SereneAquatic
New member
We are still far from the point of adding fish to our tank, maybe at least a month or so, but we are trying to get a list of compatible fish together, and the order that we should introduce them. I've listed our possibilities so far below, in the order we would introduce them, and the information I have about them already"¦ but the online stores that sell them don't always tell the full story. I suppose it isn't in their best interest to discourage buying.
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about how these fish may do together?
"¢ We have the Red Sea Reefer 425 XL Deluxe tank (88 gallon display)
"¢ We'll be adding them slowly and make sure the tank and filtering can support the bio load with each addition.
"¢ Each fish will be quarantined for 3-4 weeks prior to placing in the tank.
"¢ Protein skimmer and water changes will be the primary nutrient management initially
"¢ We are considering adding a refugium with chaeto, but the sump on these tanks isn't designed with a specific place for refugium. We may be able to modify it.
Your help is appreciated on evaluating compatibility!
1. Two or Three Firefish Goby - Notes say these fish may burrow in sand, but I haven't seen any videos or posts about that kind of behavior. Can anyone verify? I'm counting them as an "˜open water' fish currently. May be prone to jumping. A cover may be necessary since a few of our fish are on this jumpers list.
2. One Yellowhead Jawfish - Need rocks to burrow under, may be bullied by other burrowing fish and can be prone to jumping. Hides most of the time, usually feeds near burrow. Can require special care for feeding and acclimating to tank so we want to introduce him early to give him the attention he needs. He's one of my favorites that will go in the tank.
3. Nassarius Snail (QTY unknown) - Can burrow into sand, here to help as part of the clean up crew.
4. Peppermint Shrimp (QTY unknown) "“ Good for eliminate Aiptasia. Great addition to cleanup crew.
5. One Pearl Scale Butterfly - May eat corals. Picky eater at first, may require special attention, which we can give since he'll be one of the only fish in the tank so far. Peaceful, introduce early. Hoping if he gets used to eating fish food provided, he won't graze the corals as long as he stays well fed? One of the favorites.
6. One Lawnmower Blenny - Love algae feeding, can get up to 5.5 inches. Can JUMP from the tank. Probably my other favorite fish on this list.
7. One Sally Lightfoot Crab - Easy, active, good addition"¦ may be the best crab option if we have to choose between the three listed?
8. One Emerald Crab - May eat corals, etc. Reef/Coral safe with caution. Keep them fed so they don't go after tank mates. Great cleanup addition, will eat bubble algae. May be OK until/unless we start including corals?
9. One Arrow Crab "“ By far the riskiest crab of the 3. Can be aggressive. Will eat bristle worms. Can eat small fish if not properly fed. Can grow up to 6 INCHES! May attack banded coral shrimp and other crustaceans. (Does this mean either of the other crabs/shrimp I've listed? Is it possible to buy or have smaller "˜feeder' shrimp that he may eat, instead of the others?) Do not keep with similar species. Depending on feedback, this one may come off the list entirely. I think they are cool, but he may be better off in his own smaller tank with a few friends he can live with.
10. One Yellow Tang - Aggressive toward other tangs. Needs lots of seaweed and algae. Aggressive algae eater.
11. One Fire Shrimp - Will remove necrotic tissue and parasites from fish, often in symbiotic relationships. Need hiding spaces. May swim openly.
12. One Flame Angel - May eat corals. Shouldn't eat invertebrates. (Maybe we're not destined to have corals lol) Some posts say these fish can be aggressive, other times they do fine. Is this a fish-by-fish personality thing? Some other factors going on?
13. One Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse - Needs a shaded area away from bright lights. Like to JUMP. Can get up to 5". Not much information on personality"¦
14. One Axilspot Hogfish "“ Not much information on this fish. Can reach UP TO 8 INCHES!?
15. One Lemon Chromis - Will probably eat corals"¦ again, my fish don't seem compatible with them so far.
16. One Domino Damsel - Hardy, can survive harsh conditions. Sometimes territorial, introduce near the end?
These are probably eliminated from the list already due to conflicts unless some others come off the list.
17. Coral Banded Shrimp - Sensitive to water quality. Eat bristle worms and flat worms. Also 'boxing' shrimp, hit with claws. Only keep ONE at a time.
18. Sand Sifting Sea Star - Supplement with trace elements. NOT COMPATIBLE w/ puffer fish (maybe get a bigger star, smaller puffer?). Will probably eat shrimp. Keep well fed or it will burrow in the sand and die. Can grow up to 12"!
19. Puffer Fish (porcupine?) - 180 GALLON TANK?? Will eat shrimp/crabs. May be possible to house a small one temporarily and have a plan for him to go to a new home when he gets bigger. Probably too aggressive toward the crustaceans to be in this tank. I like crabs and shrimp.
