Fish and Invert list

[ShadowReef]

I was wondering if I could get some feedback on this proposed livestock lineup for my future 75 gallon tank. I plan on a 4-bulb T5 TEK light setup. I'd appreciate any suggestions or comments you have.

Blue Mushroom, Bubble Coral, Bubbletip/Rose Anemone, Bumble Bee Snail (3), Cleaner Shrimp, Copperband Butterfly, Coral Beauty, Dwarf Zerba Lion/Fuzzy Lion, Electric Blue Hermit Crab (2), Emerald Crabs (3), Green Star Polyps, Lawnmower Blenny, Maroon Gold Stripe Clown (2), Nassarius Snail (3), Red Leg Hermit Crab (3), Tonga Fighting Conch, Trochus Snail (3), Turbo Grazer Snail (3), Virgate Rabbitfish

 

[tkeracer619]

lions commonly eat shrimps, and crustacians, plus other smaller fish. The clowns wont stand a chance.

I looked into the copperband for a aiptasia problem and found that they can be a hard fish to keep alive for long periods, unless you have enough natural food to keep them alive. I dont own one so im not totally sure. Thats just what I gather from about 4 hours of reading.

go to www.liveaquaria.com they have a great compatibility chart and most of your selection rests in the "can" range. I can tell the type of tank you want, It would def have some nice reds, whites, and blues.

Also i would get a larger cleaner crew. The crabs start out small and the numbers that make it to be large are quite small. In my 150 i have.... 100hermits,probably 150mixed snails, 5 pepperment shrimp, 4 emerald crabs, a few huge hermits.... and a few others. You would be suprised how fast live rock will dissapate your cleaner crew. In an aggressive tank they will go much faster.

emerald crabs are a nice addition and 2 seems like a good number. They are a real crowd pleaser especially when they rear up when a fish comes around.

 

[ShadowReef]

Thanks for the reply. The plan is to get the smallest lion possible and all other fish larger than it's mouth. I've had cleaner shrimp in the past and they did get pretty big pretty fast, but you're right, he'd probably end up a snack. I just don't want to over stock on cleanup critters and have any starve to death. Hmmm, maybe I'll look for a replacement for the the butterfly. Maroons are the largest clowns are they not? Suggestions? How about order of introduction?

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

actually the fuzzy wont bother your fish (as long as they are too big to fit in his mouth) but he will kill your shrimp, so watch out. I have one in a reef and he doesn't bother my damsel or royal gramma, but he is still small.

 

[ShadowReef]

How big is your fuzzy, more importantly how big is his/her mouth? How long have you had him/her and how fast is he/she growing?

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

I haven't had him long at all only since last tuesday. I actually measured him (don't ask lol) i thought he was only about 1 1/2" but he is actually closer to 2 1/3" He can eat frozen krill that are about 1/2" long. He doesn't seem to even pay attention to the fish except when they enter his "cave" they he chases them away. I do plan on getting him another tank, or upgrading my tank and keeping him in that one by himself though. But if he never causes problems and stays under 6" i might just keep him in my reef. I only plan on getting 1 more fish, a maroon clown. So that will be a total of 4, him a damsel, royal gramma and the maroon. He might end up eaing the damsel though lol

 

[ShadowReef]

Thanks for the info. The lion is the one fish that for me is a must-have. I just hope it works out with the rest of the things I want. So, I have stricken the shrimp from the list and there's a ? on the butterfly. If the butterfly doesn't work... maybe a hippo tang don't know how he might get along with the rabbitfish... or a snowflake eel...

 

[Cutiewitbooty]

i personatly woulsn't put a blue tang in a 75 gal, they get to big. What about a yellow tang or a kole tang? Butterflys are ok, but make sure they are eating mysis, they will starve to death just eating brine. I have had 2 copperbands before when i had a bigger tank, both were eating mysis. The first one was fine untill it got sucked to a power head they next one i had for quite a while and it was fine, and i sold the tank and he went with it.

 

[tkeracer619]

I would guess you would want to add the lion last, this would atleast give you other fish a chance to get larger b4 you add the lion. They are a neet fish, i'm going to set up a tank just for one. I still dont think the clown will do well with it. The maroons are the most agressive and larger so I would go with that if you are going to give it a try.

 

[ShadowReef]

Thanks again for the suggestions and advice. I still have plenty of time to make decisions. Even after the tank is up I plan on going really slow.

 

[donski]

Don't kid yourself about a lionfish.Predator. Pure and simple. Look at he size of thier mouth.

 

[ShadowReef]

Agreed, lions, even the dwarf variety are predatory. However, their methods aren't the same as say a trigger. They swallow things whole, they don't nip things. So, as long as a fish won't fit in its mouth, it won't get eaten. No kidding.

 

[donski]

HeeHee, thats why you should keep an eye on the mouth size, not body size :frog: