PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

After a 5 year hiatus from our reef tank (caused by a mid-winter 2 week power failure…..gotta love New England) the family has ocnvinced me to restart our tank (with a generator, this time!)

I have a whole house generator because of our unpredictable electrical company

The 90 gallon tank will have live rock and sand and overflow to a basement skimmer, 10 gallon refugium with cheato and an additional 20 gallon sump. MAin tank will turn over 6-7x through the sump and total flow will be 30 x via Vortech Mp20 head. Lighting is 2 x 250 watt, 10,000 K metal halide bulbs.

I will be bringing in polyps and soft corals but probably no SPS corals, at least for a while and only if I add a calcium reactor in the future. The kids are set on at the following fish eventually, but I'm wondering about compatability and order of addition:

1. Foxface rabbitfish (family favorite…must have)
2. Ignitus anthias
3. Orchid dottyback (might be too aggressive…..any more placid suggestion with similar size/coloring for my purple-loving daughter? MAybe Royal gramma basslett?) royal gramma is better with a flasher wrasse in the tank
4. Sumatran clownfish (if too territorial for this mix, any more docile clownfish?? Amphiprion percula or A. ocellaris would be better
5. Schooling bannerfish
6. Spotted cardinalfish
7. CArpenter's flasher wrasse Must have a cover with 1/4 inch holes

Especially, this is a pretty passive tank…..with the clown mix ?

Well . . . sexually mature clowns want to control about 20-25 gallons of tank space, and that is for the least aggressive ones but everyone else should be fine

 

[Crackem]

New 72 gallon bowfront mixed reef tank

New 72 gallon bowfront mixed reef tank

I'm new to the forum and not very technical when it comes to tanks so I just want opinions on my setup and future fish and soft coral purchases.

I have a wet dry, live sand, and live rock. Lighting is 2 led strips and 1 96" corallite blue/ white. Not exactly sure of specs.
My tank is over 10 years old and it was moved from my old apt to my new one in December 2011. The sand and live rock is original and a leather coral. I've had my water tested and everything tested within normal ranges. Except phosphates which were very high, but are under control now.
I'm trying to get all fish very small too.

I have 3 true perculas (one died)
1 flame hawk
1 long nose hawk
1 bullet goby
3 pajama cardinals
1 bangaii cardinal (2 died)
70 blue leg crabs ( had alot of green hair algae)
40 turbo snails
5 peppermint shrimp ( had aeptasia problem)

Future purchases

3 firefish
3 purple firefish
1 blenny ( maybe bicolor)
1 flame angel
1 more goby maybe blue spot
1 black cap basslet or royal gramma
1 blue tang
1 yellow tang
1 purple tang (maybe)

Soft corals I want to add

Blue mushrooms
Hammer corals
Grape
Zoas (maybe)

I want my tank to be colorful

Any suggestions would be great
Thank you in advance

 

[snorvich]

I'm new to the forum and not very technical when it comes to tanks so I just want opinions on my setup and future fish and soft coral purchases.

I have a wet dry, live sand, and live rock. Lighting is 2 led strips and 1 96" corallite blue/ white. Not exactly sure of specs.
My tank is over 10 years old and it was moved from my old apt to my new one in December 2011. The sand and live rock is original and a leather coral. I've had my water tested and everything tested within normal ranges. Except phosphates which were very high, but are under control now.
I'm trying to get all fish very small too.

I have 3 true perculas (one died) because you cannot keep more than a pair
1 flame hawk
1 long nose hawk
1 bullet goby
3 pajama cardinals
1 bangaii cardinal (2 died) because you had three of the same sex, a M+F pair only will be stable
70 blue leg crabs ( had alot of green hair algae because you are likely over feeding )
40 turbo snails
5 peppermint shrimp ( had aeptasia problem)

Future purchases

3 firefish No, only a M+F will remain long term
3 purple firefish No, only a M+F will remain long term; firefish do not like each other. It is best to stop thinking about multiples of conspecifics
1 blenny ( maybe bicolor)
1 flame angel
1 more goby maybe blue spot
1 black cap basslet or royal gramma
1 blue tang No, your tank is way to small
1 yellow tang No, your tank is way to small
1 purple tang (maybe) No, your tank is way to small

Soft corals I want to add

Blue mushrooms
Hammer corals
Grape
Zoas (maybe)

I want my tank to be colorful

Any suggestions would be great
Thank you in advance

 

[fish clown]

Can 2 dwarf angels be in a 75 gal tank? I currently have or am going to get a kole yellow eye tang, two clowns, 3 chromis, one dottyback, and possibly a few others that i may add in the future. I have a fuge with a 150G skimmer.

