab it. They do well in pairs, but some are aggressive and will fight with each other, especially the Blue Spotted Jawfish. They need tanks at least 20gal with non-aggressive tank mates. Even though they live in tunnels for protection, they need to come out to get food, and if placed with aggressive fish, like Dottybacks or Damsels, they will either be chased from their tunnels or be too frightened to come out and get food.

Opistognathus aurifrons-Yellow or Pearle jawfish
Opistognathus whitehurstii-Dusty jawfish
Opistognathus lonchurus-Black Cap or Moustache jawfish
Opistognathus rosenblatti-Blue spotted jawfish




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Wrasse Family
The Wrasses family of fish is made up of one of the larger groups of fish. Even though they have many similarities there are a lot of differences whether its shapes, color, size or attitude. I have separated them in to different groups based on this.


Hog Fish
This is a group of fish that can get very large, anywhere from 4”-2’+, and will eat small fish, crab, shrimp and any inverts they can grab. Though some people have kept a couple of these fish in reef tanks because of their size, and what they eat, they’ll be better off in a large FO or Fowlr tanks. Unlike a lot of the other wrasses, different type of Hog fish can be mixed together in the same tank but you need to make sure the tank is large, has rocks for hiding spaces and the size of each Hog fish should be different. What will happen is they wouldn’t fight with each other but will develop a pecking out and usually stay out of each others way. Wrasse and Hog fish are usually very slow growers so the size that you usually purchase them at will pretty much be the size they’ll stay for some time. Can be kept with aggressive fish but trigger, eels and other very aggressive fish may harass it and take pieces out of it tail or fins. This could cause the Hog fish to hide or be really stressed out and even die, so you need to be careful when mixing these fish together with other fish, even though they are large in size. They need hiding spaces and caves in the tank as they can be on the shy side.

Bodianus macrourus-Blackfin Saddle Hog
Bodianus mesothorax-Coral Hog
Bodianus axillaries-Coral Hog
Bodianus pulchellus-Cuban Hog
Bodianus bilunulatus-Saddle Hog
Bodianus Diana-Diana Hog
Bodianus rufus-Spanish Hog
Lachnolaimus maximus-Costa Rican Hog

This is a group of Hog fish that are regularly available for sale at most LFS. Most get up to at 1’ in length though the Spanish Hog can get close to 2’ with the Saddle hogs usually a smaller size, about 4”-6”. Small Juv. usually has different marking but within a short time they change over to the adult colors. Small Juv. will also perform cleaning functions. A very hardy group of fish that does very well in a FO or Fowlr tank though if you’re not going to have inverts would also do well in a reef tank.

Bodianus anthioides-Lyretail Hog(Red Sea)
From the Red sea, from the head to the middle of the body Red/Orange with the rest white with a lyretail. Gets about 6”-8”and does very well in a FO or Fowlr tank.

Cheilinuss fasciatus-Red Breast Wrasse
A wrasse from the Red sea and parts of Japan, show up in some Bali shipment, can reach lengths of about 2’. Usually Juv. don’t have the red/orange colors of the adult and are very bland in color, usually brown, and because of that aren’t exported that often, though smaller Bali ones seems to have more color and color-up faster than adults from the Red sea, which usually don’t start showing adult colors until they reach 6”-8”. Even though they get very large they need hiding spaces as they’re some what shy. Likes to look and move around the sand looking for food.


Lienardella fasciata-Harlequin Tusk(Trunk Fish)
Harlequin Tusks, and all Trunk fishes, are aggressive feeder looking for inverts and small fish in the sand and around the tank. They will eat through hermit and snail shell so if you plan on having them in your reef tank you need to take that into account other wise they do better in FO or Fowlr tanks. When looking to purchase a Harlequin Tusk the better ones come from Australia. They’re better than the ones from Philippians as they’re much hardier, eat right away, and are usually in better condition not to mention they have better colors than the Philippians ones. The ones from the Philippians don’t usually have a good survival rate and usually die within a short time either from not eating or some thing not being right with them, from how they where collected. The different between the two is that the Australia on has a lot more purple on the back of the body, the orange stripe are much more bright as are the color of the teeth. So even though the Australia ones cost more they’re usually worth the price.

Epibulus insidiator-Sling Jaw Wrasse
This is a wrasse that can get very large and like its name has a long sling jaw that it used to catch fish. Female are yellow while males are darker in color. Some can reach good lengths and get pretty big. Even though they hunt fish, and grab them with the sling jaw mouth, they usually do better with non-aggressive fish in a FO or Fowlr tank.

