Schooling fish

Hey guys im thinking of adding a small school of...something...to my 120. I would like a little more action in there since my clowns just wiggle in one spot, my psuedo is mainly in the rocks all day, the pink spotted goby just perches must of the time, and the only one to really move is Delvis the hippo tang. I was thinking maybe some blue green reef chomis...but they are so common and i would like some other ideas also, and how many too. I dont want to go too big since this is a 120 high(although i will most likely be upgrading in the future...but not for a year or 2 although i said that when i started my 55 and with in 2 months i went to the 120 lol) and i also dont want to be overstocked, im always worried about that and thats why i havnt gotten the purple tang i so desperately desire since i already have a tang in there, even though shes a juv. she wont stay that way forever lol,and im not totally set on a school, maybe even a pair of...something...lol. I have gone to my lfs 3 times intending on getting a new fish/fishes and each time ive gone home with nothing because i cannot decide hahaha! Any idears? i prob wont be going back to the lfs for a little while since i got this dang poison ivy and cant put my hands in the tank : so ive got a week or 2 to figure out what i would like to do.

Thanks everyone

 

I would suggest a harem of dispar anthias but you have to have really good flow and really good filtration. (They need to be fed 3 times/day). If you go with blue-green chromis, you still have to add a larger fish that they feel the need to stay together for protection. Otherwise in a week or two, they'll stop schooling.

 

i have always liked anthias, but dont they get a little big? do you think a harem would put me over the stocking limit? and i have really good flow and i already feed twice a day usually so whats one more lol, i do waterchanges on a regular 2 week basis so that shouldnt hurt...and with the chromis i do have Delvis (BHT) but she actually likes to hang out with my clowns a bunch...ive even seen her try out hosting as weird as that sounds ( i think she is actually just jealous of the cabbage leather the clowns have recently taken too)...she is pretty gentle so she most likely wouldnt pick on the chromis but her size may keep them in check do you think? The only really bully i have is my bicolor psuedochromis, but he just likes to know the snails off the walls and rocks lol, he never bothers any other tank mates.

 

Have your LFS request two small ones and one that is slightly larger and let them grow in your tank. It's fun to watch when the female changes into a male and the new start to come in. Make sure you feed them foods high in astaxanthin to keep their colors vibrant (cyclopeeze, spirulina, ORA Glow, shredded krill, Dainichi, etc)

 

i would go with a type of anthias, just be sure to buy a type that stays a smaller size. i have 3 in my tank and they are really cute the way the play together. i do feed 2 to 3 times a day. but have a good skimmer, which IMO is needed if you feed often.

 

What type of anthias do you have? i have an awesome skimmer...unfortuantely the pump is broken and i have no idea exactly what number it is to get a new pump...its a euroreef, other then that i have no clue haha, i have my back up excaliber on there right now, its ok but as far as im concerned doesnt hold a candle to the ER, i think a sedra would work...but i dont know how many gph i need...i should post that under skimmers hahaha

 

i have bartlett anthias . i put them in my tank almost a year ago. i ordered them from live aquaria. they did as inwall said they sent me 2 the same size and one slightly larger. the larger one turned into a male. it was cool to watch the slight changes in him. they are really cute the way they play together. its hard to get a picture though, since when i walk up to the tank they scatter here they go ...lol i tried to get you a picture haha


not sure why the picture is sideways????

 

I've had the most success with bartlett's anthias, and currently have three that only get fed once a day.

Beyond those, I would take a look at cardinals. There are a ton of different species, and IMO they fair much better than chromis. In my experience chromis will act just like any other damsel picking off the weak until one remains.

 

oh i never even thought of cardinals haha. i just forgot they exhisted lol, that also opens up my options some too. pajama cardinals are pretty cute, i also like the banggis but dont they get a little too big to have a school in my tank? have you ever had pink square anthias? i think looks wise those are my favorite...well the males anyway lol.

oh i just looked on saltwaterfish.com and banggis only get up to 3 inches...the only full grown one ive seen in person must have been a monster, a buddy of mine had one that had to of been 5 inches lol