PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[OCReeferr]

I have a 40g tank with a 20g sump (probably about 10g in it while running) with no refugium. I have Live Rock and a 3in sand bed. I would like to get a leopard wrasse but am afraid it will starve if I have no pods and can't feed it for a week or so when I first introduce it. (I've read they go straight to the sand and stay there for about a week or so untill you see them during the day, which is when I would feed my fish.)

 

[snorvich]

I have a 40g tank with a 20g sump (probably about 10g in it while running) with no refugium. I have Live Rock and a 3in sand bed. I would like to get a leopard wrasse but am afraid it will starve if I have no pods and can't feed it for a week or so when I first introduce it. (I've read they go straight to the sand and stay there for about a week or so untill you see them during the day, which is when I would feed my fish.)

A mature larger tank is preferred for a leopard wrasse as they graze on copepods continuously. However, with multiple feedings of frozen PE mysis multiple times per day, you can probably make it work. All leopards wrasses are not the same; some species are very difficult, but none are easy because of their feeding requirements. The initial time in the sand is not necessarily a show stopper.

 

[dupy73]

You should get rid of the damsel and hippo tang (which requires a much larger tank) and not add any tangs. The scooter blenny would starve to death.

I took your advise traded in the hippo. Gf insisted on keeping the damsil though lol. Ended up with a lawnmower blenny and store credit that I used on a bucket of salt mix

 

[snorvich]

I took your advise traded in the hippo. Gf insisted on keeping the damsil though lol. Ended up with a lawnmower blenny and store credit that I used on a bucket of salt mix

Good decision.

 

[hotelbravo]

Steve,
i was looking into adding a few more fish to my tank its 90 gallon with 30 gallon sump 125 lbs of live rock, deep sand bed.
I currently have
1 pair of clowns (Black ice ocellaris & Fancy piccaso percula)
1Mandarin dragonet (been with me for 8 months now)
2 red firefish (started with 3 then singled one out and he was a goner)
1 flame angel (very friendly no aggression)
1 yellow tang (im in the process of talking my wife into letting us rehome him, it was the first and only fish she has ever wanted. and this fish is the only interest she has in this hobby... its been a struggle with her. the reason i want to rehome is im stressed about him being cramped even though its a small yellow tang)
1 marine betta
1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
3 brittle stars
1 large RBTA

may i get your advice on the following
i am wanting to get
a pair for yellow watchman gobies
and a yellow eye kole tang

also looking for any angel that is compatible with my setup and inhabitants.
thanks in advance

steve i know we have argued in the past and im sorry about any disrespect i showed towards you, but i value your opinion and i would like some help. my question was never answered

 

[stew07]

Innovative Marine 40 gallon.

Innovative Marine 40 gallon.

I currently have a 20 gallon Innovative Marine and have a yellow goby, very small yellow coris wrasse, purple fire fish, and a royal gramma.

If I go to a Innovative Marine 40, how many more fish can I add and if so what are some great options.

Thanks

 

[stew07]

Marine Betta

Marine Betta

I would like any and all info people have on a Marine Betta. I would like to get a small one for my IM 40 tank. Is that ok? Are they aggressive?

 

[snorvich]

steve i know we have argued in the past and im sorry about any disrespect i showed towards you, but i value your opinion and i would like some help. my question was never answered

Steve,
i was looking into adding a few more fish to my tank its 90 gallon with 30 gallon sump 125 lbs of live rock, deep sand bed.
I currently have
1 pair of clowns (Black ice ocellaris & Fancy piccaso percula)
1Mandarin dragonet (been with me for 8 months now)
2 red firefish (started with 3 then singled one out and he was a goner) one will be the likely result long term
1 flame angel (very friendly no aggression)
1 yellow tang (im in the process of talking my wife into letting us rehome him, it was the first and only fish she has ever wanted. and this fish is the only interest she has in this hobby... its been a struggle with her. the reason i want to rehome is im stressed about him being cramped even though its a small yellow tang)
1 marine betta
1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
3 brittle stars
1 large RBTA

may i get your advice on the following
i am wanting to get
a pair for yellow watchman gobies one is fine unless a bonded pair
and a yellow eye kole tang only if the yellow tang leaves first; otherwise the yellow tank will likely kill him/her

Actually, the skip was unintentional. Sometimes I get overwhelmed when too many come in and the pages change. Sorry.

 

[snorvich]

I would like any and all info people have on a Marine Betta. I would like to get a small one for my IM 40 tank. Is that ok? Are they aggressive?

It would be best to start your own thread if you want information; this thread is only about marine fish compatibility. IMO, a marine betta is too large when mature for your tank.

 

[snorvich]

I currently have a 20 gallon Innovative Marine and have a yellow goby, very small yellow coris wrasse, purple fire fish, and a royal gramma.

If I go to a Innovative Marine 40, how many more fish can I add and if so what are some great options.

Thanks

IMO, your current tank is over stocked.

 

[CoralNerd]

Can I put in a Greenbanded Goby (Elacatinus multifasciatum), and Stonogobiops Yasha Goby together in a 75g with plenty rock scape and sand?

 

[stew07]

really?

really?

IMO, your current tank is over stocked.