Cheilinus abudjubbe-Abujubbe/ Splendour Wrasse
A really colorful wrasse, from the Red sea, that reached a length of about 1 _’. Doesn’t get to large, you can usually find small individual of about 6”- 8” with full color. Not as aggressive as some of the other Hog fish and need plenty of hiding spaces in the tank.

Cheilinus oxycephalus-Snotty Wrasse
Oxycheilinus bimaculatus-Two Spot/ Maori Wrasse
Smaller Hog fish that get only about 3”-4” or so and usually aren’t that aggressive. Like the other hogs they will eat small inverts so if you place them into a reef tank you need to take that into consideration. Does well in FO or Fowlr tanks and can be kept with small and peaceful fish.

Oxycheilinus digrammus
A wrasse from the Red sea, that shows up for sale from time to time in LFS. Comes in
a number of different color and markings and can be confused with other wrasse, usually the Ring Tail or the Napoleon wrasse. Adult coloration is an iridescent purple with purple stripes on and around the head, this fish just glows under good lights. Can be some what aggressive and gets to about 1 _’ in size. Should be kept in a FO or Fowlr tank.

Cheilinus undulates- Napoleon Wrasse
Very large wrasse from the Rea sea that reach about 6’+ in length. Small Juv. show up from time to time and can cost a great deal on money. The Juv. is mainly white with some green and they start to color up as they get older. When they start to reach 1 1/2’-2’ they will start to develop the hump head that you usually see in the wild. A very aggressive feeder and because of the large size should only be kept in very large aquariums or public aquariums.


Novaculichthys taeniourus-Dragon Wrasse
A fish that can get very large, even though small individuals are usually available for sale at LFS. They are known to move around rocks and sand looking for food, mostly inverts, they will also hide in the sand at night. Not a good fish for a reef tank but does well in FO and Fowlr tanks. Can be very aggressive, so you need to be careful with other tank mates.

Wrasse - Aggressive

A group of wrasses that are very faster swimmers and need a good size tank with open swimming room; they don’t get along with other members of the Thalassoma family. They are an aggressive group and can be kept with very aggressive fish, like triggers. As I mention they don’t get along with other member of the Thalassoma family and if you try and place two together they fight like crazy until one is dead. They don’t get to large, 4”-12” in length, but some of the smaller ones can be very aggressive, like the Gold Bar Wrasse. Some people have placed these in their reef tank but because of what they eat, inverts, and the swimming room that they require do best in FO or Fowlr tanks. Also Juv. can have different makings or colors than the adults do, though not as completely different as some of the other wrasses, whose Juv. and adult colors and markings can be so different that they look to be different species altogether. They need cave or rocks where they can get underneath to hide and sleep.


Thalassoma hebraicum-Gold Bar Wrasse
Even though a small wrasse they’re very aggressive. Since they come from Africa they don’t usually show up that often.

Thalassoma jansenii-Jansen Wrasse
One of the smallest of the group is probably the most peaceful but still is an aggressive feeder. Super males get purple/blue coloring up the head/mouth area. Doesn’t show up that often but when they do they’re reasonably priced.

Thalassoma bifasciatum-Blue Head
A very thin wrasse but can be very aggressive and doesn’t usually go for other wrasses in the same tank. Some Juv start off with yellow/white in their bodies but will change over in no time to the adult coloration.

Thalassoma klunzingeri-Klunzinger Wrasse
A very beautiful colored wrasse that does very well in a FO or Fowlr tank.

Thalassoma lunare-Lunare Wrasse
One of the more regularly available wrasses for sale and will show up in LFS in many different sizes. Juv and adults usually have the same color patterns and marking except adults are usually solid in color where Juvs have a split color where the top is green and the bottom blue. Most come in colors of Green/Pink/Purple and Blue and vary in color from where they’re collected from. Some can get large and do require large area to swim in.
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Thalassoma lutescens-Banana Wrasse
Similar to the Lunare wrasse in shape and body markings, but the color is yellow with some green in it, and is usually somewhat smaller in size.

Thalassoma hardwicke-Hardwicke Wrasse
Juv have a light color body with light stripes just starting from the top. As the fish changes to adult colors, it will turn blue and the stripes from the top of its body will extend down and darken and can have some yellow around the stripes. Gets to about 6”-8” and does well in FO & Fowlr tanks. It is somewhat shy, and needs to be placed with peaceful tankmates. Will eat inverts, so if placed into a reef tank, you need to watch them.

