What is your Fave Community Fish, and Why?

I am pondering purchasing a new piscine. Now that my murdering dotty back is going back to the fish store!!!!!

I would like a smaller community fish. Here are some I am considering...

Jawfish - I like they way they kindof "walk" across the sand, like fairies.... :, but I only have 2 inches of sand

Gobies - they look like they have great personality!

Blennies/Dragonettes (they sortof go together , right?) Beautiful, cute , small - they need lots of live food aka pods, right?

Firefish - but I can only get one? Is there a way to tell a mated pair?

Give me the pros and cons , if any of these, and your opinions on others! I read and read, and still, on here, see posts about fish I never heard of!

Thanks!!!

 

eh fire fish...get 1...i got 2 and when they became mature one was killed...and dont ask if they r a mated pair...unless it is stated like on the tank...they can just tell u that...lol hmmm ya gobys r good...if u have acros u can get clown gobys like me...they r nice...um....clowns can be good...but try and get tank breed...ill try and think of some more

 

I like the Hi-fin shrimp goby, for colors and personality. I also like the pygmy angelfish as it is one of the few truly reefsafe angels and its not $900... ;D Madarins are gorgeous but very touchy and prone to random demises...same for blennies if they wont accept prepaired food. I never saw my firefish fight, i had a group of 3 and they did great in a 60 hex for many years. The blue spotted jawfish are awesome. We had some @ work and they really do have glowing blue spots....like a jewel damsels but larger and more of them. And my favorite non-aggressive is the clownfish, i like the black perculas (the real ones). Another awesome one is a trio of the little blue reef chromis, they are perfect for a reef and add little bioload as they astay small. Starting with most favorable (IMO) I'ld go with a clownfish, trio of chromis, a pygmy angel, a goby, or a jawfish. All look awesome, are super compatible, and are quite hardy from my experienes @ work and home.

 

Flasher or Fairy Wrasses are the absolute bomb for the reef aquarium!

 

I like the Goby. They have personality and nice color.
I have a sharpnose goby (neon) and he likes to settle in my welsophilla and the polyps and the rock and wherever he feels like

 

Craig,

I did find a nice article on the fairy wrasses. Problem, I have a 36" long 58 gallon tank.....open top. So, they are out of the question I guess...right?

What about the flasher wrasses? Are they jumpers as well and do they also need the min. 48 inches??

My tank is a bit deeper front to back than normal, and the rocks are in the center so there is swim room all the way around the rocks, clear, no obstructions. Does that give me any leeway with the 48 inches?

They are beautiful....btw!

 

Flasher wrasses can be jumpers. They sleep in the sand so no starfish for sure. The Flashers are a bit smaller 3 - 3.5"and if you just put some screen door mesh over your tank you should be fine.

 

i guess i would say clown gobies. they have a great personality and you can sit there and watch them for a while.

 

I have a Coral Beauty that has great personality. You have to look around till you find one with real nice Blue coloring. It depends on what part of the ocean determines the coloring. Mine cruzes in and out of the nooks and archways from the front of the reef to the back while grazing the rocks. They also fluoresce nicely and are reef safe so far for me. There are lots of fish out there to choose from. Whatever you do add them in small groups or 1 at a time. Don't make the mistake I did and buy a bunch at once. And quarantine them,,,,I know I don't have to tell you this cause you already know.

Jay

 

Angels even dwarves are very likely coral nippers. Buyer beware or caveat emptor!