PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[Fish Biscuit]

What?! Steve is giving out suggestions?!

Get ready for a house call, I'm on the hunt for a Gem tang. I can get a small black tang here this week if I end up in a pinch

 

[snorvich]

What?! Steve is giving out suggestions?!

Get ready for a house call, I'm on the hunt for a Gem tang. I can get a small black tang here this week if I end up in a pinch

There are lots of reasons I do not make recommendations. The primary one is that I want everyone to develop research skills in fish selection but secondarily, what I like after doing this for decades is going to be very different than what most people who are newer to the hobby will like. As you may have figured out, I am very much a fish behaviorist and enjoy various symbiotic behaviors.

A symbiotic relationship can take on many forms, which are classified depending on how the creatures share their living space or use each other. Understanding what sorts of relationships may exist in the natural world between species will help you to better understand what may be interesting aquarium subjects. The specialized defenses of certain species are often used by those that have little or none of their own, and is called inquilinism. A defenseless little reef fish would want to take advantage of the natural protection provided by a sea-urchin neighbor’s razor-sharp, and sometimes venomous, spines. We find cardinal fish doing so frequent. Clownfish, having covered themselves in mucus that makes them invisible to their host anemone are able to dance among the battery of the anemone’s stinging cells without harm; other fish have adapted to a drifting life in the jellyfish’s armory of stinging cells or swim close to the nearly invincible barracuda or shark. Some animals like the Carrier Crab are highly creative in locating their defenses. The urchin being carried by this crab would much prefer a solitary existence. And of course Pom pom crabs with their tiny anemones used for protection are fascinating.

The two most obvious symbiotic relationships involve food associations (commensalism) and associations in which both host and symbiont benefit (mutualism). These two are very close, but in commensalism, the issue is only food and it’s usually only the symbiont that benefits directly. Many shrimp, crabs and copepods, for example, live on the surface of corals and other cnidarians, eating their mucus coating, dead skin or any adhering organic particles. The crustaceans usually cause no harm to their coral hosts – and may even pluck off an occasional parasite.

Mutualism is the most well-known type of symbiosis, and is marked by an interdependence of host and symbiont. In most mutualistic relationships, one could not survive without the other, which makes these sorts of relationships among the most fascinating. Hermatypic (reef-building) corals and their algal symbionts, zooxanthellae, are a common example of such crucial interdependence. The zooxanthellae live inside the coral’s tissue, taking advantage of its waste products and transforming them into substances the coral can use to grow and maintain its calcium carbonate home. During times of high stress, such as prolonged high temperatures, the coral will eject zooxanthellae into the water column. Although the coral can live with a small amount of algal symbionts over short periods of time, a long absence of their usual population of symbionts spells certain death.

And finally, budgets are never going to be the same. Yours may exceed mine or vice versa so what may be worthy of expense to you may not be to me.

Much more than you ever wanted to know, I am sure.

 

[jam583]

I have a 100G tank, 48"x20x25. Currently 2 clown fish, 1 yellow tank, 1 kaudern's cardinal. We wanted to add a jawfish blue dot.

This is a reef tank.

Thoughts?

 

[snorvich]

I have a 100G tank, 48"x20x25. Currently 2 clown fish, 1 yellow tank, 1 kaudern's cardinal. We wanted to add a jawfish blue dot.

This is a reef tank.

Thoughts?

It is somewhat rare to get a healthy one; moreover for best long term results you will need a thick substrate and cooler temperatures.

 

[shesacharmer]

But...

But...

[COLOR="Magenta"
Much more than you ever wanted to know, I am sure.
[/COLOR]

Lawnmower Blennies are just THAT cool! :lolspin:

 

[Fish Biscuit]

Steve I always find this thread a wealth of information, just teasing about the suggestion part, I couldn't resist

There is so much to this hobby that I'll never learn & your knowledge is appreciated. As far as fish taste & finances go, I've been told that if you cut off a part of liver it grows back like the leg of a starfish, when fish get too expensive you put part of your liver on the black market....