 

[Damsel7]

New tank

New tank

30 gal, external filter, mini skimmer, powerhead, 20lbs dry rock and 15 lbs fiji live rock, live sand

Was planning to get three damsels and a yellow tang maybe some inverts in the future

Should I rethink the Tang. Any suggestions?

 

[snorvich]

Can 2 dwarf angels be in a 75 gal tank? I currently have or am going to get a kole yellow eye tang, two clowns, 3 chromis, one dottyback, and possibly a few others that i may add in the future. I have a fuge with a 150G skimmer.

Yes to the dwarf angels. But a dottyback can be a terror.

 

[snorvich]

30 gal, external filter, mini skimmer, powerhead, 20lbs dry rock and 15 lbs fiji live rock, live sand

Was planning to get three damsels and a yellow tang maybe some inverts in the future

Should I rethink the Tang. Any suggestions?

A tang will not do well in that sized tank. Damsels will be aggressive but I hope you are not planning to use them to cycle the tank as there are much better, more humane ways.

 

[Eman79]

Hi All. I've got a 55g that has been up and running for 3 months now.

Current inhabitants are as follows:

two juvinile black and white clowns,

RBTA,

LOTS of green/blue mushroom corals, 2 leathers.

Around 80# of live rock.

3 Turbo snails, 1 emerald crab, 8 hermit crabs, and an assortment of small snails.

I'd like to add some new tank mates, preferrably some fish that like to move around as opposed to the homebody clowns. While I'd LOVE a yellow tang, I realize that will have to wait until a larger tank in the distant future.

A few fish I'm considering adding to the tank are as follows:

Bi-Color Angel (second choice is a lemonpeel)
Clown Goby
Spotted Cardinal Fish (does a school of cardinals have to all be the same species or will mixed species get along? And how many do you recommend?)
Mandarin

Any other thoughts or recommendations would be welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[snorvich]

Hi All. I've got a 55g that has been up and running for 3 months now.

Current inhabitants are as follows:

two juvinile black and white clowns,

RBTA,

LOTS of green/blue mushroom corals, 2 leathers.

Around 80# of live rock.

3 Turbo snails, 1 emerald crab, 8 hermit crabs, and an assortment of small snails.

I'd like to add some new tank mates, preferrably some fish that like to move around as opposed to the homebody clowns. While I'd LOVE a yellow tang, I realize that will have to wait until a larger tank in the distant future.

A few fish I'm considering adding to the tank are as follows:

Bi-Color Angel (second choice is a lemonpeel) both of which are a bit more difficult to keep than some easier ones; dwarf angels are not reef safe to LPS meaty corals
Clown Goby
Spotted Cardinal Fish (does a school of cardinals have to all be the same species or will mixed species get along? And how many do you recommend?) Well cardinals will not "school" although some species will shoal but not if they are different species. Bangaii can only be two
Mandarin your tank is for sure not mature enough (8 months) and really not large enough

Any other thoughts or recommendations would be welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[ltfw ntsw]

hi all im setting up a 30 gal nano cube and only want two fish and maybe a third with your blessing

1- picasso or near all white clown(really wanted a black but seem to aggressive)
1- green mandairin dragonet
1or2- ?

the lfs said he feeds his with copepode right out of a bottle

 

[snorvich]

hi all im setting up a 30 gal nano cube and only want two fish and maybe a third with your blessing

1- picasso or near all white clown(really wanted a black but seem to aggressive)
1- green mandairin dragonet
1or2- ?

the lfs said he feeds his with copepode right out of a bottle

You would never be able to afford feeding a mandarin from purchased copepods. I can see why a LFS would try to sell you that. 75 gallon tank for that fish

 

[rogermccray]

125 gallons is the suggested minimum for a group of anthias. I would stick to only one species of anthias and would skip the chromis

One more question on this....I actually currently have a ~200 bowfront tank
(72"x18"-24"x30") and was contemplating a down grade to a 125, would groups of different anthias work in a 205 or would you still stick with only one kind?

I was thinking
4x carberryi anthias
4x resplendent anthias

The rest of the proposed stocking list is as follows.
Occelaris Clown (currently in the system)
Chevron Tang
Red Mandarin (I have a refugium that has been online for sevenmonths now)
blue/green chromis (currently in the system)
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus)
Lawnmower Blenny (currently in the system)

Inverts
Pink Anemone (currently in the system)
Fire Shrimp (currently in the system)
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp x2

Thanks again! Sorry for asking about the same setup a few times, I just want to check all my options before I decide to do something and then come to regret that choice.

