# Article: Which fish/invert/coral to choose?



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

- IN PROGRESS -

For those posting on this topic, if you truly want to help out please follow the following:
Rules for adding a fish/invert/coral to the not for beginners part
Must be: fairly sensitive, need large housings, extra care, prone to disease, aggressive or a combination of the previous.
Must include everything I included (list several reasons why it isn't a good fish for beginners)

Rules for adding a fish/invert/coral to the for beginners part
Must be fairly hardy
Must not be very aggressive in nature
Must not be hard to get eating
Must include everything I included (min tank size, what it eats, why its easy to take care of, the agressiveness, small fish/invert/coral safe?)

This article is split up into which fish, invertebrate, or coral is not suitable for beginners, and which are much better canidates for tankhood in a beginners tank.

Fish/Inverts/Corals NOT for beginners

Moorish Idols - Very low success rate at keeping these should be left for the experts, and very large systems, usually doing slightly better with more than one.

Cleaner Wrasses - Does not control ich as some people claim, which is the main reason they buy them, most don't make it after a few months, seem to be doing well then die. They also play an important role in the oceans, best to keep them there!

Sweetlips and Groupers - Outgrowing most tanks, these are best left to LARGE fish only tanks, as they will eat many inverts as well as small fish. Sweetlips also have a poor survival rate in tanks.

Manderin Gobies (dragonettes) - Slow feeders, if they have fast active tank mates they will eventually devour the pod populations in smaller tanks (less than 100 gallons) and slowly starve. Also pristine water conditions needed to keep these beautiful fish. An established tank with lots of liverock of more than a year is needed if kept.

Seahorses and Pipefish - perfect water quality, species only tanks, and feeding 3 times daily at least is the only way these guys can survive.

Sharks and Remoras  - Need tons of space, 200+ gallons depending on the species. Most other fish are devoured. Some sharks need 1000+ gallons!

Parrotfish - Highly specialized diet not available in any pet store, only eat acropora corals, best left to the oceans where the corals don't cost money. They also need huge tanks 8 feet long for good swimming space.

Long Horned Cowfish - Tank Nukers when they die, everything dies because of a toxin released. They get over 18 inches long.

Large Angels - Need specialized diet of sponges, some species do fairly well, but all need a large tank 200+ gallons with lots of live rock. Some do very poorly ex. Rock Beauty Angels

Orange Spot Filefish - only eat corals, and most die for no particular reason even if they start to feed.

Large Triggers (Queens, Starrys, Titans, Undulate, Blue Lines) - Very aggressive, need large tanks with nothing else in them.

Stingrays - Need tons of swimming space over a soft sand bed, they also are venomous, and difficult to feed.

Batfish - Need lots of swimming space, and deeper tanks because of its vertical body structure. Not reef safe, and susceptible to ich.

Anemones - require compact fluorescents or halides; usually do not do well in the hands of beginners, as well as giving them a sting or two.

Cuttlefish and octopus - octopus are masters of escape, must be kept alone do to aggressive predation of any tank mates, and must have a large tank for only one inhabitant (50 gal min).

Scallops - difficult to feed (must use a pipette or straw), most are too much of a handful for beginners to handle because of its specialized diet.

Linckia Sea Stars - These very beautifully colored stars usually turn to mush in even the expert’s care, if these starfish are exposed to air at anytime during the collecting process, shipping, or at the lfs, death is pretty much sealed; these stars should be left in the ocean.

Acropora Corals – these very beautiful corals are usually the hardest to keep healthy in a system. Needing optimal filtration, lighting, and monitoring, these are just plain hard to keep. Definitely wouldn’t be a coral choice for someone just starting out.

Scooter Benny - These fish are slow eaters like mandarins, they need a healthy pod population to survive if they aren't the only fish in the aquarium.

Anglerfish - most can swallow fish as large as they are, and don't mix well with other fish of similar size. Will eat inverts and fish, luring them close with its modified dorsal fin, then attacking with blinding speed. Of coarse they will do well in an aquarium by themselves.

Damsels - Yes Damsels, surprised? Usually the first and sometimes one of the worst head aches for beginners. Most are subject to the cycling process in new beginner aquariums. But why? There is a better method! Fishless cycling! Damsels turn drab and into terrorists as they grow, killing or injuring peaceful fish in the process. I have two myself, but I have a burning hatred for them!


Fish/inverts/corals FOR beginners.

