PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[Adamw327]

Thanks so much, so is it reccomended to not keep 2 firefish together?

I know you do not do suggestions but would you consider the list full, or could i add another firefish sized fish into the mix

Appreciate the advice and Thanks again

 

[snorvich]

Thanks so much, so is it reccomended to not keep 2 firefish together?

It simply will not work long term. For a month or two, sure, after that one will dominate and the other will not survive.

I know you do not do suggestions but would you consider the list full, or could i add another firefish sized fish into the mix

Assuming it is not aggressive, yes.

Appreciate the advice and Thanks again

 

[Fitz19d]

Just a double check quick question. I'm assuming no, but wanted again to make sure before I give away free fish.

125gallon tank. A breeding pair of maroons 15yrs old and big. Would the tank be big enough that they leave a pair of tomatoe clowns alone?

Edit for below: Alright, going ahead with the tomatoe's to a new home. Shame you can't mix, I like the diff. species.

 

[snorvich]

Just a double check quick question. I'm assuming no, but wanted again to make sure before I give away free fish.

125gallon tank. A breeding pair of maroons 15yrs old and big. Would the tank be big enough that they leave a pair of tomatoe clowns alone?

The tank is not large enough, not even close. The maroons will win, and any other clownfish will lose. They will jump (most likely) or be killed.

 

[cherubfish pair]

Hi Steve!

Tank: 50 gallon display, 25 gallons in a 35 gallon sump. It's established with lots of rock and a lot of hiding places.

Fish: fireball angel, royal gramma, sixline wrasse, ocellaris clown, and flame hawk.
inverts: emerald crab, turbo snail, and a few soft corals.

addition: firefish or orange stripe prawn goby (Amblyeleotris randalli)? But just one. Would either of them be okay?

Also: I lost a skunk cleaner shrimp. What are the odds it was the flame hawkfish and not the crab?

 

[snorvich]

Hi Steve!

Tank: 50 gallon display, 25 gallons in a 35 gallon sump. It's established with lots of rock and a lot of hiding places.

Fish: fireball angel, royal gramma, sixline wrasse, ocellaris clown, and flame hawk.
inverts: emerald crab, turbo snail, and a few soft corals.

addition: firefish or orange stripe prawn goby (Amblyeleotris randalli)? But just one. Would either of them be okay?

The prawn goby will for sure be ok, the firefish is at risk from the sixline wrasse.

Also: I lost a skunk cleaner shrimp. What are the odds it was the flame hawkfish and not the crab?

100%. Flame hawkfish are ambush predators that cannot resist cleaner shrimp. The odds of him getting to alpheus randall pistol shrimp, however, is very low, so adding one with the prawn goby should be fine.

 

[Herstead]

Stock List v. 2

Stock List v. 2

Hi Steve,

This is our current revised list, our last was about 150 pages ago and I have read most of the posts since then.

We are planning a 250 gallon display tank 60" L x 36" W x 27" T mixed reef with skimmer, refugium including chaeto, CUC "“ shrimp and snails (we are listening to your advice on hermits), and live rock with good flow.

1) Pair of Amphiprion ocellaris (Designer Clowns)
2) Pair of Pterapogon kauderni (Banggai Cardinals) M+F
3) Harem of Pseudanthias bimaculatus (Twin-spot Anthias) M+FFFF(FF) How many females would you recommend, between 4 and 6?
4) Pair of Synchiropus splendidus (Mandarin Dragonets) M+F After pods population is going strong (8-12 months).
5) An Acanthurus coeruleus (Atlantic Blue Tang) I know RC recommends a 6 foot tank but we think we can do it since it will have 3 feet the other way as well.
6) An Ecsenius midas (Midas Blenny)
7) A Siganus doliatus (Scribbled Rabbitfish)
8) A Chromis cyaneus (Blue Reef Chromis) I know from your posts that chromis are coming in sick so I may have to wait and be very careful.
9) A Chromis atripectoralis (Black Axil Chromis) - If multiple chromis are ok if they are different species.
10) Pair of Centropyge loriculus (Flame Angel) Going to try and pair them. The LPS we want is mainly Euphyllia Spp. so we should be OK. Do you know how Ricordea Sp. and Duncanopsammia axifuga fare? The rest of the corals we want are SPS.
11) A Chelmon Marginalis (Marginal Butterfly) From Australia. Same corals as above.
12) A Halichoeres chrysotaenia or Halichoeres chrysus (Vrolik's or Canary Wrasse) We will have a 2 inch sand bed.

