stocking 75 gal

[r0bin]

Can you guys help me out with fishy suggestions for my new 75 gal that I set up this past weekend. It will be a little while before I buy anything b/c I want the tank and water to stabilize. Right now the inhibits are:

bi-color blennie
purple pseudo
clarkii clown

Fish of interest to me are:

dwarf angels
tangs
chromis
wrasse

Please help me w/ compatibility and what needs to be added first and last. I realize I cannot have all of the fish I listed b/c it would be overstocked.

Disclaimer
(note to newbs: you cannot set up a 75 and stock it as quickly as I did with 3 fish, I had aged water, rock, and substate from my 29 gal.)

 

[lebloom]

I've got a Yellow Tang and a Coral Beauty in my 75 and they do real good together.

 

[r0bin]

What, and how often do you feed your tang?

Also, with the risk of tank police invasion, would it be possible to have a blue tang and a yellow tang in this tank together? I know people say 75 is to small for a blue tang but Foster Smith says 70 gal minimum tank size for a blue. There is a lot of swimming room in the tank, as I have about 40 lbs of live rock.

 

[Unlikely_Hero]

I kept a blue tang in my 55 for quite a long time, and she was just fine. But I made it a point to leave her plenty of room at the top to swim. Now I've got another one, only she's a baby (about 2 1/2") and there's plenty of room for now. I'm planning on upgrading soon, though.

Personally, I think as long as your filtration is competent and you keep up on your maintenance, you could add both tangs, a dwarf angel, and a wrasse and be in good shape.

I think people get overly obsessive about over-stocking tanks around here. I've gone 3/4" to the gallon for ever since I can remember and been just fine.

 

[DesertBandits]

The question is: How long till you plan to upgrade past your 75? I was at a Rainforest Cafe, and in their big tank they had some yellow tangs the size of dinner plates swimming around. I couldn't Imaging putting a fish that large, that likes to swim that much in such a small tank. Only a juvie tang should have a temporary stay in a 75; that size tank is too small for an adult.

If you plan on sticking with a 75 for some time here are some fish that I think are pretty cool that won't outgrow your tank (liveaquaria.com for pictures):

Flame angel 4" (coolest looking dwarf)
Pygmy angel 2" (I have one and like it)
Mystery Wrasse 5" (amazing colors)
Fairy Wrasse 4" (also cool colors)
Green chromis (they are kinda boring looking, but it is cool that they are pretty much always swimming out in the open)

Also, why not get another clarkii. they can pair up and you'll have a male and the big one will become the female.

my 2 cents.

 

[r0bin]

I would like to have another clarkii, but I thought they would fight?

 

[stykthyn]

get a juvi clarkii and you have a fighting chance of forming a pair, check out the clownfish forum and check out the stickies, they have some great info. I would skiop the chromis. your clarkii will decimate them in no time.