Help with stocking ideas please!

[dweber618]

Hello -

I have a 4 ft 100 gallon aquarium (+30 gallon sump) I am trying to come up with a stock list for. Tank was upgraded end of September, new sand and rock (seeded with a small amount of old sand and all old rock from 36 gallon tank).

I currently have 3 fish in QT due to an ich outbreak in my tank. I'm leaving my DT fallow until at least March 1st (I took my fish out Dec 1st), at which point I will add back the 3 fish. Then - I will begin purchasing (and QT'ing) my new acquisitions.

Here is my current list:
One Spot Fox Face
Occ. Clow Fish
Blue Damsel
Peppermint Cleaner Shrimp

Corals in the tank:
Green Trumpet
Green Horn Coral
Frogspawn
Zoas
Xenia
Green Button Polyps


I know I'm going to get another clown fish (a small one to avoid any gender issues with my current clown as it's been alone for quite some time)

I don't want a tang

I've ruled out Anthias (from what I've read they need to be fed A LOT - and I don't have the time to feed multiple times a day)

I would really like a longnose hawkfish. I know there is a gamble since I have my peppermint shrimp, but have read there have been success cases if the shrimp is established prior to adding the hawkfish....thoughts?

I'm looking at fish that are under (or close to) $50 range.

I would also like a tuxedo urchin.

I would also like something that is out and about (or that at least doesn't dart away when I walk to the tank). My foxface is really shy and always hides, but my clown and damsel are very curious.

Looking forward to any and all recommendations! Thanks RC community!

 

[Maritimer]

Wrasses are usually pretty out & about - most of the flashers are orange, like your clownfish, but fairy wrasses come in a rainbow, and the smaller ones should get along with your shrimp well enough.

I've got a tailspot blenny who's usually (guardedly, ready to hide if she needs to!) on view, and usually boppin' around the rock doing something pretty adorable. Have some blue gudgeon and zebra darts as well - they're visible most of the time, but move too quickly close to the tank and they're a distant memory. (They'll be back in a minute or three...)

~Bruce

 

[jraker]

Midas blenny, and some flame wrasses

EDIT: flame wrasses are $200+ go with carpenters wrasses

 

[ThRoewer]

Add another Peppermint Shrimp so that they can produce larva (= live food for fish & corals)

Good call on the tang - IMO they cause nothing but problems, especially in smaller tanks.

Longnose hawks should not be a problem with larger shrimp as their mouths are fairly small. I would get a pair. It seems to be easy to make a pair from two individuals because they change sex as needed: Gender-Bending Fish Swap Sexes in Harems

I would also consider a pair of shrimp gobies (same bi-directional sex change pattern makes it easy to get pairs) with at least one pistol shrimp
Stonogobiops nematodes is a nice an peaceful one. They prefer A. randalli which stay small and don't move too much rocks.
While they may dart away at first, they come out again quickly to see what's going on. Once they know you and associate you with food they will be even less shy.

Orchid dottybacks (P. fridmani) are a good choice too. Making pairs of them is easy as well (bi-directional sex change). It's best to get two juveniles of slightly different size - it has worked for me every time.

Another nice fish is Gramma loreto. The 3 I have formed a pair with one extra being tolerated. By my observation their sex change goes from juvenile to female to male. I'm not sure if males could revert back to females.

 

[dweber618]

Thank you everyone for the awesome recommendations. Never thought of getting another peppermint shrimp. Glad you mentioned it though, I really like the one I have, and it never occurred to me about them producing larva.

Do Blennies and Gobies get along OK in the same tank. I wasn't sure since they have a similar shape...also, maybe being introduced at the same time would help alleviate any aggression issues. Thoughts?

I will start doing some research and come up with a list!

 

[jraker]

If you got a pistol shrimp and goby pair they would do fine with a blenny. The govy and shrimp will burrow on the sand and the blenny will be on the rocks or be swimming in the open. They should be fine, it works in my 36 gallon

 

[dweber618]

So I have come up with a list of fish I am going to order. Unfortunately I lost my foxface and damsel. I am going to need to break it up into separate orders (I'm thinking two) since I don't have enough tanks to do TTM and observation for everything all at once.

Here is my list of must haves:
One Spot Foxface
Clownfish
Longnose Hawkfish
McCoskers Flasher Wrasse

Remaining List:
Midas Blenny
2 Firefish
Coral Beauty

This would put total fish at 9. Does this sound doable? And how should I break up my order of adding fish (coral beauty last, if at all...)? Should I give the first group of fish added about a month or so before adding the others? Any other fish that would be better suited that I haven't considered?

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Personally I would split up your list into 3 orders not two. With two you are putting too much of a strain on your biofilter and might have some ammonia or nitrite problems. I wouldn't add anymore than two maybe 3 smaller fish at one time because of this. Then wait at least 2-3 weeks between adding more fish.

Also no problem having 9 fish in a 100 gal tank. You could do a dozen small fish in that tank IMO.

 

[dweber618]

Hey thank for the tips! I was thinking two might be optimistic - so I will definitely split my orders up into more than two.