Aggressive Reef

[palmer373]

Just a side note to start it off: I dont want this to turn into an all out hate war for who knows what reason. Pease dont be offended by this but ive seen a lot of great threads get ruined by "hate wars" so to speak. I just want your opinions and if people disagree, thats fine just leave it at that and dont go over the edge. thanks

ok so lets get on a good note: Im setting up a 33g 48"x12"x12" reef. im getting far in the plumbing and everything (im making my sump so its taking a while) and ive been thinking about stocking it. i talked to the LFSs around here about what i was thinking at first, just like 10 or so nano fish to make it look cool but i have always thought of and discussed on this forum the idea of an aggressive reef. one of the owners of an LFS said he would think it would be sweet to do an aggressive reef with like (these are examples) anglers, eels, scorps, and lions since he has had a few anglers/frogfish in his store and he has loved them.

i was planning on having a mixed reef coral wise with no inverts (or small fish if i go aggressive). the fish i would like to have are:
1- snowflake eel
1 or 2- angler/frogfish (undecided species yet, probably under 6" max size tho)
1- Fu Manchu lionfish
2 or 3- leaf fish
2 or 3- sailfin/rogue scorpionfish

these are the fish i would like to have but i know i cant have all of these, i was thinking max 4 or 5 total. i have a few proposed stocking lists:
1- snowflake
1- fu manchu
2 or 3- leaf fish/sailfin scorpionfish

or

1 or 2- anglers
1- fu manchu
2 or 3- leaf fish/sailfin scorps

what do you guys suggest and i know the snowflake is a bulldozer and anglers and scorps can swallow big fish, thats why i want to get fish about the same size. thanks

 

[palmer373]

any opinions or thoughts?

 

[Stickboy97]

sounds like a cool idea, I'm doing something similar.Even though the fish you want don't swim around a lot I think they may be a little too much for a 33g.... especially the snowflake. Shoot for maybe 2-3, the fu + the anglers or the fu plus the scorps would probably be cool.

 

[palmer373]

ok thanks for the input, i figured the snowflake might be too much but they are cool so i cant kick it out without input from you guys. i wanna get a fu for sure cuase they are sweet, small, and well fu manchus . which ones do you suggest: a pair of scorps or a pair of anglers or 1 scorp or 1 angler? if you say angler which one to you recommend? thanks for the help!

 

[snorvich]

any opinions or thoughts?

My thoughts are that it will not work well. Bioload, at the very least will be a big problem. Your LFS person for sure will think it is cool, especially if you buy all those fish from him. In your sized tank, an angler or pair would be terrific. More would be horrific.

 

[namxas]

Sounds like a cool setup...pix are difinitely in order!

I agree on the SFE...nope. They get to be about 30" and are a hefty bioload.

IMHO, the anglers are out too as your scorps will become dinner for even a smallish species like a warty (4"), moreso for a 6" species.

The leafs, waspfish, and a Fu is a good mix. My fave from your list is the c.ockatoo waspfish...such a super personality, and as gentle as they come. Our specimen was pretty easy to wean. Fu's can be tuff, but with persistence, can usually be weaned as well. Leafs are about as hard to wean as they come, but are super fish (we were able to wean one, but the other is net-trained). Be aware that most bright red specimens fade to a creamy pinkish color.

If you happen to come across one, you might consider a redfinned waspfish (Paracentopogon rubripinnis), as they are gorgeous and fairly easy to wean:

 

[palmer373]

i have a SWC 120 cone i just bought so i dont think ill have a problem with DOCs or anything like that. i figured the eel would be messy so ya thats off for sure

snorvich- you say maybe a scorp or 2 would be max?

namxas- ok so not anglers if i want scorps? might try a species tank later. whats the scientific name for the c.ockatoo? if i understand you right, you say that fus and leaf fish are hard to wean but with persistancy and luck you can wean them and then they are sweet to own? i dont want to have to work that hard to wean but i really like the fus. i might skip on the leafs and go for a waspfish. which one do you prefer more: c.ockatoo or redfinned waspfish? im going to look them up!

 

[palmer373]

ooh i just found both of them on thatfishplace. i think im going to cross off the c.ockatoos cause they get 6" while the redfinneds get 3.75".

how does 1- Dendrochirus biocellatus "Fu Man Chu Lionfish" and 2- Paracentropogon rubripinnis "Redfin Waspfish" sound? oh i might add, tank is mixed reef with clams and for a CUC i was thinking snails and hermits cuase i cant really get fish to tidy up since the fu or scorps might eat them.

 

[snorvich]

I too love c.ockatoo waspfish. However I don't often see them available. However, a pair of anglers would be a showstopper.

 

[Snapper66]

Snowflake Eels are less Agressive then Most Eels He should be fine get Him Small.

 

[palmer373]

sorry on a fishing vacation lol. snorvich, what species would you recommend? would i be able to keep 2 with a fu?

snapper- i think a snowflake would be sweet but i dont know lol the one at my LFS will bite the owners fingers when he feeds it lol or when he has his hands in the tank. i like them alot but i think im just gonna not get one.

 

[Angyl]

Tank would be too small for a snowflake eel. We used to have a 75g Bowfront, with snowflake eel, v. lionfish and a porcupine puffer. When the eel came out at night, he was at least 48 inches. you would be surprised how much swimming they do at night, they are like any other large fish, and need room to play.

 

[palmer373]

snowflakes stay at or under 24".........

 

[velvetelvis]

You might consider a golden dwarf moray eel, Gymnothorax melatremus. They only get to be about a foot long, and the bioload of an eel that size would have less impact on a small system. My LFS has a beautiful one in their soft-coral display.

 

[LeGaCYWinZ]

snowflakes stay at or under 24".........

The average height for a person is something like 5'10, too. Then there's Shaq

 

[palmer373]

velvetelvis- i was looking at them but arnt they expensive-ish?

LeGaCYWinZ- you forgot Yao Ming.... and i think its 6'. oh and um uuhh ya im right your wrong :rollface:

 

[snorvich]

You might consider a golden dwarf moray eel, Gymnothorax melatremus. They only get to be about a foot long, and the bioload of an eel that size would have less impact on a small system. My LFS has a beautiful one in their soft-coral display.

Yes, if you are looking for a personable eel for a small tank, this is a great one to consider. As far as species of frogfish, I am definitely not the one to speak to, as my experiences with them are all watching them hunt under water. They are truly fascinating. My favorites are the active hunters rather than the ambush predators.

 

[palmer373]

i found a goldtail moray eel which is the "regular" version of a golden moray eel plus its like 1/10th the price. ok well which frogfish/anglers are active hunters then?

 

[palmer373]

if i had 2 fus what else could i keep in the tank?

 

[Stumped]

snowflakes stay at or under 24".........

You should tell that to the ones you can see swimming around in Hawaii! Anyway 33g is too small for a snowflake and probably too small for most commonly available eels except for the Gymnothorax melatremus (Golden Dwarf Moray).

Of all the eels I've seen in the wild in Hawaii, Snowflakes were the easiest to spot because they're always out and about swimming from rock to rock even in the midday sun. Imagine a 2'+ fish trying to swim around a 4' x 1' x 1' space. In their natural habitat they are extremely active for eels. To be honest unless you're willing to get a G. melatremus or try and source one of the less commonly available small eels like the Chestnut moray (Enchelycore carychroa) or maybe even the Stout moray (Gymnothorax eurostus) I'd forget about an eel entirely. The tank is really just too small for anything else.