Stocking list opinions/advise

[DragRacinGramps]

I posted this in the new to the hobby forum but I'm going to put it here too.

Hi all, I want to get peoples opinions and/or advise on stocking my mixed reef system. It is a 75g tank 48"x18"x20" it is cycled, lighting is 4 bulb T5 HO ATI bulbs, skimmer, UV sterilizer, 2 reactors, carbon and GFO, 3 inch sand and gravel bed. I've included a pic of the system that was taken today. It is mixed LPS and assorted softies, I'll be adding a Hammer coral and Trumpet coral tomorrow to go along with the Frogspawn and Brain corals on the LPS side. Right now I have a Maroon clown, and a Coral beauty that doesn't bother the corals at all (thank goodness) along with a cleaner shrimp and assorted clean up crew. Here is the list of what I would like to add over the next few months gradually, please feel free to contribute any and all constructive criticism, advise or opinions. Also I need to know what order if any to add the fish, if I do end up getting the purple dottyback it would go in last unless some tells me why otherwise. So here is the list.

Kole Tang 1

6 line wrasse 2

Yellow flanked fairy wrasse 1

Anthias 2 please make suggestions on which Anthias would work well here

Purple Dottyback 1

Thank you!

 

[XxNewReeferxX]

I don't think that 2 six line wrasses would work in your tank as they can get very aggressive from what I know. I have a trio of square anthias in my tank and they seem pretty large to me, maybe a little too large for your tank depending on what kind you get. Maybe bartlett anthias would be better? Just my 2 cents though

 

[DragRacinGramps]

Yes it's looking like the six line wrasses will not be part of the stocking.

 

[Stevenliu9]

Yes it's looking like the six line wrasses will not be part of the stocking.

I don't think you'll have problem with just one, I just don't know about 2.

 

[SoloChromis]

Doubt 2 sixlines would work long term. Personally, I can't stand sixlines. They're gorgeous little fish, very inquisitive, but extremely aggressive IME, especially to other cave dwelling, copepod munching fish. Same goes for the purple dottyback - aggressive shrimp eater. Skip the purple and go with an orchid. Similar coloration (IMO much more attractive though), and far, far more community friendly. Looking good, keep it up :fish1:

 

[eatbreakfast]

Doubt 2 sixlines would work long term. Personally, I can't stand sixlines. They're gorgeous little fish, very inquisitive, but extremely aggressive IME, especially to other cave dwelling, copepod munching fish. Same goes for the purple dottyback - aggressive shrimp eater. Skip the purple and go with an orchid. Similar coloration (IMO much more attractive though), and far, far more community friendly. Looking good, keep it up :fish1:

+1^

I don't think you'll have problem with just one, I just don't know about 2.

It may be a problem with the other wrasse he is planning to add.

 

[DragRacinGramps]

Thanks for the good info folks, I want to get as much as possible BEFORE adding anything.

 

[formsix]

With that maroon and coral beauty I don't know that you can add all of the fish on your wishlist, but some for sure.

For anthias, I'd suggest a Carberryi. Very pretty, and on both the the hardier and smaller side for anthias. I'd stick with just one in a 75g (I have a 75g and wanted more, but was also advised to stick with one -- love my Carberryi though and she's fine by herself). If not a Carberryi, then perhaps a resplendent. Stick with one of the smaller ones.

Fairy wrasse is fine, and an *orchid* dottyback probably okay. Honestly, with the maroon and coral beauty, I would skip the kole tang. You are talking about a lot of big swimmers in a relatively small tank, and I'm not sure that's a great idea.

I would also suggest that you think about some fish that take up a different niche in your tank to complete your stocking list. Perhaps a watchman goby who will mainly hang out on the bottom, or a blenny that will sit on the rocks. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[DragRacinGramps]

That's the kind of advise I'm looking for formsix thanks. I'm not locked in on any specific fish so if the Tang won't work out so be it. I realize that with the two I have in the system now it limits the choices but I could be very happy with something like you've suggested.