Pajama Cardinalfish - easy to take care of, and fairly hardy, best if kept singly in small aquariums, but more than one can be kept in larger aquariums. Need min 20 gallons, can grow to about 3 inches, are a carnivore that will eat flake foods pellet foods live shrimp frozen shrimp and other meaty foods. Needs peaceful tank mates. Will not eat inverts/corals/small fish.

Green Chromis - a little more sensitive to water quality, best if kept in groups or a school when young but rather be single as an adult, is an omnivore that will eat meaty preparations, flakes, pellets, and herbivore foods, vitamin enrichment will help keep their bright color. They can grow to 3 inches and have a min. tank size of 30 Gallons. Again needs peaceful tank mates. Will not eat inverts/corals/small fish.

Ocellaris Clownfish - preferably tank raised, these are hardy fish with good personality, should be kept single or in a pair, they grow up to 4 inches in length and are an omnivore that will eat an array of foods including all that have been mentioned. They are peaceful and require peaceful tank mates and a min tank size of 30 gallons. Will not eat inverts/corals/ small fish.

Tomato Clownfish - preferably tank raised, a little more aggressive than the ocellaris (should not be kept with other clowns in a smaller size tank). Tomato Clowns grow up to 5 inches, and are an omnivore. Should have a forty gallon tank for swimming room. May pick on peaceful tank mates.
Will not eat corals.

Firefish - Known to be jumpers (so keep your lids on), these little peaceful fish can be kept singly or in a proven mated pair. They need around 10 gallons of water and are carnivores. They attain a length of 3 inches but are slender in form. Live rock should be in the tank for multiple hiding spots. They will not eat inverts/corals/small fish.

Flame Hawkfish - Semi-aggressive in nature, these should not have peaceful tank mates, but are very hardy fish. Need live rock to hang out on. They grow up to 4" and should have a min of 30 gallons and are active carnivores. They will eat inverts and small fish.

Yellow Tang/Scopas Tang/Kole Tang - best if kept signally, and with no other species of tang if it is a smaller tank. Must have at least 55 gallons when younger and 75 gallons when becoming an adult. These herbivores will eat nori and other herbivore foods such as algae flakes and pick at live rock. They are semi-aggressive but most peaceful fish can be kept with them. They grow to up to 7-8 inches in length and will not eat inverts/coral/small fish.

Royal Grammas – These timid fish are great tank mates in a peaceful community, they shouldn’t be kept with conspecifics or other grammas unless a large tank is provided. Minimum size tank would be 25 gallons, providing there is a fair amount of hiding spots. Grammas are carnivores but will eat flakes, frozen foods, and several other seafood preparations. They will not harm inverts/small fish/corals, and will grow to 3”.

Yellow Watchmen Gobies - will form symbiotic relationships with pistol shrimp, likes to burrow and hide and only needs 10 gallons of water, they are aggressive usually only to conspecifics. They grow up to 3" and need a carnivore’s diet. They will not eat inverts/corals/small fish.

Six Lined Wrasse - best if it’s the only wrasse in your system, 30 gallons or larger for this smaller wrasse that grows to 3" in length. May intimidate peaceful tank mates, but are not aggressive. They are a carnivore that should be fed live foods once in a while (pyrimidellid snails and some urchins). Will not eat inverts/coral/small fish.

Volitan Lionfish - needing 70 gallons because of a large bioload and messy eating habits. A good solitary fish or fish with tangs angels and other large fish. They have venomous spines, which make them a unique fish. Maybe trained to eat crustacean flesh, usually will eat live fish and inverts. Will not eat corals.

Mushroom Corals – needing very little light (even only N.O. Fluorescents in some cases) these corals don’t need much in specific care. They are a low flow coral so don’t put them in front of a powerhead. They will eat small meaty items but are not predatory on fish and inverts. 

Serpent Starfish/Brittle Starfish – if acclimated slowly these scavengers are excellent tank mates. They will eat detritus such as uneaten food and meaty preparations. Be sure to spot feed them once in a while if you can. (Do not get green color morphs for these are fish eaters)

Dwarf Hermit Crabs – These guys are awesome as a clean up crew. They usually don’t harass fish, but may take out a couple snails here and there for their shells. Most are omnivores or herbivores. They will eat several algaes, detritus, and small meaty and plant items such as raw fish, shrimp, seaweed, and nori.

Cerith Snails - these snails seem to be fairly hardy and are a good part of a clean up crew. Passive, won't hurt fish invertibrates or corals. Are omnivores both feeding within substraight and on the glass. Will eat algae, and meaty items.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Looking good so far


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Bumping to current


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