Shallow Reef with Large Footprint - 36x36x12

[forddna]

I know footprint matters more than anything, but with this short of height, bigger fish can't pass over/under each other. How would you all stock this tank? I plan for it to be primarily low growing corals, like zoas, acans, encrusting Monti's, etc. Also, I will be covering it.

 

[GroktheCube]

I'd stick with relatively small fish. With 12" total height, I can't imagine water level being much more than 11". That doesn't leave a lot of headroom.

 

[Spinelessspade]

I would go with a trio of basslets or meaicanthus blennies and some fairy or flasher wrasses

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Tanks with a 12" height are more than likely made to be frag or turtle tanks and not for fish.

 

[forddna]

I would go with a trio of basslets or meaicanthus blennies and some fairy or flasher wrasses

Any basslets are okay in a trio?

What do you guys think about using any non deepwater Anthias?

 

[Spinelessspade]

Any basslets are okay in a trio?

I know that yellow assessors are okay and so are royal grammas, since most basslets have the same behaviour I would assume so

 

[R1ant04]

I would put in a wetmorella or Pseudocheilinops ataenia wrasse....

 

[nuxx]

Anthias.

We have a 60x36x16"... but only coral and inverts in it.

 

[forddna]

I had a trio of Bartlett's in my old 220g. I absolutely love anthias. I'm thinking:

A flasher wrasse to be determined
3 Bartlett's anthias or lyretail (both I read are ok in shallow waters)
1-2 yellow tail damsel (had 2 in my 220)
3 Black Cap Basslets or Royal Grammas
2 perc clowns

Thoughts?

 

[nuxx]

Sounds good... but you really want those YT Damsels?

 

[forddna]

If I do them, I'll add them last. I loved them in my 220. They were model citizens and minded their own business.

 

[HPark]

Sounds good... but you really want those YT Damsels?

Why the hate for yellow-tailed damsels? Super cheap, bright, flashy and I've never found them to be that aggressive. A model reef citizen imo.

 

[nuxx]

Too many stories of them going into a tank first and terrorizing future additions.

 

[HPark]

Hmm...maybe Chrysiptera cyanea males but parasema and hemicyanea are pretty chill in my experience (10+ years). I'd give them a look sometime if you have the room, I think you might find a more docile fish than you think.

But maybe I like to live dangerously! :crazy1:

Edit: I should note, I've never added them first into a tank - not sure if it would impact how I view them. Plus, the other fish I like to keep...angels, tougher wrasses, etc...might just handle them better.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

I might be setting up a long but shallow tank in the future. Just curious, are there any shallow water anthias in the wild? I'll be mimicking a shallow reef of course with plenty of flow and light. So I mentally counted anthias out of my potential stock list because most of the info I found said they don't like strong light with only a few exceptions that can adapt to it.

 

[forddna]

I might be setting up a long but shallow tank in the future. Just curious, are there any shallow water anthias in the wild? I'll be mimicking a shallow reef of course with plenty of flow and light. So I mentally counted anthias out of my potential stock list because most of the info I found said they don't like strong light with only a few exceptions that can adapt to it.

Check this thread out.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1542573

 

[forddna]

Hmm...maybe Chrysiptera cyanea males but parasema and hemicyanea are pretty chill in my experience (10+ years). I'd give them a look sometime if you have the room, I think you might find a more docile fish than you think.

But maybe I like to live dangerously! :crazy1:

Edit: I should note, I've never added them first into a tank - not sure if it would impact how I view them. Plus, the other fish I like to keep...angels, tougher wrasses, etc...might just handle them better.

I read that they also do better in small groups and are less territorial that way. I had just one at first (with a couple of tangs), and added the second one months later. They only seemed to care about what each other was doing and nobody else.

Oh! That reminded me of my Falco Hawk for some reason. I definitely want another one! Or a longnose? Never had one. The flame is ordinary looking to me..

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Check this thread out.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1542573

Good info. Thanks

 

[microlady]

My C. hemicyanea is very docile. He gets picked on frequently by ocellaris pair and the flame angel. His colors are amazing.