Critique my stocking choices

[Salty Marine]

Pertecto 44 gallon Pentagon tank 22x22x24
Aquac Remora Pro w/mag3
40 lbs of Kaelini (aquascaped into 2 large islands)
40 lbs of Aragonite
1 Ocellaris Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)
1 Black Cap Basslet(Gramma melacara)
1 Fourline Wrasse(Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia)
1 Swale's Swissguard Basslet(liopropoma swalesi)
1 Oblique-lined Dottyback(Cypho purpurescens)
2 Red Skunk Cleaner Shrimp(Lysmata amboinensis)

After Lighting Upgrade:
1 Giant Carpet(Stichodactyla gigantea) Purple
3 Maxima Clams(Tridacna maxima) Gold, Blue, Green
1 Green Brain Coral(Trachyphyllia geoffroyi)
1 Red Brain Coral(Lobophyllia hemprichii)
4 Fiji Polyps(Zoanthus sp.) Red, Green, Orange, Pink


I also have a question about my tank stand. It only supports the tank by the edges so there is no support under the majority of it. It served me well as a freshwater tank stand for years and has no probably supporting the water weight and hood but I am wondering about it's ability to support 80 lbs total of rock and sand on the bottom glass since the points where the rock meets glass will be supporting extra weight. How do I determine if its safe?

 

[evannave]

That is a lot of fish for your tank and several of the ones that you have chosen are pretty agressive the dotty back and the bassllet you would mostly do better if you did ones that will not fight that much

 

[Amphiprion]

That is quite a lot of fish for that size tank. I would also consider choosing one basslet and staying with it--i.e., either the dottyback OR the gramma OR the swissguard. My personal preference is either the gramma or the swissguard. Do be aware, however, that both of these fish are relatively shy, as well.

 

[Salty Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7227455#post7227455 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by evannave
That is a lot of fish for your tank and several of the ones that you have chosen are pretty agressive the dotty back and the bassllet you would mostly do better if you did ones that will not fight that much

I stayed under the 1 inch/2 gallon rule and I chose fish that were mostly medium aggressive to keep each other in check. I chose the midas to be my display fish and the others should be bold enough to spread the aggression among themselves. I will make sure to aquascape many caves and ledges. Also I was trying to pick fish which would spread out from the substrate to the surface.

I plan on using the clown to help mature the tank after cycling and to make sure its stable. After that I dont care if it becomes a stocking casualty. The rest of the fish are the same size with the exception of the midas and black cap. I plan to stock the midas at about the 3" size and the rest will be 1 1/2 - 2 " when they are QT and stocked.

The planned stocking order is:
Clown
Midas Blenny and 2 Red Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Swale's Swissguard Basslet
Fourline Wrasse
Black Cap Basslet
Oblique-lined Dottyback

 

[Amphiprion]

The problem still lies with all the basslets/dottybacks--they will NOT get along very well.

 

[Salty Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7227520#post7227520 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
That is quite a lot of fish for that size tank. I would also consider choosing one basslet and staying with it--i.e., either the dottyback OR the gramma OR the swissguard. My personal preference is either the gramma or the swissguard. Do be aware, however, that both of these fish are relatively shy, as well.

My preferred choices are:
Midas Blenny
Swale's Swissguard Basslet

The other fish are subject to change if someone can advise me of more suitable choices. I was wanton to have a tang, butterfly, or angel but I was afraid my tank would be too small. I do plan on purchasing a new tank when I move and it will probably be a 180 but I prefer to be safe and have fish that wont out grow my current tank just in case.

I originally had chosen to get a pair of Purple FireFish(Nemateleotris decora) instead of the Oblique and Black cap but I read several places that the Midas was prone to nipping on gobys and firefish. I was also under the impression that the tank raised black caps were less aggressive than their wild counter-parts but wouldnt be bothered by the Midas.

I will be done curing the LR in the next week or so and I really could use some help on fish choices before I buy the first one and start QT. I appreciate all your input and will thoroughly investigate any of your suggestions. The only requirements I have are that the fish be comfortable in my current tank,active, and not leave the tank looking barren, i.e. i want to be able to see them from the couch and not have to become a contortionist to view them with my nose against the tank.

 

[Amphiprion]

Those two fish and the rest of the list sound just fine.. The main point was to drop your overall stocking level and minimize aggression, which the omission of the dottyback and gramma should accomplish. In the order you have now, I would introduce either the fourline or midas blenny last (probably the fourline, though).

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

I have one major critique point:

Why do you keep them all as single fish? Amphiprion , Gramma, Lipropoma and Cypho are easy to be keept as pairs. Ok. Cypho and Liopropoma might be a budget question. Pseudocheilinus can be kept in pairs or groups.

