PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[tbanks]

Steve - thank you for the feedback. Slight change to my stocking list...this should be final.

Firefish
Clown
blenny
Goby
Orange Lined Cardinal Fish

Does the order work and how long in between additions? Any issues with Corals? Am I pushing the tank limits to hard with 5 fish in a Biocube 29?

 

[snorvich]

Steve - thank you for the feedback. Slight change to my stocking list...this should be final.

Firefish
Clown
blenny
Goby
Orange Lined Cardinal Fish

Does the order work and how long in between additions? Any issues with Corals? Am I pushing the tank limits to hard with 5 fish in a Biocube 29?

looks fine to me

 

[rollermonkey]

I've got two ideas for what I'm going to end up in this Biocube 29:

Option A: Blue Assessor, 2 neon gobies, 2 Ocellaris clownfish

Option B: 2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 Yellowtail damsel, 1 Orchid Dottyback

Option B is for if I can't find a Blue Assessor.

In both cases, I'm going to want a Fire shrimp and CUC in there, and not too much beyond what comes out of the LR for invertebrates / corals. The squishy stuff doesn't interest me as much as the fish, but I recognize that biological filtration is the way to go.

 

[snorvich]

I've got two ideas for what I'm going to end up in this Biocube 29:

Option A: Blue Assessor, 2 neon gobies, 2 Ocellaris clownfish

Option B: 2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 Yellowtail damsel, 1 Orchid Dottyback

Option B is for if I can't find a Blue Assessor.

In both cases, I'm going to want a Fire shrimp and CUC in there, and not too much beyond what comes out of the LR for invertebrates / corals. The squishy stuff doesn't interest me as much as the fish, but I recognize that biological filtration is the way to go.

Optio A is better and is more likely to be successful as option B has 2 initially aggressive fish with the clowns, once sexually mature also becoming aggressive

 

[rollermonkey]

Thank you, that is my preferred option, as long as I can find a Blue Assessor. My LFS considers them pretty rare and hasn't seen one in quite some time.

 

[Fish Biscuit]

I'm upgrading to a 28g JBJ Led from the 12g cube. The 28g will be fully cycled before anything from the 12g goes in. In the end I'll end up w/ about 40 to 45# LR.

I'm still deciding on what to add, which 2 fish would best go with a tailspot blenny & a yasha goby/tiger pistol pair? I want a peaceful tank w/ LPS & softies. Should I stop at 4 fish or is 5 possible, I don't want to push the limits.

Firefish - I think this is a definite for me - should I add it first before any of my existing fish to let it get settled in?
Reef safe Wrasse - is there one that would work & not a pod eater as this will be hard to keep going long term in a 28g
Clown - maybe one, not sure that I want a pair
Jawfish

If there is something else that would work better please offer suggestions. I'm not looking to add a chromi, basslet, dottyback & I have a better chance of finding a sugar daddy than a 6 line ever going in this tank.

 

[snorvich]

I'm upgrading to a 28g JBJ Led from the 12g cube. The 28g will be fully cycled before anything from the 12g goes in. In the end I'll end up w/ about 40 to 45# LR.

I'm still deciding on what to add, which 2 fish would best go with a tailspot blenny & a yasha goby/tiger pistol pair? I want a peaceful tank w/ LPS & softies. Should I stop at 4 fish or is 5 possible, I don't want to push the limits.

4-5 peaceful small fish should be fine and would be very interesting.

Firefish - I think this is a definite for me - should I add it first before any of my existing fish to let it get settled in?

I love firefish, preferring slightly the purple over the red as their personality is more outgoing. A male + female pair would work. I always suggest adding them first.

Reef safe Wrasse - is there one that would work & not a pod eater as this will be hard to keep going long term in a 28g

One of the Wetmorella (possum wrasses, there are three species) would work out well; peaceful, interesting, and once acclimated out and about and also cryptic

Clown - maybe one, not sure that I want a pair I am not a big proponent of clowns as even one eventually becomes female and can be ornery

Jawfish blue spotted is a bit difficult and requires cooler temperatures, yellow headed will work and is fascinating.