Thalassoma lucasanum-Paddlefin Wraase
Thalassoma lucasanum-Rainbow Wrasse
A very colorful fish; the adults have a blue/green head a yellow bar, just after the head, and the body is red with a blue tail. Juv are dark in color with yellow and pink lines. Gets to 6”-8” and does best in FO or Fowlr tanks. Because they eat inverts, if you place one in a reef tank, you need to watch them.


Thalassoma dupery-Saddle Wrasse
A blue/green color fish with a band of orange, the saddle, just after the head. Reaches to about 8”-12” and is good for a FO or Fowlr tank. Because they eat inverts, if you place one in a reef tank, you need to watch them.
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Wrasse-Coris

A very popular group of wrasses, as the Juv. colors are orange with white stripe and they have a funny swimming motion. They will dive into the sand, either to sleep or when frightened. As they start to change into adult colors, they go through a dramatic change and look nothing like the Juv. They eat inverts and worms and will dive into the sand; they may not be the best fish to introduce into a reef tank. They can disappear for days at a time, hiding in the sand and taken for dead, only to reappear out of the blue. They do very well in a FO or Fowlr tanks and should have peaceful tank mates.


Coris gaimard Africana-Red Coris Wrasse
Juv. are orange with white markings and are usually about 2”-3”. Adults change color and look completely different than the Juv form. Adults have a dark orange-brown/blue body with blue dots near the tail and a yellow tail. Sub-adults show up from time to time and usually have the adult color with some of the white markings of the Juv. They will dive into the sand, either to sleep or when they’re frightened. They can go missing in the tank for days and then reappear all of a sudden. Adults reach about 1’ in length, though you can find smaller and large adult sizes for sale. Because they eat inverts and dive into the sand, they may not be suited for reef tanks. If you're going to keep one in FO or Fowlr tank, you should have sand for them to dive into.

Corris Formosa-Formosa Wrasse
Very similar to the Coris Wrasse, except that as a Juv, they have more black around the body and white stripes. The adults are similar also, but don’t have the blue/orange color in their body or the yellow tail and have dark spots as opposed to blue spots. They get some what larger, say about 2’, than the Coris Wrasse.

Coris aygula-Twin Spot Wrasse
As with all the Coris Wrasse, Juvs and adults look nothing like one another. The Juv. is white with black spots and some orange on the top of the back part of its body and two spots, one on each side; Twin Spot. They're usually about 4” in size. The Adult will change into white with spots in the front of the body and dark colors in the back and reach a length of about a 1’. Then it will change into a male with dark green body and lighter stripe bands in the middle of the body. It can reach a size of about 3’. They eat inverts and will bury themselves in the sand at night. Because of their ultimate size and that they eat inverts, they really should be kept in FO or Fowlr tanks even though people do keep the small Juv in reef tanks. Large adults are really only suited for public aquariums or very large tanks.

Coris picta-Picta Wrasse(Comb)
Once again the Juv colors are completely different than the adult. Juv are white with slight lines through the body. Adults are white with long lines that run it’s body length; the top one usually being orange while the bottom one, that runs from the mouth through the eye to the tail is dark and has jagged edges, like a comb, that come down into the white of the lower body. Juv will dive in the sand; adults not as much. Can reach about 8” and usually is pretty peaceful in the tank. Since it eats inverts, you need to be careful placing it in a reef tank. If you place it in a FO or Fowlr tank, Juv need sand beds, but adults can get away without sand.
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Butterfly Fish

Butterfly fish are a group of fish that usually eat corals exclusively or as part of their diets. So placing one in a reef tank is either a no-no or they need to be monitored very closely. There are a number of Butterfly fish that exclusively eat corals, and usually don’t accept anything else, and aren’t suited for the home aquarium and should be left in the ocean. Butterfly fish need a good sized tank and plenty of hiding spaces; they also need peaceful tank mates. They do well in either single, pairs or small groups but mixing them together with other Butterfly fish can be a problem, so care is needed in try to place different Butterfly fish in the same tank. Tricks to get some Butterfly fish to start to eat usually involve placing open mussels and clam, in their open shell, inside the tank. Because they can be hard to keep, except for a couple of Butterfly fish, they should be left to the advanced hobbyist.

