42g stocking suggestions

[brett559]

My new tank will be 42g - 30x18x18. Here are some that I am considering (not all of course)

Pair of clownfish (black/white ocellaris & true perc pair - those will pair up, right?)
Purple or helfrichi firefish
Flame hawk
Melanarus wrasse
Dwarf angel (would like a yellow angel or bicolor - is a 42g too small for bicolor?)
Yellow candy hog

Any other suggestions? Any of these a bad idea for a 42g?

 

[Genera]

My new tank will be 42g - 30x18x18. Here are some that I am considering (not all of course)

Pair of clownfish (black/white ocellaris & true perc pair - those will pair up, right?)
Fine, yes they will pair up, get two small ones, or one small and one big
Purple or helfrichi firefish
Fine, a bonded pair would be what I'd get, these are good jumpers so have a lid/screen
Flame hawk
Will eat shrimp, and small fish that fit in its mouth
Melanarus wrasse
Will eat mobile inverts such as shrimp, snails, feather worms, beneficial worms, etc. these are good jumpers, so have a lid/screen, and have a sandbed of 2.5in or more
Dwarf angel (would like a yellow angel or bicolor - is a 42g too small for bicolor?)
In my opinion, your tank is not large enough for a Centropyge Heraldi, or C. Bicolor. Or C. Flavissima
Yellow candy hog
Will attack fish, especially wrasses, and will eat shrimp, I'd stay away

Any other suggestions? Any of these a bad idea for a 42g?


Some other ideas are
•1 Male Flasher Wrasse and 3 Female Flasher Wrasses (Paracheilinus Sp, mostly any from the genus)
•Black Combtooth Blenny (Ecsenius Namiyei)
•2 Meiacanthus Sp. Blennies (Choose any from the genus really)

 

[brett559]

Thanks. I am putting a mesh screen on the top. I'm not too concerned about shrimp - the only reason I've ever kept shrimp was to keep aiptasia at bay. This new tank is starting will dry rock and I will be vigilant in keeping those things out.

I've kept flasher and fairy wrasses and they don't do it for me.

What would be a better choice of dwarf angel?

 

[Silly clownfish]

Liveaquaria recommends a minimum of 55 g for a cherub (pygmy) angel, but back before these recommendations were available, i kept a cherub in a 30g mixed reef for over 7 years. He was a cute, well-behaved little guy - did not nip corals. For most of that time, the only other fish were an occelaris clown and flame hawk.

My serpent star used to wave its arms at the cherub when the fish swam too close, but no harm inflicted on either side.

 

[Genera]

Centropyge Argi, C. Acanthops, and C. Aurantonotus should be fine. May nip at corals, depends on the individual fish.

 

[brett559]

Any chance a flame hawk could be trained to eat only pellets? I'm hoping to feed primarily pellets.

 

[crazymnkeyman77]

A little overstocked

A little overstocked

Are you putting any corals in the tank. We need to know if its a reef tank. If its a reef tank you should only be keeping 2-3 fish in the tank. If the tank wont have any corals or maybe just a few I would recommend you not buying the angel because you would be over stocking the tank and pygmy angels need a bigger tank then a 42 gal. I would recommend a 75 gal tank minimum for that angelfish.

 

[crazymnkeyman77]

I agree, dont get the hogfish you will regret it. You need cleaners in the tank and all they do is try to eat them.

 

[brett559]

Yes, I will be adding corals. And yes I will keep more than 2-3 fish. More than 3 fish can go in a 42g reef tank.

Yeah, I think I'll skip the hogfish. Thanks.

Currently considering:
Clowns
Midas blenny
Melanarus
Firefish
Cherub or flameback

 

[Martini5788]

Yes, I will be adding corals. And yes I will keep more than 2-3 fish. More than 3 fish can go in a 42g reef tank.

Yeah, I think I'll skip the hogfish. Thanks.

Currently considering:
Clowns
Midas blenny
Melanarus
Firefish
Cherub or flameback

I think that you should do all but the melanurus, just because they are so fast and active and might drive all the other fish crazy

 

[Silly clownfish]

Any chance a flame hawk could be trained to eat only pellets? I'm hoping to feed primarily pellets.

A flame hawk can absolutely be trained to eat pellets. And they will eat them agressively. That said, variety is important. Even if you need to rely on dry food for convenience, vary the dry food - a couple difernt kinds of pellets, flakes, freeze-dried shrimp, etc.

At various points in time my fish (including my flame hawk) have gone years pn dry food with very little frozen.