And Finally we will chose 1 or 2 of the following groups:
a) Pair of Cirrhilabrus lineatus (Lineatus Wrasse) M+F
b) Pair of Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis (Gold Rhomboid Fairy Wrasse) M+F
c) Trio of Paracheilinus carpenter or Paracheilinus mccoskeri (Carpenter's or McCosker's Flasher Wrasse) M+FF

Would any of the other fish need to go in after the Mandarins are established? We are pretty sure the Halichoeres Wrasse will need to be after the Mandarins but not sure of others.

Thanks again for all your work!

- The Hersteads

 

[snorvich]

Hi Steve,

This is our current revised list, our last was about 150 pages ago and I have read most of the posts since then.

We are planning a 250 gallon display tank 60" L x 36" W x 27" T mixed reef with skimmer, refugium including chaeto, CUC "“ shrimp and snails (we are listening to your advice on hermits), and live rock with good flow.

1) Pair of Amphiprion ocellaris (Designer Clowns)
2) Pair of Pterapogon kauderni (Banggai Cardinals) M+F
3) Harem of Pseudanthias bimaculatus (Twin-spot Anthias) M+FFFF(FF) How many females would you recommend, between 4 and 6? I would do a male and 3 females but remember they do best with multiple feedings per day
4) Pair of Synchiropus splendidus (Mandarin Dragonets) M+F After pods population is going strong (8-12 months).
Best chance is if both male and female are introduced concurrently

5) An Acanthurus coeruleus (Atlantic Blue Tang) I know RC recommends a 6 foot tank but we think we can do it since it will have 3 feet the other way as well.
6) An Ecsenius midas (Midas Blenny)
7) A Siganus doliatus (Scribbled Rabbitfish)
8) A Chromis cyaneus (Blue Reef Chromis) I know from your posts that chromis are coming in sick so I may have to wait and be very careful.
9) A Chromis atripectoralis (Black Axil Chromis) - If multiple chromis are ok if they are different species. should be ok
10) Pair of Centropyge loriculus (Flame Angel) Going to try and pair them. The LPS we want is mainly Euphyllia Spp. so we should be OK. Do you know how Ricordea Sp. and Duncanopsammia axifuga fare? The rest of the corals we want are SPS. The concern is always "meaty" LPS corals so those two may be an issue but remember that it is also a function of the individual fish
11) A Chelmon Marginalis (Marginal Butterfly) From Australia. Same corals as above. same issue but more likely to eat at all than CBB
12) A Halichoeres chrysotaenia or Halichoeres chrysus (Vrolik's or Canary Wrasse) We will have a 2 inch sand bed.

And Finally we will chose 1 or 2 of the following groups:
a) Pair of Cirrhilabrus lineatus (Lineatus Wrasse) M+F
b) Pair of Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis (Gold Rhomboid Fairy Wrasse) M+F this would be my second choice
c) Trio of Paracheilinus carpenter or Paracheilinus mccoskeri (Carpenter's or McCosker's Flasher Wrasse) M+FF this would be my first choice

Would any of the other fish need to go in after the Mandarins are established? We are pretty sure the Halichoeres Wrasse will need to be after the Mandarins but not sure of others.

In general, this looks like a pretty good plan

Thanks again for all your work!

- The Hersteads

 

[cherubfish pair]

100%. Flame hawkfish are ambush predators that cannot resist cleaner shrimp. The odds of him getting to alpheus randall pistol shrimp, however, is very low, so adding one with the prawn goby should be fine.

Would a coral banded shrimp be able to stand up to flame hawk? With their big arms and pincers.

 

[cherubfish pair]

100%. Flame hawkfish are ambush predators that cannot resist cleaner shrimp. The odds of him getting to alpheus randall pistol shrimp, however, is very low, so adding one with the prawn goby should be fine.

Would a coral banded shrimp be able to stand up to flame hawk? With their big arms and pincers.

Because, my emerald crab and said hawkfish have been in the same tank for almost 5 months so the hawk must have respect for the crab somehow.

 

[snorvich]

100%. Flame hawkfish are ambush predators that cannot resist cleaner shrimp. The odds of him getting to alpheus randall pistol shrimp, however, is very low, so adding one with the prawn goby should be fine.

Because, my emerald crab and said hawkfish have been in the same tank for almost 5 months so the hawk must have respect for the crab somehow.

"Respect" is a human term and has no place in the marine fish realm. The hawkfish would eat the emerald crab if it was able to catch it. A coral banded shrimp can take fish. Too large for the hawkfish but not vice versa.

 

[xxvietxjustinxx]

75 gallon tank, 50 gallon sump, huge oversized skimmer and a basketball size ball of chaeto.