If there is something else that would work better please offer suggestions. I'm not looking to add a chromi, basslet, dottyback & I have a better chance of finding a sugar daddy than a 6 line ever going in this tank.

Well I do not like 6 line wrasses, but sugar daddies are always possible :wave:

 

[Fish Biscuit]

Thanks Steve for the good advise as usual. I think I'll skip the clown all together & go w/ the other 3 unless I find a firefish pair I can't say no to. I'm leaning towards the Helfrichi.

& if you can recommend a LFS in IL to find that sugar daddy at, feel free to PM me that information

 

[snorvich]

Thanks Steve for the good advise as usual. I think I'll skip the clown all together & go w/ the other 3 unless I find a firefish pair I can't say no to. I'm leaning towards the Helfrichi.

I have Helfrichi in one tank, purple in the other. Both are pretty tough but the purple is tougher. Easy to keep, easy to feed.

& if you can recommend a LFS in IL to find that sugar daddy at, feel free to PM me that information

Unlikely to find one at an LFS . . .

 

[eidels]

I have some localized hair algae spots that I can't get rid of despite perfect numbers with ro/di refuge gac and gfo and various snails. I think it must be PO4 in the rock from trolling on all the threads so I'm considering adding a bristle tooth tang. I have a 260 reef 6 gobies 4 wrasses 10 anthias. I'm concerned about aggression to future show tang additions as well as which bristle toothed will truly demolish the hated algae. Suggestion?

(With all due respect to the reef studs)

 

[snorvich]

I have some localized hair algae spots that I can't get rid of despite perfect numbers with ro/di refuge gac and gfo and various snails. I think it must be PO4 in the rock from trolling on all the threads so I'm considering adding a bristle tooth tang. I have a 260 reef 6 gobies 4 wrasses 10 anthias. I'm concerned about aggression to future show tang additions as well as which bristle toothed will truly demolish the hated algae. Suggestion?

(With all due respect to the reef studs)

In theory you have a Nitrate or Phosphate issue but some people end up with this problem because their "base" or "dry" rock is leeching phosphate. (the dark side to initially inexpensive rock). Turbo snails work, but the best "non-tang" animal I know of is a foxface or lawn mower blenny. Any tang added will be hostile to future tangs.

 

[_Mackus_]

I have a 120 gallon (5 foot) reef tank.

My current stock is a pair of oscellaris clowns, a blue-green chromis, a yellow foxface, a flame angel, and a kole tang.

I would like to add a midas blenny and a pair of banggai cardinals (M/F) and then after that as many wrasses as I can fit comfortably (I have a 1/4" screen top I just built for the tank).

Given that it's tough to find female wrasses, I was thinking an individual male of 3-4 different species, like McCosker's, Carpenter's, Exquisite, Lubbock's. How many do you think I could keep in my tank, and will individual males of differing species get along? (I know this isn't a discussion thread, sorry if this is out of place).

 

[snorvich]

I have a 120 gallon (5 foot) reef tank.

My current stock is a pair of oscellaris clowns, a blue-green chromis, a yellow foxface, a flame angel, and a kole tang.

I would like to add a midas blenny and a pair of banggai cardinals (M/F) and then after that as many wrasses as I can fit comfortably (I have a 1/4" screen top I just built for the tank).

So far so good.

Given that it's tough to find female wrasses, I was thinking an individual male of 3-4 different species, like McCosker's, Carpenter's, Exquisite, Lubbock's. How many do you think I could keep in my tank, and will individual males of differing species get along? (I know this isn't a discussion thread, sorry if this is out of place).

As long as you confine your wrasses to peaceful fairy and flasher wrasses you should be fine; however it is impossible to give you a number. If you branch out into the aggressive fairy wrasses, or add pseudochromis to the mix, all bets are off.

 

[NinjaPirate]

~60G tank, For all intents and purposes a 4' 55G., "heavy" rockwork (lots of caves and the like)
Current stocking: Yasha goby/candy cane pistol
Royal Gramma
Tanaka's Pygmy wrasse (Wetmorella tanakai)
Skunk cleaner shrimp,
Assorted snails (nerites/nassarius/ceriths)
A small conch (Strombus spp.)

