Another fish question

[marie]

Ok Anthony et al, my tank is doing fantastically well and I hate to mess with it but it needs a few fish that swim out in the open. The only fish my guests ever see is the achilles. The foxface mostly hangs out in one spot looking like a bloated pig, the regal angel sneaks around chowing down on corals when no one is looking, My 2 dottybacks are too busy playing house to worry about being seen and the 6 cardinals never move from the same spot.
So I was thinking 3 anthias or 5 green chromis. Should I just carry on with what I've got (don't mess with a good thing)? or should i get the anthias? what kind of anthias are the best? Would the chromis be better because they are less of a bioload?
I did discover that i'm emotionally attached to my skimmer so it is back on the tank again. I just wasn't comfortable without it otherwise I wouldn't even consider any more fish


*edit* If I get more fish on everyones recommendation and the tank crashes after... I get to blame you guys

[Salmon King]

Try acouple of true percula clowns and the athias.I would consider getting rid of the angel and the foxface as it will get big and the angel will keep nipping your corral.

[MikeP]

Not a fish on your list and I don't know how big your tank is but I have a Naso tang that is very friendly coming to say hi when I walk up to the tank...or maybe he just wants to be fed, either way he is out in the open quite a bit.

[marie]

Originally Posted by Salmon King

Try acouple of true percula clowns and the athias.I would consider getting rid of the angel and the foxface as it will get big and the angel will keep nipping your corral.

So when are you coming over to catch her and the foxface is already big . I'm not a fan of clown fish but I am leaning more towards anthias although my family like the chromis and think some anthias look like goldfish

Originally Posted by MikeP

Not a fish on your list and I don't know how big your tank is but I have a Naso tang that is very friendly coming to say hi when I walk up to the tank...or maybe he just wants to be fed, either way he is out in the open quite a bit.

I had a blonde naso a few years ago and it was my all time favourite fish but the achilles tang informed me that he was going to be the only tang in the tank and considering it's his house I have to listen to him

[Salmon King]

You have one chance to catch a fish.I use flake food and come from behind with the net.If you miss her she will remember.I have a 255 gal full of lr and fish.Make sure you get him first time.

[Doug]

I have always been partial to the chromis school, Marie. They seem to stay together the best and have that beautiful colour under halides.

Their problem, as many have posted over the years, is some of them seem fragile, almost to the point of dont look at me wrong or I will croak. I still say the key to them, is lots of hiding places, so they all can go their separate ways when needed and multiple daily feedings.

So the last point, {feedings}, as with anthias, would say even with smaller fish, they still add considerable load by their feeding requirements. I even tried skimmerless in my large tanks, with a sandbed and only the turf scrubber filtration, to see if natural food levels would increase for them but besides the shrimp spawn, not much else.

[christyf5]

Have you ever seen blue reef chromis? Wendell has a few in his display tank and man are they ever gorgeous. They're out all the time just like green chromis but are much more striking IMO. Oh and of course they're more pricey.



(photo swiped from marinedepot website)

[wickedfrags]

Be mindful that anthias while beautiful and very active love to jump, and are known to be tough to keep long-term in an aquarium. You should also try and keep more females than males to curb aggression and chasing. Most species require a varied diet and frequent daily feedings. Others (such as the purple queen anthias) are essentially impossible to keep in the aquarium long term.

Chromis on the other hand are easy to keep, and now there are some neat ones out there. They are also less expensive - but not nearly as interesting as the anthias however.

I know many an experienced hobbyist who no longer tries to keep schools of anthias. If they were not so beautiful it would make it easier though!

[marie]

Originally Posted by 220G

Be mindful that anthias while beautiful and very active love to jump,

There's something I hadn't factored in, I can't have jumpers. My Achilles likes to go cardinal bowling and if he did that to a group of anthias they would almost certainly jump.
Chromis it is, now if only I could find someone to get me some vanderbilts chromis

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by marie

Chromis it is, now if only I could find someone to get me some vanderbilts chromis

Wow I just googled those. I want, I want! Gorgeous fish.