Stocking compatibility

[Drewbe147]

Hello everyone! Longer post I'm sorry in advance lol. I recently set up and cycled a 90 gallon 4 foot tank 15 gallon or so sump. Tank has a center overflow, 50 or so pounds of reef saver rock from BRS, 15lbs of live rock from my LFS, possibly adding a few pieces of tonga shelf as well soon, 1.5-2" of ocean direct carib sea sand substrate, 2 koralia PH 1150s, mag drive return, 2 fluval sea led A3985 fixtures, reef octopus 150SS skimmer. The skimmer/substrate/dry and live rock/PHs/heater all bought new. The rest (tank/stand/canopy/return/lights/sump) all got used on an amazing deal. After displacement of rock/substrate my total water volume is around 85gallons. I always wanted to get into Aquariums but never pulled the trigger til now. I'm married with 2 young kids and a 3rd on the way so this is a complete family project and enjoyment with everyone involved. I however am the one reading/researching/building/cleaning. My wife checks all the parameters. Im holding at a 1.0255 -1.026 SG (dips a little from evaporation until i top off every morning) ammonia nitirite 0s nitrates are at 5 PH is 8.0. So far (after cycle completed) I have added a pair of juvenile oc. clowns one slightly larger than the other to create a bonded pair (theyve been in a week getting along great) I also have 3 hermits and a small peppermint shrimp for cleanup crew (will add assortment of snails soon and as needed to help cuc). My current plan is to run a FOWLR setup for close to the first year to help create strong husbandry and ensure success before I add corals. When I do start adding corals it will mainly have softies/zoas/few LPS. Now that info is out of the way onto my stocking question reguarding FOWLR set up. I want to know if my list seems compatible with everyone as I do have a few semi aggressive fish on the list.

1. Pair of oc. clowns (already in the tank)
2. Linespot flasher wrasse (1 male 3 female is my thoughts)
3. Exquisite fairy wrasse (1male)
4. Flame angel (I know potential hazard to when i go reef)
5. Coral beauty (Again potential hazard/add same time as Flame to minimize aggression)
6. Yellow tang (tang police don't kill me)
7. Diamondback goby (after tank is well established 1yr+ to ensure substrate will have proper food for this sand sifter)

My worry is the possible aggession against the wrasses from the dwarf angels and yellow tang. That is also the order im thinking of adding as well. I am brand new to this hobby this is my first saltwater tank. I personally think my stocking list will work but wanted input from people who have (obviously) more experience than myself. Thanks in advance for any and all advice or constructive criticism.

Drew

 

[Icewing726]

So in my experience in this forum it's rare not to get a response. Don't give up on this place, there's plenty of knowledgeable individuals around.

Anyway, I once successfully kept 2 bamboo cat sharks, a lion fish, a blue hippo tang, a foxface, a sunset wrasse, a panther grouper (Awesome fish by the way that will one day eat your tank), and two peaceful eels in a 75 gallon no sump tank. I think the reason no ones commenting on your compatibility is the pure fact that they don't have direct knowledge, which isn't a bad thing.


ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION HERE:***************************
Research your fish and rank them in aggression levels.

The least aggressive fish should be added first.

Buy a 10 gallon tank so you can dump any ***hole fish that screw the balance up into it safely and drive it to the fish store the next day (preferably for a refund but to give away works as well). Believe it or not I got a sunset wrasse that didn't touch crabs, my current ones remind me of raptors out of Jurrasic park.... but I digress.

My point is, the more aggressive fish being added last will allow your more submissive fish to establish first. Get rid of your aggressive fish as they pose problems or accept them and move on.

This is a fun hobby if you enjoy research, if you don't then embrace peaceful fish. Either way PLAN AND READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously though bro, this is a great place to learn. Feel free to pm me (Seriously).



EDIT####################*&*********************************************************************
OH and consider posting in the more specialized question area, I reread your post (apologize I have been drinking) and you have a good plan in place. They can probably help you better then this area can

 

[Hooligan]

Two comments:

The wrasse harem will likely turn into 1 survivor. Just get the male and call it a day. Do some searches - there's lots of info on this topic...

The yellow tang is a stretch - perhaps consider a kole?

 

[homer1475]

2 angels in a 90 will end up with one.

 

[nereefpat]

Good advice on the wrasse.

I would probably pick one of the angels. It's possible that they will get along, and it might be worth trying. Just be prepared to rehome one if needed. You could substitute for a yellow wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) or orchid (fridmani) dottyback or royal gramma...up to you.

I think the yellow tang is okay, since it's the only big fish. I agree the kole or one of its cousins might be a better choice.