20. Flame Hawkfish - Bottom dweller, may bother gobies/blennies"¦ maybe add when they are bigger?
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about how these fish may do together?
"¢ We have the Red Sea Reefer 425 XL Deluxe tank (88 gallon display)
"¢ We'll be adding them slowly and make sure the tank and filtering can support the bio load with each addition.
"¢ Each fish will be quarantined for 3-4 weeks prior to placing in the tank.
"¢ Protein skimmer and water changes will be the primary nutrient management initially
"¢ We are considering adding a refugium with chaeto, but the sump on these tanks isn't designed with a specific place for refugium. We may be able to modify it.
Your help is appreciated on evaluating compatibility!
1. Two or Three Firefish Goby - Notes say these fish may burrow in sand, but I haven't seen any videos or posts about that kind of behavior. Can anyone verify? I'm counting them as an "˜open water' fish currently. May be prone to jumping. A cover may be necessary since a few of our fish are on this jumpers list.
2. One Yellowhead Jawfish - Need rocks to burrow under, may be bullied by other burrowing fish and can be prone to jumping. Hides most of the time, usually feeds near burrow. Can require special care for feeding and acclimating to tank so we want to introduce him early to give him the attention he needs. He's one of my favorites that will go in the tank.
3. Nassarius Snail (QTY unknown) - Can burrow into sand, here to help as part of the clean up crew.
4. Peppermint Shrimp (QTY unknown) "“ Good for eliminate Aiptasia. Great addition to cleanup crew.
5. One Pearl Scale Butterfly - May eat corals. Picky eater at first, may require special attention, which we can give since he'll be one of the only fish in the tank so far. Peaceful, introduce early. Hoping if he gets used to eating fish food provided, he won't graze the corals as long as he stays well fed? One of the favorites.
6. One Lawnmower Blenny - Love algae feeding, can get up to 5.5 inches. Can JUMP from the tank. Probably my other favorite fish on this list.
7. One Sally Lightfoot Crab - Easy, active, good addition"¦ may be the best crab option if we have to choose between the three listed?
8. One Emerald Crab - May eat corals, etc. Reef/Coral safe with caution. Keep them fed so they don't go after tank mates. Great cleanup addition, will eat bubble algae. May be OK until/unless we start including corals?
9. One Arrow Crab "“ By far the riskiest crab of the 3. Can be aggressive. Will eat bristle worms. Can eat small fish if not properly fed. Can grow up to 6 INCHES! May attack banded coral shrimp and other crustaceans. (Does this mean either of the other crabs/shrimp I've listed? Is it possible to buy or have smaller "˜feeder' shrimp that he may eat, instead of the others?) Do not keep with similar species. Depending on feedback, this one may come off the list entirely. I think they are cool, but he may be better off in his own smaller tank with a few friends he can live with.
10. One Yellow Tang - Aggressive toward other tangs. Needs lots of seaweed and algae. Aggressive algae eater.
11. One Fire Shrimp - Will remove necrotic tissue and parasites from fish, often in symbiotic relationships. Need hiding spaces. May swim openly.
12. One Flame Angel - May eat corals. Shouldn't eat invertebrates. (Maybe we're not destined to have corals lol) Some posts say these fish can be aggressive, other times they do fine. Is this a fish-by-fish personality thing? Some other factors going on?
13. One Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse - Needs a shaded area away from bright lights. Like to JUMP. Can get up to 5". Not much information on personality"¦
14. One Axilspot Hogfish "“ Not much information on this fish. Can reach UP TO 8 INCHES!?
15. One Lemon Chromis - Will probably eat corals"¦ again, my fish don't seem compatible with them so far.
16. One Domino Damsel - Hardy, can survive harsh conditions. Sometimes territorial, introduce near the end?
These are probably eliminated from the list already due to conflicts unless some others come off the list.
17. Coral Banded Shrimp - Sensitive to water quality. Eat bristle worms and flat worms. Also 'boxing' shrimp, hit with claws. Only keep ONE at a time.
18. Sand Sifting Sea Star - Supplement with trace elements. NOT COMPATIBLE w/ puffer fish (maybe get a bigger star, smaller puffer?). Will probably eat shrimp. Keep well fed or it will burrow in the sand and die. Can grow up to 12"!
19. Puffer Fish (porcupine?) - 180 GALLON TANK?? Will eat shrimp/crabs. May be possible to house a small one temporarily and have a plan for him to go to a new home when he gets bigger. Probably too aggressive toward the crustaceans to be in this tank. I like crabs and shrimp.
20. Flame Hawkfish - Bottom dweller, may bother gobies/blennies"¦ maybe add when they are bigger?
