Hi everyone, after changing stocking plans back and forth, I have narrowed mine down to a couple of potential options. My tank is 120cm by 60cm by 55cm, or 48”x24”x22”. 4 foot tank.
Plan A-
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”) I plan to buy a specimen that’s already taking prepared foods at the LFS, if necessary I will train it to eat flakes, pellets and frozen and wean it off live foods. Heard these ones are bulletproof once adjusted. Must have fish for me.
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clowns (not getting the designer varieties, never been a fan of them) (Max 3”) Omnivore, not worried at all.
x1 Flame HawkFish (Max 4”) Carnivore, but I haven’t read anyone who’s had trouble feeding them with flake and pellet foods.
x3 Australian Stripeys (I live near China’s southeastern coast, I can collect them-Microcanthus strigaster) (Max 6”) Omnivore like the Clowns, not worried at all.
x3 Pajama Cardinals (Max 4”) Carnivore, but from what I’ve read eat frozen, flake and pellet foods readily.
x3 Azure / Talbot’s / Springer’s / King Damsels
(Max 2.25”-2.75”) Omnivores like the Clowns and Stripeys.
Plan B-
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”)
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clowns (Max 3”)
x1 Flame Hawkfish (Max 4”)
x3 Australian Stripeys (Max 6”)
x5 Pajama Cardinalfish (Max 4”)
Plan C-
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”)
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clowns (Max 3”)
x1 Flame Hawkfish (Max 4”)
x5 PJ Cardinals (Max 4”)
x3 Chrysiptera damsels (Max 2.25”-2.75”)
Plan D (this is my most risky one)
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”)
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clownfish (Max 3”)
x1 Flame Hawkfish (Max 4”)
x1 Barred Soapfish (people in my area sometimes sell them online, but 1. Can 2 big fish 8-10” long be in my tank? 2. Bioload concerns 3. This fish looks interesting but secretes venom) (Max 10”) Carnivore, I’m not sure how easy or hard it would be to feed it with prepared foods.
x3 or 5 PJ Cardinals (Max 4”)
I’ve done research here, on different websites like LA, TFH and TheReef magazines (online), and more recently I’ve been reading more from WWM as well as getting in touch with Bob Fenner. My first tank ever, so I’m only going for the heartiest species.
Feeding Plan:
Main- Meaty pellets, meaty flakes, frozen mysis and brine shrimp, nori strips, plant based flakes and pellets, other frozen preparations (fish roe, shrimp roe), Sea Veggies or foods like Sea Veggies.
Supplementary- Chopped small fish, clams, mussels, fresh shrimp from seafood market.
Occasional- Live bloodworms, earthworms, live mysis shrimp, live fish / shrimp from seafood market, live blackworms, live brine shrimp.
Plan A-
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”) I plan to buy a specimen that’s already taking prepared foods at the LFS, if necessary I will train it to eat flakes, pellets and frozen and wean it off live foods. Heard these ones are bulletproof once adjusted. Must have fish for me.
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clowns (not getting the designer varieties, never been a fan of them) (Max 3”) Omnivore, not worried at all.
x1 Flame HawkFish (Max 4”) Carnivore, but I haven’t read anyone who’s had trouble feeding them with flake and pellet foods.
x3 Australian Stripeys (I live near China’s southeastern coast, I can collect them-Microcanthus strigaster) (Max 6”) Omnivore like the Clowns, not worried at all.
x3 Pajama Cardinals (Max 4”) Carnivore, but from what I’ve read eat frozen, flake and pellet foods readily.
x3 Azure / Talbot’s / Springer’s / King Damsels
(Max 2.25”-2.75”) Omnivores like the Clowns and Stripeys.
Plan B-
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”)
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clowns (Max 3”)
x1 Flame Hawkfish (Max 4”)
x3 Australian Stripeys (Max 6”)
x5 Pajama Cardinalfish (Max 4”)
Plan C-
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”)
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clowns (Max 3”)
x1 Flame Hawkfish (Max 4”)
x5 PJ Cardinals (Max 4”)
x3 Chrysiptera damsels (Max 2.25”-2.75”)
Plan D (this is my most risky one)
x1 Marine Betta (Max 8”)
x2 Ocellaris or B n W Ocellaris Clownfish (Max 3”)
x1 Flame Hawkfish (Max 4”)
x1 Barred Soapfish (people in my area sometimes sell them online, but 1. Can 2 big fish 8-10” long be in my tank? 2. Bioload concerns 3. This fish looks interesting but secretes venom) (Max 10”) Carnivore, I’m not sure how easy or hard it would be to feed it with prepared foods.
x3 or 5 PJ Cardinals (Max 4”)
I’ve done research here, on different websites like LA, TFH and TheReef magazines (online), and more recently I’ve been reading more from WWM as well as getting in touch with Bob Fenner. My first tank ever, so I’m only going for the heartiest species.
Feeding Plan:
Main- Meaty pellets, meaty flakes, frozen mysis and brine shrimp, nori strips, plant based flakes and pellets, other frozen preparations (fish roe, shrimp roe), Sea Veggies or foods like Sea Veggies.
Supplementary- Chopped small fish, clams, mussels, fresh shrimp from seafood market.
Occasional- Live bloodworms, earthworms, live mysis shrimp, live fish / shrimp from seafood market, live blackworms, live brine shrimp.
