90 Gallon Stock list suggestions

[afish70]

I currently have a 90 gallon soon-to-be reef tank. It has been up and running for almost 10 weeks now. I am going to mostly have LPS corals in it since for now i am staying with good ole T5 lighting. I want o have have Frogspawn, Hammers, Torches and such in the tank as well as some Ric's. I am trying to see which fish will be best suited for this tank.

Current Stock list:
2 Perc Clowns
1 One spot Foxface(just got him Monday and he is still mostly hiding in rock and caves)
Snails

I want to have:
Purple Tang
Sailfin Tang
Royal Gramma(for my daughter)
but not sure what lese

any suggestions? Have I chosen good fish so far? Is my "want to have" list good? Give me your thoughts. Thanks.

 

[Diana A]

your tank is too small for the tangs...minimum 125 gallons for 1 tang

 

[scooter31707]

In a 90 gallon, you could get away with a Kole, Tomini, or a Yellow Tang. Only 1 of those. The 2 you suggested requires bigger tanks.

 

[nereefpat]

The sailfin isn't a good choice, whether it's a red sea or phillipine.

I am OK with the purple tang, as it has the same requirements as a yellow or scopus, imo. Hopefully you won't have to make a choice between the purple and the foxface down the road, as they are both borderline for a 90gallon.

I love the clowns and the gramma. Grammas can be kept in groups or pairs too, fyi.

For a replacement for the bigger tang, look into a wrasse or two. Anything that is a flasher or a Halichoeres sp would be a good choice.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

From what I recall, yellow, purple, saifin, desjardini, are all (zebrasoma). In my experience with them, they all have pretty much the same personality. I'm not sure why people feel one would need more/less room than the other. I've seen purple tangs living happily in 60-90 gallon red sea tanks. Now granted, there was only one or two other (small) fish in those tanks, but the fish did not appear stressed. I've had two yellow tangs live happily in a 60 gallon and I've had purple and two yellows live happily in that same 60 gallon. I'm not saying this would work for everyone or every zebrasoma, but in my case it did, as it has for others. Other tang species need much longer tanks because they are big swimmers.

 

[Cliving1]

A dwarf angel would be a nice addition. Could do a group of anthias if you can keep up on the feedings. I would leave the one spot as my large fish (and put small additions in) but thats just me.

 

[nereefpat]

From what I recall, yellow, purple, saifin, desjardini, are all (zebrasoma). In my experience with them, they all have pretty much the same personality. I'm not sure why people feel one would need more/less room than the other.

It's because of the size. Z. desjardinii and Z. velifer have max lengths of 40 cm (16"), and are also that tall.

Z. flavescens, for example, has a length of 20 cm, and isn't as tall.

From fishbase.

 

[monkeysee1]

Hi afish!
I have the SAME SIZE tank you do!
My .02:

1.ONE fish per TEN gallons for your tank ( that means NO MORE than 9 of ANY size for YOUR tank).
2. Purple tangs have attitudes - and VERY short fuses. They get VERY persnickety. If you get one, he should be the ONLY TANG in your TANK! With NO OTHER FISH the same color or size of the purple tang!
3.Salifin tangs get HUGE! If you get one, remember that it WILL outgrow your tank!
4.NO BUTTERFLYS if you want to keep corals.
5.ANTHIAS (as a pair already familliar with each other and introduced at the SAME TIME) are cute, colorful and would make nice additions to your aquarium, as well as a SINGLE DOTTYBACK or a pair of BLENNIES!
6. I have a Royal Gramma. He's awesome. Perfect size for a 90 gallon! Or get a Black Cap Gramma! They are VERY pretty as well. But only ONE Gramma of ANY type for your tank.

Again, just my .02!

 

[CrayolaViolence]

It's because of the size. Z. desjardinii and Z. velifer have max lengths of 40 cm (16"), and are also that tall.

Z. flavescens, for example, has a length of 20 cm, and isn't as tall.

From fishbase.

