Stocking a 36g

Potatohead

Potatohead

New member
I am about ready to start adding fish to my 36 bow, which I intend to have a mixed reef in the coming months. I am considering the following;

2 x Ocellaris Clowns
1 x Azure Damsel

Then either;

1 x Orchid Dottyback
or
1-2 x Green Chromis
or
One more Azure Damsel

Thoughts?

Thanks
 
All of the above with exception of the dottyback are damselfish and can be very aggressive and territorial. The only thing I would advise against is the second azure damsel. 36G Should plenty of room for them to all have their own space and get along.
 
THe dottyback will terrorize the damsels. Terrible disposition and hard to catch. And no damsels in a 36 excepting the mildest clowns. To have more than one damsel, 100 gallons.
Your best bets are in the goby and blenny classes, and pick the very smallest of the blenny class. And if you want the high color of the dottyback, take a look at the basslets, either the chalk or the royal gramma, or the dartfish---dartfish only with jump screen, and only 1 per tank.
A 36 tank is really great for soft corals or stony, given lighting appropriate for each.
 
I second the Royal Gramma. Didn't realize the Dottyback was so aggressive. I thought they were a Basslet as well.
 
Hmm

My LFS has an online fish list, they show some Royal Grammas but they list them as dottybacks and not basslets, but they don't show any basslets at all so it's probably the same fish with a different name.

I'm pretty set on the two clowns and the Azure, at least try it out. I'd like a green fish and maybe a purple fish too. They have green clown gobies but apparently those can nip at SPS corals which I definitely plan on keeping in a few months.

Here is their list if anyone wants to make a suggestion;

http://www.jlaquatics.com/media/newsletter/stocklist/FISH_LIST.pdf
 
Lawnmower Blennies are very cool too. Lots of personality. Very fun to watch

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I have azure damsels in my 180. They don't think anything of chasing away tangs and dwarf angels from their territory. I'd stay clear of damsels in a 36gal.

Tailspot blenny is a great character and interesting colour. Maybe a small goby and pistol shrimp pair?
 
Skip the dottyback, as suggested, Royal Gramma is a better option. Damsels go in last and together if you're putting in two. I don't have any chromis because I heard they are more prone to bring disease into your tank...if you're not running a QT like me ;)
 
PS. Sk8r's advice over mine...didn't read it before responding. He knows damsels, I don't have any...just based my response from what I've read.
 
No damsels or chromis but the clowns or course are fine.. A few firefish would be a good alternative. A blenny would be another but only if your light allows for algae to grow on the glass. Royal gramma is another good one.
 
LED Jack said:
No damsels or chromis but the clowns or course are fine.. A few firefish would be a good alternative. A blenny would be another but only if your light allows for algae to grow on the glass. Royal gramma is another good one.
Click to expand...

A few firefish will become one firefish
 
What about some bottom dwellers like scooters or shrimp Rays? Also, how about a mini angel like a lemon peel (not sure of name, but prob close enough...) or a six line wrasse
(they're said to be aggressive, but it's just luck of the draw, passive or non- passive... I had one for a pretty long time, he was more timid and gentle than a mandarin! Awesome coloration too...).
Good luck!
 
Alright so this weekend we went to the LFS, got two Ocellaris, one Azure Damsel, five nassarius snails and six blue leg hermits, along with a zoa colony and a four headed baseball sized torch coral.

Everything other than the damsel was doing well within hours, the clowns are eating and playing around and the corals are showing great color and PE. The damsel went and hid basically right away, I could find him in the rocks for the first 48 hours, but now I haven't seen him now for 24 hours or so. I'm not sure if he got a better hiding spot or if he didn't make it. My hermits were MIA for a few hours yesterday morning so that has me a little suspicious... Can they (and/or the snails) consume a 1" fish in a few hours?
 
I have some blue-legged hermits that are just murderous. Bought 6 when I set up my cube and 12 cerith snails. Had plenty of extra shells for them too but they just murdered all of the snails. I doubt they could catch your damsel if it was healthy but if he's a little sluggish or something is wrong with him?

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My snails are much larger than the hermits so I am not too concerned about them for now. If the fish died I'm just wondering if it might pollute the tank or if the crabs/snails will clean him up quickly. I tested ammonia last night because I was slightly concerned and it was fine but I will check it again tonight I guess.
 
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