stocking 65 gallon reef tank.

[Chad Vossen]

looking for combinations.

fish that i have interest in: fairy wrasse, flasher wrasse, blue chromis, firefish (dartfish), dwarf angels (flame is favorite), many gobies.

these are my top favorites i can come up with but im looking for ideas to stock the 65 gal reef tank. tank will be set up in 6+ months, but i want plenty of time to think.

current fish are royal gramma, false perc (plan to get a 2nd)

i realy like tangs but it doesnt seem like an option.

my rockscape plan is to offer alot of space and huge amount of space within the rockwork for hidding. with sand bottom. corals i plan to keep is soft coral, lps, polyps, and montipora

 

[hgbarwick]

How about keeping a Bicolor Blenny? I love mine. He is very active always rock hpping. I have one in my 12 gallon. He is a model citizen and goes very nicley with my tank. You could also get a Black Occellaris Clown. I love mine. She is also very active. I like the misbar the best.

 

[Chad Vossen]

i do like blennys, ill look into a bi-color. i borrowed a lawnmower blenny and he was neat.

 

[hgbarwick]

Borrowed? What do you mean by that? Well anyways lawnmowers are dragonets.

 

[Razzagas]

lawnmowers are not dragonets

 

[hgbarwick]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7891110#post7891110 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Razzagas
lawnmowers are not dragonets

Oh yeah. I get those and scooters mixed up alot.

 

[Angel*Fish]

fish that i have interest in: fairy wrasse, flasher wrasse, blue chromis, firefish (dartfish), dwarf angels (flame is favorite), many gobies.

You can get mated pairs of of some of the fairy wrasses that make a really nice display

Best to add the flame last

A cool fish that likes to sit on the bottom would round out things - like gobies - I have a pair of striped gobies with their shrimp somewhere in my tank - I see them once every month or 2 - but my yellow watchman goby always likes to be up front where the action is (and where I can actually see him)

As mentioned a "rock sitter" would be a nice compliment also ( the bicolor blenny)
Spotted mandarins are nice once your reef is established

Don't know if you have an anemone, but IMO, clowns are more fun to watch when they have one

 

[nengland]

Re: stocking 65 gallon reef tank.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7890610#post7890610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by armagedon48


i realy like tangs but it doesnt seem like an option.

True, 65 gals are tall and they don't afford much space for swimming. You could though probably get away with something like a Chevron Tang though. Chevrons stay relatively small, have beautiful colours, and sport that nice grazing mouth to keep some of the algae down.

Someone above mentioned rock sitters... Perhaps a longnose hawkfish?

 

[Angel*Fish]

Chevrons stay relatively small, have beautiful colours, and sport that nice grazing mouth to keep some of the algae down.

Are you speaking of Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis?
They get as large as 11 inches and the pretty orange & blue juvenile changes to large dark greenish brown fish- sorry to have to correct you - maybe we're talking about different fish

 

[hgbarwick]

I wouldn't do any tang in a 65 gallon.

 

[nengland]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7895453#post7895453 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish
Are you speaking of Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis?
They get as large as 11 inches and the pretty orange & blue juvenile changes to large dark greenish brown fish- sorry to have to correct you - maybe we're talking about different fish

Yes, we're talking about the same fish.

http://www.fishtanksandponds.info/live-stock/marine/surgeonfish.htm
<b>
C. hawaiiensis</b><i> â€"œ The Chevron Tang or Hawaiian Bristletooth Tang is uniquely coloured fish that loses it’s bright colouration as it matures. The Chevron Tang got its name for the chevron type markings found on the body of juvenile specimens. They are still relatively new on the market and fairly rare so information is fairly limited. They are difficult to acclimatize to captivity but after it adapts it’s a hardy fish that eats a great deal. They are slow growers and can reach a size of 8 inches.</i>

This seems to confirm what my LFS told me.

I'm guessing that captive fish don't thrive as well as those in the wild and the 11 inch figure might be referring to adult Chevrons in the wild.

I could be totally wrong though. My experience in the hobby is slight at best.

 

[SDguy]

There are smaller Ctenochaetus species. Tomini or kole. Not sure what the dimensions of a 65g are though...

 

[Angel*Fish]

I'm guessing that captive fish don't thrive as well as those in the wild and the 11 inch figure might be referring to adult Chevrons in the wild

If that's the "standard" we're going to use then we would need to categorize other larger tangs as 8 in. fish like the Vlamingi's and regal (blue) tang.

And then we must assume that the smaller Ctenochaetus's would only reach ~20% of the wild size of say, 5 inches or so. And I guess I can have that sohal after all....

When you compare one fish to another there has to be a standard. And when you are posting on an international board recommending footlong fish that turn drab colors as " stay relatively small, have beautiful colours" you might mention that you don't mean relative to other similar fish and that the colors will disappear - Imagine how a person selecting from the bristletooths would be disappointed to discover he could have found a smaller more light colored one like a lavender tang for example.

Your website link is interesting but someone needs to email them and see if they can do a correction - 8 in. is incorrect.

