New Fish Ideas?

Hey, guys. Right now my 46 gallon is cycling, and I'm trying to figure out what fish I may want in it in the future. So far I was thinking of:

+1 Yellow Watchman Goby
+A Mated Clownfish Pair
+Either schooling anthias, OR schooling reef-safe wrasses, OR a few different species of reef-safe wrasses (i.e. one flasher, one fairy, etc.)
+(Maybe a Royal Gramma)

-Any comments?
-Any suggestions on a type of clownfish to choose?
-What do you all think about wrasses vs. anthias?
-If I go with wrasses, is it better to choose one species and aim for a school of wrasses, or would you recommend to pick different species of wrasses?
-Are there any particular anthias or wrasses you all would recommend?

Your tank will be too small for anthias. They need alot of swimming room. Look into the smaller size wrasses.

on a side note since I just saw where you are from did you join the Tampa Bay Reef Club? Will be a meeting on Saturday. I've been in it for a bit now. It seems that some peoples lives revolve around their tank but there are some normal people that go. We have two very good stores in the Oldsmar area. Shout me a PM if want any details on the club or local help.

SaltwaterNoob17 said:

Hey, guys. Right now my 46 gallon is cycling, and I'm trying to figure out what fish I may want in it in the future. So far I was thinking of:

+1 Yellow Watchman Goby
+A Mated Clownfish Pair
+Either schooling anthias, OR schooling reef-safe wrasses, OR a few different species of reef-safe wrasses (i.e. one flasher, one fairy, etc.)
+(Maybe a Royal Gramma)

-Any comments?
-Any suggestions on a type of clownfish to choose?
-What do you all think about wrasses vs. anthias?
-If I go with wrasses, is it better to choose one species and aim for a school of wrasses, or would you recommend to pick different species of wrasses?
-Are there any particular anthias or wrasses you all would recommend?

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Your stock list looks good except for the anthias. As stated above, your tank is too small for them. Look at a pair of ocellaris or black ocellaris clowns. Either one should do fine for you and stay relatively small for a while. They should be added last as they will become territorial and may harass the other tankmates if you add them first. I would pick a couple of different wrasses as I assume you want color and variety in your tank, and your tank really isn't big enough to have a school of anything other than chromis. Probably the most important piece of advice I can offer you is to take your time stocking! You should add only one fish at a time (except in the case of a mated pair) and then wait at minimum, 1 month before adding another. The longer you wait before you add each new fish the better. Your tank is undergoing a LOT of change during it's first year and one of the biggest mistakes people make is overloading their bioload capacity by overstocking. The more time you take, the less likely it is that you will have to battle ich, algae, and other issues that tend to happen to new tanks. Also, it gives you time to research and educate yourself about each new addition so that you can stock your tank with confidence. Good Luck, and Enjoy!

Thanks you guys. Sucks about the anthias, but I'm glad that I asked beforehand. Maybe if I ever get a larger tank. I do like the wrasses, though, so it's not too much of a disappointment. ;)

Also, I promise I'll go slow. It'll be hard, but it's worth the wait. Money kinda forces you to go slow anyway...

Any wrasse recommendations, though?

Look at carpenters, flasher wrasse, McCoskers. They have nice colors and stay smaller. I would stay away from a 6-line wrasse as they usually becomes a pain in the a$$ later on.

Steel's got ya covered

Generally, you can't keep a school of wrasses. They will fight. But you can keep one of each of two different kinds of wrasses.

My favorite type of fish ever is a leopard wrasse. That would work fine for your 46 gallon tank.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/totm/200503/images/divided-leopard-wrasse-1.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/492857151_a54010a267.jpg

Bifferwine said:

Generally, you can't keep a school of wrasses. They will fight. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/492857151_a54010a267.jpg

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you say that but then you post a pic of a school of leopards, or are those divided leapoards?

I like these. Gives lots of color and is similar to Anthias in color.
Filament Flasher Wrasse - Male (Paracheilinus filamentosus) - Reef Hot Spot

I have a male exquisite wrasse and love it. Beautiful colors...peaceful...won't get too big. :)

I think that picture was taken in the wild. It would be very difficult to keep a school in a tank.

that's one healthy looking wrasse U4

Bifferwine said:

I think that picture was taken in the wild. It would be very difficult to keep a school in a tank.

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I figured but I couldnt resist :bounce:

mng777777 said:

that's one healthy looking wrasse U4

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Thanks...he's one of my favorites...fun to watch....

Wow! All of those wrasses are really pretty! I've read that the leopard wrasses can be difficult to take care of, is that true?

Just to be clear, wrasses should get along as long as they are different species; in other words, I could have 1 fairy, 1 flasher, 1 leopard, 1 pencil, etc.?

Also, why oscellaris clowns over perculas?

Make sure that the leopard wrasse is eating before you buy it. That's why they can be difficult -- they can be hard to get eating. So if you buy one that you know is eating, that risk is minimized.

Bifferwine said:

Make sure that the leopard wrasse is eating before you buy it. That's why they can be difficult -- they can be hard to get eating. So if you buy one that you know is eating, that risk is minimized.

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Okay. Sounds easy enough. ;)

What about the different wrasse species (coris, fairy, flasher, leopard, etc.) getting along, though? How many wrasses could potentially go in a 46 gallon aquarium?

And, why oscellaris clowns over perculas?

I wouldn't put more than 2 wrasses in a 46 gallon tank. They could fight, but more importantly, they are all utilizing the same territory in your tank.

Heres something that be of interest for those that like wrasses:D
Reef Wrasses for Marine Reef Aquariums: The Best Reef Wrasses Part I