PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

I'm setting up a new 180 gallon (72"x24"x24" w/ canopy) mixed reef tank once I move next month. My equipment includes reef octopus regal INT 170SSS skimmer, a couple vortechs, radions for lighting, chiller, GFO and carbon reactors, ATO, etc... I'll probably end up with ~ 200lbs live rock in the display, ~ 30lbs in the refugium, and a 3" sand bed. I'm looking to create a tank with a lot of diversity in color and behavior.

The fish I'm considering right now include:

-Tail Spot Blenny
-Royal Gramma
-Neon Blue Goby (Pair) short lived; for two, must be a bonded pair
-Yasha Goby (Pair)
-Blue Spotted Jawfish (Pair) for two, must be a bonded pair; needs cooler temperatures
-True Percula Clownfish (Pair)
-Flame Fairy Wrasse
-Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
-Lineatus Fairy Wrasse
-Leopard Wrasse (may sub for a Halichoeres species)
-Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
-Blue Hippo Tang needs a larger (LONGER) TANK
-Schooling Bannerfish
-Majestic Angelfish
-Purple Tang should be last fish added
-Blue Mandarin Dragonet (Pair) must be a male plus female

 

[crcarver89]

I've got a reef setup in a 29 biocube with a maxijet 1200, fluval ps1 skimmer, 3 white led strips, 2 blue, aqueon pro 40 heater, 30 lbs live rock set up for 8 months

current stock:
2 Picasso clowns
coral:
frogspawn, hairy mushroom, green star, trumpet, zoas, nepthea
CUC:
3 astrea snails
8 hermit crabs
3 nessarius snails
1 brittle star

fish under consideration:
watchman goby
Six line wrasse
striped blenny or flame/cherub angel
cleaner shrimp
or any other suggestions you may have


Thanks!

 

[snorvich]

I've got a reef setup in a 29 biocube with a maxijet 1200, fluval ps1 skimmer, 3 white led strips, 2 blue, aqueon pro 40 heater, 30 lbs live rock set up for 8 months

current stock:
2 Picasso clowns
coral:
frogspawn, hairy mushroom, green star, trumpet, zoas, nepthea
CUC: be aware that hermits kill snails
3 astrea snails
8 hermit crabs
3 nessarius snails
1 brittle star green brittle stars eat fish

fish under consideration:
watchman goby excellent; with pistol shrimp
Six line wrasse very aggressive; not recommended, especially in a small tank
striped blenny excellent

or flame/cherub angel needs larger tank
cleaner shrimp excellent; however does not feed on fish parasites
or any other suggestions you may have as those who follow this thread know, I do not provide recommendations for a variety of reasons; however I am always happy to reanalyze stocking plans as long as tank size and plan are provided


Thanks!

 

[crcarver89]

Thanks for the help Steve!

The brittle star is banded and will the pistol shrimp kill the cleaner shrimp if I got both?

 

[Leanan]

Currently planning out my first reef tank:

50 gallons (24 by 24 by 20)
Sump with refugium growing chaeto (not sure how many gallons it will hold yet)
Live rock (less than 50 pounds dry Key Largo rock from Marco's for a somewhat minimal look supplemented by live rock from my LFS)
Shallow sand bed

Fish list:
2 clowns (true perculas or black ice ocellaris, not sure yet)
Royal gramma
Mandarin (after a year to let pod population grow)
Green chromis (I'd like more than one, but I've read that they will winnow down to one regardless of how many I start with, is that correct?)
Bicolor blenny
Orchid dottyback (unless too aggressive?)
Some kind of anthias would be nice, but I would be concerned about their feeding needs (not sure I would be able to feed multiple times a day)

Note: I'm planning on keeping this tank open top, which is why I'm avoiding gobies, wrasses, and dartfish. I know any fish can jump if startled, but I've seen a lot of rimless open builds that don't have a problem. What's your opinion on this?

I'd appreciate any suggestions if these fish aren't going to work; my goal is a tank with 7-8 small, peaceful, colorful fish. Is that a good number? Thanks so much!

 

[snorvich]

Currently planning out my first reef tank:

50 gallons (24 by 24 by 20)
Sump with refugium growing chaeto (not sure how many gallons it will hold yet)
Live rock (less than 50 pounds dry Key Largo rock from Marco's for a somewhat minimal look supplemented by live rock from my LFS)
Shallow sand bed

Fish list:
2 clowns (true perculas or black ice ocellaris, not sure yet)
Royal gramma
Mandarin (after a year to let pod population grow) Your tank is not large enough to sustain a mandarin long term
Green chromis (I'd like more than one, but I've read that they will winnow down to one regardless of how many I start with, is that correct?) yes, that is correct
Bicolor blenny
Orchid dottyback (unless too aggressive?) P. fridmani is the least aggressive dottyback
Some kind of anthias would be nice, but I would be concerned about their feeding needs (not sure I would be able to feed multiple times a day) in that case I would skip anthias; in any case they like a larger tank

Note: I'm planning on keeping this tank open top, which is why I'm avoiding gobies, wrasses, and dartfish. I know any fish can jump if startled, but I've seen a lot of rimless open builds that don't have a problem. What's your opinion on this? any fish can jump. Some have a greater proclivity and possibly proficiency for doing so.

