I’m currently in the process of coming up with a stocking list for my 48”x24”x22” 105-gallon system, and I would like your suggestions on my stocking plan and whether it’s going to be overstocked. Since it’s my first tank ever I will only be going for the very hardy species, nothing moderate or difficult. It will also be a tank that I’ll have for many years to come because I don’t foresee myself owning my own house for a long time, so these will more or less be the livestock I’m gonna stick to for quite a long time.
It’ll be a softies only tank that’s as low maintenance as possible. I’m getting mushroom corals (Discosoma), leather corals (Toadstools And finger Leathers), Pom Pom Xenia, photosynthetic gorgonians, Palythoas, Florida Ricordea and Green Star Polyps.
For fish, here are the stocking plans I am considering:
Plan 1-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x1 Marine Betta
x2 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Royal Gramma / Swissguard / Yellow Assessor Basslet
x1 McNeill’s Assessor / Royal Gramma / Swissguard Basslet
x1 Cherub / Flameback / Flame / Multicolor / Joculator angel
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: Two basslets Third batch: Flame Hawk pair Fourth batch: Dwarf Angel)
Plan 2-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x2 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Marine Betta
x1 Royal Gramma / Swissguard / Yellow / McNeill’s Assessor Basslet
x2 (mated pair) of dwarf angels-same range of species as above
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: Basslet Third batch: Flame Hawk pair Fourth batch: Dwarf angel pair)
Plan 3-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x1 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Marine Betta
x1 dwarf angel
x3 different kinds of basslets
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: 3 Basslets Third batch: Flame Hawk Fourth batch: Dwarf Angel)
Plan 4-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x2 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Marine Betta
x1 Burgess Butterfly
x1 Royal Gramma / Swissguard / Yellow Assessor / McNeill’s Assessor Basslet
x1 dwarf angel
(First batch: Ocellaris Clowns + Marine Betta Second batch: Burgess Butterfly And Basslet Third batch: Flame Hawk pair Fourth batch: Dwarf Angel)
Plan 5-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x1 Marine Betta
x1 Flame Hawkfish
x2 basslets of different kinds
x1 Burgess Butterfly
x1 dwarf angel
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: Burgess Butterfly Third batch: Two basslets Fourth batch: Flame Hawk Fifth batch: Dwarf Angel)
All of these stocking plans include 8 fish. Is that too much bioload for my tank? Also, do you feel there is a best stocking plan in terms of hardiness, compatibility, and utility based on what I’ve given?
The Burgess is the only fish that might make me go FOWLR and ditch the reef tank plan altogether. Heard it’s an easy species of butterfly.
It’ll be a softies only tank that’s as low maintenance as possible. I’m getting mushroom corals (Discosoma), leather corals (Toadstools And finger Leathers), Pom Pom Xenia, photosynthetic gorgonians, Palythoas, Florida Ricordea and Green Star Polyps.
For fish, here are the stocking plans I am considering:
Plan 1-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x1 Marine Betta
x2 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Royal Gramma / Swissguard / Yellow Assessor Basslet
x1 McNeill’s Assessor / Royal Gramma / Swissguard Basslet
x1 Cherub / Flameback / Flame / Multicolor / Joculator angel
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: Two basslets Third batch: Flame Hawk pair Fourth batch: Dwarf Angel)
Plan 2-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x2 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Marine Betta
x1 Royal Gramma / Swissguard / Yellow / McNeill’s Assessor Basslet
x2 (mated pair) of dwarf angels-same range of species as above
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: Basslet Third batch: Flame Hawk pair Fourth batch: Dwarf angel pair)
Plan 3-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x1 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Marine Betta
x1 dwarf angel
x3 different kinds of basslets
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: 3 Basslets Third batch: Flame Hawk Fourth batch: Dwarf Angel)
Plan 4-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x2 Flame Hawkfish
x1 Marine Betta
x1 Burgess Butterfly
x1 Royal Gramma / Swissguard / Yellow Assessor / McNeill’s Assessor Basslet
x1 dwarf angel
(First batch: Ocellaris Clowns + Marine Betta Second batch: Burgess Butterfly And Basslet Third batch: Flame Hawk pair Fourth batch: Dwarf Angel)
Plan 5-
x2 Darwin Ocellaris Clowns
x1 Marine Betta
x1 Flame Hawkfish
x2 basslets of different kinds
x1 Burgess Butterfly
x1 dwarf angel
(First batch: Marine Betta + Ocellaris pair Second batch: Burgess Butterfly Third batch: Two basslets Fourth batch: Flame Hawk Fifth batch: Dwarf Angel)
All of these stocking plans include 8 fish. Is that too much bioload for my tank? Also, do you feel there is a best stocking plan in terms of hardiness, compatibility, and utility based on what I’ve given?
The Burgess is the only fish that might make me go FOWLR and ditch the reef tank plan altogether. Heard it’s an easy species of butterfly.
