Help me assemble $140(± ten bucks or so) in fish from blue zoo

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Apparently blue zoo has free shipping on orders over $140. Can someone help me to pick a few fish? The tank is an 80gal reef, going to have an eel and some hawkfish, but mostly peaceful inhabitants and some large inverts(too big to be eaten sort). Thought this could be a fun activity to do as well as helping me find some good fish. They won't be introduced soon because I want to add some corals first, but definitely in the near future.

Here's what I've got:
- This specific Rainford's goby($34.99)
https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productdetailcc.asp?did=11&cid=365&pid=32427
- two threadfin cardinals($26.99 each)

Threadfin Cardinalfish, Longspine Cardinalfish - Apogon leptacanthus

Threadfin Cardinalfish (Apogon leptacanthus) is also known as Longspine Cardinalfish, Glass Cardinalfish.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

- One engineer blenny(mfw an already cheap fish goes on sale)(12.99)

Engineer Goby - Juv - Pholidichthys leucotaenia

Still got roughly 39 bucks left, any ideas?

 

[Jedi1199]

Clowns? Is a reef really a reef without them?

Royal Gramma. beautiful purple and yellow colors and IME peaceful.

Talbots Damselfish. Small, beautiful, and again IME peaceful

Some sort of herbivore... You need someone to munch on the algae...

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Clowns? Is a reef really a reef without them?

Royal Gramma. beautiful purple and yellow colors and IME peaceful.

Talbots Damselfish. Small, beautiful, and again IME peaceful

Some sort of herbivore... You need someone to munch on the algae...

I'm getting clowns from another local reefer, they're selling a few pink skunks that's been with them for a while, as well as a Z. scopas tang.

I also already have a four - lined damsel, which may bully a Talbot's to death. I've never seen aggression from him in the three years I've had him, but you never know.

Royal gramma sounds nice.. I'll take a look. That leaves nine bucks.
Oh and anyone viewing this, feel free to make your own lists. I can't be completely comprehensive in my search and could probably miss a thing or two.

 

[Kasrift]

I’d be concerned about the Rainford being too small and an eel snack. I’d agree with an algae eater of the tang variety.

I’d do a bristletooth tang $45

Striped Bristletooth Tang, Striated Surgeonfish - Ctenochaetus striatus

Striped Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus striatus) is also known as Striated Surgeonfish, Orange Lined Tang.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

A flasher wrasse $50

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse - Paracheilinus flavianalis

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus flavianalis) can be found in Western Pacific Ocean, Indonesia.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

Canary Benny $27

Canary Blenny, Yellow Forktail Blenny - Meiacanthus oualanensis

Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis) is also known as Yellow Forktail Blenny, Canary Fang Blenny.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

And maybe a small school of Springeri for pest control $17 each (x3=51).

Springer's Damsel, Springer's Demoiselle - Chrysiptera springeri

Springer's Damsel (Chrysiptera springeri) is also known as Springer's Demoiselle, Solomon Blue Damsel.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

Total 173, slightly over, you could drop to one springeri to drop $34 and you’d be right there.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

I’d be concerned about the Rainford being too small and an eel snack. I’d agree with an algae eater of the tang variety.

I’d do a bristletooth tang $45

Striped Bristletooth Tang, Striated Surgeonfish - Ctenochaetus striatus

Striped Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus striatus) is also known as Striated Surgeonfish, Orange Lined Tang.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

A flasher wrasse $50

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse - Paracheilinus flavianalis

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus flavianalis) can be found in Western Pacific Ocean, Indonesia.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

Canary Benny $27

Canary Blenny, Yellow Forktail Blenny - Meiacanthus oualanensis

Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis) is also known as Yellow Forktail Blenny, Canary Fang Blenny.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

And maybe a small school of Springeri for pest control $17 each (x3=51).

Springer's Damsel, Springer's Demoiselle - Chrysiptera springeri

Springer's Damsel (Chrysiptera springeri) is also known as Springer's Demoiselle, Solomon Blue Damsel.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

Total 173, slightly over, you could drop to one springeri to drop $34 and you’d be right there.

The rainford's expected to develop at least another inch before an eel comes in, or grow alongside a juvenile eel. Bristletooth tangs and flasher wrasses both sound great, but I used to have a springeri that got killed by my dascyllus, so I don't want to trust them. I'm still debating whether canary blennies or striped meiacanthus looks better...

 

[Jedi1199]

I'd skip on the scopas tang. 80g is really not enough room for it and I have bad experiences with them dying. A bristletooth would be nice. They are beautiful and peaceful. Again, 80g, may be too small for it unless you get a baby and have a plan to rehome it.

 

[Jedi1199]

I’d be concerned about the Rainford being too small and an eel snack. I’d agree with an algae eater of the tang variety.

