Stocking comments

[daveverdo]

Future Fish List

Hi All,

Looking for some suggestions and comments on my ideas for future additions to my tank.

90gal with 65gal sump, total water volume about 130gal.
I have a very undersized skimmer but will be upgrading soon.
About 100lbs live rock, 60 in the display and 40 in the sump.

I have a few LPS, some soft corals, zoos and various mushrooms.

Current Fish
1 - One Spot Foxface
1 - Royal Gramma
1 - Yellowtail Blue Damsel
2 - Ocellaris

1 - skunk cleaner shrimp
1 - sally lightfoot crab
1 - fighting conch
some larger scarlet hermits
some small blue leg hermits
misc snails of all kinds

What I would like down the line.

mandarin dragonete (Synchiropus picturatus, Pterosynchiropus splendidus, or Synchiropus splendidus)

red/orange spotted blenny (Istiblennius chrysospilos)

Whitecheek Tang (Acanthurus japonicus)

Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani)

Possibly a small angel, like a Flame or Coral Beauty.


Any compatibility issues?

If I got all of these I would certainly be pushing the envelope so I don't think I would get them all. The only must have is the mandarin.

Anthias?
Hawkfish?

Thanks for any suggestions for substitutions, recommendations, or comments.

Dave

 

[kirkaz]

Not exactly what I would call an "Aggressive" stocklist...I don't really see any compatibility issues. The only thing I would say is any Tang is borderline in a 90 gallon (I assume 4 foot long) tank. If you do the Tang, make him last in, and plan on him being very territorial with any fish added after him.

Hawkfish and Anthias would be fine also.

 

[LisaD]

sounds like a good list. however, I have some reservations about your choice of tang as well. you picked what IMO is a somewhat challenging tang (even though a much better choice than A nigircans or achilles) especially with you being somewhat new to salt. this tang is also very active for a tank that's only 4". I'd put in a different one - there are other choices that stay smallish and aren't as active, so may not need a longer tank. my favorite is the mimic tang (A. pyroferus), though it may be too close in color to the foxface. maybe get the "other" mimic, A tristis. also consider scopas or kole tang.

be sure your tank is VERY well established, with a good pod population before you add a mandarin. you may need more rock in the tank to support a mandarin. can you section off part of your sump to act as a refugium? if at all possible, find a mandarin that is eating frozen in the LFS (not all that common). target mandarins are a little easier to train to eat frozen, IMO. if it is possible to get a mandarin to eat frozen, good foods are small mysis, cyclopeez. brine shrimp is usually not nutritionally sufficient.

read the mandarin FAQ in the box on the home page, important info.

I'd definitely add a dwarf angel, maybe a medium angel too. The foxface and the tang will need one other centerpiece fish to balance things out, IMO.

this stocking density depending, of course, on you getting a suitable skimmer for the bioload. otherwise, fewer fish...

 

[LisaD]

Just saw this thread that may interest you, relative to a mandarin, in case you haven't seen it already... and I agree with folks in the thread that you MUST have pods as the base diet, though being able to supplement is good, especially if the pod population crashes for some reason. (not uncommon to occasionally occur, even in very healthy tanks.)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1390663

 

[daveverdo]

LisaD

LisaD

I am aware of the needs of a mandarain as I have been keeping Saltwater fish since 1972, >35 years experience. I am asking for stocking advice because after 35 years I finally got a larger tank. I had the same 30g running on and off for all those years.

I think you have your tangs reversed. Most references say that Acanthurus japonicus is much hardier than A. nigircans. In fact, the only reference that I know of that has the reverse is Scott W. Michael.

Thanks anyway.

Dave

 

[LisaD]

sorry, daveverdo, I didn't notice your experience in your signature line. I'm not sure why I thought you were new to salt. I think I saw the "1st" in your sig line and read no further, misreading it as this was your first year.

I don't have the tangs reversed. What I wrote:

you picked what IMO is a somewhat challenging tang (even though a much better choice than A nigircans or achilles)

A. japonicus IS the hardier tang. However, it is also a pretty active tang for a 4 foot tank. That was my main reservation and the reason for my comment.

On the mandarin, when you get enough pods established, why not consider a pair? They have interesting courting behaviors and are really wonderful fish.

Good luck with the tank, big tanks are a lot of fun. I thought I had a big tank once I went from a 120 to a 210. Now it doesn't seem big enough, and I want a 350+.

 

[daveverdo]

Sorry.

Dave

 

[LisaD]

No problem, Dave. Did you decide what you want to keep in the tank? Planning for the stocking a new tank is a lot of fun. The problem is, when I finish my list is about the time I realize I need a bigger tank. I usually try to stock my tank around my several favorite fish. You have some really nice fish already, IMO. Foxfaces are really under-rated, they and the rabbit fish are really great fish. I've never had a fish live as long as a royal gramma I had, with the exception of my zebra moray.

I also meant to write that I've had an orchid dottyback for many years, and it is a very good community tank fish, not aggressive, like some dottybacks. IMO this one is a great choice too.

If you decide to get a hawkfish, I'd recommend a flame hawk.

 

[daveverdo]

Lisa,

Did you have the Orchid and the Royal Gramma together? What size tank?

Mixing these tow is a concern of mine.

Dave

 

[LisaD]

Dave,

I understand the concern. Sorry, I wasn't considering compatibility, just that they are both great fish. Individually, they are great in a community. I had a royal gramma in my 120 along with many larger fish, including an Australian harlequin tusk, emperor angel, mimic tang and soapfish. It never had a problem with these fish, and could stand up for itself pretty well, but was never aggressive. Although it did do a pretty funny gape when it was trying to face down another fish.

I have the orchid dottyback currently in a 25 with a pair of leaf fish and a few blennies (black sailfin and bi-color). I have had it with seahorses (now in a different tank) and a six-line wrasse (jumped out of the tank after a few years). I've had this fish since 2005, and my mother had it at least a year before that, so these are pretty hardy, long-lived fish as well.

In your 90 gallon tank, I would imagine any conflict would be eventually resolved by them setting up territories on opposite ends of the tank. I would worry about the dottyback with another pseudochromis, but wouldn't worry so much about the gramma/dottyback combination in a large tank. (I DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE MIXING THEM, HOWEVER.)

Has anyone with a similarly large tank advised you of their experience mixing these fish? In my experience, orchid dottybacks are among the mellowest of the group. I have never seen mine show any aggression. In larger tanks, small fish that might squabble because of similar coloration will often co-exist if they can establish their own territories.

 

[daveverdo]

No one that advised against it has actually had the two together, but several raised concerns.

Thanks,
Dave