I have had a small saltwater FOWLR (and lots of macro algae) aquarium for a few years, with some typical small reef fish, and I was pretty much preparing to sell it, because I found I didn't like the personality of my saltwater fish as much as my freshwater fish. But I bought a Spotted hawkfish (for $5!) a bit ago, and it has made me realize that perhaps I just haven't had the right SW fish.
I have noticed the only small SW fish I really am interested in are fish like hawkfish, jawfish, blennys, and scooter blennys. These are all plainer fish with lots of personality. In Freshwater I love most my cichlids, Peacock bass, sunfish, darters, FW "eels", certain catfish/loaches, and some oddball fish like my elephantnose. I have no use (other than as pretty dithers) for fish like tetras or typical community fish, or even large personality-less fish. So maybe I am the same with SW.
Which makes me wonder, maybe I just haven't been keeping the right SW fish...
So, if you were going to stock a FOWLR tank in the 90-180g range, based purely on the fish having interesting and interactive character, what fish would you stock?
SW Fish that I have heard have great personality are puffers (which one would be best?), triggers, emperor angel, sailfin tang, harlequin tusk, snowflake eels, lionfish, etc... What do you guys think? I wouldn't really want any fish that got too much over 12in the aquarium.
Right now this is all theoretical, however I have considered getting a few these fish as babies for my current SW tank, and seeing how I like them. If I like them I would upgrade my SW to a bigger tank. (I have several bigger tanks on hand that I could upgrade my SW tank to, whenever, but I don't want to do that if I am not sure how well I would like these type of fish.) I have a great LFS I know I could sell the fish to, if I decided to get rid of my SW tank.
I have noticed the only small SW fish I really am interested in are fish like hawkfish, jawfish, blennys, and scooter blennys. These are all plainer fish with lots of personality. In Freshwater I love most my cichlids, Peacock bass, sunfish, darters, FW "eels", certain catfish/loaches, and some oddball fish like my elephantnose. I have no use (other than as pretty dithers) for fish like tetras or typical community fish, or even large personality-less fish. So maybe I am the same with SW.
Which makes me wonder, maybe I just haven't been keeping the right SW fish...
So, if you were going to stock a FOWLR tank in the 90-180g range, based purely on the fish having interesting and interactive character, what fish would you stock?
SW Fish that I have heard have great personality are puffers (which one would be best?), triggers, emperor angel, sailfin tang, harlequin tusk, snowflake eels, lionfish, etc... What do you guys think? I wouldn't really want any fish that got too much over 12in the aquarium.
Right now this is all theoretical, however I have considered getting a few these fish as babies for my current SW tank, and seeing how I like them. If I like them I would upgrade my SW to a bigger tank. (I have several bigger tanks on hand that I could upgrade my SW tank to, whenever, but I don't want to do that if I am not sure how well I would like these type of fish.) I have a great LFS I know I could sell the fish to, if I decided to get rid of my SW tank.
