Fish stocking plan for 67g tank - comments welcome

[The Escaped Ape]

Hello everyone.

Currently my tank is in transition (went through a hydroid crisis, now thankfully passed, so about to reboot). I've still got my DSB, but I'm thinking about moving to a bare bottom tank. It's a 36"x24"x18" tank, with two controllable Tunze Nanostreams, a Super Reef Octopus 1000 Internal and GRO/GAC reactors. There is currently very little live rock in the tank, but when I move to bare bottom, I'll move all the live rock that has been cooking for the last 3 months to get rid of the hydroids back in, so there should be a fair amount.

My current stocking is a pair of Ocellaris Clowns, a McCosker's Wrasse and a Flameback African Dwarf Angel. I have a feeling I can step this up a level to bring more movement to the tank.

I'm thinking an Allen's Damsel, a Royal Gramma and a single Green Chromis at the moment. I wouldn't mind adding one more to that, but have yet to settle on an option. I was considering Dottybacks, but wonder if one might pick on the McCosker's Wrasse and so settled on the Royal Gramma.

Any comments on the suggested expansion? Does that sound roughly the right sort of bioload with an overrated skimmer (it's rated to 125g).

Should I add the fish at the same time the tank gets the sand bed taken out and the rock replaced to avoid aggression from the Dwarf Angel (which doesn't currently bully the other fish btw)?

Any other fish I should be thinking about compatible with a mixed reef and the fish I already have?

Would it be better to wait until the tank is settled again?

Thanks in advance!

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Any wrasses other than the McCosker's that do OK in a bare bottom tank? Or will I have to scratch that family of fish off the list?

 

[Jerry W]

I like your choices for additional fish. I'd have been concerned about the angel and the gramma but you may be able to pull it off, especially since the angel doesn't bully anything else (yet). I'd think adding them all at the same time might be a good idea to minimize territoriality. I keep a pair of damsels in my tank and other than some occasional posturing, they leave everything else alone. A single chromis might work better. IME they tend to pick each other off over time when in groups. As far as dottybacks go, look at the sankey's DB. One of the more peaceful sp. and a flshy black.white coloration. I kept one for several months (until my sixline killed it) and it was a great citizen, keeping mostly to itself in a rock hole.
hth.

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Thanks for the advice Jerry, much appreciated!

I wonder if I might be best off keeping the Dwarf Angel separately for a little while and then adding him back once the new fish have been introduced. Hmm. Something to think about. Or, I could simply add the extra fish simultaneously and hope, as you say, that minimizes territoriality. I might be helped by a new aquascape confusing matters for the Angel.

Thanks also for the recommendation on the sankey's DB. I'll do some research on it. Not one I had come across before.

 

[The Escaped Ape]

I'm thinking an Allen's Damsel, a Royal Gramma and a single Green Chromis at the moment. I wouldn't mind adding one more to that, but have yet to settle on an option.

I'm now thinking maybe a Fathead Anthias to add to these three...:reading:

 

[Jerry W]

Putting the angel in time out for a bit might be a very good idea. For their size, the pygmy angels have some major attitude and adding it last might help with any potential aggression, at least initially. I've kept a couple of them over the years and they hold their own against pretty much any fish similar in size and temperament.

 

[Bernie21]

you can add the dottyback, just add it last. They do terrorize any new additions, but if its last, you should be fine.

 

[The Escaped Ape]

Thanks both, useful advice. I'll certainly consider a temporary vacation for the Angel.

Edging towards the Royal Gramma rather than a Dottyback right now, but I'll remember that as useful advice in case I change my mind (it does happen with stocking lists!).