I still don't see how this makes that big of a difference, when dealing with the same species. Fish can very in size within the same type (two purple tangs may not mature to be the same size). Also, these fish (zebrasoma) have roughly the same behaviors and activity level. Judging stock list based on the size of the fish, imho is a bad idea. You are better off to learn the behaviors and needs of a fish. Mandarins are very small fish, you could by all accounts keep one in a ten gallon tank. You probably wouldn't want to do that unless you have it on frozen food or you grow and replenish the copepods so it has plenty to eat.

 

[nereefpat]

I still don't see how this makes that big of a difference, when dealing with the same species. Fish can very in size within the same type (two purple tangs may not mature to be the same size). Also, these fish (zebrasoma) have roughly the same behaviors and activity level. Judging stock list based on the size of the fish, imho is a bad idea. You are better off to learn the behaviors and needs of a fish.

That is an interesting humble opinion.

The fish we are discussing are not the same species, but are different species in the same genus. There are lots of examples of closely related animals that have different requirements. There are the two large sailfin tangs vs the smaller species in the genus. Another example would be Acanthurus nigrofuscus (lavender) vs the larger and hyper aggressive sohol tang, or the nearly two foot long Acanthurus dussumieri.

Behavior definitely plays a part in tank size requirements. But in this case, a sailfin tang wouldn't be able to turn around in a standard 90 tank, since it's nearly as long as the tank is wide.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Behavior definitely plays a part in tank size requirements. But in this case, a sailfin tang wouldn't be able to turn around in a standard 90 tank, since it's nearly as long as the tank is wide.

I guess I have never seen a sail fin tang that large. I've seen some big tangs, no doubt, but never a zebrasoma of any kind that I've just stopped and said, holy cow. I'm sure they are out there...

 

[afish70]

I am trying to figure out which to purchase next fro my tank to go with my pair of clowns and my Fox face. Here is my new list of fish, can someone give me a usable order to add the in, going to be at least 1 month between adding new fish.

Purple Tang
Yellow Tang(?)
Pygmy Angel
Black cap basslet
Sand sifting goby (not sure which)

Who should i get next?

 

[The_Reef_Keeper]

Get a yellow prawn goby! they are full of personality. you could even get a shrimp goby pair.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I am trying to figure out which to purchase next fro my tank to go with my pair of clowns and my Fox face. Here is my new list of fish, can someone give me a usable order to add the in, going to be at least 1 month between adding new fish.

Purple Tang
Yellow Tang(?)
Pygmy Angel
Black cap basslet
Sand sifting goby (not sure which)

Who should i get next?

If you go with tangs I would not get any other fish in addition to what you have. You're tank is on the smaller side for a tang (as others have pointed out). The best way to keep down aggression, disease, etc, is to not over stock it. In my personal opinion. If you add all those fish, plus what you have, I think you would be over stocking and thus become high risk for diseases.


Also, sand sifting gobies spread sand everywhere you may not want it to go.

 

[Devaji108]

I have a 90 36x24x24 guess yours is the standard 4'er

you will get a lot of mix reviews on keeping one tang in a 90 let alone 2.
you might be Ok with the yellow Tang but even then plan on giving away/trading in etc. in a few years if /when it get stressed.

here is what I have in mine: for reference
1x royal gramma
1x flasher wrasse
1X manlaurs wrasse
1Xflame angle
1x chromie

the last few fish I will add are
1X midas blenny
one more wrasse flasher or fairy.
maybe just maybe if I dont do the wrasse a Kole tang or other brissel tooth tang.

IMHO having the fox face I would suggest going smaller fish like wrasses, dartfish, a blenny or goobies.

here is what I would do:
the fish you have +
2 flasher wrasses
a fary wrassr
dart fish
gramma
and a goby or blenny.

or
the fish you have & a harem of anthias
a wrasse
gramma
dart and
a blenny or goby


what ever you do research it will save to time and money.