Copperbands

Copperband Butterfly fish are basically used to controller Aiptasia anemones in a reef tank. It can be hit or miss, as some Copperbands will eat Aiptasia anemones and others not even touch them. They can be a tough fish to keep, as a lot of times they will not eat any food and just waste away. The Australian ones seem to do better, but still a lot more die than make it. People try feeding them mussels and clams on the shells but even then it can be hit or miss. I guess the real question is, is it worth trying to keep this fish just to control Aiptasia anemones or using some other means to control them.

Chelmon rostratus-Copperband

Hardy Butterfly Fish

This is a group of Butterfly fish that does very well in the home aquarium. Most will eat all kinds of food but some will still go after corals so it’s very risky placing them in a reef tank. The Declevis and the Tinkeri are usually very expensive, as can be the Semi Lavarvatus. The Klein Butterfly fish is one of the hardiest of the group, and does well in a FO or Fowlr tank. Butterfly fish do need space and peaceful tank mates, so they should be kept in large tanks.

Chaetodon auriga-Auriga
Chaetodon declevis-Declevis
Chaetodon tinkeri-Tinkeri
Chaetodon semilarvatus-Semilavarvatus
Chaetodon mesoleucos-White Face(Red Sea)
Chaetodon Burgessi-Burgess
Chaetodon Kleinii-Klein
Chaetodon unimaculatus-Teardrop
Chelmonops Truncatus-Old Wife
Chaetodon daedalma-Wrough Iron
Forcipiger Flavissimus-Longnose
Forcipiger longirostris-Longnose
Chaetodon lunula-Raccoon


Moderate/Hard Butterfly Fish

This group of Butterfly fish is usually hard to maintain in the home aquarium and really should only be kept by advanced hobbyist that are willing to keep them in the proper tank with conditions to survive.

Chaetodon paucifasciatus-Pearlscale
Chaetodon ephippium-Saddleback
Chaetodon rafflesi-rafflesi
Chaetodon Collare-Collare
Prognathodes aya-Bank
Hemitauricthys Polylepis-Pyramid
Chaetodon octofasciatus-Eightbanded
Chaetodon andamanensis-Andaman
Chaetodon capistratus-Foureye
Chaetodon decussates-vagabond
Chaetodon fremblii-Bluestripe
Chaetodon milliaris-lemon
Chaetodon paucifasciatus-Orangeback
Chaetodon quadmrimaculatus-Fourspot
Chaetodon Fafflesi-Latticed
Chaetodon Rainfordi-Rainford
Chaetodon Citrinellus-Pebble
Chaetodon Pakistani-Pakistani
Chaetodon ulietensis-Falcua Double Saddle

Heniochus Butterfly Fish

This group of Butterfly fish, Heniochus, is very hardy and does well in the home aquarium. They will eat almost anything, but they may also pick on corals. If you decide to place one in your reef tank, you must watch them very carefully. They can be some what quarrelsome amongst each other and sometimes with other fish. They do well in groups and should be given room and hiding spaces.

Heniochus intermedus
Heniochus acuminatus
Heniochus varius
Heniochus pleorotaenia
Heniochus diphreutes
Heniochus singularis


Do Not Keep List

This is a group of Butterfly fish that should never be taken out of the ocean as they eat nothing but corals and chances of survival are almost zero. There isn’t a reason that any store should be selling any of these Butterfly fish.

Chaetodon ornatissimus-Orante
Chaetodon Meyeri-Meyers
Chaetodon trifascialis-Chevron
Chaetodon larvatus-larvatus
Chaetodon austriacus-Exquisite
Chaetodon baronessa-Triangle
Chaetodon lunulatus-Redfin
Chaetodon Melapterus-Arabian
Chaetodon aureofasciatus-Goldenstriped
Chaetodon bennetti-Bennett

 

[marrone]

Assessor macneilli-Assessor Blue
Assessor Flavissimus-Goldden Assessor
Assessors are great fish for a reef tank, but can be on the expensive side. They usually don’t bother any fish, coral or inverts, and are very peaceful fish. They can be kept in tanks as small as 30gal and they need some caves and rock overhangs, as they usually either swim or hang upside down against the rock overhangs. They should be kept with peaceful tank mates and they usually don’t do well with the more aggressive Dottyback/Basslet group. You can keep groups in a tank, and they have spawned in the aquarium, but to maintain a group you need a good size tank, at least 75+gals.