 

[CHG107]

Tank is a 45 gallon reef. About 40 pounds of live rock, bh100f skimmer which is rated for 80 gallon and an aqua clear 50 refugium mod. I just want to know if I will be a bit overstocked with all these fish. Currently have two ocellaris clowns, a small chromis and a court jesters goby. Three fish I would like to add to the list are a royal gramma, Dracula goby, and eventually a copperband butterfly. Would all these fish get along ok and if I added slowly would my tank be ok or will it be overstocked? Total would be 7 fish in the end.

 

[elcucuu]

Hi I would like to get your feedback on a stocking list for a 90g that is currently cycling. It will become mixed reef of sps, lps, etc.

CUC mostly snails and a few scarlet red hermits
2 blood red fire shrimp
2 Purple and Yellow Nudibranch

Fish list
1 Picasso Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)
1 Snowflake Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 Bicolor Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor)
1 Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lyukyuensis)
1 African Exquisite Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus)
1 Blue Mandarin (Pterosynchiropus splendidus) (after 9 months)

Most of the information I've read say all of these fish are reef safe. Are they really and will I have any compatiblity issues?

Thanks
Ed

 

[snorvich]

One more question on this....I actually currently have a ~200 bowfront tank
(72"x18"-24"x30") and was contemplating a down grade to a 125, would groups of different anthias work in a 205 or would you still stick with only one kind?

Would be ok, but I personally would have all carberryi; mixing would be better in an 8 foot tank

I was thinking
4x carberryi anthias
4x resplendent anthias

The rest of the proposed stocking list is as follows.
Occelaris Clown (currently in the system)
Chevron Tang
Red Mandarin (I have a refugium that has been online for sevenmonths now)
blue/green chromis (currently in the system)
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus)
Lawnmower Blenny (currently in the system)

Inverts
Pink Anemone (currently in the system)
Fire Shrimp (currently in the system)
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp x2

Thanks again! Sorry for asking about the same setup a few times, I just want to check all my options before I decide to do something and then come to regret that choice.

Otherwise, that stocking list would be fine in the 205g

 

[rogermccray]

Otherwise, that stocking list would be fine in the 205g

It is not imperative for me to have two different groups so I think I will just stick with my original thought of at least four carberryi.

Once again thank you for your help.

 

[snorvich]

Tank is a 45 gallon reef. About 40 pounds of live rock, bh100f skimmer which is rated for 80 gallon and an aqua clear 50 refugium mod. I just want to know if I will be a bit overstocked with all these fish. Currently have two ocellaris clowns, a small chromis and a court jesters goby. Three fish I would like to add to the list are a royal gramma, Dracula goby, and eventually a copperband butterfly. Would all these fish get along ok and if I added slowly would my tank be ok or will it be overstocked? Total would be 7 fish in the end.

Well, given that the minimum recommended tank size for a copperband is 50 gallons, I would suggest that would not work. But the rest would work.

 

[CHG107]

Instead of the butterfly would a flame angel work then if I put him in last? I just don't want my tank to be overstocked with 7 fish is all. I was considering the butterfly but if my tank is a bit to small I am just as happy with a flame angel in it's place if it will work.

 

[snorvich]

Instead of the butterfly would a flame angel work then if I put him in last? I just don't want my tank to be overstocked with 7 fish is all. I was considering the butterfly but if my tank is a bit to small I am just as happy with a flame angel in it's place if it will work.

That should work. Also a MUCH easier fish with greater chance of success.

 

[raylinds]

My tank is still in the planning/setup stages, but want to start thinking about fish.

Tank is 95g 36 X 24 X 24. I plan on mixed reef with mainly LPS and softs. about 2" of medium course sand.

1 Percula Clownfish
1 Purple Firefish
2 Gold Assessor Basslets
2 or 3 Carpenter's Flasher Wrasses (I know they're jumpers)
1 Catalina Goby
1 Orange Stripe Prawn Goby

And when tank is at least 6 months cycled and stable, a Red Mandarin Dragonet.

Now the contraversial ones:
1 Flame Angel, I know they are a risk in a reef, but I had one in my reef that I had over ten years ago, and it was no problem.

I would love a Yellow Tang, but not sure if tank provides enough space.

Thanks,
Ray