Fish stock ideas
 

After losing my butterfly and mandarin in a recent ich + mystery disease, I am starting to look for new fish. I am also going to be rebuilding my entire before getting them, so I've got at least a month or two, but I am looking for ideas.

After the rebuild, the tank is going to be a 45 gallon rimless cube (24"x24"x18") with a 15 gallon sump, vertex IN80 skimmer and a Coralife 250W Halide with 2x65W actinics. The tank has no top to it.

Currently I only have a midas blenny and a randall's goby, a pistol shrimp and 2 cleaners. And a LOT of coral. I keep mostly SPS with a garden of rics and zoas in the bottom areas of the rock work and a smattering of LPS and other corals that catch my fancy. I am going to be rescaping to give even more open swimming area.

I am looking for some ideas of new fish to stock the tank. I'm really looking for colorful fish with a ton of personality (trying to replace a sorely missed butterfly) and peaceful. I am open to all ideas!

6 line wrasse

Ya, they've been on the list for a while. Had one for a while in my other tank. I'm looking for something with a little more pizzazz (you can't see but I'm doing jazz hands right now) and out of the ordinary.

its funny you said that because when i read pizzazz jazz hands were what i was thinking...

i know the tang police will get me for this... but what about a small yellow? mine has tones of personality or a bananna wrasse?

With an open top, I wouldn't get a wrasse as they are all jumpers.

What about a clownfish or pair. I'd look at one of the milder mannered ones, occelaris, percula, skunk, saddleback.

A royal gramma should work in there as well and is very colorful.

EDIT: Like ponokareefer said, a wrasse will jump out of there in no time. Two weeks ago I lost my banana wrasse when it jumped out of my 140gal frag tank which had an open top.

Ya, I've played the wrasse game before. It's a bit like roullette. I've been debating having a go with a wrasse again knowing that I might be taking a chance.

I've been playing this game long enough that I know which fish are jumpers, which are gonna destroy everything in my tank, etc. I really am wanting to try something different this time around and I don't mind taking a bit of a risk or trying harder species. I appreciate the suggestions of clowns and six-line wrasses but, without sounding like a jerk: been there, done that. Those were my beginner fish.

I've been debating taking a crack at an angel tank similar to John Coppolino's tank, but with the dwarf species: flame, potters, coral beauty, bicolour, etc... I know it'll be a challenge but I've got some tricks up my sleeve.

or trying out some of the smaller anthias...

or having another go at a butterfly... maybe a Copperbanded (HERE COME CBB POLICE!!!)

Or as cathy said, try a small tang...

I'm not sure if you are into cardinals, but bangaii's might be something interesting.

No offense on the clowns.

No Cathy. Small yellow tangs soon get to be big yellow tangs and his tank is way too small for a tang.