What’s the one fish that would sway you to do FOWLR?

albie

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We are currently cycling our 60 gallon AIO tank with some live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater. We were originally planning to stock with fish, but keep our options open regarding coral down the road. But fish are our first priority. So before we gradually stock our tank with only reef safe options - is there anything, in your opinion, that we would really be missing out on if we went the reef safe route? Persuade us otherwise!

Current vague plan for stocking: 5 threadfin cardinalfish, 2 ocellaris clownfish, flame angelfish (I know already a little borderline on reef safe!), Midas blenny and a goby of some sort. Nothing is set in stone.
 

littlefoxx

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For me its the large angels and butterflies. Rather have those in my tank than corals which is why my 300 gallon is FOWLR and my little boicube is a reef
 

Slocke

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I’ve got 3!
Two for their beauty
IMG_4772.jpeg

IMG_3624.jpeg

One for it’s personality
IMG_4307.jpeg

@Fishfreak2009 show off those butterflies?
 
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Devaji

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I am finely doing a large -ish fowlr in a 200/275 peninsula stocking now with angels and butterflies.

some day i'll have a 500+ for the large angels like queen, emp. blue face, all the butterflies, dwarf angels large and small wrasses and the tangs i cant keep in the so called large tanks. oh and yeah a cow fish and box fish too.

60 is a nice tank for corals and small fish most of the FOWLR fish get pretty big sadly.

in that size tank I would do wrasses and a dart fish.
 

shcrimps

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might be a stupid question but depending on the fish, why don’t people put macros in tanks like this? i haven’t really seen any tanks setup with non reef safe fish and in place a bunch of cool macro algae
 

JC1977

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Large angels and triggers and my harlequin tusk were reasons for going FOWLR with my 360 gallon. If you have a FOWLR and don’t have a Tusk you’re missing out definitely one of my favorites!
 

OrionN

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60 gal AIO tank. All lot of the fish rec above would out grow a 60 gal tank.
There is no reason why reef safe fish cannot be in ROWLR tanks.
My recommendation is a harem of Dwarf Angels and several Flasher wrasses, small Fairy wrasses.
All of these fish are exceptionally beautiful fish, easy to keep. Some can be expensive. Radiant is a poor shipper but if you get him healthy he is very hardy.
Either Flame Angel
FlameAngel2019082511Male.jpg

FlameAngel2019080501MaleNuptialResized.jpg

Or Flameback
Flameback2020102807.jpg


Eightline Flasher Wrasse
EightlineFlasher2019061603.jpg


Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
ExquisiteFairyWrasse2019062401resized.jpg

Lubbock Fairy wrasse
LubbockFairyB2019052801.jpg


Naoko Fairy
NaokoFairy2019092401.jpg


Diamond Tail Flasher
P attenuatus2020061407.jpg
P attenuatus2020113003.jpg

Yellowfin Flasher
YellowfinFlasher2018071602.jpg


Or Radiant Wrasse
RadiantWrasse2021012302.jpg
 

JoJosReef

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might be a stupid question but depending on the fish, why don’t people put macros in tanks like this? i haven’t really seen any tanks setup with non reef safe fish and in place a bunch of cool macro algae
I was just thinking the same thing. Surely there's some combination of corals and macros and anemones that could be grown in a tank with angels, butterflies and such. Tangs will probably decimate any but the most calcareous macros, which are less exciting but better than nothing.
 

Flame2hawk

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I love angels and cant dream of having an aquarium without them. That’s why I have 3 FOWLR’s. I’m deciding whether to experiment with some softies to see if angels will be ok with them as I see some FOWLR hobbyist have success with anemone and torches. Thoughts?
 
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