 

[Sk8r]

The unsupported tank---you don't say if you've filled it yet. There are two things you can do---floor the stand with plywood; and put some eggcrate under your sand bed, which will keep the weight of the whole rock architecture from coming down to 2 or 3 points directly against your glass. Also it prevents blennies and gobies from undermining your rocks.

Any fish will aggress: I have big flareups between my two firefish and the yellow watchman, each fish about, oh, less than an ounce. The question is balance. Having had dottybacks---I can say your main problem is not their aggression (which is extreme and unstoppable) but their low cunning and general intelligence: they don't just fight---they carry on guerilla wars, and will do in a fish they start to pick on, not to mention snails or anything else that offers a target. If you try to catch them, you get one try with each trap: they learn it that fast. I'd agree---add them slowly, and watch out which one gets ownership over the tank: the first in will believe he rules the universe.

 

[Salty Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7229875#post7229875 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Schmiedel
I have one major critique point:

Why do you keep them all as single fish? Amphiprion , Gramma, Lipropoma and Cypho are easy to be keept as pairs. Ok. Cypho and Liopropoma might be a budget question. Pseudocheilinus can be kept in pairs or groups.

I chose singles because of my tank size, my want for diversity, and the tendency of most of my fish choices to be belligerent.

My tank has been running wet for 2 weeks and the LR is being cured separately in a 55 gallon rubbermaid with a blue actinic light and maxi-jet 1200 power head and cheap powerfilter.

So a revised stocking plan and stocking order for the fishes would be:

1 Ocellaris Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 Swale's Swissguard Basslet(liopropoma swalesi)
1 Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)
1 Fourline Wrasse(Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia)

That seems pretty sparce. Could I add more fish and what would be a good choice?

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

MMMM.....I am surprised nobody mentioned not mixing Dottybacks and The Fourline Wrasse..Fourline, like the Sixline Wrasse are aggresive little buggers and may not do well with the Basslet either.
Why not do 2 Clowns?
What about a Pygmy Angel such as the Argi?

 

[Salty Marine]

Is this a better fish stocking plan and order?

1 Ocellaris Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

1 Purple FireFish(Nemateleotris decora)

1 Swale's Swissguard Basslet(liopropoma swalesi)

1 Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)

Fish Suggestions Please.

Other planned Tank Inhabitants
2 Red Skunk Cleaner Shrimp(Lysmata amboinensis)
After Lighting Upgrade:
3 Maxima Clams(Tridacna maxima) Gold, Blue, Green
1 Green Brain Coral(Trachyphyllia geoffroyi)
1 Red Brain Coral(Lobophyllia hemprichii)
4 Fiji Polyps(Zoanthus sp.) Red, Green, Orange, Pink

 

[pheel]

another ocellaris

 

[Sk8r]

Lawnmower blenny. Sailfin blenny. Blennies, unlike gobies, are not easily pushed around.

 

[Fishfreak218]

dont get the anemone or clams until tank is at LEAST 6 months old... and wait till your experienced... also thats alot of clams... do alot of research on the anemone and the Clams before you buy them.... make sure to keep up with ur Calcium and Alkalinity w/ all those clams

 

[Salty Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7232996#post7232996 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fishfreak218
dont get the anemone or clams until tank is at LEAST 6 months old... and wait till your experienced... also thats alot of clams... do alot of research on the anemone and the Clams before you buy them.... make sure to keep up with ur Calcium and Alkalinity w/ all those clams

I dont plan on even upgrading the lighting for about 8-10 months so clams wont be going in tank for at least a year.

Originally posted by Sk8r
Lawnmower blenny. Sailfin blenny. Blennies, unlike gobies, are not easily pushed around.

I was under the impression that I should avoid housing congeners with the Midas Blenny. Do you have experience with multiple blennys in a <55gal tank? Is it safe? Healthy? How does the bioload of a blenny compare to a A. ocellaris? What other sources on the internet are viable and part of your collection of bookmarks?

 

[techigirl78]

Midas blennies can terrorize firefish. Maybe the basslet, midas blenny, 1-2 clownfish, and a lawnmower blenny or fairy/flasher wrasse. I haven't had one, but I believe the swissguard is more laid back. If you go that route, make sure the midas blenny is the last one in.

 

[BucNtears]

As far as some of the fish that you have on your list.I've got the
{1}Midas
{2}P. Clowns
{1}LMB
{2}jawfish,pearly,dusty
{1}clown goby
I have not had any problems with any not getting along.
So maybe consider a jawfish?