One fish or group of fish for a 60 gallon....

[E.intheC]

I've got a 60 gallon cube (24x24x24h) and I'm having some difficulty with fish selection.

Normally I would write up a list, check for compatibility, size, etc, and start stocking. However, with this tank I would like to do something different. I'd like to try and stick with either one fish or a small group of fish that may not do well with others (because they are easily bullied or out-competed for food, etc).

The tank is a mixed reef, so I would like to choose a fish (or group) that won't put my corals at risk.

So, if you had to stock a tank with one fish (or one group of fish), what would you pick?

 

[kenconnect]

I would go with a group of Barlette Anthias

 

[noelskii]

10 of these guys:

 

[jaa1456]

10 of these guys:

Those are ugly lol. Maybe a pair of flame backs or something like that, or a pair of nice fairy wrasses.

 

[shmibly]

clowns only lol

 

[TheSherm]

+1 on the anthias

 

[E.intheC]

A group of anthias would look very cool. I don't know if my tank would be large enough to house them, though. I actually like the cardinals, but idk if I'd be happy with them as the only species in my tank long term.

I think I'm either looking for a single fish with an outgoing personality or a group of open water swimmers that have amazing colors (like anthias).

 

[E.intheC]

clowns only lol

What type of clowns were you thinking? Also, please keep in mind, I've asked my wife and reef friends to punch me in the face the next time I consider an anemone :lol2:

 

[shmibly]

What type of clowns were you thinking? Also, please keep in mind, I've asked my wife and reef friends to punch me in the face the next time I consider an anemone :lol2:

I was thinking occys with different color morphs, like snowflake, onyx, platinums, you know, stuff by ORA and what not. It seems like it would be cool because they will all get along, and you can get a variety of colors and patterns while staying within a single kind of fish. :biggrin:

 

[E.intheC]

A pair of larger clowns might work, but adding more than two clowns to a tank isn't something I want to do.

 

[thirty6]

Pipefish? Not sure if different types are available, saw one in reef encounter in NJ not long ago, was def. Different. Had nice blue color pop to a tannish body

 

[reefs4life]

Whats wrong with getting an anemone? I personally think 5 clowns and a single anemone in the tank would complete your mixed reef and single fish species dilemma but that's just my addiction to anemones spewing out lol

 

[E.intheC]

Pipefish? Not sure if different types are available, saw one in reef encounter in NJ not long ago, was def. Different. Had nice blue color pop to a tannish body

Pipefish are awesome, but the flow in my tank might be too much for them. I might be moving toward an SPS dominate tank over the next year or two also. Good suggestion though.

Whats wrong with getting an anemone? I personally think 5 clowns and a single anemone in the tank would complete your mixed reef and single fish species dilemma but that's just my addiction to anemones spewing out lol

:lol2: if you knew my luck with anemones, you'd understand. ...No more anemones for me, no matter how great I think they are. And 5 clowns will definitely not coexist peacefully in a sixty gallon.

 

[reefs4life]

:lol2: if you knew my luck with anemones, you'd understand. ...No more anemones for me, no matter how great I think they are. And 5 clowns will definitely not coexist peacefully in a sixty gallon.

LOL I don't think anyone has had as bad of an experience with an anemone as I have and I still refuse to give up on them but that's just me. In terms of the clowns though, I think if you added them all as babies or something, you'd probably be ok regardless of tank size.

Anyways, other fish to consider could be firefish of any sort, helfichis would probably put a serious dent in your pocket but there's always red and purple. Personally I have always loved anthias, especially sunburst anthias

 

[E.intheC]

I keep coming back to large-ish clowns, like allardis or akindynos... Possibly a pair of a. Nigripes.

Also, I asked my wife what she would like to see and she said "clownfish!". So that might be the answer.