PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

I'm putting in a custom desktop tank at work with a base measuring 36x12 interior, about 10 high, and am planning my stock list. (Lots of time between now and installation; I'm building it this weekend.) I'm planning to do a short wall of rock right down the middle reaching about halfway up the water column to form kind of a racetrack for the flow, and also to give a little more swimming 'distance' for the crew. My main questions are on stocking order unless there is a grave issue with the planned stock list. Of course, a CUC will go in first.

Planned: purple or Helfrichi firefish, a fairy wrasse, and either a clown goby or a little blenny (tailspot, etc). I don't expect any issues with stocking order but in case there are I'm asking here first.

I know I'll want a cover for the jumpers. Already planned.

If it matters to anyone at all, in addition I'll be DIY'ing a long LED strip for a few really hardy softies and a condy nem once the tank matures a bit.

A fairy wrasse will not work in this sized tank, you might look at one of the three species of possum wrasse. Otherwise, fine.

 

[Cymonous]

Add royal gramma

Add royal gramma

I have a 65g with 20 sump. I currently have 2 false percs, firefish, foxface rabbit fish, diamond goby, yellow tail damsel, kole tang and a green mandarin. Can I add a royal gramma or am I maxed out?

 

[snorvich]

I have a 65g with 20 sump. I currently have 2 false percs, firefish, foxface rabbit fish, diamond goby, yellow tail damsel, kole tang and a green mandarin. Can I add a royal gramma or am I maxed out?

You have two algae grazers in a tank that is barely (at best) large enough for one. A royal gramma would not be a problem, but the kole tang and a foxface will be. The mandarin will likely starve over time as there is insufficient copepods in this sized tank to sustain one.

 

[Cymonous]

Thank you for the input snorvich. I have been adding pods, plus I have a populated refugium in my sump. The mandarin is a bit plump. I have had em for about 8 months.

 

[snorvich]

Thank you for the input snorvich. I have been adding pods, plus I have a populated refugium in my sump. The mandarin is a bit plump. I have had em for about 8 months.

With a refugium, you should be ok as long as you do not add any copepod eaters (such as a six-line wrasse)

 

[Sams Reef]

Hey Steve, I have updated my stocking list.
In tank
2 false percula clownfish
In Quarantine
6 line Wrasse

Maybe buying 1 green/blue chromis, banggai cardinal, and possibly a yellow watchman goby today.

What if I divide the quarantine in half(using eggcrate) and keep the wrasse in one side and my new purchases in the other? Then I could put the new fish in the main tank first and leave the wrasse in longer.

End Result
2 clowns,1 chromis,1 banggai cardinal,1 YWG, and 6 line wrasse

 

[snorvich]

Hey Steve, I have updated my stocking list.
In tank
2 false percula clownfish
In Quarantine
6 line Wrasse

Maybe buying 1 green/blue chromis, banggai cardinal, and possibly a yellow watchman goby today.

What if I divide the quarantine in half(using eggcrate) and keep the wrasse in one side and my new purchases in the other? Then I could put the new fish in the main tank first and leave the wrasse in longer.

End Result
2 clowns,1 chromis,1 banggai cardinal,1 YWG, and 6 line wrasse

tank size? I do far too many of these to remember. The sixline wrasse may eventually be a problem. Be sure the Banggai cardinal is tank raised as the wild caught often do not eat in captivity.

 

[Sams Reef]

46 gallons

 

[snorvich]

46 gallons

Thanks. Should be fine except for the six line wrasse.

 

[Sams Reef]

Thanks Steve

 

[Shawn O]

Got the go ahead for a tank, probably either a 75 tall (48"x18"x21") or a 90 long (48"x18"x25").

I intend to keep a few Emerald crabs, a couple Porcelain crabs, roughly 10x Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crabs, 10x Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs, 10x Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crabs, a Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, a Peppermint Shrimp, and maybe some odd ornamentals like a Pom Pom Crab and/or an arrow crab, a couple dozen small snails like Nassarius and Astraeas and maybe a small Fighting Conch.

Realizing I seem to prefer crustaceans and gobies I came up with a different list in descending order of preference. Please let me know what you think will work.

