Help with my stocking list - 57G Reef

Patrick Cox

Patrick Cox

Active member
I have a 57G tank with about 50 pounds of LR. Tank is 36x18x21. I have a 15G sump with skimmer. Currently I have 2 Ocellaris Clowns and one Kauderns Cardinal. The all get along very well. My current corals are an open brain, Aussie Elegance, small colony polyp and tube anemone. I plan to stick mainly with LPS but may add some SPS down the road - but not certain. Regarding my fish stock, I would like to add one or two more fish.

I am thinking of adding one or two of the following...

-Six Line Wrasse
-Blue Green Chromis
-Barlett's Anthias
-Coral Beauty Angel


Existing Livestock
-2 Ocellaris Clowns
-Kauderns Cardinal

Thanks for any advice or suggestions on fish adds.

Pat
 
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I'd do a sixline and a trio of chromis. pretty, small fish, not a huge impact on the bioload, and both are cheap, hardy species.
 
How are Chromis compared to Damsels? I was thinking they are from the damsel family but not sure. I like the blue color, I just want to make sure they will get along with my other fish. Also, would 3 chromis be too many fish for my tank? (In addition to what I have.) Will 3 of the same species get along in a 36x18 footprint?

I am also thinking about a yellow goby.

Thanks.
 
there's always a chance with chromis that they'll pick eachother off, but they do look stunning in groups under good lighting. I highly doubt they'd have any problems with your other fish, they're pretty placid fish.

I have eight fish in my 40, so I think you'd be fine with six in your 57.
 
the chromis will probably pick eachother off over time.

I don't like sixlines because they just get too aggressive. Try a possum wrasse maybe?
 
I wouldnt go with a sixline wrasse, from my experience they can be fairly aggressive and you pretty much wouldnt be putting another wrasse in the tank.
 
I have a solar fairy wrasse and a Mckoskers flasher wrasse, they get along together very well and are healthy. So I would suggest wrasses of these types.
 
Wrasse make me a little nervous since I have a rimless tank with no lid. I keep reading they are jumpers.

To be honest, I am having a tough time with rounding out my fish selection for this tank. Every fish that interests me has a downside.

1. Yellow Tang - Tank is too small
2. Bartlett's Anthias - required too frequent feeding. I can't feed more than once per day and I prefer every other day.
3. Yellow / Coral Beauty Angelfish - I am worried about my LPS.
4. Wrasse - Jumpers!

At this point, I think I am down to adding one Blue/Green Chromis and then maybe a Yellow Angelfish or maybe a Yellow Clown Goby.
 
Patrick Cox said:
Wrasse make me a little nervous since I have a rimless tank with no lid. I keep reading they are jumpers.

To be honest, I am having a tough time with rounding out my fish selection for this tank. Every fish that interests me has a downside.

1. Yellow Tang - Tank is too small
2. Bartlett's Anthias - required too frequent feeding. I can't feed more than once per day and I prefer every other day.
3. Yellow / Coral Beauty Angelfish - I am worried about my LPS.
4. Wrasse - Jumpers!

At this point, I think I am down to adding one Blue/Green Chromis and then maybe a Yellow Angelfish or maybe a Yellow Clown Goby.
Click to expand...

Angelfish, both regular and pygmy, most likely will eat or nip at your corals. I wouldn't chance it if I were you. Yellow Clown Gobys also are SPS nippers.

Wrasses can be jumpers but they are great fish, fun too watch, swim all over the tank. If you are nervous about them jumping ship, buy some 1/4" netting from Bulk Reef Supply and make a nice little cover. ***Oh but you have a rimless so I realize the look is what you want, so you may or may not like that idea.

That being said I have several wrasses and no top on my tank and haven't lost one yet. I do have Eurobracing which I have been told may help a little but I think it more has to do with the fish' surroundings and environment. If there is a bully in the tank, he's gonna want to make a break for it. If you just have to peaceful fish chances are they will get along just fine together.
 
