Which fish should I add to my fish-only aquarium?

[jeremyg]

I’m looking for some recommendations for new and interesting fish to add to our saltwater aquarium. It’s approx 170 gallons (60” W x 22” L).

These are the fish we have currently:

• Queen angel
• King angel
• Grey angelf
• Blue hippo tang (x2)
• Powder brown tang
• Clownfish (x3)
• Coral beauty
• Bangaii cardinal
• Oxina cardinal
• Flame hawkfish
• Leopard wrasse

These are some of the fish we have had, but lost and would prefer NOT to add again soon. Would be interested in other varieties before trying these again:

• Blue green chromis
• Flame angel
• Potters angel
• Racoon butterflyfish
• Yellow goby
• Yellow tang

 

[sfin52]

yellow goby with pistol shrimp and butterfly.
Adding a tang with the powder brown established prob won't go well.

Chromis have been coming in with uroma. I wouldn't chance it with them.

 

[Phil Steel]

A couple of my favourites:

- emperor angel
- majestic angel
- achillies tang

 

[Dave1993]

Tiger angelfish aka Kingi angelfish

 

[jeremyg]

Tiger angelfish aka Kingi angelfish

Lol. Should I have specified a budget…?

 

[Dave1993]

Lol. Should I have specified a budget…?

you said a new and "interesting" fish its a interesting fish no 1 has them haha

 

[jeremyg]

you said a new and "interesting" fish its a interesting fish no 1 has them haha

Touché!

My wife just thinks the tanks is a little sparse. I figure another 10-15 smaller fish would add some variety. Maybe a small school or two and a handful of other individual fish that would get along with the existing crew.

 

[sfin52]

Touché!

My wife just thinks the tanks is a little sparse. I figure another 10-15 smaller fish would add some variety. Maybe a small school or two and a handful of other individual fish that would get along with the existing crew.

Wrasse will add a lot of movement and color

 

[jeremyg]

Wrasse will add a lot of movement and color

Which wrasse would get along with the Leopard wrasse and other fish we have?

 

[jtf74]

Longnose butterfly? Mine shoots water out his mouth at me when I approach wanting fed and very bold. After having tangs, angels, other large fish, butterflyfish are hands down my favorite. The powder brown may be a bully initially but those top spines on the butterfly are good deterrents. Royal gramma is also a nice inexpensive fish.

 

[mnl119]

I’m looking for some recommendations for new and interesting fish to add to our saltwater aquarium. It’s approx 170 gallons (60” W x 22” L).

These are the fish we have currently:

• Queen angel
• King angel
• Grey angelf
• Blue hippo tang (x2)
• Powder brown tang
• Clownfish (x3)
• Coral beauty
• Bangaii cardinal
• Oxina cardinal
• Flame hawkfish
• Leopard wrasse

These are some of the fish we have had, but lost and would prefer NOT to add again soon. Would be interested in other varieties before trying these again:

• Blue green chromis
• Flame angel
• Potters angel
• Racoon butterflyfish
• Yellow goby
• Yellow tang

Well, I can tell you that you won't have to worry about adding a potter's angel because you can't get them anymore.

Emperor's Angels are always a fan favorite, and probably have a decent chance of not conflicting with your Queen and Passer angels. A Blue Face or Majestic might also be a good consideration for the same reason, but the later two are a bit more delicate than the Emperor.

 

[Zionas]

I think you have quite a heavily stocked tank already even for a FOWLR. Not as sure about the King, but the Queen and Grey Angels will outgrow the tank eventually. Instead, I’d look into some dwarf angels. Lots of options especially for a FOWLR. Queen and Grey will have to go in order to make room for some of the other fish you want (which includes dwarf angels). Also, I don’t think 2 Hippos is good long term in anything but a very large and a very long tank. Not a 170. Some butterflies would be good, avoid the corallivores. I wouldn’t do an Emperor either. Majestic probably fine. Gold Flake is a nice Angel. Blue Lines from Poma Labs are a great choice, pretty fish not seen in every tank.

 

[jeremyg]

Well, I can tell you that you won't have to worry about adding a potter's angel because you can't get them anymore.

Emperor's Angels are always a fan favorite, and probably have a decent chance of not conflicting with your Queen and Passer angels. A Blue Face or Majestic might also be a good consideration for the same reason, but the later two are a bit more delicate than the Emperor.

Ah, didn't know about the potters.

I forgot we had a Majestic briefly, but it didn't make it. I'm liking the idea of an Emperor more and more though probably too many large angels.

I think you have quite a heavily stocked tank already even for a FOWLR. Not as sure about the King, but the Queen and Grey Angels will outgrow the tank eventually. Instead, I’d look into some dwarf angels. Lots of options especially for a FOWLR. Queen and Grey will have to go in order to make room for some of the other fish you want (which includes dwarf angels). Also, I don’t think 2 Hippos is good long term in anything but a very large and a very long tank. Not a 170. Some butterflies would be good, avoid the corallivores. I wouldn’t do an Emperor either. Majestic probably fine. Gold Flake is a nice Angel. Blue Lines from Poma Labs are a great choice, pretty fish not seen in every tank.

You're probably right. That will be a sad day for sure. Unless by then we decide to upgrade to a much larger tank...how big of a tank would we need to house those large angels (and multiple hippos)?

 

[Zionas]

I can’t say for sure, my concern is that some of your Angels (Queen, Gray) can get to a foot long, the Gray Angel probably more than a foot. Not sure about how long that takes in captivity, but the potential’s there. They are large-large Angels. The medium Angels I would consider to be ones like the Majestic, Regal, Blue Line, Gold Flake, Flagfin, and some of the others. Multiple Hippos I’m not sure either, but again I’d imagine they will need a very large tank. Are yours paired up?

I really hope you can do what’s best for you and have a tank that can house your Queen, Passer and Gray Angels. I just think it will almost certainly mean a significant upgrade. If you do decide to stick to this tank, I’d probably consider a medium sized Angel or two. I’m still not really sure what you can do about the Hippo Tangs, so I’ll leave it to the experts.

I love Angels.

 

[Dave1993]

Get a goldflake here's mine

Goldflake

www.youtube.com

 

[jeremyg]

Get a goldflake here's mine

Goldflake

www.youtube.com

Great looking fish. Pricey, no?

Was that a blenny swimming behind it? I don't have any - maybe looking to add some smaller fish like that too,

 

[Dave1993]

Great looking fish. Pricey, no?

Was that a blenny swimming behind it? I don't have any - maybe looking to add some smaller fish like that too,

Cost me £480 for him he is captive bred the blenny is a midas blenny

 

[argiBK]

How about some Semilarvatus butterflies? They do well in groups and would add a nice pop of yellow to your community.

 

[jeremyg]

How about some Semilarvatus butterflies? They do well in groups and would add a nice pop of yellow to your community.

funny i was just looking for something yellow. Do you think the lemonpeel angel would do well with our tank?

 

[argiBK]

funny i was just looking for something yellow. Do you think the lemonpeel angel would do well with our tank?

Only callout would be your Coral Beauty, my experience adding new (dwarf) angels with an established CB means a lot of aggression (I’ve had to pull a Regal Angel within hours b/c it was constantly terrorized by my CB).

Might just be my luck with CBs, but I find them to be the most aggressive toward conspecifics.