Its overstocked with 4 fish? I am just trying to understand not disagreeing with you. Thanks

 

[snorvich]

Can I put in a Greenbanded Goby (Elacatinus multifasciatum), and Stonogobiswops Yasha Goby together in a 75g with plenty rock scape and sand?

yes, should be fine

 

[snorvich]

Its overstocked with 4 fish? I am just trying to understand not disagreeing with you. Thanks

It is not only the number of fish that is primarily relevant, it is the requirements of the fish that is relevant. You have fish which require larger tanks for optimal long term health.

 

[Martini5788]

Hey Steve, you will probably be getting quite a few proposed stocking lists over the next few weeks if that's alright. I'm trying to narrow down my options and come up with a suitable plan. The tank is 210 gallons with a 55 gallon sump, 250 lbs of liverock. Current inhabitants are fish that I already have that will be transferred to the new tank
Current fish:
Pair of perculas
Tail spot blenny
Starry blenny
1 green chromis
Valentini puffer

Want to get:
Blue hippo tang( this is the only fish that my husband wants and will rehome it when it grows out of the tank)
Powder blue tang
Purple or sailfin tang
Rock beauty angel
Coral beauty angel
Flame angel
Eibli dwarf angel
Red or purple firefish
Midas blenny
Melanurus wrasse
Red lined wrasse
Richmonds or dusky wrasse( if there is any preference to which of these is preferable please let me know)
Green mandarin after a year if possible

 

[snorvich]

Hey Steve, you will probably be getting quite a few proposed stocking lists over the next few weeks if that's alright. I'm trying to narrow down my options and come up with a suitable plan. The tank is 210 gallons with a 55 gallon sump, 250 lbs of liverock. Current inhabitants are fish that I already have that will be transferred to the new tank
Current fish: None of the existing will be an issue
Pair of perculas
Tail spot blenny
Starry blenny
1 green chromis
Valentini puffer

Want to get:
Blue hippo tang( this is the only fish that my husband wants and will rehome it when it grows out of the tank) I hate buying fish that must be rehomed; and it is not a size issue but an aggression issue towards other fish
Powder blue tang
Purple or sailfin tang
Rock beauty angel
Coral beauty angel
Flame angel
Eibli dwarf angel The addition list above are all algae grazers so there will be crowding in this ecological niche
Red or purple firefish
Midas blenny
Melanurus wrasse
Red lined wrasse
Richmonds or dusky wrasse( if there is any preference to which of these is preferable please let me know)
Green mandarin after a year if possible

Other than the number of algae grazers, the remainder should be fine

 

[stew07]

Overstocked?

Overstocked?

IMO, your current tank is over stocked.

Steve,

Thanks for telling me my tank is overstocked but can you help me learn why? I see some you tube videos and people have more fish than I in a 20. How do you know when the tank is overstocked. Thank you very much. I'm just trying to learn

 

[snorvich]

Steve,

Thanks for telling me my tank is overstocked but can you help me learn why? I see some you tube videos and people have more fish than I in a 20. How do you know when the tank is overstocked. Thank you very much. I'm just trying to learn

you tube videos are fun to watch but not very good at setting examples for long term success. The how and why of stocking are well beyond the scope of this thread. This thread is not intended to be a discussion thread. A good way to learn is to go the Live Aquaria website and look at various fish on their site and note the recommended tank size, adult size, level of aggression, and feeding requirements. That is a good beginning, but one of the reasons that this thread has so many views and questions (this is the third splitting of the thread) is because stocking is an art as much as a science.

 

[pommie]

Hi Steve,

Below is my planned stock list. I have a 5ft 500 Liter tank with a 70 liter sump.
Currently my tank is empty and is currently cycling.
In addition to understanding if the below fish are all compatible, i would appreciate it if you could recommend the order of which fish to introduce into the tank? As i have a fair bit of green hair algae i was hoping of adding my Yellow Tang first but then i read that hey can be a bit aggressive to newly introduced fish.

Ocellaris Clownfish x 2
Yellow Tang x 1
Blue tang x 1
Banggai Cardinalfish x 2
Lawnmower Blenny x1
firefish goby x 2
Foxface x 1
Flame Hawkfish x 1
Common Cleaner Wrasse x 1

Many thanks.

 

[snorvich]

Hi Steve,

Below is my planned stock list. I have a 5ft 500 Liter tank with a 70 liter sump.
Currently my tank is empty and is currently cycling.
In addition to understanding if the below fish are all compatible, i would appreciate it if you could recommend the order of which fish to introduce into the tank? As i have a fair bit of green hair algae i was hoping of adding my Yellow Tang first but then i read that hey can be a bit aggressive to newly introduced fish.

Ocellaris Clownfish x 2
Yellow Tang x 1 You have three planned algae grazers. If your "blue tang" is P. hepatus, that requires a much larger tank. Otherwise, your tank would support one large algae grazer which should be added last when the tank is more mature.
Blue tang x 1 see above
Banggai Cardinalfish x 2 tank raised preferred, male plus female only
Lawnmower Blenny x1
firefish goby x 2 only one will work long term
Foxface x 1 see above
Flame Hawkfish x 1 not shrimp safe
Common Cleaner Wrasse x 1

Many thanks.

biocapacity is fine. Except as noted, fine