What to Add to 75 Gallon?

The tank is a rimless, so jumping fish are an issue, but I can put a screen on if I really like them. I plan to have SPS, LPS, and softies. It is a barebottom tank, and I'm hoping that the softies will cover the bottom. Looking for peaceful fish, nothing too big, and colorful (blue, purple, green, red).

 

do you want creastcions(shrimp,crab,etc)

 

Sounds like a good plan & a cool tank, love rimless! 75g will give you a good amount of space & there's a lot of options for fish. Some of the more peaceful/community SW fish that I like are:

- clowns (a staple in all SW tanks)
- banggai cardinal (one of my favs)
- wrasses (so many, research the reef safe ones, but will need a lid)
- flame hawk (so much personality, hilarious to watch)
- dwarf angels (flame, potters, coral beauty, 50/50 on reef safe)
- yellowtail damsel (beautiful, cheap, but put in towards the end)
- yellow eyed Kole Tang (should be ok in a 75g)
- yellow Tang (would do ok in a tank that size for a while)
- royal gramma (very pretty, peaceful, interesting)
- jawfish (yellowhead or blue dot, great personality, but will need a top)
- yellow watchman goby (hardy, fun little fish)
- green clown goby (another little but fun fish)

those are just a few off the top of my head. IMHO though I would always have a top to a tank. After initially going for a while without one, I had losses, many fish that weren't prone to jumping even. I lost a lot of my fav fish because I didn't have a top. Unfortunately even though a fish might not be a jumper, doesn't mean it won't. Save the $ you'd lose and worry by putting some type of top on it if you can.

 

Yeah, I'd like to have cleaner shrimp, emerald crabs, and maybe a pistol shrimp, and I'd like to keep my snails.

 

Thanks! I'll have to start a thread about the tank so y'all can see!

I'll do some research on the ones you suggested. I have been looking at jawfish and kole tangs for a long time now.

 

I would have to add firefish (purple are my favorite), Royal Gramma's and Blue/reef chromis (much less aggressive then the damsel recommended above).

 

The problem with the chromis that many encounter is that they are very aggresive within their own species. You can get a bunch of them and they will kill each other off until only 1 dominant remains. I had that happen when I tried my hand at 3 of them. They also are a bit too timid for my taste.

Damsels are semi-aggresive, but I feel they get bad raps but I think they do well with other larger fish and are such pretty fish for the price. Like I mentioned, don't add them first as they will be most aggresive when they've established a territory. FYI I have only kept Yellow Tail for a ong duration and my opinions are based on them.

 

someone else chime in if I am wrong, but Chromis are much LESS aggressive then other Damsel's

 

They are much less aggresive toward other fish but are aggresive toward themselves. A single chromis isn't that enjoyable, they are nice in a school IMO. However, you really need a large tank to support a school of chromis so they don't slowly kill one another off, they get roughly 5" in size so a school of them would waste space in a 75g IMO. I'm a fan of many different fish which adds a nice variety of color.

I'm just speaking from direct exp having kept both fish. My YT damsel actually got bullied in my tank of peaceful fish so again I think they get a bad rap. They are commonly used to cycle a tank and then when more fish are added they defend their claimed territory.

 

a pair of tank bred orchid dottybacks. and they are on sale this week at liveaquaria. they also have the yasha gobies that are very cool looking and can be kept in a pair or small group. Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Reef Aquariums: LiveAquaria.com Marine Specials
also anthias are very interesting active fish