I'm afraid I have stopped being sorry for correcting you, it's turning into more work than it needs to be

Here are some other links... my original source is S. Michael

When in the juvenile stage they are small, averaging a length of only about two to four inches. As an adult this fish can reach a length of up to 12 incheshttp://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/surgeonfishcare/l/blpickchevtang.htm

Size: Up to 11 inches http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1875&articleid=2032

Sometimes when you get fish info it helps to consider the source - i found one online fish retailer who recommended 20 as min. tank size for this fish

 

[nengland]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7896182#post7896182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish
If that's the "standard" we're going to use then we would need to categorize other larger tangs as 8 in. fish like the Vlamingi's and regal (blue) tang.

And then we must assume that the smaller Ctenochaetus's would only reach ~20% of the wild size of say, 5 inches or so. And I guess I can have that sohal after all....

If captive raised tangs only grew to 20% of their max size then an 11 inch Chevron would only be 2.20 inches. No one was saying that was the case... but if it were true (though obviously it's not) then I guess you could have your sohal. Please don't be overly dramatic by exagerating what I said.

...when you are posting on an international board recommending footlong fish that turn drab colors as " stay relatively small, have beautiful colours...

Don't be silly, and again, over dramatic. It's great that this is an international audience. Being such a large group subjects us all to enormous peer review which should only encourage people to speak their minds.

I can't believe you're trying to guilt me for participating in such a group. That's so horrible.

As a side thought, can you imagine how much more damaging it would be alone in a LFS with no one else there to speak up and put their two cents in?

Sometimes when you get fish info it helps to consider the source - i found one online fish retailer who recommended 20 as min. tank size for this fish

WOAH! Thank you for that annecdote. That's... amazing and depressing all in the same. :eek2:

It definitely gives me a better "appreciation" for the recommendations handed down by retailers.

 

[Angel*Fish]

Originally posted by Angel*Fish
If that's the "standard" we're going to use then we would need to categorize other larger tangs as 8 in. fish like the Vlamingi's and regal (blue) tang.

And then we must assume that the smaller Ctenochaetus's would only reach ~20% of the wild size of say, 5 inches or so. And I guess I can have that sohal after all....

Well, unlike you I can admit to a mistake - I accidentaly reversed what I was trying to say - I should have said 80% rather than 20%. If you notice I did say this 7 inch fish would reach around 5 inches which is more in the 20% range.

It's unfortunate that people like you without a factual leg to stand on resort to things like calling people silly and dramatic.

And this statement:

I can't believe you're trying to guilt me for participating in such a group. That's so horrible

What on earth are you talking about? Guilt you? Horrible? It was horrible of me to point out to you that someone might read your post and act on it? I can't believe you are calling me dramatic when you say things like that.

Would it be better for you if I simply concede you are right and were right all along?
OK here goes - everyone - Chevron tangs only get to be 8 inches and are very colorful fish for your tank. And I'll go you one further - they are real real hardy. Get 2! Great beginner fish .

I'm sorry I bothered.

 

[hgbarwick]

Moral of the story. Chevrons need big tanks with lots of swimming room. For a 65 just get some smaller fish. Bicolor Blenny Maroon Clown, Royal Gramma, Watchman Goby/Pistol Shrimp combo would be nice/

 

[ACBlinky]

If you want a nice peaceful mix everything in the above list except the maroon would probably work together, and you could add firefish, clown gobies, neon gobies, fairy wrasses etc. to the list of possibilities.

A maroon (or even better a pair) would be nice if kept with tougher, semi-agressive fish like dwarf angels, damsels, dottybacks, etc.

 

[Chad Vossen]

i realy like the over all support with the fairy wrasses.

so far, pair of fairy wrasse, pair of false percs + rbta, royal gramma, flame angel and bicolor blenny or goby.

this looks to be an attactive display, now imagin a ton of montiporas, candy cane and frogspawn, and other goodies

i cant get neon gobys because the poor little guy might end up lunch. i think same goes for clown gobies.

ill turn my 10 gallon tank into a macro algae tank with pipefish and a few neon gobys. i have some red macro algaes that are itching to get big and bushy.

 

[Chad Vossen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7895124#post7895124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish
You can get mated pairs of of some of the fairy wrasses that make a really nice display

Best to add the flame last

Don't know if you have an anemone, but IMO, clowns are more fun to watch when they have one

i will add all agressive fish at once, clownfish, royal gramma and the angel. the fairy wrasses will go in first because i understand they often have health problems and i would like them to be established before they get company.

i also plan to have a mushroom shapped rock come up from the sand with holes in it to put a bubble tip anemone on. sort of make an island to keep it from geting on my other rocks and dealing death to corals or hurting itself.

 

[Angel*Fish]

i also plan to have a mushroom shapped rock come up from the sand with holes in it to put a bubble tip anemone on. sort of make an island to keep it from geting on my other rocks and dealing death to corals or hurting itself.

Sound like a really neat idea. IME as long as the BTA has a really nice, roomy place to hide its base and is close to the light with water flow similar to what you'd want for Euphyllia, they stay put.
Post pictures, please