Looking at adding some Flasher Wrasses (covered tank BRS netting) Originally I wanted to go with a harem of a single species, but with the difficulty of finding/identifying females, I was wondering if it is at all possible or advisable to have a few single males of different species. They would all be added at the same time.

Specifically looking to add:
1x Tail-spot Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura)

and then some combination of the following, all single males in order of preference:
McCosker's Flasher (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Linespot Flasher (Paracheilinus lineopunctatus)
Filamented Flasher (Paracheilinus filamentosus)
Carpenter's Flasher (Paracheilinus carpenteri)
Yellowfin Flasher (Paracheilinus flavianalis)

Whatever I settle on will be the end of my fishlist for the tank, assuming it can work out. By preference I like the mccosker and the linespot the most, followed by the filamented, carpenter's and yellowfin. So if having two might be okay, It'd be the mccosker and the linespot, and so forth down the line.

So, possible? Do I need to avoid species that are too similar? And/or how many would be an acceptable stocking for a 55G?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[snorvich]

~60G tank, For all intents and purposes a 4' 55G., "heavy" rockwork (lots of caves and the like)
Current stocking: Yasha goby/candy cane pistol
Royal Gramma
Tanaka's Pygmy wrasse (Wetmorella tanakai)
Skunk cleaner shrimp,
Assorted snails (nerites/nassarius/ceriths)
A small conch (Strombus spp.)

Looking at adding some Flasher Wrasses (covered tank BRS netting) Originally I wanted to go with a harem of a single species, but with the difficulty of finding/identifying females, I was wondering if it is at all possible or advisable to have a few single males of different species. They would all be added at the same time.

Specifically looking to add:
1x Tail-spot Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura)

and then some combination of the following, all single males in order of preference:
McCosker's Flasher (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Linespot Flasher (Paracheilinus lineopunctatus)
Filamented Flasher (Paracheilinus filamentosus)
Carpenter's Flasher (Paracheilinus carpenteri)
Yellowfin Flasher (Paracheilinus flavianalis)

I think that two would work although a harem of three of a single species would be preferable. All of the above have similar personalities/characteristics.

Whatever I settle on will be the end of my fishlist for the tank, assuming it can work out. By preference I like the mccosker and the linespot the most, followed by the filamented, carpenter's and yellowfin. So if having two might be okay, It'd be the mccosker and the linespot, and so forth down the line.

So, possible? Do I need to avoid species that are too similar? And/or how many would be an acceptable stocking for a 55G?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[wurking_girl]

Wow, in looking back, I see it's been more than a year since I originally posted my stocking plan...and I just FINALLY got my tank up and running about a week ago. Still working on the cycle, but now that the tank is a reality I wanted to revisit my 'plan'. To refresh your memory:

I'm striving for an Indo-Pacific reef biotope that highlights several of the interesting symbiotic/commensal relationships seen in ocean ecosystems. I settled on a 48" x 24" x 24" (120g) display tank with a 30 g sump/refugium w/ live rock aquascaped into 2 islands and ~2" substrate. I also sprang for a fabulous dimmable LED fixture which I'm not running yet (tank is still cycling).

Intended occupants:

-1 Ctenochaetus strigosus as a grazer
-2 Amphiprion ocellaris or A. percula with anemone (prefer less feisty ocellaris or percs...but would also like to stay with tank-raised BTA and avoid issues with some of the other anemones)
-Shrimp/goby pair (which pairing depends on availability)
-mated pair of Pterapogon kauderni with Echinothrix diadema urchin
-2 Gobiodon citrinus (once I have some sturdy enough SPS coral)
-1 Ecsenius stigmatura (okay, I can't really justify this one as part of a symbiotic relationship, but I really like these guys!)

-a couple of Tridacna crocea clams
-mixed stony corals, featuring primarily LPS
-assorted indo-pacific shrimps (cleaners)
-mated pair of Alpheus soror
-porcelain or other coral crabs (filter-feeders only)
-snails, serpent stars, and other clean-up crew

Down the road, I'd like to add a small grouping of Nemanthias carberryi as open swimmers...and possibly a Synchiropus splendidus even further down the road.

