Fish Stocking Questions

[Sparty00]

I am in the process of establishing my first Reef Aquarium, and now I am starting to look at the fish I want to have in it.

As far as Corals right now I believe I am only going to implement soft corals, no SPS or Hard Corals due to my lighting. So below are a few fish that I am interested in, but I want to make sure that they will be reef safe.

Flame Angel

Copperband

Hippo Tang

I am not planning on adding all of the 3 fish above, because I know my tank could not handle the load, but I am interested in these species and want to get an idea which would be better.

Other fish I am considering for my tank.

Green Chromis
Percula Clowns
Orchid Dottyback
Bangii Cardinal

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

 

[papagimp]

Out of those listed, I think the Flame Angel is the only one small enough to be housed successful and happlily in that sized tank. Regal (hippo) will reach lengths up to a foot (usually a tad smaller, but possible) Copperband can get somewhat large as well but may stay small enough for that tank (get another opinion on that one ). The flame will stay small, but also be somewhat aggressive and territorial.
Same with the Chromis and Dottyback, may be aggressive. I would also not place a Bangaii in with any bosterious tankmates, they're slower swimmers and may be picked on or starved out. And percula's, I just don't like em (prefer a. ocellaris), but as long as the other fish don't pick on him, he'd be just fine.

Now the Bangaii and Clown would be just fine together. And if the tank were larger, the Regal would get along with both of these as well. (at least my clowns, bangaii's, and regal all get along great)

Have you considered any of the wrasse's? Six-line or Yellow wrasse would be a nice addition.

Also might add that the Angel and Butterfly fish may nip at or even devoir your soft corals.

 

[Sparty00]

Hi Thanks for your input.

I will clarify...I am actually thinking of adding Ocellaris, not true percula clowns.

I was thinking about Six-Line, but was not sure how they were. Also does the wrasse's have to be placed in the aquarium first.

So Chromis are too fast and aggressive for the Bangii? Was not aware of that thought Chromis were fairly peaceful.

 

[Village Idiot]

Why do you prefer A. ocellaris over perculas?

 

[papagimp]

Ocellaris looks more like nemo, although in the DVD "extra stuff" says it's a percula. Percula's get alot thicker black margin between stripes, sometimes this can be as much to give them a blotch of black between em, and I think it just looks ugly. As far as "attitude" though, they're very similar.

Chromis may be peaceful, but they can also be mean little buggers. And they will be highly active feeders, rushing to the food, My bangaii's do this, but I am sure it's only because the other fish with them do not. They wait back for their turn (frozen foods only, anything else and the bangaii's ignore it completely, stubborn wild caught ) 6-line's are cool as all heck, but honestly, in my 55g I don't see mine too often, he's all over the rock weather it's in view or not. My yellow bannana wrasse is always out in front and most the time it looks as though he's the one looking at me instead. And it's awesome to watch him burrow at night, dive bombs the sandbed in what looksl ike a nuclear cloud of sand and he's gone till morning. (I thought he got eaten when I first bought him, reached in the tank to bury a cleaner clam and he jumped out of nowhere and scared the crap out of me!)