 

[DragRacinGramps]

Update time, I started the stocking today, purchased 3 fish, a yellow watchman goby, a scissor tail dart fish, and a Lubbock's fairy wrasse. All 3 are doing very well, the wrasse hid in the rock work for about an hour and a half and then came out and has been exploring the reef since it came out. The watchman goby is great it started working on a cave almost immediately just behind a large live rock in the center of the tank, and the scissor tail just swims all over the tank, it has already tested the cover, it remained in the tank. The maroon clown and the coral beauty are just fine with the 3 new additions, the coral beauty goes into the area where the watchman is hanging out and the watchman stands it's ground and the coral beauty moves along. It's good that the coral beauty and watchman have selected different areas of the tank to hang out in. The coral beauty sleeps in the rock work on the right side of the tank while the watchman appears to selected the middle area to hang in.

 

[DragRacinGramps]

here's a pic

here's a pic

Lubbocks and Coral Beauty

 

[TripleJ21]

For Anthias- I have a trio of Lyretails and a single male Barletts in my tank. The Lyretails have been in for a couple weeks and the Barletts for 4 months. The Lyretails are by far my favorite- lots of color and movement. The Barletts isn't as colorful, but is also a great, hardy fish that is very active in my tank.

 

[d-man]

All are fine except 6lines. Even one may kill the fairy, anthias and possible dotty back at some point. These are lil devils that are tiny and quick. They can't get at any fish in a flash, and will harrass the fish similar in size to the point of starvation and or carpet surfing.
I'd go with the anthias=dispars or ignitus
Tang= kole or chevron
Dottyback= Arabian, fridmani, springeri
Then a goby and blenny of somesort

I have so many open water swimmers its nice, but decided it was lacking more rock lingers and bottom dwellers
So I added a pick spot watchman goby, a millers blenny and an aurora goby. Still planning on more since I have the space(11ft tank) but they all add good dimension to the tank

 

[DragRacinGramps]

After reading the awesome advice and opinions here, I've decided that there won't be any tangs or any six line wrasses in the tank. The 3 we added yesterday are great for now. I'll have to look into the Lyretail Anthias, I would like to have 1 or 2 smaller Anthias as part of the group. I am also going to look into getting a pistol shrimp for the Watchman.

 

[Jasanden]

Sunset Anthias are on the smaller side. Modarate on the care for list. But I think they are one of the coolest Anthias out there. But you have to treat for FLUKES! And I think it's awesome that your looking for advice and actually listening to it. Most people seek it but in the end they want what they want

 

[DragRacinGramps]

Thanks Jasandse, yes I figured if you aren't going to use the advice you ask for, why ask in the first place, and besides I've been down that road before of getting what I THINK is cool and not what the SYSTEM thinks is cool.

 

[formsix]

Lubbocks and Coral Beauty

Very pretty Lubbock's!! I have a female that is just starting to change into a male and she's my favorite fish. I think your stocking list and additions sound great, and you're paying attention to all the right things. A pistol shrimp for your goby also sounds like a fun plan. Now you can sit back and watch your tank, and by the time you're ready to consider another fish you'll have a better sense of what niche that fish could fill.

I think stocking is fun when you start to think about it as putting a puzzle together -- and trying to find the right pieces to fit in -- rather than trying to jam together a bunch of your favorite pieces and hoping for the best

 

[DragRacinGramps]

Yes the Lubbocks is a beauty, and I did pick up a Tiger pistol shrimp this morning, it's just a little guy but I got it acclimated and put it in by hand right in front of the Watchman and they got together right away. They are working on a cave now. Also even with only 5 fish in a 75g you realize just how quickly the "hiding spots" in the rock work get taken up and that a 75g really isn't as big as you think it is. As you said form six now we'll just sit back and enjoy the reef for a while now before figuring out what else will live there eventually, we looked at the Banggai Cardinals today and they looked nice but I still think I may want to look into one of the smaller Anthias.

 

[DragRacinGramps]

In doing some research into the Lyretail Anthia I'm seeing that it is recommended that they go in a tank of 125g or more and usually do best in a small group. If this is the case this may not be a consideration for me although the fish is beautiful, I don't think I want to go with 2 of any of the same species at this point. I'm thinking 3 maybe 4 at most smaller fish will be my total stocking number. Fish like a Royal Gramma may be a possibility or a fire fish.

 

[Megistos]

So, in doing some research you're seeing that you should get a bigger tank. Am I reading that right?