I'd appreciate any suggestions if these fish aren't going to work; my goal is a tank with 7-8 small, peaceful, colorful fish. Is that a good number? Thanks so much!

that is a reasonable number; there are many compatible with the stocking above and I am always happy to reanalyze any stocking plan as long as tank size is also given

 

[Leanan]

That's great, thanks so much for the info Steve! It'll be a bit before my tank is set up so if I modify the list I'll come back and check again.

 

[flipstyle72]

When i get back from vacation on August 3rd, i plan on putting my first fish into QT... All that i've read are Clowns are a good hardy fish, any other suggestions? If i do a clown, should I get two at once to pair? Most reputable place online to order from? Or stick with someplace local for easier returns if need be?

 

[snorvich]

When i get back from vacation on August 3rd, i plan on putting my first fish into QT... All that i've read are Clowns are a good hardy fish, any other suggestions? If i do a clown, should I get two at once to pair? Most reputable place online to order from? Or stick with someplace local for easier returns if need be?

There are many clownfish breeders and depending on where you live, you may have access to one or more. If you are doing clownfish, I always suggest concurrent introduction of two small ones. They will progress and become sexually differentiated, bond, and with proper environment, mate. Depending on species of clownfish will determine how much tank space they will command.

 

[flipstyle72]

There are many clownfish breeders and depending on where you live, you may have access to one or more. If you are doing clownfish, I always suggest concurrent introduction of two small ones. They will progress and become sexually differentiated, bond, and with proper environment, mate. Depending on species of clownfish will determine how much tank space they will command.

thanks!

 

[St Pete John]

Would a yellow prawn goby and a red banded hi fin goby get along?

I want a goby and pistol shrimp but a second high contrast goby in there too would be really cool.

 

[snorvich]

Would a yellow prawn goby and a red banded hi fin goby get along?

I want a goby and pistol shrimp but a second high contrast goby in there too would be really cool.

In very large tanks I have seen it work or not work (8 foot long or greater); whether it would work is problematic even then. The dominant ones tends to steal the pistol shrimp of the less dominant one. As such I cannot say definitively.

 

[St Pete John]

Thank you sir. :dance:

Are there any goby sets more prone to getting along? Id like 2 but don't want an issue. Tank is 6x2x2.

:uhoh3:

 

[snorvich]

Thank you sir. :dance:

Are there any goby sets more prone to getting along? Id like 2 but don't want an issue. Tank is 6x2x2.

:uhoh3:

Bonded pairs work but they are rarely obtainable although I do see them periodically when diving. On the other hand I have seen three (!) pistol shrimps associate with one (very proud) goby.

 

[St Pete John]

Thank you sir.

 

[Jersh]

180 gallon
LPS and a few tridacna clams

This list is in order of when they will be added.

1 blue reef chromis
pair of ocellaris clowns
1 midas blenny (aware of possible fin nipping)
1 McCosker's flasher wrasse (1/4 netting cover already in place)
1 carpenters flasher wrasse
1 linespot flasher wrasse
1 orange-back fairy wrasse
4 ignitus anthias
3 lyretail anthias
bonded pair of longnose hawkfish (no shrimp planned)
1 tank bred orchid dottyback (aware of possible issues with the fairy wrasse, may switch to a royal gramma)
pair of green mandarin
1 powder brown tang

 

[snorvich]

180 gallon
LPS and a few tridacna clams

This list is in order of when they will be added.

1 blue reef chromis
pair of ocellaris clowns
1 midas blenny (aware of possible fin nipping)
1 McCosker's flasher wrasse (1/4 netting cover already in place)
1 carpenters flasher wrasse
1 linespot flasher wrasse
1 orange-back fairy wrasse
4 ignitus anthias
3 lyretail anthias
bonded pair of longnose hawkfish (no shrimp planned)
1 tank bred orchid dottyback (aware of possible issues with the fairy wrasse, may switch to a royal gramma)
pair of green mandarin
1 powder brown tang

No issues. Anthias do best if fed multiple times per day. As you know P. fridmani is potentially an issue with fairy and flasher wrasses.

 

[LamboBoy]

Hello Peter,
Thanks for this awesome service that you are providing.
Have a 120g, 6 foot FOWLR tank with a 40g sump
At the moment I have a pair of Lineatus wrasse, pair of Hooded Wrasse, pair of Hawkfish and a Marine betta.
Like to add a pair of Scott's fairy wrasse and a 2" yellow tang. Planning to use acclimation boxes, is that doable? If not the Scott's fairy wrasse, what other wrasses do you suggest?
I love fairy wrasses and like to add more later on....

 

[snorvich]

Hello Peter,
Thanks for this awesome service that you are providing.
Have a 120g, 6 foot FOWLR tank with a 40g sump
At the moment I have a pair of Lineatus wrasse, pair of Hooded Wrasse, pair of Hawkfish and a Marine betta.
Like to add a pair of Scott's fairy wrasse and a 2" yellow tang. Planning to use acclimation boxes, is that doable? If not the Scott's fairy wrasse, what other wrasses do you suggest?
I love fairy wrasses and like to add more later on....

Peter? Who is that? In any case C. scottorum is one of the absolute most aggressive fairy wrasses and I do not recommend especially with other fairy wrasses. Marine Betta do eat fish, by the way.

 

[LamboBoy]

Peter? Who is that? In any case C. scottorum is one of the absolute most aggressive fairy wrasses and I do not recommend especially with other fairy wrasses. Marine Betta do eat fish, by the way.

Sorry Steve, that was my stupidity....I'm terrible with names and didn't think before sending the message. I won't get the Scott's.....thanks for your advice.