Since fish stocking thread closed...

[wookiefever]

So what do you guys think about this set up? I have a 55g with a 20g sump. I will be putting rock in the next couple of days and hope to start slowly adding fish in a month or two.

2x Gobiodon atrangulatus
1x Amphiprion ocellaris
1x Centropyge loricula
1x Centropyge bispinosa
1x Gramma loreto
1x Nemateleotris magnifica
1x Ecsenius midas

1x Fromia monilis
1x Mespilia cf globulus

Then a CUC consisting of snails, 1-2 hermit crabs, 1 emerald crab, and 2 cleaner shrimp.

Thanks

 

[ZeeSparrow]

No expert here, but might be a bit much. I also think you may have some issues between the angels. It has been done before, but sometimes they don't get along well.

I would also be hesitant to keep a fromia in a 55g. Heck, I'm hesitant to add one to my 75g as I'm not sure there would be sufficient food for it.

Have you read the sticky ^^^ "SETTING UP" yet? I highly recommend reading it... more than once.

Good luck!

 

[leviburns89]

+1 ^^

From what I've read and studied, you should start out with 1 or 2 fish (pair of clowns), for the first month, then add 2 more fish, wait another month, then 2 more, wait, so on.

The ammonia spike you could potentially encounter may kill your tank if you try to add that many fish at once.

Remember, our reef friends are highly susceptible to minute changes in parameters. So even something as small as a pair of gobys could swing you ammonia to drastic levels.

 

[wookiefever]

No expert here, but might be a bit much. I also think you may have some issues between the angels. It has been done before, but sometimes they don't get along well.

I would also be hesitant to keep a fromia in a 55g. Heck, I'm hesitant to add one to my 75g as I'm not sure there would be sufficient food for it.

Have you read the sticky ^^^ "SETTING UP" yet? I highly recommend reading it... more than once.

Good luck!

As for the Centropyge's I know what you mean as I was thinking the same thing. I really like both but I am thinking that I will have to choose one or the other. Why do you think the fromia is not suited for a 55? I have read through it a bit but I have not memorized it I was originally told to aim for 7-8 fishies but not sure if star and urchin fit in with that....

 

[wookiefever]

+1 ^^

From what I've read and studied, you should start out with 1 or 2 fish (pair of clowns), for the first month, then add 2 more fish, wait another month, then 2 more, wait, so on.

The ammonia spike you could potentially encounter may kill your tank if you try to add that many fish at once.

Remember, our reef friends are highly susceptible to minute changes in parameters. So even something as small as a pair of gobys could swing you ammonia to drastic levels.

Sorry it appears that I was not too clear, I am not adding all the fish at once, this is my idea for the final stocking. I will be slowly introducing the fish. Most likely the Nemateleotris magnifica first.

 

[ZeeSparrow]

As for the Centropyge's I know what you mean as I was thinking the same thing. I really like both but I am thinking that I will have to choose one or the other. Why do you think the fromia is not suited for a 55? I have read through it a bit but I have not memorized it I was originally told to aim for 7-8 fishies but not sure if star and urchin fit in with that....

Ha! I can't say with certainty; I just know that my LFS has had a few different starfish. So I researched each kind as I've seen them available. As I said, I decided against adding one to my tank. I think there is one kind that might be ok in a 75, after it has been up for a year. Just as is recommended for anemones. Stable, mature system. I'm not there yet so haven't absorbed the info enough to pass on decidedly.

If I consider a starfish again, I'll research again. I doubt it though.

Best of luck with your tank!

 

[wookiefever]

I have done a bunch more research and have changed some things out and now I am thinking of this:

1 x Centropyge bispinosa (Coral Beauty)
1 x Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma)
1 x Nemateleotris magnifica (Firefish)
1 x Chrysiptera parasema (Yellowtail Damselfish)
2 x Amphiprion ocellaris (Clowns)

Obviously I will not add all these at once, but I am thinking of starting with either the Nemateleotris magnifica or the two Amphiprion ocellaris. What do you think of this list? I know some people will not recommend the Chrysiptera parsema and that is fine but instead of just saying no explain why not. I know that they are the most docile of the damsels.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bat21]

I have done a bunch more research and have changed some things out and now I am thinking of this:

1 x Centropyge bispinosa (Coral Beauty)
1 x Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma)
1 x Nemateleotris magnifica (Firefish)
1 x Chrysiptera parasema (Yellowtail Damselfish)
2 x Amphiprion ocellaris (Clowns)

Obviously I will not add all these at once, but I am thinking of starting with either the Nemateleotris magnifica or the two Amphiprion ocellaris. What do you think of this list? I know some people will not recommend the Chrysiptera parsema and that is fine but instead of just saying no explain why not. I know that they are the most docile of the damsels.