My parameters are rock stable as I'm running BP as well but no GFO. Phosphate is at 0.01 using the Hanna ULR and nitrate is undetectable using Salifert test.

Fish consist of
2 clowns
2 inch blue tang
2.5 inch purple tang
3 lyretail anthias
1 yellow corris wrasse
1 yasha goby
1 pseudochromis

I want to add more fish into the tank because my skimmer can't build a very good head and my sps are looking faded due to the lack of nutrients. Thoughts on my ability to add some more fish into the tank?

I understand that tangs aren't suppose to be in tanks so small but given how small they are. I will also upgrade when needs be (I had an old 180 and I still have a 300 waiting to be filled)

 

[snorvich]

75 gallon tank, 50 gallon sump, huge oversized skimmer and a basketball size ball of chaeto.

My parameters are rock stable as I'm running BP as well but no GFO. Phosphate is at 0.01 using the Hanna ULR and nitrate is undetectable using Salifert test.

Fish consist of
2 clowns
2 inch blue tang Reef central recomends an 8 foot tank (normally 240 gallons) for a hepatus tang
2.5 inch purple tang two tangs in a 75 gallon tank will be trouble
3 lyretail anthias the recommended tank size for more than one anthias is 125 gallons
1 yellow corris wrasse
1 yasha goby
1 pseudochromis depending on which one, will be aggressive to super aggressive

I want to add more fish into the tank because my skimmer can't build a very good head and my sps are looking faded due to the lack of nutrients. Thoughts on my ability to add some more fish into the tank?

See above. The issue of nutrients and SPS is beyond the scope of this thread, however.

 

[SirSalty]

Stocking 125g Reef

Stocking 125g Reef

Ok, here goes-

125g Reef (72" x 18" x 21"), 40g sump - planning for softies and LPS only. Tank has been running for ~2 months
~100 lbs LR
Bubble-Magus NAC6 Skimmer
Fuge chamber in sump (Chaeto planned but not yet added)
GFO Reactor (installed, but not yet running, no nitrate)
Bio Pellet Reactor (installed, but not yet running, no nitrate)

Current bio load (transplanted from previous tank):

Fish:
1 Six Line Wrasse

Inverts:
4 Nassarius snails
5 Red-legged Hermits
5 Trochus snails
2 Mexican Turbo snails

Planned additions (in order of planned arrival and post-QT):

Fish:
5 Blue/Green Chromis
2 Ocellaris Clownfish (tank raised, juvenile, pair)
1 Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
1 Yellow Tang (simultaneous addition with below)
1 Powder Blue Tang (simultaneous addition with above)

Inverts:
More Trochus, turbo's, and Hermits
Various Softies, LPS
Electric Flame Scallop (after 5-6 months)
Blue Starfish (after 8-12 months)


So, hopefully that's not overdoing the bio load. The existing Six Line Wrasse is a bit of a question for me, as I see many describe them as potentially aggressive. I've had him for about 5-6 months in my old tank with an Oc. Clown, Y. Watchman, B/G Chromis, and various shrimp and found him to be timid and skittish. I may opt to swap him back to another tank in favor of a Mandarin Dragonette in this tank after a year or so (unless that's a bad idea also).

Thanks in advance for any and all input!

 

[snorvich]

Ok, here goes-

125g Reef (72" x 18" x 21"), 40g sump - planning for softies and LPS only. Tank has been running for ~2 months
~100 lbs LR
Bubble-Magus NAC6 Skimmer
Fuge chamber in sump (Chaeto planned but not yet added)
GFO Reactor (installed, but not yet running, no nitrate)
Bio Pellet Reactor (installed, but not yet running, no nitrate)

Current bio load (transplanted from previous tank):

Fish:
1 Six Line Wrasse can be aggressive and not compatible with a dragonet

Inverts:
4 Nassarius snails
5 Red-legged Hermits hermits will, in the long run, kill snails for their shells
5 Trochus snails
2 Mexican Turbo snails

Planned additions (in order of planned arrival and post-QT):

Fish:
5 Blue/Green Chromis have been coming in with uronema like symptoms and in any case, will reduce their number to one or at most two in the long run
2 Ocellaris Clownfish (tank raised, juvenile, pair)
1 Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
1 Yellow Tang (simultaneous addition with below)
1 Powder Blue Tang (simultaneous addition with above)

Inverts:
More Trochus, turbo's, and Hermits
Various Softies, LPS
Electric Flame Scallop (after 5-6 months)
Blue Starfish (after 8-12 months)


So, hopefully that's not overdoing the bio load. The existing Six Line Wrasse is a bit of a question for me, as I see many describe them as potentially aggressive. I've had him for about 5-6 months in my old tank with an Oc. Clown, Y. Watchman, B/G Chromis, and various shrimp and found him to be timid and skittish. I may opt to swap him back to another tank in favor of a Mandarin Dragonette in this tank after a year or so (unless that's a bad idea also).