Calloplesiops altivelis-Marine Betta
These are great fish for a reef tank, but will eat small snails, pods, and shrimps. Usually on the shy side; most will hide in rocks and only come out when either looking for food or at feeding time. Small ones can be kept in tanks as small as 30gal, but they do grow and really the smallest tank should be 75gals. They need plenty of hiding spaces, which usually are caves and rock overhangs. They usually don’t like the bright lights so they may hide when the MH are on and come out when the MH go off or at night when the lights go off. They usually get along with all tank mates, just as long as they’re large enough so that they can’t eat them. Aggressive fish will take pieces out of their tails; so you need to be careful mixing angels, tangs and damsels with them. Since they’re shy, you usually need to spot feed them as they will either get chased away from the food by other fish or be frightened from the food entering the tank and hide.

Serranus tigrinus-Harlequin Bass
Serranus baldwini-Lantern Bass
Serranus tortugarum-Chalk Bass
Serranus annularis-Orange Back Bass
Serranus baldwini-Six Dot Bass

This group of fish can be kept in a reef tank but care needs to be place in what you put in the tank with them as they will eat small shrimp and small fish. The Harlequin is the most aggressive of the group, where the Chalk Bass it the most gentle. They need a good sized tank, with 55gals being the smallest though smaller ones can be kept in 30gal tanks. They usually do well together with their own kind and need rocks and hiding spaces in the tank. A good fish for a Fowlr tank.

Sweetlips/Snapper/Grunt

Sweetlips are a group of fish that get very large and needs good size tanks to be kept. Even though they’re large they need peaceful tank mates. They usually aren’t the best eaters, and most of time, need to be fed live food to get them starting to eat. Small sizes for sale at LFS are usually Juv., and when fully grown up, the adults look completely different and in most cases are less colorful. This is a group that really should be left to advance hobbyists or for public aquariums, as most of them die in a short time as they just can’t make the change over from being in the ocean to the home aquarium.

Note: The Clown Sweetlips are fish that show up quite often in LFS and really shouldn’t be purchased as most, if not all, die either from not eating on being stressed out.

editors note, here is a thread between Michael Stern and Anthony Calfo re: a clown sweetlips.

Macolor niger-Macolor Niger Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus picus-Dogface Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus lineatus- Orientalis Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus vittatus-Oriental Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides-Clown Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus diagrammus-Striped Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus albovittatus-Yellow Striped Sweetlips

Macolor niger-Niger Sweetlips


Snappers/Grunts
This is a group of fish that get very large and are very aggressive. They’re usually consistently swimming around the tank looking for food, and will attack anything that they think they can eat. Even though they don’t bother corals, they’re better off in a FO or Fowlr and housed with very aggressive fish. The Rooster fish is one of the snappers that actually can be a problem, as it doesn’t always eat and is somewhat shy and slow moving. Because of this, it can be picked on by other aggressive fish and pushed to the corner of the tank to the point where it will die. You need to make sure that it’s eating and place it with tankmates that aren’t that aggressive.

Lutjanus quinquelineatus-Blue Line Snapper

Lutjanus Kasmira-Blue Line Snapper

Symphorichthys spilurus-Hi Fin Snapper

Lutjanus quinquelineatus-Golden Snapper

Symphorichtys Spilurus-Rooster Fish

Lutjanus sebaeEmporer Snapper

Plectorhinchus polytaenia-Yellow ribbon Snapper


Gnathanodon Speciosus-Golden Traveally(Pilot Fish)
A very hardy fish, which get fairly large. It is an aggressive feeder, and will consistently swim back and forth in the tank; therfore, it needs a large tank. You can keep in groups, as they will actually school together in the tank. Because of their size and the need to swim, they do better in FO with a lot of open room and other aggressive fish.

Anisotremus virginicus-Pork Fish
Very similar to the Pilot fish in that they get large, very active and are aggressive feeders. They also like to school together and do well in groups. Because of their size and the need to swim they do better in FO with a lot of open room and other aggressive fish.

Selene vomer-Lookdown
Lookdowns are a large fish that needs plenty of swimming room and relatively peaceful tank mates, as long as they can’t eat them. They do well in groups but single specimens can be kept. They usually don’t eat right away and depending on the size fish and the size of tank that they’ve been placed in, usually are stressed out and may not eat for quite awhile. Also, because they’re usually placed in small tanks, that can sustain damage to their fins and eyes either from other fish or from hitting pipes or the glass of the tank. This is a fish that really should be kept either by an advanced hobbyist or someone that can give it a large tank where it would be the show piece of the tank.