Court Jester Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi) x2
Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) x2
Blue Dot Jawfish (Opistognathus rosenblatti)
Lined Dartfish (Ptereleotris grammica) x2
Yasha White Ray Goby (Stonogobiops yasha) & Randall's Shrimp (Alpheus randalli) pair
Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes)
Yellow Coris Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)

Other fish of interest, but not seriously considering are:
a spotted or a red mandarin,
a mated pair of Bangghaii Cardinals (Pterapogon kauderni)
Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres claudia)
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus) (too big, I know)


Thanks in advance Steve.

 

[snorvich]

Got the go ahead for a tank, probably either a 75 tall (48"x18"x21") or a 90 long (48"x18"x25").

I intend to keep a few Emerald crabs, a couple Porcelain crabs, roughly 10x Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crabs, 10x Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs, 10x Blue Leg Reef Hermit Crabs, a Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, a Peppermint Shrimp, and maybe some odd ornamentals like a Pom Pom Crab and/or an arrow crab, a couple dozen small snails like Nassarius and Astraeas and maybe a small Fighting Conch.

Hermit crabs will kill snails, I suggest one or the other not both. Arrow crabs and larger emerald crabs can take fish.

Realizing I seem to prefer crustaceans and gobies I came up with a different list in descending order of preference. Please let me know what you think will work.

Court Jester Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi) x2
Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) x2 only one is long term stable
Blue Dot Jawfish (Opistognathus rosenblatti) needs cooler temperatures and special substrate requirements
Lined Dartfish (Ptereleotris grammica) x2
Yasha White Ray Goby (Stonogobiops yasha) & Randall's Shrimp (Alpheus randalli) pair
Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes)
Yellow Coris Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)

Other fish of interest, but not seriously considering are:
a spotted or a red mandarin, too many copepod eaters planned so tank will not sustain
a mated pair of Bangghaii Cardinals (Pterapogon kauderni) tank raised is preferred
Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres claudia)
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus) (too big, I know)
tank is not large enough and this is a potentially difficult fish which is also a copepod eater

Thanks in advance Steve.

 

[fearyaks]

125 Gallon (tall) tank. Please advise

125 Gallon (tall) tank. Please advise

Hi there, I apprecaite this thread and your effort into matching fish and their tanks. I apologize for this being my first post (been lurking for a few months) but I figure it would be prudent to get someone to double check my potential stock.

Please feel free to let me know if I'm terribly off base or have any incompatibilities listed.

Additional, I'm not 100% certain as to what order I should introduce the fish... I know the Tang(s) are usually last for aggression and algae reasons. Not sure about the others.

Tank specs:
125 gallon, 60X18X24
Sump, UV Sterilizer
200 lbs live sand
200 lbs live rock

Fish:
Amphiprion ocellaris (Clowns, tank bred) X2
Elacatinus oceanops (Neon Blue Goby tank bred) X2
Serranus tortugarum (Chalk Bass) X3
Oxycirrhites typus (Long Nosed Hawkfish) X1
Ptereleotris zebra (Zebra Barred Dartfish, see that they can be tank bred, but can't find any) X3 or X5
Salarias ramosus (Starry Blenny) X1
Kole Eyed Tang or Yellow Tang (tank raised). I don't think I could support two in this tank.

And a couple of Cleaner Shrimp

Thanks very much in advance!

 

[silverado304]

My tank is a 48" 50g with a reef octopus bh2000 hob skimmer. No sump. Current U.S.A. Orbit lighting.

I think for now I'll stick with a fowler tank, but I might want to venture into reef territory in the future. I'm still gathering all the equipment I need to get the tank up and running, but I'd like to get an idea of livestock I can have in a tank my size.

Must have:
Occelarus clownfish
Peppermint shrimp

Aside from those, if I could, maybe something a little different or odd that would be compatible.

I updated a list of possibilities:
Blue chromis
Sailfin Blenny
Saddle puffer or valentini puffer (will it eat the peppermint shrimp?)
Bicolor dottyback
Catalina goby

Thanks again

 

[710Reefer]

Hello everyone, I just added a Blue dot jawfish on tuesday to my new reef tank. He's doing great, already has a few burrows and a nice tunnel. I gave him about 2 lbs of rubble to work with. He is almost don't using it all so I'm getting more tomorrow.

Now, I have an old credit from Liveaquaria that I never used. They told me I need to use it within the next 2 weeks. I wanted to get a pair of Black clownfish, maybe some Tank bred Gladiator Ocellaris but don't know how long I should wait to add the fish. I don't want to add another fish too early, and I kind of want to leave him alone in the tank. Then again I NEED clownfish lol. Any info??