I’d do a bristletooth tang $45

Striped Bristletooth Tang, Striated Surgeonfish - Ctenochaetus striatus

Striped Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus striatus) is also known as Striated Surgeonfish, Orange Lined Tang.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

A flasher wrasse $50

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse - Paracheilinus flavianalis

Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus flavianalis) can be found in Western Pacific Ocean, Indonesia.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

Canary Benny $27

Canary Blenny, Yellow Forktail Blenny - Meiacanthus oualanensis

Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis) is also known as Yellow Forktail Blenny, Canary Fang Blenny.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

And maybe a small school of Springeri for pest control $17 each (x3=51).

Springer's Damsel, Springer's Demoiselle - Chrysiptera springeri

Springer's Damsel (Chrysiptera springeri) is also known as Springer's Demoiselle, Solomon Blue Damsel.

www.bluezooaquatics.com

Total 173, slightly over, you could drop to one springeri to drop $34 and you’d be right there.

Kris.. he said he needs to spend $40...

The bristletooth I think will round out his stock nicely.

The Springerii damsels may prove to be way too aggressive for an 80g tank don't you think?

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

I'd skip on the scopas tang. 80g is really not enough room for it and I have bad experiences with them dying. A bristletooth would be nice. They are beautiful and peaceful. Again, 80g, may be too small for it unless you get a baby and have a plan to rehome it.

hmm, a tang or rabbitfish would be really helpful in controlling algal growth by required biomass alone. Will a blue - eyed tang(Ctenochaetus binotatus) work? They seem to be smaller and remain relatively passive. I don't want to go the rabbitfish route because they get pretty big and are venomous, and I've frankly seen so many lawnmower blennies growing up in southeast asia that they're just boring to me now.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Kris.. he said he needs to spend $40...

The bristletooth I think will round out his stock nicely.

The Springerii damsels may prove to be way too aggressive for an 80g tank don't you think?

again, damsels could be bullies or be bullied. Plus I get them way cheaper at my LFS.

 

[Kasrift]

again, damsels could be bullies or be bullied. Plus I get them way cheaper at my LFS.

K, thought it was create a stock list at 140. Srpingeri aren’t bullies and they are super cheap, so if your LFS has them then get them there. I’d say a blue eye tang would work.

 

[Jedi1199]

Looks pretty much the same as my bristletooth. Lighting may be the only difference.

OK.. mine has black eyes so maybe it is different...

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

K, thought it was create a stock list at 140. Srpingeri aren’t bullies and they are super cheap, so if your LFS has them then get them there. I’d say a blue eye tang would work.

I think his intention was to rework the list entirely, which I'm not opposed to. However, I pretty much don't want to stock damsels at all, and if I did, I don't like purchasing them online.

Wait whoops wrong reply, this was meant for @Jedi1199

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

it would be so funny if I put in a horseshoe crab........... but unfortunately they don't sell Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Looks pretty much the same as my bristletooth. Lighting may be the only difference.

OK.. mine has black eyes so maybe it is different...

they do look much alike, as far as I can tell the striped bristletooth is much duller without the twin spot at the base of the tail, and they don't have a blue ring around their eye. You might've gotten a blue eye looking at those spots on the tail.

 

[Jedi1199]

I think his intention was to rework the list entirely, which I'm not opposed to. However, I pretty much don't want to stock damsels at all, and if I did, I don't like purchasing them online.

Wait whoops wrong reply, this was meant for @Jedi1199

So if the plan is to completely replace all of the stock... starting from ground zero, You have on your list a goby, a couple cardinals and a blenny.. 2 of the 4 are bottom dwellers.

Based on that list alone, with the addition of the 2 clowns you mentioned...

Talbots damsel
Royal gramma
bristletooth tang? (still not sure 80g is big enough for that one)


I would steer clear of most of the wrasses because of aggression issues...

 

[Jedi1199]

they do look much alike, as far as I can tell the striped bristletooth is much duller without the twin spot at the base of the tail, and they don't have a blue ring around their eye. You might've gotten a blue eye looking at those spots on the tail.

No, I specifically ordered a bristletooth from my LFS. I needed algae control.

 

[littlefoxx]

What about a dwarf angel? Beautiful fish

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

So if the plan is to completely replace all of the stock... starting from ground zero, You have on your list a goby, a couple cardinals and a blenny.. 2 of the 4 are bottom dwellers.

Based on that list alone, with the addition of the 2 clowns you mentioned...

Talbots damsel
Royal gramma
bristletooth tang? (still not sure 80g is big enough for that one)


I would steer clear of most of the wrasses because of aggression issues...

yeah. The tank is currently devoid of fish except for my dascyllus and some hermits, so anything goes.

 

[Jedi1199]

What about a dwarf angel? Beautiful fish

Agreed, but angels are extremely difficult to keep alive. I have lost 2 in my 180G in the last few years. Specialized diet and other factors make them beautiful, but ultimately undesirable.

 

[littlefoxx]

Agreed, but angels are extremely difficult to keep alive. I have lost 2 in my 180G in the last few years. Specialized diet and other factors make them beautiful, but ultimately undesirable.

Ah gotcha, they can be finicky for sure. Thought about an anthias school?