You could make a mesh lid for the tank, and not have to worry about losing your fish.

I have dispar anthias in my 58g tank, they are jumpers as well though.

Edit: looks like beanmachine beat me to it, making a lid is the best option. I doubt relying on the eurobracing will work in the long run, but I'm glad it's worked so far.
 
Thanks guys. I would say I have a peaceful tank. Right now just two clowns and a cardinal and they all get along pretty well. And my intent is to keep it that way. I guess I will need to compromise on something so maybe the jumping is it!

Here is a picture BTW. As you can see I am just getting started. :)

1187772056_ve8QY-L.jpg
 
What about a bottom dweller like a yellow watchman goby?

Or a Pistol Shrimp and Goby pair. That is fun to watch.

Your tank looks nice, great start.
 
How about a couple of pajama cardinals or a trio of orangestriped cardinals? Good looking, inexpensive, non-aggressive, easy to feed, etc. Also, a couple of small yellowtail damsels (C. parasema) or azure damsels (C. hemicyanea - frequently see them listed as "Kupang damsels"...) would work well and be easy to keep - they are among the most peaceful of damsels and are quite hardy, but just make sure you don't confuse them with a more agressive species like the "Blue Devil" (C. cyanea)!

I find that damsels as a whole often get a bad rap, but like many other species that may be "cramped" in nano tanks, they can be territorial. Some of the smaller species are just too damn attractive to dismiss them without proper consideration to their behavior under certain circumstances. Another favorite of mine is Allen's damsel (Pomacentrus alleni) - truly beautiful and quite placid for a damsel.

A plus for some of these is the fact that they are not known to be frequent leapers, which would come in handy if you decide not to cover the tank with something...

Good luck!
 
Thanks again for replies. I do not plan on covering my tank and I don't want to really risk a jumper so I guess I will have to pass on a wrasse as well. So, what about adding one Blue/Green Chromis and one Royal Gramma? Or, if I go with a bartlett's anthias I guess I will need to buy an autofeeder.
 
Patrick Cox said:
Thanks again for replies. I do not plan on covering my tank and I don't want to really risk a jumper so I guess I will have to pass on a wrasse as well. So, what about adding one Blue/Green Chromis and one Royal Gramma? Or, if I go with a bartlett's anthias I guess I will need to buy an autofeeder.
Click to expand...

The chromis would be OK, but like others said they may or may not pick eachother off one by one as they bicker and fight for food.

I have a Royal Gramma. It was one of the last fish I added. It is a little cryptic, but does come out. I've got a lot more fish tho so that could be why. They can be aggressive in smaller tanks when they establish territory tho so you may want to add it last. Very pretty IMO and inexpensive as well.
 
BeanMachine said:
The chromis would be OK, but like others said they may or may not pick eachother off one by one as they bicker and fight for food.

I have a Royal Gramma. It was one of the last fish I added. It is a little cryptic, but does come out. I've got a lot more fish tho so that could be why. They can be aggressive in smaller tanks when they establish territory tho so you may want to add it last. Very pretty IMO and inexpensive as well.
Click to expand...

Are you saying the Chromis will pick off other fish? I am considering just one single Chromis. Thanks.
 
I personally wouldn't go with any chromis. It's good you are considering just 1 for the tank, as the top amount you could get for that tank would inevitably lead to just 1 over time. The reason I wouldn't even get 1 is because I don't think they are much to look at when there's one. In a shoal, they are fantastic, but 1 can be a stain on your tank with other much more beautiful fish around. I would consider a dwarf (pygmy) angel as well as a goby of some sort. Possibly a flame hawkfish. The clowns will somewhat hang out together near the rocks, but still in open water. The cardinal is obviously just gonna sit in open water. But a flame hawk or goby will dart around on the rocks and add great color and movement. The dwarf angel will dart through the rock caves you have and create great variety. Just my two cents.
 
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