75 gal FOWLR tankmates

[slowECUdiver]

i posted this in the Fish Only & aggressive forum with no replies yet, so i'll try to get some input on this thread.

i've had my 75 gal up and running for nearly 2 months (1 of those i was gone for x-mas and just had 4 powerheads circulating water). 100# sand (3-4" deep & now live), 100# LR. 4 large turbo snails, 1 hermit crab (first observed molting happened this week!). remaining necessary parts for the sump came today (tidepool II, with SOS overflow box, mainly using it for added volume and to skim my surface, have the LS and LR for filtration). i will be adding a protein skimmer to the sump in 1-2 months as the bioload increases with the fish.

my fish list has been cut down to 5 which are as follows. at the recommendation of a trusted friend (who's been in the hobby nearly 10 years) they will be added in this order:

-Maroon Clown
-Fuzzy Dwarf lion
-Yellow Tang
-Racoon butterfly OR foxface
-Porcupine Puffer

any one have a combination of these fish with some insight they can share? will this addition order work or should something other than the clown be first? and finally, can i get away with adding 2 of them to start (provided they're the same size)? i ask the last question as i don't have a quarantine tank set up (but in the works) and will be purchasing all my fish from the same store.

i also realize i will need to beef up the cleaner crew. any suggestions for additions would be most appreciated.

thanks fellow RC members.

-eric

 

[slowECUdiver]

no porc. puffer

no porc. puffer

list has changed. porcupine puffer is out. rest stay the same, but the clown has moved to be last in the addition list.

any recommendations for beefing up my cleaner crew that these fish will for the most part leave alone??

thanks fellow RC members,

eric

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

I'd add them in this order:

-Fuzzy Dwarf lion
-foxface
-Maroon Clown
-Yellow Tang


Some folks will tell you that a 75 gal is too small for a tang. I have a 75 and have opted not to put a tang in it, but it's your choice.

Also, I wouldn't add any faster than 1 fish per month. That requires patience, but you'll want to get that dwarf lion eating well before you add other fish. And you'll want to insure the tank adjusts to the bioloads too.

Dwarf Lions and Foxfaces aren't that aggressive, but maroon clowns and tangs are feisty. So add those last.

 

[slowECUdiver]

thanks moe

thanks moe

good words of advice moe. i'm opting for the maroon b/c he should be able to handle himself with the larger fish. i'm still undecided in terms of the tang and understand your thoughts on it as well.

any thoughs on beefing up the cleaner crew with snails/crabs that are smart/sly enough to avoid being dinner??

-eric

 

[six.line]

Fish don't eat cleaner crews as far as I know. I've heard of some fish eating bristle worms, but those guys hitch a ride on your rock and multiply as they can, so there's not much to worry about there.

Get an assortment of snails, bear in mind they will die from time to time, and make sure that your crabs have some extra shells so as to minimize deathmatches for newer houses.

I don't know what the snail per gallon ratio is supposed to be, or if there is one, but I have 5 snails in my 15 gallon, and they seem to be fine, so you can do the math. I have 2 turbo, 2 cerith, and 3 narrasius. I wouldn't mind adding one or two more astrea or conch or bumblebee snails just for variety.

I'm sure plenty more advice is on the way.

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

Re: thanks moe

Re: thanks moe

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6651392#post6651392 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slowECUdiver
good words of advice moe. i'm opting for the maroon b/c he should be able to handle himself with the larger fish. i'm still undecided in terms of the tang and understand your thoughts on it as well.

I either have or have had all of these fish except the tang.

The maroon clown and foxface and tang are reef safe. Add whatever you want. The dwarf will eat anything that will fit in it's mouth, but mine never touched snails at all. I would bet hermits would be fine too. Decorative shrimp are right out. Don't waste your money there.

Get some nassarius and a few astrea snails. Your foxface will take care of all the hair algae and stuff for sure. A snail only crew should do you.

 

[slowECUdiver]

cleaners

cleaners

oh i had no intention of adding decorative shrimp. they are great fodder for the fish and would probably starve in my setup.

i thought the astrea snails can't right themselves if they flip on their backs and i dont' want to be babysitting snails. i'll see what my store has and the pricing...it's gonna be a slow process and i'm fully aware of how long it will take to stock this tank with only 4 fish.

thanks a bunch.

-eric

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

Re: cleaners

Re: cleaners

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6651544#post6651544 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slowECUdiver
i thought the astrea snails can't right themselves if they flip on their backs and i dont' want to be babysitting snails.

Generally they can't, although I swear I've seen exceptions. They'll be ok if you have enough live rock. If they fall into sand, however, sometimes they perish.

 

[BlackOnyx]

tang will be fine in a 75 even a 55 as long as it the 55 longer. Tangs love to "run" and shouldnt really be in a cube shaped tank.

 

[slowECUdiver]

thank you

thank you

thank you all for your replies. everyone on RC is always willing to help, which is why i like this hobby so much...people learn so much from shared knowledge, failures, and successes...

on a happy note, the fuzzy dwarf lion is being held for me at a FS in Garner, NC. eating live, not frozen yet, been in the store a week. i'll check him out on Saturday. as for the rest of the tankmates, the list is:

2. foxface
3. butterfly fish (medium sized)
4. yellow tang
5. maroon clown.

of course, it will take a few months before i add #s 3, 4 and 5, so those may change. but def. #1 and 2 the next two months!

-eric