Thanks in advance.

I had a yellowtail damsel in a 66gal that decided ALL of the rocks belonged to him and no one was allowed near them. So I got rid of him. Now I have lots of small peaceful fish that I could not have gotten if I kept the damsel and everyone swims through the rockwork and isn't bothered (except if they go into the gramma's little cave).

If you really really want one, DEFINITELY add it last after the gramma and firefish are well established and have their own holes.

 

[wookiefever]

I am okay with not getting one just thought it would be nice to add some blue to tank. Would you recommend anything else?

Also what are your opinions on stocking level?

 

[bat21]

I am okay with not getting one just thought it would be nice to add some blue to tank. Would you recommend anything else?

Also what are your opinions on stocking level?

The Coral Beauty will provide blue. I got a blue neon goby to be my blue fish, not nearly as blue, but he's a fun little fish. Here is what I have in my 66gal if you want to use it as a reference:

pair of occ clowns
royal gramma
firefish
neon goby
yellow banded possum wrasse
whitespotted pygmy filefish
cleaner shrimp
peppermint shrimp
blood red fire shrimp

My tank is fish only, no corals. And I do plan on adding a few more fish, provided the bioload allows me. Currently nutrient export is working at a superb level, so I am confident about adding another inhabitant. Every tank is different though. If you take your time in between fish purchases (4-6 weeks minimum) you can observe how your biofilter is performing and if your mechanical/chemical filter is adequate. Then all you need to consider is if the planned new addition will have it's own place in the tank in order to be comfortable. For instance, your gramma and firefish will each choose a hole/cave to be their home. If you want another rock dwelling fish, you need to have a hole available for him. There is just more to stocking levels than bioload is my point.

 

[wookiefever]

Yea that's where I am failing to find info. Wish I knew where to find info on water column levels and what not.

 

[bat21]

Yea that's where I am failing to find info. Wish I knew where to find info on water column levels and what not.

It's not easily available, you're right. Just start a thread in the Reef Fishes forum when you want to know about certain fish. People will be happy to help you out.

 

[A.Astore]

Damsels are one of those fish that if they want to be territorial they become just flat out mean. I had a 55 FOWLR with three of them in, they were not added first and were the smallest fish in the tank so I thought I had some time before they would start giving me trouble but that was not the case. On top of making it near impossible to add other fish they also were near impossible to catch without pulling all the rock work out. Having one and putting it in at the end might give you a decent chance of it not being a complete jerk. Many people put them in their tanks but I seem to hear more trouble than good citizens.

The thing with fish is that no fish is the same and even changing their environment can cause them to change how they interact with other fish so it is really impossible to know how any purchase will end.

A goby or blenny could be fun. Maybe even a wrasse would give you the color you are looking for. The nice thing about a blenny/goby is you would have a fish moving at a lower level of the tank.

If you are going slowly like you say in adding them you will be able to tell when you have reached the point of your tank being happy in terms of bioload. No one will be able to give you a definitive answer because even the smallest difference in tank can change that answer. Your best bet is just to go about it the way you said you were and carefully monitor water quality. If you give the tank time to settle in between additions you will know you are not overstocking. My 55 had more in it than you listed with not a single algae outbreak or even traceable readings (it may have been beginners luck but it was running for almost two years with the same load swimming around).

Our planned stocking list now has changed so many times it is not even funny. We have said multiple times okay this is the last time we are changing it only to change it three more times.

 

[wookiefever]

Okay thank you Astore

 

[wookiefever]

I just finished putting in a false percula and 2 turbo snails

 

[bat21]

I just finished putting in a false percula and 2 turbo snails

I thought you said you were adding rocks soon, and fish in a few months. I hope you aren't going too fast. Is your tank cycled?

 

[wookiefever]

I was going to do that but then ended up getting live rock. I've been told that live rock combined with bio spira will be fine to have fish

 

[bat21]

I was going to do that but then ended up getting live rock. I've been told that live rock combined with bio spira will be fine to have fish

So does that mean you did not cycle your tank? If not, take the clownfish back asap or it will probably die.

 

[wookiefever]

No it means it is cycling with those three in it

 

[bat21]

No it means it is cycling with those three in it

If you had started with dry rock, I would be fine with it. But if you bought actual live rock there is going to be a die off and a drastic ammonia spike. If your clownfish doesn't die, it will simply have burning gills for a few weeks. You were given bad advice. Take back the clown.