 

[Drewbe147]

I appreciate all the advice. About the wrasse harems I read that as long as the females are added first or at the same time as the male survival rates were very high? The Yellow Tang is one of my favorite fish (both my kids as well) we want to try it in the tank. If/when the YT outgrows my tank my LFS and friend who helped get me into this hobby is also setting up yet another personal tank for himself thats 10’x4’x30”tall. I talked with him about the YT and/or if the aggression of one of the dwarf angels cant be managed he will take them for that tank. The orchid dottyback and royal gramma I looked into first due to their beautiful vibrant colors. However by my readings they hide alot and some are lucky to see them. I havent looked at the yellow wrasse yet. Thanks for the responses

 

[thegrun]

The Yellow Tang will likely be fine for a year or more if you start with a juvenile. Dwarf Angels are likely to become problematic even if you only keep one. I kept a single Flame Angel for over five years is a 75 gallon tank without issue (until it jumped one night when I didn't set my screen cover on correctly), but since then I have gone through three (one at a time) in my 120 gallon tank but I had to remove all three eventually due to aggression issues. I really think that dwarf angels need at least a 180 gallons long term or they get overly aggressive with their tank mates. I just don't see two working in a 90 gallon tank.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Just for comparison I have a 90 gallon and this is my stock list;

1. 4-5” Dusky wrasse (halichoeres species)
2. 1.5” Mcoskers Flasher wrasse.
3. Yellow tang.
4. Pajama cardinal
5. Lawnmower blenny
6-7. Pair of onyx snowflake clowns
8. Royal gramma
9. Virgate Rabbitfish

This is a high bioload and I feed heavily. My cleanup crew has a tiger striped serpent star, fighting conch, various hermits and snails, purple pincushion urchin. The only aggression I have ever seen of from the dusky wrasse to the smaller wrasse. Every once in a while he will chase it into a rock. It’s back out in a minute and they ignore each other afterward. The yellow tang did not like the rabbitfish for about a day, but that ended quickly and they swim around together now. And there was some aggression between the clowns as they matured and one became a dominant female. This is expected and I would have been worried had it not happened.

 

[anthonys51]

I'll keep it simple

You don't have to wait to add corals.
I normally wait to add fish because they are the waste machines that make the tank dirty.
Get some Zoas mushrooms Gsp Kenya Xenia and watch them grow like crazy.

Better to have that then algae covered rocks .
Stick to one wrasse of each species
I added 2 melanurus wrasses to my 265 tank. One female one male. 9 months later I had to take out the male the female was chasing it relentlessly and eventually turned into a male

In a 90 you can do a few wrasses but try to get them from different species ok
The 2 angels will probably fight. Might get away with it for a little. But pick the one you like the best.
I have 5 in my 265 they all get along but my tank is 7 feet

The yellow tang is fine for a 90 just get a small one and add last
I currently have 4 in my 80 gallon tank with 2 baby mata tanks for 9 months so it can be done. Just add at same time

I believe in adding a lot of different fish this way your fish don't give all the bad attention to one Fish

Me feeding my fish
https://youtu.be/cJWh4dbg4LE



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Drewbe147]

Thank you everyone for your inputs. So if and most likely all the female wrasses turn into males and instead of going that route just getting 1 male linespot flasher and the 1 male exquisite fairy what other wrasses would be good to mix in with them? I still havent made up my mind on the angels if I want to try them both together and if things don’t work out give the one back to the LFS for his big tank or just picking one. They’re both beautiful fish so no idea which id pick. Back to the wrasses my main reasoning for wanting the harem was to have the high activity in the water column together. I know in home aquariums its hard to get fish to school/shoal but that was my hopes somewhat. Basically i guess my questions now are would it be different for the harem if i got all females? And let them pick who the male will be? Or would that still result in the same all male outcome? And if I went with males of different species of wrasse which would complement and be compatible with the exquisite fairy(Cirrhilabrus exquisitus) and the linespot(Paracheilinus lineopunctatus)?

 

[Drewbe147]

Anthony I love Zoanthids. The shelf rock im going to be adding to my island section of rock is specifically to make a little Zoa tree/garden on top of the shelf using 6 or more different colors of Zoas. I can’t wait! Also plan on the opposite side of the tank i have a archway area that I plan to put either some frogspawn and/or hammer coral on to hope for my clowns to host. I dont want to go the anenome route due to them moving around the tank. My middle section of rock is my largest has like a pilar with a cave tied to another archway that slopes i to the bottom of the pilar kind of. My plans for the lower sections is adding a ricordea or 2, a acan echinata, micromussa, couple of rhodactis, maybe a platygyra maze brain. Up on the pilar for maybe a sps or 2 when im comfortable enough to jump to sps. The frogspawn/hammer is what im considering as my first add then my zoa garden. In my area the only LFS is a coral shop mainly that has very few fish(yellow tang, clowns,dottyback,watchman goby) but will order/look for whatever i request fish wise. Each time we go to the LFS my wife just sees future dollar signs floating out my wallet lol