77.7 deg
1.024
8.1
0
0
.2

 

[snorvich]

Hi there, I apprecaite this thread and your effort into matching fish and their tanks. I apologize for this being my first post (been lurking for a few months) but I figure it would be prudent to get someone to double check my potential stock.

Please feel free to let me know if I'm terribly off base or have any incompatibilities listed.

Additional, I'm not 100% certain as to what order I should introduce the fish... I know the Tang(s) are usually last for aggression and algae reasons. Not sure about the others.

Tank specs:
125 gallon, 60X18X24
Sump, UV Sterilizer
200 lbs live sand
200 lbs live rock

Fish:
Amphiprion ocellaris (Clowns, tank bred) X2
Elacatinus oceanops (Neon Blue Goby tank bred) X2 only one, short lived fish
Serranus tortugarum (Chalk Bass) X3 add concurrently
Oxycirrhites typus (Long Nosed Hawkfish) X1
Ptereleotris zebra (Zebra Barred Dartfish, see that they can be tank bred, but can't find any) X3 or X5
Salarias ramosus (Starry Blenny) X1
Kole Eyed Tang or Yellow Tang (tank raised). I don't think I could support two in this tank. yes, only one, should be last, ideally after tank is at least 6 months mature

And a couple of Cleaner Shrimp you have several fish on your list that are not shrimp safe

Thanks very much in advance!

fine with annotations

 

[snorvich]

I updated a list of possibilities:

My tank is a 48" 50g with a reef octopus bh2000 hob skimmer. No sump. Current U.S.A. Orbit lighting.

I think for now I'll stick with a fowler tank, but I might want to venture into reef territory in the future. I'm still gathering all the equipment I need to get the tank up and running, but I'd like to get an idea of livestock I can have in a tank my size.

Must have:
Occelarus clownfish
Peppermint shrimp

Aside from those, if I could, maybe something a little different or odd that would be compatible.
Blue chromis
Sailfin Blenny
Saddle puffer or valentini puffer (will it eat the peppermint shrimp?) not invert safe
Bicolor dottyback pretty, but very aggressive and would not be advised
Catalina goby No. This is a cold water fish that would not last in your type tank.

Thanks again

 

[snorvich]

Hello everyone, I just added a Blue dot jawfish on tuesday to my new reef tank. He's doing great, already has a few burrows and a nice tunnel. I gave him about 2 lbs of rubble to work with. He is almost don't using it all so I'm getting more tomorrow.

Now, I have an old credit from Liveaquaria that I never used. They told me I need to use it within the next 2 weeks. I wanted to get a pair of Black clownfish, maybe some Tank bred Gladiator Ocellaris but don't know how long I should wait to add the fish. I don't want to add another fish too early, and I kind of want to leave him alone in the tank. Then again I NEED clownfish lol. Any info??

A pair of Clownfish are require about 25 gallons of tank space once sexually mature so your tank would be marginal with no other fish. I do not think your combination will work long term NEED?????

77.7 deg this fish needs cooler temperatures; ideally around 72F since this fish is collected in the sea of cortez
1.024
8.1
0
0
.2 If this ammonia, your tank is not fully cycled!!!

 

[Shawn O]

Court Jester Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi) x2
Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) x1
Jawfish, Yellowhead (Opistognathus aurifrons) x2 (warmer water)
Lined Dartfish (Ptereleotris grammica) x2
Yasha White Ray Goby (Stonogobiops yasha) & Randall's Shrimp (Alpheus randalli) pair
Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes)
Yellow Coris Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) (maybe)
a mated pair of Bangghaii Cardinals (Pterapogon kauderni) tank raised is preferred

Does this look more appropriate, Steve? And what would be the best order to introduce them?

 

[snorvich]

Does this look more appropriate, Steve? And what would be the best order to introduce them?

Originally Posted by Shawn O View Post
Court Jester Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi) x2
Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) x1
Jawfish, Yellowhead (Opistognathus aurifrons) x2 (warmer water)
Lined Dartfish (Ptereleotris grammica) x2
Yasha White Ray Goby (Stonogobiops yasha) & Randall's Shrimp (Alpheus randalli) pair
Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes)
Yellow Coris Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) (maybe)
a mated pair of Bangghaii Cardinals (Pterapogon kauderni) tank raised is preferred

Looks fine. Please provide tank size on future follow up questions so I don't have to go back. Thanks!