Stocking Help, Please take the time to help me! Thanks!

[Danley]

Hello,
I am stocking a 65 gallon saltwater (obviously) reef tank. The tank has been up since 1/17/10. Its a little over 5 months. Its matured quite quickly, and I need some stocking help. I would like to put a sixline wrasse in (But last( to control some pests, as I have heard this is perhaps the best for unwanted pests (overall). Here is my question, I would like to stock the whole tank, and make it as peaceful as I can for the sixline but also for my other fishes. I love COLORFUL fish, and very unique personality fishes. Here's my wishlist. Please keep in mind I wont be adding all of these, but its a list, please pick a very good combination. Im wanting some ideas.

Sixline wrasse (For sure)
Yellow watchman Goby
Ocelarris Clownfish
Yellow Tang
Any anthias(s)
Longnose hawkfish

There is nothing currently in the tank as far as fish. I have gorgonians, star polyps, LPS, SPS, mushrooms, and feather dusters. I also have hermits, and a variety of snails. I don't want any fish that will even look at my corals the wrong way =D Please help me stock this tank beautifully, adding color and personality. The list above doesnt have to be exact , so you can add maybe your favorite fish, but please make sure their reef safe, and it will be a peacful community. Thanks for all your time and consideration!
:spin3:

 

[Beblebe]

The Yellow Tang is too big for that tank. You could probably keep a very small anthia (like a sunset and ONLY ONE) and every thing else. I personally wouldn't keep the anthia though.

 

[Danley]

May i ask your opinion why? and I can put EVERYTHING else beside the tang into my tank, that wont be overcrowded and it will be peaceful?

 

[Danley]

A sunset anthias needs like 125 gallons or so why not a sidpar anthias that requires around 70? Hmm...keep the thoughts comming please

 

[LisaD]

IME six line wrasse are great fish, but not compatible with any other wrasse. Some people have reported aggression, though mine was a model citizen.

See my comments below:

Sixline wrasse (For sure) - great as long as you don't have other wrasses
Yellow watchman Goby - nice fish, consider pairing with a large tiger pistol shrimp
Ocelarris Clownfish - consider a pair
Yellow Tang - too big, IMO
Any anthias(s) - not sure your tank is big enough, I don't have experience with these
Longnose hawkfish - I prefer flame hawks

A great addition would be an orchid dottyback or royal gramma - these stay small, are very colorful, hardy, and should get along with the other fish

For a yellow fish, consider a midas blenny

Hogfish are wrasses, and may or may not be compatible with a six line (I'm not sure) - look into some of the very small, colorful, reef safe hogfish such as the candy cane wrasse. There is a really pretty yellow one, below.

yellow candy wrasse:

Another nice, colorful fish, not related to hogfish, is the swiss guard basslet:

Jawfish are really nice, if you have a deep end of your tank. Beautiful, peaceful, engaging.

If you stay on top of water quality, I don't see why you couldn't 6-8 small, peaceful reef fish.

 

[Danley]

Are jawfish and gobies compatable. I also have a lot of LR, will I ever see them?

 

[LisaD]

They should be compatible. Jawfish are often poking their heads out of their tunnels. I think you will see the fish, maybe not all the time.

 

[liquidfunk]

Thats actually not a candy cane wrasse, thats a 2 spot candy hog.

A candy cane wrasse is hologymnosus doliatus

+1 for midas blenny,, such cool personalities as well as beautiful fish, keep an eye out for one with blue eyes!

 

[MCCOOL]

the jawfish should be fine with gobies, just make sure you have a deep enough sand bed. I agree the tang is too small, and +2 for the midas blenny.

 

[lisafoster]

Stay away from tangs they get too big. +3 on the midas blenny you could do a blue jaw as long as your tank is covered they are jumpers and you have a deeper sandbed 3 inches plus. I have heard alot of stories of 6 lines being aggresssive but I do not have any personal experience with this fish

 

[mal1099]

ID drop the six line wrasse mean little turds.. Look into fairy wrasses they stay small and are very peaceful. I have a scotts , red velvet, yellow head and also have a vermiculate leopard wrasse , melanarus in my tank and no one fights. Course i have a 150 with a lot of rock for hiding and 3-4 inches of sand. I plan on adding at least 4-6 more fairy wrasses.

No tangs i think in a 65 just not enough swimming room in my opinion. You could get a really small one but in a year you would have to rehome it.

+4 midas blenny awesome looking fish.

Watchman goby nice fish. I have one and it disappears every so often. You could get 2 and try to pair them up instead of a pistol shrimp. Mated pairs are just as cool to watch.

With most of the above you need either a covered tank or do like me and have your canopy 8 inches high before openings around the complete tank so if they jump they bounce back in.

Longnose Hawkfish would do great for you. Dont have any hawkfish myself so no pros or cons to suggest to you.

Also id suggest a dwarf angel. Coral beautys and flame angels are very good fish. Some do nip corals tho. My Flame has been a model citizen from what i have observed.

Hope i helped you out. No matter what you choose good luck with them.

 

[LisaD]

@liquidfunk

Thats actually not a candy cane wrasse, thats a 2 spot candy hog.
A candy cane wrasse is hologymnosus doliatus

I actually showed a picture because common names can be confusing. I know it's a hogfish, common name yellow candy hogfish, Bodianus bimaculatus, see link from liveaquaria below. Hogfish are wrasses. My use of candy cane wrasse was wrong, but I mentioned it is a hogfish. The hogfish is the fish I was recommending. Just to be clear.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+35+1157&pcatid=1157

 

[deadmanh]

Rather than a Yellow tang, and Six line wrasse, you could add a Yellow Coris wrasse. Smaller, active, BRIGHT YELLOW..... just a thought.

 

[Mattik]

Not sure about the wrasse, but as for the tang and the anthias, I have a yellow tang in a 75 (not much larger that yours) and a lyretail anthia....they both do very well in there in terms of swimming room.

The only thing about the tang is the potential for water quality issues. They require feeding of sheet algae, and they tend to rip it to shreds as they eat. This leaves a lot of pieces loose in the tank where it decays and mucks up the water.

IMO that is the real reason a 65 (or arguably a 75) may be too small. I don't really believe a 65 provides too little swimming room though...just my opinion.

 

[revaltion131]

Mattik, the difference between a standard 65 and a standard 75 gallon tank from the tang's perspective is an extra foot of swimming length. That's why people can get away with yellows in a 75 but not a 65.

To the OP, if you did an anthias, I would pick a single male of a species that stays at 4" or less. The aggression of six-lines tends to taper as the tank size increases but if you got one, you definitely should have it as your last fish added. I doubt it would tolerate newcomers.

 

[TampaReefer79]

I'd skip the tang and anthias, your aquarium isn't large enough for either. (or established enough for that matter)

Don't forget about the diamond goby! Or lawnmower blenny. Jawfish are great, so are firefish. You don't want any real big active swimmers in there, a 3 foot and yes even a 4 foot tank are NOT big enough for these open swimmers. (in my opinion) When people say that their 4 foot tank provides plenty of swimming room for their tang, they are kidding themselves.

 

[TampaReefer79]

And as mentioned, a royal gramma! Lots of color and personality in that lineup...

 

[BPCEO]

Id suggest a royal gramma as well. Once mine settled in after a couple days he is always out in the open, and actively checking things out. Sweet color combo as well