New 65 Gallon - Livestock Advice!

[Viatorem]

Hey everyone, thanks for taking a look.

I have a new 65 gallon tank (Deep Blue) with a Deep Blue ProMaxx Advanced Reef Sump "Reef 200". Dimensions of tank are 36" long, 18" wide, 22" tall.

Currently running a skimmer (still breaking in), and have 40 lbs of Caribsea Life Rock and 40lbs of live sand, with the cycle finishing up. I also have about 10 lbs of base rock in as well, as well as another 10-15 lbs of live rock from my other tank I plan to transfer over in the future (haven't yet because it has coral growing on it - pulsing xenia, mushrooms, zoas, polyps).

All of this being said, I plan on eventually transferring over my clown pairs, but obviously would like more than just 2 fish in a 65 gallon tank! What fish are good inhabitants for this dimensioned tank?

My wife LOVES tangs, I don't necessarily have any preferences.

Thanks for any and all constructive input!!

 

[Frogmanx82]

I'm a fan of bangaii cardinals. I've had them last for years and they have interesting behaviours if you can get them paired. I guess lots of tanks get stocked with the basics like royal gramma, blennies and gobies of various kinds, some matched up with pistol shrimp which can be cool. Not fish but I always have some cleaner shrimp which are very active and usually out in the open.

The only tang possibly reommended for that size tank would be a kole tang. I really like my yellow eye. 65 may be a bit small but if you had lots of rock with caves for them to check out it would probably work.

 

[Crooked Reef]

I used to have a 65 gallon. Some fish to look at would be Kole tang, small wrasse, Royal gramma, diamond goby, Midas blenny, lawnmower blennny, the clowns as you stated you have, either a pajama or banghai cardinal. There are plenty more too. Go to liveaquaria and browse through their fish. They have minimum tank size for each fish as well as a compatibility guide they are usually pretty accurate. If you aren’t planning on expensive sps or lps and don’t really care too much about the corals you have, you could try a dwarf angel like a flame or coral beauty. I have had one who was a model citizen and one who stripped a birds nest in under an hour.

I tried a yellow tang twice over the years. It did not do good in the three foot tank. Just throwing that out there as my experience though some report they will work.

 

[nereefpat]

Something like:

clown pair
Mccosker's flasher wrasse
orchid dottyback
longnosed hawk
flameback angel

 

[Viatorem]

Fantastic, thank you all for the quick and insightful responses!!

 

[sde1500]

My current stock is Melanurus wrasse, starry blenny, purple firefish, bangaii cardinal, 2 clowns. Going to add a mandarin, and maybe a small goby or another active swimming fish like a single anthias or something. I don't think I would add any tang to my tank.

 

[devimik]

You could add Flame Hawkfish, Yellow Watchman Goby, Springeri Dottyback, and, not 100% reef safe, but I have them with no issues, Coral Beauty, Green Filefish, and Mimic Valentini Puffer (filefish).

 

[Viatorem]

Awesome, thanks guys

 

[nereefpat]

My current stock is Melanurus wrasse, starry blenny, purple firefish, bangaii cardinal, 2 clowns

Awesome list.

 

[sde1500]

Awesome list.

Thank you! I really enjoy the balance I have currently. Makes me nervous about adding other fish, even if I want to, because everything is working out quite well as is.