Help me pick a fish!

[stiki21]

Hey everyone!

I have a 40g that has 2 bicinctus clowns in it atm and I plan on adding a flame hawk also. I'm having trouble finding a nice bold, colorful, active fish to add. I plan on trying corals down the road so I'm not sure if a dwarf angel would be such a good idea. I was thinking about a royal gramma or some kind of dottyback but this is my first saltwater tank and I really don't know any of their personalities.

Thanks in advance and feel free to chime in with suggestions!

[Entropy]

Six line wrasse... Always moving, always huntings, always colorful. :D

The RG is nice, but they hide a lot and are not really out front and flashy kind of fish.

[burton61775]

IMO i would stay away form the 6 line also know as the Wrasse-Hole. You will find very few people that has had a good experience with that fish.
My suggestion for a that would be a bleeny or fiary or flasher wrasse.(Flashers are more active then the fiary from my studies i have down over the web). Dunno if your tank is big enough for a Anthias but that another you might want to consider as well

[Entropy]

Never had a problem with mine (three years)...

Here is a similar thread that may help...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=743356

[Andrew]

A royal gramma would be better then a 6-line. They stay less aggressive. The downside with royal grammas if that they do hid for awhile when they are first introduced into the tank and you dont see them much while they get use to the tank.

[jgoodrich71]

My suggestion, Fridmani dottyback. Nice color and a great personallity, as long as you aren't going to add another similar fish, but they still are not as aggessive as some of the other dottybacks.

[Entropy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6477102#post6477102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgoodrich71
My suggestion, Fridmani dottyback. Nice color and a great personallity, as long as you aren't going to add another similar fish, but they still are not as aggessive as some of the other dottybacks.


Fridmani dottyback may hassle shrimp though...

[jgoodrich71]

So would the flame hawk.

[Entropy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6477464#post6477464 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgoodrich71
So would the flame hawk.

Good point... ;)

[stiki21]

Yeah, I'm not gonna even bother with shrimp since I'm getting a flame hawk. I do like the color of the fridmani, so I'm leaning towards that. I just wasn't sure if they were active or not.

Thanks for all of the replies so far!

[Pandora]

Had both the royal gramma (first tank) and the 6 line (both tanks), and I personally like the 6 line idea better. They are fish with real "personalities", always inquisitive. I have not had problems with aggression with mine, but I always started out small. Grammas and dottybacks are interesting also, but it takes them a while to really come out of their shells, they hide a great deal initially. They are very cute also in that they are so loyal to their little holes, and once secure, will venture out quite often.

Me, I guess I'm just a fan of wrasses in general. Flasher wrasses are *very* colorful if you can get your hands on a healthy one, but they have this habit of spooking pretty easily (had one of these also, unfortunately died after a power outtage disaster).

[scrmbld33]

i second the fredmani

[MrChico]

I have an 8-line wrasse (basically same personality as a 6-line) and supposedly they dont play well with other wrasses just fyi if you were thinking about future fish... but I do really like my 8-line

[jap1]

I'm getting a six-line tomorrow...my first fish! I hear they are very useful as they eat many tank pests such as flatworms. That's a huge plus in my book.

[jgoodrich71]

Fridmani are very active, always in and out of the rock. Tank raised Fridmani take no time at all to be comfortable in the tank. Mine will even come inverstigate anytime I put my hand in the tank. He's not afaid of anything.

[burton61775]

I still vote on one of the flahsers (filmented or carpentors). Guess it really depends if you are wanting a solid color or one that has different colors. Although i should say though with most wrasse they are jumpers so if your tank not covered they might take a carpet dive