 

[Brando8719]

Hello,

I have a 4ft 120 gallon sps dominant aquarium with a ~30 gallon sump and have about 150 lbs of live rock. I'm also running a bubble magus curve 7 skimmer (rated to 240 gallons) and carbon.

I currently have:
- 1x Small Purple Tang
- 2x Ocellaris clown
- 5x blue/green Chromis
- 1x Royal Gramma

I was thinking about adding 3x Lyretail Anthias. Do you think this would work? Would I be overstocked?

Thanks!
Brandon

 

[snorvich]

Hello,

I have a 4ft 120 gallon sps dominant aquarium with a ~30 gallon sump and have about 150 lbs of live rock. I'm also running a bubble magus curve 7 skimmer (rated to 240 gallons) and carbon.

I currently have:
- 1x Small Purple Tang
- 2x Ocellaris clown
- 5x blue/green Chromis will become one over time the vast majority of the time
- 1x Royal Gramma

I was thinking about adding 3x Lyretail Anthias. Do you think this would work? anthias do best when fed multiple times per day; the chromis may object Would I be overstocked?

Thanks!
Brandon

 

[mx51]

I have changed up the list of fish I want and thought I otta run it on here I see if it's ok. I just added a cleaner shrimp a fire fish and pink spotted goby on this last Saturday here is the rest of my list
Purple fire fish
Clownfish pair
Sailfin/algae blenny
Black axil chromis
Yellow striped cardinafish
Kole yellow eye tang
Red velvet fairy wrasse

 

[mx51]

I forgot to put in green mandarin

 

[snorvich]

I have changed up the list of fish I want and thought I otta run it on here I see if it's ok. I just added a cleaner shrimp a fire fish and pink spotted goby on this last Saturday here is the rest of my list
Purple fire fish
Clownfish pair
Sailfin/algae blenny
Black axil chromis
Yellow striped cardinafish
Kole yellow eye tang
Red velvet fairy wrasse
Mandarin

Sorry, I need tank size and maturity. Thanks.

 

[mx51]

Sorry I forgot that part it's 75 gallon and it's been up and running for about a month and a half. Went through my cycle already. Mandarin won't be added until the tank is about a year old

 

[snorvich]

I have changed up the list of fish I want and thought I otta run it on here I see if it's ok. I just added a cleaner shrimp a fire fish and pink spotted goby on this last Saturday here is the rest of my list
Purple fire fish
Clownfish pair
Sailfin/algae blenny
Black axil chromis
Yellow striped cardinafish
Kole yellow eye tang
Red velvet fairy wrasse this will compete for copepods with the mandarin; you should choose one or the other, but if you do a mandarin wait until the tank is 9 months mature
Mandarin

New 75 gallon tank.

 

[mx51]

What would be another good looking fish that would go with my list and do good in a reef tank because my wife and daughter really want the mandarin?

 

[Plainswalker]

Would a carberryi change the equation in regards to a group (3 carberryi) or the tank can only support 1 of bartlett's or carberryi?

Hi snorvich,

Just wanted to see what you think about adding one of the following options in a 90g tank, 48x18x24. This is a mixed reef with SPS/LPS/softies and a clam.

Options:
1. a rabbitfish (One Spot or Lo)
2. yellow tang
3. 3-5 anthias (bartlett's or lyretail)

Inhabitants:
kole yellow eye tang
pair of ocellaris clowns
McCosker's wrassse
Lubbock's fairy wrasse
yellow coris wrasse
tailspot blenny
yellow watchman/tiger pistol pair
2 cleaner shrimp

 

[Krispifsu]

Back in February you reviewed my initial stocking plan for my 75 gallon DT/30 gallon sump tank.

