stocking level questions

[fkdenton]

I need some help/suggestions with stocking levels. My 46 bow currently has,

1.tiny wild ocelaris
1.small to medium tank raised percula
1.tiny yellow clown goby
55 lbs live rock(fiji)
8-12 snails
8-12 assorted small hermits

coral includes

frogspawn frag(3heads)
hammer frag (3heads)
3 mushrooms
2 patches of xenia
1 patch of anthalia
4 patches of star poyps(3greem 1 brown)
2 frags of what might be leathers
1 mushroom looking thing that isnt a mushroom

Now what I need to know is what can I add. I am planning on adding another yellow clown goby and a green clown goby. I dont want it to be overcrowded but now there not that much movement I would like a little more.

 

[hagfish]

If you are looking for movement, I would not get so many clown gobies. But since you seem to like them, I would get the green one. Then once the tank has been running for 5-6 months I'd get a dwarf angel. A coral beauty would be a nice compliment of colors to go with those fish.

 

[KevinC]

An old rule of thumb for stocking tanks is:

1" of fish per 10 gallons of water. That does not include tail, so a damsel may be 1 inch, a coral beauty 2 inches, if bought young.

I tend to like to stock at about half that rate.

Unfortunately, that doesn't allow much in the way of fish, in most tanks.

Kevin

 

[Dert42]

question about that rule of thumb.
what if your sump is huge. so your 55 gallon tank is actually a 110 gallon system(for example).
is that rule of thumb for the display tank only?

 

[Shooter7]

Dert, I wouldn't even worry about using that "rule of thumb". It tends to work ok for the most part with FW fish, but inches of fish totally disregards the type of fish you're dealing with. Some fish need much more swimming room than others. What's big enough for one adult 4 inch fish may not nearly be enough for a different type of 4 inch fish. Best thing to do is use reliable sources when looking at the fish you want to get and stock accordingly to the recommendations. Get Scott Michael's Marine Fishes book. There are resources online and on RC as well.

 

[Dert42]

thanks shooter.

the time is approaching where i need to write my list of fish and coral i want...

 

[Shooter7]

I did that before, while I was waiting that whole year to get my bigger tank up. My list changed so many times it's not even funny. Even Michael's book will kind of follow along the lines of the inch per 10 gal "rule", but it's important to remember that that is a minimum requirement for many fish and not necessarily the best setup. Once you get a list of fish you'd really like, remember to think about what order to stock them as well.

 

[JxMetal]

Get a midnight angel! Mine's awesome. Love's to swim in and out of rocks and doesn't pick on anyone

 

[Dert42]

i thought angels weren't coral friendly?

 

[hagfish]

Some dwarf angels are reef safe, most of the time. Coral beauty, flame, Eibli are a few off the top of my head that are pretty likely to be reef safe.

 

[KevinC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7193338#post7193338 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dert42
question about that rule of thumb.
what if your sump is huge. so your 55 gallon tank is actually a 110 gallon system(for example).
is that rule of thumb for the display tank only?

The sump absolutely counts, so long as its not larger than the tank. This is mostly about water purity and having enough water to dilute wastes. Of course, as another poster pointed out, each species has its own territory requirements, and one must plan on the adult size of the fish as well.

Whats works in a very large tank, like keeping many pigmy angels, will not likely work in a smaller tank.

Kevin

 

[Bushong87]

hey kevin, with your sumps how much is your total system?

 

[KevinC]

5000 gallons, the sump is a small part of that.

 

[JxMetal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7193883#post7193883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dert42
i thought angels weren't coral friendly?

Mine just eats hair algae and other microalgae. He fixed what very minor hair algae problem I had in just a few days. It was amazing

 

[Dert42]

sounds like i need to put one of those on my list.
thanks!

 

[JxMetal]

I think they'll bother corals if they get hungry. So.......lesson is, don't let them get hungry! Feed them at least 2 times a day I'd say.