Best fish for top view only tank?

[djohnson3]

May not go well with the community stocking plan, but lionfish look awesome from the top view.

Me and my sons have always admired these in when we come across them in a LFS, but they are supposed to be pretty aggressive right? I generally try to avoid fish that need an entire tank dedicated to themselves.

I've been lucky though - I've got a big ol' zebra tilapia (buttikoferi) named buddha that is living peacefully in my cichlid community tank and they have a pretty mean reputation. I've failed more often than I've been successful in getting mean fish to get along, I've had to trade away quite a few flower horns in my attempts to get a peaceful one.

Maybe one day I'll consider a lionfish

 

[djohnson3]

Wow. Beautiful. They get really big, though. You catch 'em when fishing for blues, and they can be over 2'.

Yeah that really is pretty - but a 2' one would be waayy too big

 

[djohnson3]

D djohnson3 that is a really cool set up, can't wait to see what you do with it.

Thanks
I will try and follow up on this thread overtime as it evolves!

 

[djohnson3]

What about a puffer? They have wider bodies that are good viewed from above.

I've always thought puffers are super cool, I used to have two figure 8 puffers, I had them in freshwater though; not brackish water though and ended up feeling bad and trading them away.

There are a lot of different kinds of puffer though right? Mine were kind of mean - are they all a bit aggressive? Would one do well in a community setting? Could you suggest one that is colorful and friendly?

Thanks

 

[djohnson3]

Also I'll throw out there that I love odd ball fish, ones that you don't see everyday.
I've got a few arowanas, lots of bichers, spiney eels, etc.
Are saltwater eels as prone to escape as their freshwater counterparts?
I could never leave a ropefish or fire eel in a tank with no lid, but some of the saltwater eels are soooo cool - I would love to have one.
Someone earlier suggested banded serpent stars, I am for sure going to get one of those, they seem really cool - do you not have to worry about them climbing out of the water either?

I'm thinking with the top viewing angle I am going to need fish with a lot of color that will pop and be easily visible, that shouldn't be hard to do since they all seem so pretty.

Also do you still use the inch of fish / gallon of water rule for saltwater tanks?
How much life should I be putting into this pool?
I think I want to try and re-create a tidal pool or something.

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions, it's been really helpful so far!

 

[tlindsey]

I'm probably not going to do rays now that I want a community, but my plan would have probably do baby California stingrays and if they ever got to big I would trade them back to my LFS for smaller ones. Do you think it would be too small for that?

There is more links just use the search bar.https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...uide-for-round-stingrays.487112/#post-5860758

 

[MrsE88]

I've always thought puffers are super cool, I used to have two figure 8 puffers, I had them in freshwater though; not brackish water though and ended up feeling bad and trading them away.

There are a lot of different kinds of puffer though right? Mine were kind of mean - are they all a bit aggressive? Would one do well in a community setting? Could you suggest one that is colorful and friendly?

Thanks

There are lots of saltwater puffers. I think this guy is so cool
It stays small and says they are peaceful. Commenters said theirs get along great with tangs and other fish.
I’d be careful about snails and crustaceans. I think those would all be seen as food. At least for a fresh water puffer they are. Haha
Of course there are other puffers. This guy just stands out to me as a great one because of its bright color and interesting pattern

 

[imabot]

You may also want to post on reef2reef. I lurk there and they know their stuff. I also have heard of a dwarf lionfish.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Thanks for all of the suggestions I really want to eventually get into corals, but they seem really expensive - are mushroom corals or kenya trees very much? They look cool.
I love the idea of a flounder - I am all about oddball fish.
I am sold on the banded serpent star - he has made my list for sure - he is awesome.
I know most urchins can sting right? Is that what you mean by reef safe? - that they don't sting?
By dragonfish do you mean dragonet? They are gorgeous!
And I really love the idea of an island in the middle that some critters could crawl onto, but those crabs look big - and creep out my girlfriend lol; our bed is right next to the tank.
I would worry too that enough material to build an island would run the risk of being so heavy it would puncture the plastic lining of the tank unless I was creative in how i built it.
What other saltwater critters would bask in the sun on an island but not want to escape my tank?

Mushroom corals and Kenya tree are easy to find for cheap and are good corals for beginners.

Most of the time when reef safe is mentioned, it means urchins that won't chew on corals, if your worried about being pricked than perhaps pencil urchins are more your speed.

By dragon fish I meant violet goby, a species that does well in both brackish and full marine tanks.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

There are lots of saltwater puffers. I think this guy is so coolView attachment 1320701
It stays small and says they are peaceful. Commenters said theirs get along great with tangs and other fish.
I’d be careful about snails and crustaceans. I think those would all be seen as food. At least for a fresh water puffer they are. Haha
Of course there are other puffers. This guy just stands out to me as a great one because of its bright color and interesting pattern

Ah yes a saddleback Toby, I've had one, not safe with most invertebrates but otherwise very peaceful with other fish