Thus far I have added
Midas blenny
Diamond watchman goby
Kole tang
Mandarin
2 occ clowns
1 skunk cleaner shrimp
Various snails and hermits
1 RBTA
1 clam

I would like to add one more fish and have been considering the following
Flame or potters angel but worried about coral nipping
Copperband butterfly but worried about inverts/anemone and difficulty feeding
Leopard wrasse - mandarin doing well with copepods and eating frozen my sis, would the wrasse outcompete for the pods or eat the amphipods the mandarin doesn't touch?

Mostly seeing if I am at my max right now. I don't want to just add a fish for the sake of adding another fish but want one that really catches my eye and then see if it would work with my current tank.





I also just finished cycling a 20 gallon high for my kids

After some initial research they would like
1 helfrichi firefish
2 tank bred banggai or spotted cardinal fish - prefers the spotted
1 small goby - possibly Randall's, orange clown, or yellow watchman

Would this tank be overstocked?

It complete it initial cycle about a month ago and currently houses 2 nassarius snails and 1 turbo snail. I plan to add some macroalgaes (botryocladia, halymenia and codium) and leathers/mushrooms. I also plan to run the tank a little cooler at 76-78 degrees. Is this an issue with any of these fish? If so I can forget the codium and run at 78-80 degrees.

Thanks again for your advise!

 

[snorvich]

What would be another good looking fish that would go with my list and do good in a reef tank because my wife and daughter really want the mandarin?

First of all, know that 75 gallons is marginal for a mandarin to start out with in terms of long term survival. In any case, as those who follow this thread know, I do not provide recommendations for a variety of reasons. However I am always happy to reanalyze a stocking plan provided you also give entire plan and tank size.

 

[snorvich]

Would a carberryi change the equation in regards to a group (3 carberryi) or the tank can only support 1 of bartlett's or carberryi?

Carberryi are superb and I would always opt for them instead of bartlett's. But remember anthias need multiple feedings per day.

 

[snorvich]

Back in February you reviewed my initial stocking plan for my 75 gallon DT/30 gallon sump tank.

Thus far I have added
Midas blenny
Diamond watchman goby
Kole tang
Mandarin
2 occ clowns
1 skunk cleaner shrimp
Various snails and hermits
1 RBTA
1 clam

I would like to add one more fish and have been considering the following
Flame or potters angel but worried about coral nipping they are not coral safe
Copperband butterfly but worried about inverts/anemone and difficulty feeding they eat copepods and your mandarin will be unable to compete.
Leopard wrasse - mandarin doing well with copepods and eating frozen my sis, would the wrasse outcompete for the pods or eat the amphipods the mandarin doesn't touch? In this tank size a leopard wrasse and mandarin will not work together

Mostly seeing if I am at my max right now. I don't want to just add a fish for the sake of adding another fish but want one that really catches my eye and then see if it would work with my current tank.





I also just finished cycling a 20 gallon high for my kids

After some initial research they would like
1 helfrichi firefish
2 tank bred banggai or spotted cardinal fish - prefers the spotted
1 small goby - possibly Randall's, orange clown, or yellow watchman

Would this tank be overstocked? marginally. You could have a small docile fish instead of the cardinals, however.

It complete it initial cycle about a month ago and currently houses 2 nassarius snails and 1 turbo snail. I plan to add some macroalgaes (botryocladia, halymenia and codium) and leathers/mushrooms. I also plan to run the tank a little cooler at 76-78 degrees. Is this an issue with any of these fish? If so I can forget the codium and run at 78-80 degrees.

Thanks again for your advise!

 

[kellyj]

Proposed additions

Proposed additions

I currently have a 90 gallon reef with various LPS and soft corals.
Tank has been running 6 months with no new additions for two months.
Fish and inverts include:
Percula clown
Bangaii cardinal
McCrosker wrasse
Purple firefish
Skunk cleaner shrimp

Looking to add:
Ignitus anthia
Yellow coris wrasse
Red lined wrasse

Eventually add
Green mandarin
Black cap basslet

Any concerns with my plans?
Thanks,
Kelly