Thanks in advance for any and all input!

 

[cherubfish pair]

"Respect" is a human term and has no place in the marine fish realm. The hawkfish would eat the emerald crab if it was able to catch it. A coral banded shrimp can take fish. Too large for the hawkfish but not vice versa.

I can always go with a neon goby for cleaning. I guess CBSs aren't cleaners anyway.

Well, randalls goby and alpheus pistol it is. The flame hawkfish really limits me with inverts.

Thanks Steve!

 

[snorvich]

I can always go with a neon goby for cleaning. I guess CBSs aren't cleaners anyway.

Well, randalls goby and alpheus pistol it is. The flame hawkfish really limits me with inverts.

Thanks Steve!

Cleaner shrimp and cleaner fish such as neon gobies do not remove parasites such as cryptocaryon. Just FYI.

 

[Riona]

Hm. I think I might try to change my fish plans a touch after reading some posts in the clown forum. My tank is a 29 gallon biocube, though at the moment it has something like 20-25 gallons of water in it. It has currently got 15# of LR in it, though I ordered another 10# from a place here in FL that should get in this week, and am waiting to see how that looks before I decide if I want to get another 5-ish# from yet another place here in Tampa(ahhh, I knew I loved this state for a reason XD)

A single ocellaris OR pink skunk clown(likely the ocellaris, though. I do like the way the skunks look, though) and two chalk bass to be added first.

I've read that clowns and the chalks shouldn't be mixed in "small tanks" with no mention of how small "small" is(seriously, my 29 is the biggest reef tank I've attempted, but even a 75 gallon is "small" compared to some of the bigger TotM winners out there. . . ) and yet have read in the clown forum that a single clown is likely to be less aggressive than a mated pair, so I figured I'd ask if it was possible.

 

[snorvich]

Hm. I think I might try to change my fish plans a touch after reading some posts in the clown forum. My tank is a 29 gallon biocube, though at the moment it has something like 20-25 gallons of water in it. It has currently got 15# of LR in it, though I ordered another 10# from a place here in FL that should get in this week, and am waiting to see how that looks before I decide if I want to get another 5-ish# from yet another place here in Tampa(ahhh, I knew I loved this state for a reason XD)

A single ocellaris OR pink skunk clown(likely the ocellaris, though. I do like the way the skunks look, though) and two chalk bass to be added first.

I've read that clowns and the chalks shouldn't be mixed in "small tanks" with no mention of how small "small" is(seriously, my 29 is the biggest reef tank I've attempted, but even a 75 gallon is "small" compared to some of the bigger TotM winners out there. . . ) and yet have read in the clown forum that a single clown is likely to be less aggressive than a mated pair, so I figured I'd ask if it was possible.

The female clownfish in all species of clownfish is the aggressive one; a single clownfish will eventually become female. Skunk clownfish are in the middle in terms of level of aggression with GSM and Clarkii at the top and A. ocellaris at the low end. Aggressive fish in a small (29 gallon tank) leave no place for fish to escape the aggression.

 

[SirSalty]

Fish:
1 Six Line Wrasse can be aggressive and not compatible with a dragonet

Inverts:
4 Nassarius snails
5 Red-legged Hermits hermits will, in the long run, kill snails for their shells
5 Trochus snails
2 Mexican Turbo snails

Planned additions (in order of planned arrival and post-QT):

Fish:
5 Blue/Green Chromis have been coming in with uronema like symptoms and in any case, will reduce their number to one or at most two in the long run
2 Ocellaris Clownfish (tank raised, juvenile, pair)
1 Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
1 Yellow Tang (simultaneous addition with below)
1 Powder Blue Tang (simultaneous addition with above)

Inverts:
More Trochus, turbo's, and Hermits
Various Softies, LPS
Electric Flame Scallop (after 5-6 months)
Blue Starfish (after 8-12 months)

Thanks Steve,

I was unaware of the Chromis issue, but after reading your response I do see a lot of other threads about it too. Maybe I'll limit myself to just one after a healthy time in QT.

I guess I should eliminate the hermits eventually too. I thought all the empty shells I gave them might keep them happy enough. Would a Flame Hawkfish fit into the mix if I got rid of the crabs?

Thanks again!