Need help deciding on whether or not a fish is right for your tank? Post here and we'll help!

[Slocke]

Current stock in my 80 gallon mixed reef:
4 - Ocellaris clowns
2 - Springeri damsels
1 - Flame hawkish
1 - Yellow watchman goby
1 - Lemonpeel angel
1 - Blue hippo tang
1 - Midas blenny
3 - Skunk cleaner shrimp
1 - Tiger pistol shrimp

CUC with red legged hermits, bumblebee, trochus, nassarius, astraea & margarita snails and a trio of conchs.

Also an assortment of softies and LPS corals.

My plan is to add a couple more fish and call it done. A Coral beauty is at the top of the list, as well as a Firefish goby to replace the one I had that recently passed due to (most likely) uronema.

Am I pushing “max capacity” with adding 2 more fish? Water parameters are stable, and everything seems to be thriving now. I’m a few days away from a second round of Prazipro due to a possible fluke infection on my tang, but symptoms are 100% gone. Corals seem happy (and my Duncan is already sprouting a new head after only about two weeks in the tank).

It is a lot of fish and with a blue tang you are pushing it. Also with a blue tang you may have trouble adding a firefish as they are very shy and do not handle bullies well.

 

[JayM]

It is a lot of fish and with a blue tang you are pushing it. Also with a blue tang you may have trouble adding a firefish as they are very shy and do not handle bullies well.

I didn’t realize tangs were bullies. Mine has been a model citizen so far, but he’s only been here a couple of weeks. Or maybe the Lemonpeel keeps him in check, though I don’t see more than a quick dash from him on occasion and he was one of the first additions. I expected the Lemonpeel would have been MUCH worse than he’s been.

 

[Slocke]

I didn’t realize tangs were bullies. Mine has been a model citizen so far, but he’s only been here a couple of weeks. Or maybe the Lemonpeel keeps him in check, though I don’t see more than a quick dash from him on occasion and he was one of the first additions. I expected the Lemonpeel would have been MUCH worse than he’s been.

Angels are usually only bad to other angels

 

[getreefed]

i posted here recently about my 20g cube that i am setting up. cycling begins this weekend. after a month if all goes well, i'm going to start adding the inhabitants 1 at a time. each inhabitant will be quarantined for a week in a tank i have set up separately before going into the 20g.

so i need to know if my stocking plan is doable:
x1 oscelaris clownfish
x1 royal gramma
x1 firefish
x1 yellow watchman goby
x1 candy cane pistol shrimp
x1 sexy shrimp
x1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp

1. provided these all have their own caves and territories, is this a viable stocking plan?
2. any suggestions on introducing these to this tank, should certain ones go in first vs last?

thank you.

 

[Slocke]

i posted here recently about my 20g cube that i am setting up. cycling begins this weekend. after a month if all goes well, i'm going to start adding the inhabitants 1 at a time. each inhabitant will be quarantined for a week in a tank i have set up separately before going into the 20g.

so i need to know if my stocking plan is doable:
x1 oscelaris clownfish
x1 royal gramma
x1 firefish
x1 yellow watchman goby
x1 candy cane pistol shrimp
x1 sexy shrimp
x1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp

1. provided these all have their own caves and territories, is this a viable stocking plan?
2. any suggestions on introducing these to this tank, should certain ones go in first vs last?

thank you.

It’s maybe a bit small for a royal gramma.

For order I’d start with the firefish. Then the goby. Then the other fish.
Give your tank a couple months before you try a shrimp. They can be a little sensitive to water parameter changes.

 

[getreefed]

It’s maybe a bit small for a royal gramma.

For order I’d start with the firefish. Then the goby. Then the other fish.
Give your tank a couple months before you try a shrimp. They can be a little sensitive to water parameter changes.

gotcha, thank you.

any replacement suggestions for the gramma? some type of damselfish, captive bred dottybacks?

 

[BigAsh]

I have a Purple Tang, Yellow Tang, Tomini Tang and a Magnificent Foxface. All medium to large. Would a Convict Tang (probably smaller) be pushing my luck?

 

[Slocke]

gotcha, thank you.

any replacement suggestions for the gramma? some type of damselfish, captive bred dottybacks?

Damsels and dottybacks are both too aggressive. Clown goby or a captive bred mandarin how about?

 

[Slocke]

I have a Purple Tang, Yellow Tang, Tomini Tang and a Magnificent Foxface. All medium to large. Would a Convict Tang (probably smaller) be pushing my luck?

Depends on the size of the tank but if it’s big enough then you could do it. A convict tang is an Acantharus tang which you don’t currently have so it’s less likely to fight with your other tangs.

 

[BigAsh]

It's a 187. That's what I was thinking. Thanks much!

 

[getreefed]

Damsels and dottybacks are both too aggressive. Clown goby or a captive bred mandarin how about?

mandarin goby is kind of my dream fish but i gave up looking into them once i read they were kind of difficult in terms of feeding. do you have any experience with them in particular, especially in a small tank like a 20g?

 

[Slocke]

mandarin goby is kind of my dream fish but i gave up looking into them once i read they were kind of difficult in terms of feeding. do you have any experience with them in particular, especially in a small tank like a 20g?

They are easy if you get a biota one. They train them to eat prepared foods so you just have to get those foods.

 

[predatorFishie]

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to @Slocke for his recommendations! I was able to convince my boss to add a Wrasse and Puffer fish to our tank!
Say hi to Puff Kat and Skittles

 

[Slocke]

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to @Slocke for his recommendations! I was able to convince my boss to add a Wrasse and Puffer fish to our tank!
Say hi to Puff Kat and Skittles

No problem
And that’s a beautiful male banana wrasse!

 

[predatorFishie]

No problem
And that’s a beautiful male banana wrasse!

For the record I personally had no idea how big this puffer was going to be lol
Its roughly 10 inches already and about 4-5 inches wide

 

[SixlineRyan]

They are easy if you get a biota one. They train them to eat prepared foods so you just have to get those foods.

I assume this means you can forgo copepods? With the feeding requirements out of the way would you be able to keep one in a 10G AIO tank?

 

[Slocke]

I assume this means you can forgo copepods? With the feeding requirements out of the way would you be able to keep one in a 10G AIO tank?

Just make sure you get one of the foods they’re trained on

 

[SixlineRyan]

Just make sure you get one of the foods they’re trained on

10-4, this is very exciting news!

 

[elc02]

Hi,
I have a new 17 gallon aquarium. The tank is currently cycling and I was wondering can 8 guppy fish fit comfortably in a 17 gallon? And if so, can they have any other tank mates added?

 

[Slocke]

Hi,
I have a new 17 gallon aquarium. The tank is currently cycling and I was wondering can 8 guppy fish fit comfortably in a 17 gallon? And if so, can they have any other tank mates added?

Guppies can survive for months in salt but can’t breed. They will die out eventually. Mollies do better or you can have both.