New large tank and breeding setup

Aqua Chemist

New member
I'm wanting to build the perfect setup for breeding dottybacks. I also want a large display tank (tank size suggestions please) to have a main large school (35+) of dottybacks and a few other (15-20) colourful fish which I would like suggestions please.
 
It has been a while for me but doesn't a large school of dottybacks mean battle royal pretty quickly?

That being said I am designing my set up now too and trying to incorporate two large displays (245 gallon each) side by side so it looks like one 12 ft long tank. Along with coral vats underneath and breeding tanks (20 highs) next to each behind a cabinet door. I wanted to hook them all together but the problem is that breeding and displaying are two different things. With breeding you really need to be able to adjust tank parameters like temperature to trigger spawning of some species and that is tough and expensive with larger water volumes.

I would set up a breeding rack of 20 gallons with a large sump. Spray the sides and backs of all tanks with krylon (on the outside) to eliminate their views of each other. May need to put them together in display at first then you'll out pairs as they form. Hard in a big display though. I am interested in your progress. Never bred dottybacks myself, just kept a lot of them in displays over the years.
 
Clownfish will live well together in a big group (from what I read that is what I understood but there would definitely be fight though) and you can co-breed them if you want to with the dotty backs.
 
Clownfish will live well together in a big group (from what I read that is what I understood but there would definitely be fight though) and you can co-breed them if you want to with the dotty backs.

adult clownfish will not live in big groups, they will kill off each other till one mated pair is left.
 
Are there any other possible schooling fish. Ultimately I'd love a big enough group to actually witness the spectacular show that a tight groups of fish display. Not sure if possible but was hopimg a small sized fish could
 
in our size tanks you will not find fish that will preform a schooling behaviour, in the wild they school to make them look bigger from predators.

you may get by with groups of cardinalfish, chromis, or Anthias
 
Really, no schooling behavior in home aquariums? That's a disappointment : ( maybe a chromis group? Would that species do well in a large group say upwards of 35+ and what size tank would be best? I'm still new to reefing so these qs may be quite menial or simple to most but that's why I'm here, to learn : )
 
I have seen groups of 30+ before of chromis in a tank but the tank was a 680 gal. I have also heard that they will kill off smaller ones and you usually end up with 3 so I can't be positive how they will work out.

are you wanting to breed fish or just setup a tank with a group of fish? also what size tank are you planning?
 
Breeding for a few reasons. Sell to LFS for credit. Sell to other reefers for sweet sweet cash. Stock my display tank for an epic school of fish -which I'm discovering may not be possible : (

Original plan of tank was to be 3.7m wide x 1.4m high x 0.8m deep. Then decided it was too deep so reduced to 1.0 m. Its no small tank but I want to go with a decent size so I don't ever have to look at it and say "wish I made it bigger : ( " I have a fish tank room design
 
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A quick sketch. If I could get someone on here who loves doing 3d stuff that would be amazing if you could do my sketch. Pm me and I'll give dimensions : )
 
being new to reefing I would suggest starting out small with the easier types of fish to breed like clownfish or cardinals and work your way up to the more difficult species after you get the hang of it. setup some breeding tanks for the fish you wanna breed, it will be very difficult to collect the eggs and fry in an 800 gal tank.

I am very happy with your enthusiasm for breeding marine fish, but it isn't as easy as freshwater fish, finding what foods the fry needs and then being able to raise those foods and then to the next size foods and so on.
 
Oh I'm not breeding in the display tank. It will be a seperate system. See the checked bench in the fish room drawing. Thats breeding tanks area.
 
It's all part of the fun. Why breed if it's only ever easy? What would I learn. I'm not saying I want to breed the most difficult. I just would like to breed a fish that I can also display a large school of (if possible)
 
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