Fish with a purpose...

Ok, does anyone have a website they know that has a list of fish/inverts and what purpose they have in an aquarium. If you dont know of any website could you pick a couple common fish/inverts and say what purpose they serve in a reef tank please. Basically I havn't been in the hobby long enough to keep the facts straight with what I read. I can't ever remember what fish/invert is good for controlling some type of problem. thanks.

for example:

Six Line - controlling pyramid snails and commensal flatworm problems.

isn't there some shrimp that battles aiptasia? And a fish that kills bristleworms? what about the different types of algea? I can't ever remember.

Is it more the species of fish that helps out instead of the specific fish?

 

Saltwater Fish: Marine Aquarium Fish for Saltwater Aquariums

Its not exactly what your looking for, but they do have a large selection of fish and each one has a write up about it
so you can build up a picture of what fish might be suitable for specific things
like algae eating, or pyramid snail eating, or flatwork eating etc

Steve

 

What fish do you consider serves the biggest purpose for a fish tank? Would you say every person starting a reef tank should invest in a six line?

 

NO! lol.

Sixlines can be super aggressive. They also aren't guaranteed to feast on pyramellids, meaning it might just be an aggressive damsel (in terms of function, anyway) you just threw in.

 

I would say a peppermint shrimp is a good investment, just make sure it's not a camel shrimp, because they are the ones that eat aptasia. Lawnmower Blenny's are good for controlling algae. And if you hate bristleworms then arrow crabs will take care of them.

 

+1 on No for the sixline

I had a Radient Wrasse before I got Clams as Radient Wrasse also deal with pest snails
but are much less likely to cause trouble

I dont feel there is any single must have fish
I do feel a CUC of snails, crabs etc are the only must have
after that, its all about choices for me

Steve

 

agreed.

the fewer the fish the easier the reef is to maintain...

the bigger the CuC of snails, also the easier it is to maintain.

 

wrasses are good for worms! Not as good as arrow crabs though, they dislike worms it seems on a very deep level, it isn't just about the food for them.

Rabbitfish are good against algae, tangs are picky about it at times.

Pep shrimp and hairy hermits eat aiptasia. But so does the Copperband Butterfly. The Spanish Shawl Nudibranck will eat colonial hydroids, but he isnt a fish. Scrawled filefish will take care of your zoa problem, Parrotfish will clear up a nasty SPS infection... lol. Hard to remember all the critters that kill something in particular, might be easiest to start with the problem and then list the solutions...

 

lawnmower blenny - hair algea eater

green spotted puffer - snail holocaust, if you wish to rid your tank of any and all snails within an hour

 

If I don't keep a blenny I will get a very minor GHA outbreak.

I think it has to do with magic.