It's worth putting some thought into what fish you want for your tank. In Fish 101 I talked about the difficulties in picking the right fish for your setup, compatibility between fish species and the order in which you should add them to your reef. In this blog post I'm going to talk about some fish ideas for your tank. Good beginner fish to get you going and wise fish choices that will help you out long term.
So where to begin, I'm going to break this blog down into three parts. Part 1 will be beginner fish, Part 2 will be wise fish choices and Part 3 will be fish alternatives. Let's get into it with Part 1.
If you're a beginner to the hobby then first off make sure your marine aquarium is all ready to go. You need to have all your equipment up and running and the tank must be cycled. When you think you're ready to go, check the parameters. If they all come back good and have done for some time then you can start stocking. Remember to take it slow with stocking though, you can't add all your fish in one go. Slow and steady wins the race here!
CLICK HERE FOR PARAMETERS 101
PART ONE
So, when it comes to beginner fish you're looking for fish that are hardy and don't have specific care requirements such as a tricky diet or environment. Beginner fish will put up with you as you learn the ropes and will be able to survive any mistakes you make as a beginner. I think the trick in finding good beginner fish is finding fish that you'll enjoy having in your reef in a few years time still because it's important to remember that fish will live for quite a few years (some have lived 20 years in captivity!) and when you bring a fish home you're making a commitment to look after it. Bearing this all in mind, let's look at a few options;
Ocellaris Clownfish
This wouldn't be a beginner fish list if the Ocellaris Clownfish didn't feature. This is the common clownfish that is instantly recognisable as 'that fish' from 'that film'. Although technically speaking 'that fish' is actually a Percula Clownfish which is almost identical to the Ocellaris and for all intent and purpose it ranks the same as being a great beginner fish. Clownfish are a staple of the marine fish industry and pretty much everyone either has clownfish in their setup or have kept them at some point. They don't require a big aquarium and are generally peaceful although that being said, they will robustly defend their territory from other tank inhabitants, especially when they're laying eggs. They also tend not to do well in groups of more than two. Clownfish exist as a mated pair and the female is firmly in charge. They will choose a part of the tank to 'host' because in the wild they will host in an anemone. In the reef tank though they have been known to host corals, rockwork, corners of the tank, powerheads, heaters and more. This is all perfectly normal behaviour and they're quite happy doing it. You can get many different variations of Clownfish too. Often dubbed as 'designer clownfish' they have different colouration patterns. There are some really nice ones out there and the rarer ones like Black Storms can get quite expensive too.
Banggai Cardinalfish
This is the fish in the Blog main picture. These are also great little beginner fish. They can be kept in mated pairs or in small groups. They are peaceful fish except for the odd display of aggression as they ward off any other fish that encroach on their territory but really, this is the same for all marine fish so it's nothing to worry about. What makes these fish interesting is their colouration and shape which is pretty unlike the typical fish that you'd think of. They also don't swim around in the same way as most other fish, they kind of hover about and dart left and right although they can certainly shift when you put food in the tank!
An alternative to the Banggai is the Pyjama Cardinalfish which has an even more distinct colouration. They're a bit different, put it that way. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of one but I'll do my best to get a photo soon and add it (if they stay still long enough for me to get a good photo that is!).
Royal Gramma
Now this is on my list of fish to get. It's a great looking little fish that is also great for beginners. It mostly keeps itself to itself and doesn't get too big making it a great colourful addition to a smaller tank. Just make sure there are plenty of hiding spots for it so it feels safe and can display it's natural behaviours.
Small Goby
These are a great little fish and will pair up with a pistol shrimp and if there's one thing that is really cool to observe in reef tanks it's symbiotic relationships. The Shrimp and Goby will live together in a cave under the rockwork that the Shrimp constructs and maintains whilst the Goby will act as a lookout for the shrimp. They are a great addition to smaller tanks as in bigger reefs with large rock scapes there is the risk that they will disappear somewhere in the depths of the reef only to be seen once in a blue moon.
PART TWO
Let's have a look at what I mean by 'wise' fish choices and by this I mean picking fish for your setup based on what they bring or rather what service they can provide to your reef tank rather than what that fish looks like. Don't be put off though, these fish don't have to be dull looking we are just prioritising them based on what they bring tot he party so to speak.