Just looking for feedback on this latest draft of the plan. I would also like some input on the order in which to add the fish. I'm planning to start with the tang, but not sure where to go from there??

Thanks! I've enjoyed reading of everyone's plans over the past year and am eager to start (cautiously) assembling my own little piece of the reef.

 

[snorvich]

Wow, in looking back, I see it's been more than a year since I originally posted my stocking plan...and I just FINALLY got my tank up and running about a week ago. Still working on the cycle, but now that the tank is a reality I wanted to revisit my 'plan'. To refresh your memory:

I'm striving for an Indo-Pacific reef biotope that highlights several of the interesting symbiotic/commensal relationships seen in ocean ecosystems. I settled on a 48" x 24" x 24" (120g) display tank with a 30 g sump/refugium w/ live rock aquascaped into 2 islands and ~2" substrate. I also sprang for a fabulous dimmable LED fixture which I'm not running yet (tank is still cycling).

Ah, yes, I am recalling now our prior discussion. I like the aquascaping.

Intended occupants:

-1 Ctenochaetus strigosus as a grazer I always suggest adding tangs last as the tank will have matured and this will be your most "aggressive" fish
-2 Amphiprion ocellaris or A. percula with anemone (prefer less feisty ocellaris or percs...but would also like to stay with tank-raised BTA and avoid issues with some of the other anemones) I personally like A. percula but either would be fine
-Shrimp/goby pair (which pairing depends on availability)
-mated pair of Pterapogon kauderni with Echinothrix diadema urchin Go for tank raised as they are hardier by far
-2 Gobiodon citrinus (once I have some sturdy enough SPS coral) remember that eggs can damage coral
-1 Ecsenius stigmatura (okay, I can't really justify this one as part of a symbiotic relationship, but I really like these guys!)

-a couple of Tridacna crocea clams
-mixed stony corals, featuring primarily LPS
-assorted indo-pacific shrimps (cleaners)
-mated pair of Alpheus soror
-porcelain or other coral crabs (filter-feeders only)
-snails, serpent stars, and other clean-up crew add some fighting conch as well

Down the road, I'd like to add a small grouping of Nemanthias carberryi as open swimmers...and possibly a Synchiropus splendidus even further down the road.

Just looking for feedback on this latest draft of the plan. I would also like some input on the order in which to add the fish. I'm planning to start with the tang, but not sure where to go from there?? I think the plan is good; I annotated as indicated and feel free to stop back with questions.

Thanks! I've enjoyed reading of everyone's plans over the past year and am eager to start (cautiously) assembling my own little piece of the reef.

 

[wurking_girl]

Thanks Steve! I will plan to hold off on the tang as well as the gobies, anthias and mandarin. Any suggestions on which of the remaining fish I should start with (clowns, shrimp/goby pair, cardinals or blenny), or can I just play it by ear, depending on which healthy, desirable specimens I find first?

Once the tank has cycled and I've got the CUC launched, I want to get my quarantine tank up and running.

Cindy

 

[snorvich]

Thanks Steve! I will plan to hold off on the tang as well as the gobies, anthias and mandarin. Any suggestions on which of the remaining fish I should start with (clowns, shrimp/goby pair, cardinals or blenny), or can I just play it by ear, depending on which healthy, desirable specimens I find first?

Exactly. But be selective, nothing good happens quickly in this hobby.

Once the tank has cycled and I've got the CUC launched, I want to get my quarantine tank up and running.

Cindy

That sounds great Cindy. Keep me posted . . .

 

[_Mackus_]

As long as you confine your wrasses to peaceful fairy and flasher wrasses you should be fine; however it is impossible to give you a number. If you branch out into the aggressive fairy wrasses, or add pseudochromis to the mix, all bets are off.

Yes, I'm absolutely thinking peaceful fairy and flasher wrasses.

Are any of these species not considered peaceful? I'd probably go for 3-4 males from this list:

Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
Longfin Fairy Wrasse
Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Filamented Flasher Wrasse

Thanks again for all the help!