What are your favorite FOWLR fishes?

[vetteguy53081]

What are your favorite fish that aren't able to be kept in a reef tank but would be great candidates for a FOWLR?

Angels

Passer
Majestic
emperor
queen
french

 

[Fish Fan]

+1 x 2 lol! I have loved Lionfish since I was a kid, but have never kept one, not even a dwarf variety. And my wife and I both would love a big Puffer, I've read that they are like having an underwater dog; great choices!

Can I add, for smaller tanks, and admittedly not exactly a FOWLR only fish, but I'll add Hawkfish. I love Hawkfish, but I won't keep them in reef tanks because they go after shrimp (not corals), and I won't have a reef tank without a shrimp or two ;-) That's just me personally.

And if we are dreaming here......

I know many of you would say "blah", "done to death" (often literally), "you're a noob, get out of here..."

But my personal ultimate FOWLR fish was and I think is some kind of true shark, like the Epaulette, for example, which to me is a beautiful fish, or any other diminutive carpet sharks. But, I wouldn't even think of trying these animals unless I could provide them a truly huge aquarium (not just a 180, which I often see as the "recommended" minimum tank size), and perfect conditions, which isn't happening in my lifetime, unless someone can tip me off to some hot PowerBall numbers ;-) I do know full well people try these fish and then get either bored or outgrown or both, and then it's a serious hassle to try to get a public aquarium to take the animal off your hands, but given the right circumstances (where I could keep the animal healthy for its whole life), I would love to have a shark.

Again, if we're dreaming, I'll be 51 at the end of this year, and when I was like 13 I used to fall asleep dreaming about a shark tank. I knew at 13 there was no possible way I could afford an aquarium suitable for sharks, but even back then (way before the internet) I had the idea to build an indoor pool, and then you could look down on the sharks from above.

Great thread, I'm enjoying reading everyone's suggestions!

 

[Panda Jerk]

Harlequin Tusk

 

[PharmrJohn]

Easy. The Clown Trigger.

 

[enebrac]

Golden puffer

 

[Fish Fan]

Golden puffer

Love puffers! Never kept one yet :-(

 

[mpatterson42]

Porcupine puffer and volitan lionfish. I'm working my way up there!

 

[kdx7214]

Niger trigger and porcupine puffer are my two favorites. Not even sure if they could be kept together.

 

[vlangel]

I love big angels, big puffers, and lionfish. Had some when I had a big FOWLR tank in the basement but I suspect those days are gone.

 

[BetteMidler]

Found this spectacular setup on YouTube the other day:

 

[maroun.c]

Mostly angels

Emperor
Queen
Blue face
Regal
Flame
Bicolor
Golden angel
Cherub

And if budget was not an issue
Conspic
Bandit
Narcosis

 

[56longroof]

Triggers,Lionfish,and a Dragon Wrasse.

 

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

I have a fish only tank, and have limited live rock, so I keep whatever I want in my 150.

My only limitations are bioload, and to limit aggressiveness towards my more peaceful fish.

I think what I currently have that wouldn't be considered reef safe is a self caught French Angelfish, and a Long Nose Butterfly.

I have 2 different types of Fox face, but I don't even know if they are considered to be reef safe or not, LOL.

 

[LPS Bum]

Large Angels.

In my 240 FOWLR I have a French, Queen, Maculosus, Emperor, Annularis and Majestic. Great fish with tons of personality. Also devout coral murderers.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Love puffers! Never kept one yet :-(

Same! I love the way they look, just don't know if I would ever personally have one

 

[Username:Required]

Porcupine puffer