Revised FOWLR Stocking List...Minimum Tank Size?

[BigEZ77]

Hi All,

So based on suggestions from members, I've realized my last stocking list might have been a little...lofty for lack of a better work. Here is my new potential stocking list...

-Pearl-eyed Clarkii...One or a pair (are clowns ok in a fowlr without any coral to host?)

-Flame angel

-Pearlscale Butterflyfish

-One Spot Foxface

-Whitetail Bristletooth OR Kole Yellow Eye Tang.

-A small school of something (Chromis?) to fill things out a bit.

-Possibly some type of pest control Wrasse...Melanurus, Christmas or Red Lined. (Is this needed for a fowlr or only important for reef tank?)


Everything on the list has a minimum tank size of 70 gallons or less on LA, but I understand this is a fair amount of fish overall, so would like to get suggestions on minimum tank size for this stocking list...hoping to keep it around 100 (4-5' long). Also, any other suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[dkeller_nc]

Well, any of us that have been around a while will tell you that "bigger is better" when it comes to tanks. But seriously, though, you do need to consider the maintenance - a water change, for example, is a lot bigger deal in a 180 gallon than it is in a 40 gallon breeder.

There are two fish on your list that will pretty much mean that you need a 4 foot long tank at a minimum - the pearlscale butterfly and the foxface. Given that's the case, the most cost effective size for a 4' long tank is a 4'x2'x2' 120 gallon tank.

Clowns can be a bit of a coin flip. If they pair off (which they will if you get two juveniles), then they may enter breeding condition and defend their territory against other tankmates. But this isn't always the case, particularly if the other fish are much larger and aren't seen as a threat.

For schooling fish, I'd strongly suggest threadfin cardinals (sometimes called "blue eyed cardinals"). These fish are nice to look at, very active, and won't pick off weaker members of the pack the way that chromis will.

 

[nereefpat]

I can't argue with any of the advice above.

A 120 with probably work. If you can find a 5 ft tank, that would be better. A standard 125 would be even better than that, IMO.

With an aggressive clown like a clarkii, I would just do 1. And I like the cardinal idea.

 

[BigEZ77]

Thanks, will look at that size of tank. Not a big fan of the threadfin cardinal, any other suggestions? What about a small school of anthias?

 

[dkeller_nc]

Anthias can be problematic. Unless you've a really large tank, 4 or 5 tend to become one or two fairly quickly. Many very experienced aquarists have trouble keeping them as a harem in even quite large tanks (i.e., 6 foot, 180 gallons or more).

If you don't like the threadfins, another good schooling cardinal is the redspot or tailspot cardinals. They're even smaller than the threadfins, so a school of 8 to 10 is a possibility in a larger tank (over 100 gallons).

Perhaps we can get Sk8r to chime in on other possibilities for damselfish - she's a good deal of knowledge in that area.

 

[BigEZ77]

Thanks, I'll look at that cardinal. Think I'll stay away from damsels on this tank.

 

[Sk8r]

Chromis have 2 problems---one that they're coming in infected with uronema marinum, and this makes them an iffy choice right now. Second, they will attack each other, picking off the weakest of the group nightly (battles over sleeping spots) until they have adjusted their numbers to what they think is nice. Other damsels, and clowns are damsels, don't like chromis, adding to the problem, and I honestly don't know how clarkiis will react to them. I do know that clarkiis have teeth that can draw blood on a human hand and are quite the little terrors once you have an established mated pair. I got tired of bleeding and gave mine to a breeder, where they lived long and prolifically: I did keep aggression in check by having a holy terror of a blue velvet damsel who kept everything moving in the tank---(blue velvets are actually black with a white belly band and a bright blue V marking). Every time that fish swam one way, everything moved, except the clarkiis, but at least they didn't fight. My advice would be multiple yellowtails, IF the clarkiis don't go after them, with a fiji blue and maybe some blue stars---they won't exactly school, but they'll be in constant motion about the tank. Schooling in most species is a response to threat---and the more you have a fish that will 'boss' the tank, it's likely the little guys will move about The cardinals aren't as busy, but there are some gorgeous ones.

 

[BigEZ77]

Thx Sk8r. Anyone have experience with Red Stop Light Cardinalfish (Fowleria flammea)? Nice color!

 

[dkeller_nc]

Live Aquaria has an entry on the Red Stop Light Cardinals. They suggest that they can be kept in groups, but you might want to post the question about this species in the "Reef Fishes" section - there's bound to be someone that's had a group of them in a larger tank.

 

[BigEZ77]

Live Aquaria has an entry on the Red Stop Light Cardinals. They suggest that they can be kept in groups, but you might want to post the question about this species in the "Reef Fishes" section - there's bound to be someone that's had a group of them in a larger tank.

Yeah, that's where I saw them. I may just do that, thanks.