The Tang Gang
Tangs are predominately herbivores which makes them a great for keeping algae under control. Algae is pretty unsightly and if left unchallenged it will take over and smother everything. Now good nutrient control will help manage this but having a good herbivore like a Tang or a Foxface or even some Angel fish will help to just keep on top of it. A couple of things to consider here though is firstly, what size aquarium do you have and is it suitable for a herbivore like a Tang, Foxface or Angel? Tangs in particular, depending on which type can get quite big and in the wild cruise the reef covering quite a bit of distance so it's just not right keeping a fish that can grow up to 1 foot plus in a 2 foot cube tank. There are plenty of options out there though so just have a look around, Tomini Tangs and Bristletooth Tangs won't grow large so are good choices for smaller aquariums. The second issue to be aware of is if you put a large fish that is used to free swimming in a tank that is too small it will bring out aggressive behaviour in the fish. This will often result in fighting between fish which could cause one to kill the other, which is not what we want at all. Thirdly, be aware that Angelfish can also get large but have also been known to nip at corals and sponges. It does vary fish to fish but be aware that they could start munching on your prized coral! An alternative to large Angelfish are the Dwarf Anglefish such as the Coral Beauty.
Sand sifting Gobies
The sand bed in a reef tank is more often than not a problem child. It looks right and like it should be there but it can end up being a pain in the back side as detritus builds up and breaks down. This is why its important to turnover the sand bed to keep it aerated and to stop it turning into a solid slab at the bottom. One way of doing this is to use fish and critters. Sand sifting starfish, conches, snails and cucumbers are all good critters to do the job whilst Gobies are the fish equivalent. They'll swim about and take gulps of sand before then sifting it through their gills looking for food. The benefit for us is that they then help turnover the sand for us. Win Win!
Wrasse
These guys are great for hunting down pests like flatworms and bugs. Different wrasse are known for eating different pests however so its worth researching your wrasse shortlist to make sure it's going to provide the most benefit to you. The other trouble with wrasse to be aware of is that some wrasse really don't get on with one another. Make sure you check the compatibility of any wrasse you're thinking of adding. I've got a dusky wrasse which has nipped my flatworm problem in the bud and because I like Montipora its good to know that the Dusky Wrasse will help take care of any Montipora eating bugs that I might encounter.
Aiptasia eaters
There are a few fish options out there for Aiptasia control. The Copperband butterfly springs to mind but there's also the Burgess Butterfly and the Filefish. There's a whole blog on Aiptasia control which I'll link below for you.
CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO GET RID OF AIPTASIA
PART THREE
Alternative fish choices.. what do I mean by this? In the hobby there are a number of fish that would be really nice to have and for whatever reason it's not possible to have them. Luckily though, there are plenty of fish out there and good alternatives can be found that look similar or act similarly that may be a good alternative.
On the left is the Yellow Tang which has sky rocketed in price lately due to the Hawaii export ban. It can also be quite feisty and needs a good size aquarium to be kept long term. An alternative is the Lemonpeel Angel fish which is one of the dwarf Angelfish so won't get as big and is more readily available.
On the left is the Gem Tang which is really nice but also really expensive and I mean really expensive. On the right though is the Yellow Eye Bristletooth Tang which although it doesn't look exactly the same isn't too far off and about a seventh of the price or thereabouts. It's also great to keep on top of algae and what not so would make a great fish addition as part of the 'wise choices' we covered in Part Two.
The fish on the left is the Japanese Dwarf Angelfish which is, ahem, pricey to say the least! But on the right we have the Rusty Dwarf Angel Fish which is much more reasonably priced and again, they're not identical but they're not worlds apart so if you like the look the of the Japanese Dwarf then maybe have a look at the Rusty Dwarf or maybe even the Potters Angel.
On the left we have the infamous Moorish Idol, a spectacular fish that comes with an 'Expert only' care requirement and for good reason. The Moorish Idol is notorious for being a difficult fish to keep. There is an alternative though, the Bannerfish. Again, it's not identical but they have the long trailing banner from their dorsal fin, similar shape and same colours so they make a great alternative to the Moorish Idol.
The point I'm trying to make in Part Three is that if you find a fish you really want but can't have for whatever reason then it pays to do a bit of research and have a look around, there will likely be an alternative that fits the bill. Sometimes it's worth finding the alternative if your aquarium isn't the right size or maybe the fish you really want is difficult to keep and the alternative will be a better choice anyway. Research research research, have a browse around the website or come have a look in the shop, there's always a decent selection of fish in at any one time.