Looking for a fish that will use rock work

[Menidia]

I'm looking for a cleaner shrimp and snail safe fish that'll use the live rock in my tank. Either a grazer or something that'll swim through it or hide in it. 

 

This is is for a standard dimension 75 gallon fowlr with two ocellaris clowns, a blue-green chromis, and a yellow watchman goby. They don't spend any time using the rock work at all, except the goby but it just has a hole in it that it lives in. 

 

I'll be getting a flame angel or other dwarf angel as the last fish, which I know will likely use the rocks but I'd like one more fairly active fish. Maybe a wrasse? Are there any that are solitary/can do well as an only specimen without others of its own kind that won't attack snails and shrimp? Thanks for any input!

[WV Reefer]

51 minutes ago, Menidia said:

I'm looking for a cleaner shrimp and snail safe fish that'll use the live rock in my tank. Either a grazer or something that'll swim through it or hide in it. 

 

This is is for a standard dimension 75 gallon fowlr with two ocellaris clowns, a blue-green chromis, and a yellow watchman goby. They don't spend any time using the rock work at all, except the goby but it just has a hole in it that it lives in. 

 

I'll be getting a flame angel or other dwarf angel as the last fish, which I know will likely use the rocks but I'd like one more fairly active fish. Maybe a wrasse? Are there any that are solitary/can do well as an only specimen without others of its own kind that won't attack snails and shrimp? Thanks for any input!

 

I would go with some type of Blenny. 

 

I have a Starry Blenny in my 75 that is a total character.  

 

Star Lord 

 

 

A lot of reefers like Tail Spot Blennies...... check them out.  

[Porkpie5000]

+1 on the Blenny

[paneubert]

Mine seems to change color based on the day, which is cool.

[specore]

So you want an active fish who hides in the rock work all day 😉

 

[Martin Riggs]

Goby blenny dottyback

[specore]

Royal gramma would be a good choice.  Hawkfish will spend their time perching around the rock work, but won't work with any shrimp in the tank. 

[Daniel91]

Midas Blenny!

[Menidia]

I completely forgot about blennies haha. I can't believe it. 

 

I I like the starry, has good size! Will it get along with a dwarf angel if both are grazers?

[Menidia]

1 hour ago, specore said:

So you want an active fish who hides in the rock work all day 😉

 

Haha maybe either or! I love my clowns and chromis but I'd love something even if it is cryptic that does something other than press against the glass looking for a handout even if I'm not right up at the tank. 

[Ladytank]

A Benny would be my choice. Mine has such a great personality. Hides in holes, and perches on the rock work. Top of the tank bottom of the tank all around peaceful fish.

[WV Reefer]

1 hour ago, Menidia said:

I completely forgot about blennies haha. I can't believe it. 

 

I I like the starry, has good size! Will it get along with a dwarf angel if both are grazers?

Mine is housed with a Flame Angel and a mean *ss Yellow Tang........ Starry Blennies are typically a bold fish.  

[BlennyBoi]

B
L
E
N
N
Y

 

i like bicolours, hence my avatar

[Snow_Phoenix]

I vote blenny. I have a huge Starry - lots of personality and quite a source of entertainment. And he phases into different shades too, which is amazing.

 

Here's Thanos:

 

 

Other options include tiny perching-type gobies like YCGs or GCGs, but in a tank your size, it might be very easy to lose them and chances are, not find/see them again. 

[toddrparr]

my starry killed my dwarf angel... 40 gallon tank though and the starry was a jerk.

[paneubert]

1 hour ago, toddrparr said:

my starry killed my dwarf angel... 40 gallon tank though and the starry was a jerk.

That is really surprising.  Did the angel have hair algae growing on it?

[Menidia]

On October 29, 2018 at 7:14 AM, Snow_Phoenix said:

I vote blenny. I have a huge Starry - lots of personality and quite a source of entertainment. And he phases into different shades too, which is amazing.

 

Here's Thanos:

 

 

Other options include tiny perching-type gobies like YCGs or GCGs, but in a tank your size, it might be very easy to lose them and chances are, not find/see them again. 

That's a gorgeous fish! I really like the "eyebrows" on it. My lfs has a super cute one about 2" that I'm looking at. 

 

 

2 hours ago, toddrparr said:

my starry killed my dwarf angel... 40 gallon tank though and the starry was a jerk.

That's crazy! I've never heard of a blenny being that aggressive, did you see it happen? What angel was it?

[HarryPotter]

1 hour ago, paneubert said:

That is really surprising.  Did the angel have hair algae growing on it?

 

😂

[Snow_Phoenix]

5 hours ago, Menidia said:

That's a gorgeous fish! I really like the "eyebrows" on it. My lfs has a super cute one about 2" that I'm looking at. 

Thank you. I believe the 'eyebrows' are called cirri. Different types of blennies have different numbers/branches of cirri on their foreheads. 2" is a good size. My guy is slightly above 4.5". He's massive. But gentle with my other fish, and I keep him with nano fish (some which are smaller than 1"). Doesn't attack anything and minds his own business. He loves seaweed pellets and mysis though. Since I keep him in a 20G, I have to supplement his diet with seaweed pellets twice everyday to keep him chunky and well-fed. Of course, he also takes a trip into my in-tank fugebox every now and then to snack on the macro in there and needs occasional 'rescuing', much to his distaste. 

 

I love him. Get a small blenny - you won't regret it. 🙂 

[MrObscura]

As anyone mentioned a blenny? 😋

[toddrparr]

22 hours ago, paneubert said:

That is really surprising.  Did the angel have hair algae growing on it?

 

20 hours ago, Menidia said:

That's a gorgeous fish! I really like the "eyebrows" on it. My lfs has a super cute one about 2" that I'm looking at. 

 

 

That's crazy! I've never heard of a blenny being that aggressive, did you see it happen? What angel was it?

no algae ... I did see it. I dropped the angel in after acclimation and 30 seconds later the blenny tore into it, hit it right in the gills and it was dead 10 minutes later. The blenny has since be re-homed to a 150 gallon tank.