24G Stocking Strategy

[animalrie]

Hi guys! :spin1: I've just recently gotten back into the hobby with a 24 gallon Fluval m60. I'm sitting here with empty tank syndrome while it cycles so I'm trying to come up with a stocking strategy since I'm planning on having a few semi-aggressive fish. I've also been out of the hobby for a few years so I'm not sure if the stocking timeline I remember and followed is still accurate (clean up crew first, then a couple fish, then some corals). Please let me know what you think based on my tank!

The tank: currently in week 2 of the cycle and I'm forcing myself to wait it out. I'm cycling with live sand, dead rock, and stuck a cube of mysis in at the beginning to get it kick-started. I've included a pic of the rockwork so you'll have an idea about where the livestock will be living.

The plan: I'm planning on stocking this borderline-heavy and have some concerns about when to add each species. I've chosen species based on habitats they spend their time in within the tank and have tried to reduce conflict based on that. Here is my plan for inhabitants:

• 1 Cherub angel (planning on taking the risk of coral-nipping cause I just love these guys)
• 2 ocellaris clowns (most likely davinci)
• 1 small rock-percher of some sort (thinking tail-spot blenny or similar)
• 1 Randall's goby with pistol shrimp
• 2 Cleaner shrimp
• CUC: cerith snails, nassarius snails, blue leg hermits
• Corals: mostly sofites (zoas, GSP, xenia) and LPS (acans, frogspawn)

My thought is to add the cherub angel and clown last (due to their a**holery) but not sure on the order. I'd like to add the peaceful Randall's goby first but I'm scared that a freshly cycled tank's water chemistry might be hard on the pistol shrimp. Also, I'd like to add the small rock-percher last ideally since I'm not 100% set on him or sure which type I want. It would give me the freedom to explore other types of fish after the tank is almost fully stocked.

Thanks for reading this far! I really appreciate any opinions or just general knowledge on strategizing your stocking. Also, once the cycle is complete, what's the timeline on adding CUC and corals?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

That seems like a reasonable plan to me. I don't think there will be an issue with the shrimp going in early as long as you keep an eye on things and make sure everything is stable first. When you're building up livestock slowly, it's easy to keep an eye on things and changes will be small.

That is a fairly heavy stock list for that tank, so whatever you're doing for nutrient export will have to be up to snuff. Your strategy of mixing different behavior styles and habitats is a good approach. IME you are correct with respect to the angel being a risk but it seems like you're going in to that knowingly.

Regarding your last question - I like to do cleanup crew first, though you don't want them so early that there's nothing for them to clean. Corals can go in as soon as things are stable, there's no need to coordinate with the fish stocking schedule IME. Again, the only obvious constraint is stability - if your fish stocking causes chemistry swings, you'll have a tough time keeping coral alive. But if you're keeping an eye on things and reacting appropriately, there's no reason why the coral can't go in first or at the same time.

 

[fabulousfavia]

Good rock per hers are hawkish (mildly aggressive) or a sand perch(s) (mildly territorial).


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[animalrie]

Thanks for the advice y'all!