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

[mckinleyw]

I think your possible stocklist looks good with no real concerns.

The zoas and green star polyps are at risk for being nipped by a coral beauty and the tomini tang has potential to be aggressive.

Thanks, so far everyone is behaving. I'm looking at trying to get a 48x24x24 display to replace my 36x18x18 display i was gonna try to get coral beauty in my qt before my switch as to add just after tommi. To help with territory disputes.

What about maybe a midas blenny and some kind of lil flasher wrasse?
Also really interested in a mandarin i think green been putting tisbe pods and rotifers in for a year plus every other month. Amphipods are all over

 

[Puffpuffpuffer]

Midas are awesome but are jumpers so need a lid or deep tank.

 

[mckinleyw]

Midas are awesome but are jumpers so need a lid or deep tank.

I have a tight fitting canopy. Shouldnt be an issue. Ive heard the same about firefish, so i built my canopy to accommodate "jumpers".

 

[mckinleyw]

I have a tight fitting canopy. Shouldnt be an issue. Ive heard the same about firefish, so i built my canopy to accommodate "jumpers".

Im hoping 24" should also reduce jumping.

 

[Aspiring Tank Guru]

I think your possible stocklist looks good with no real concerns.

Three follow up questions for you eatbreakfast:
1) Do you think that I could add the carpenter's wrasse after the flame angel?
2) Would all of these fish be ok with regards to my bio load?
3) Do you have any input on a specific type of blenny?

 

[Maritimer]

I know, not EatBreakfast, but . . .

I chose the starry blenny over the sailfin / lawnmower, and have been happy. I like his (constantly changing) colors better, he's got tons of personality, and he eats absolutely everything - now that the kole tang is letting him come out and play!

I also think that, if added slowly, a 55 should be very capable of handling those fish.

Carpenter's wrasse and flame angels aren't really doing the same thing - my flame's focus is below him, on the rocks and among the corals, while the Carpenter's swims high above, searching out plankton. (Carpenter's is also pretty quick, and I suspect could outmaneuver the flame in open water.)

~Bruce

 

[Aspiring Tank Guru]

I know, not EatBreakfast, but . . .

I chose the starry blenny over the sailfin / lawnmower, and have been happy. I like his (constantly changing) colors better, he's got tons of personality, and he eats absolutely everything - now that the kole tang is letting him come out and play!

I also think that, if added slowly, a 55 should be very capable of handling those fish.

Carpenter's wrasse and flame angels aren't really doing the same thing - my flame's focus is below him, on the rocks and among the corals, while the Carpenter's swims high above, searching out plankton. (Carpenter's is also pretty quick, and I suspect could outmaneuver the flame in open water.)

~Bruce

Wow thank you so much this is the kind of specifics I was looking for! My quarantine space is limited so do you think I could add the flame angel and clowns (not at the same time) before the firefish, blenny, carpenter's wrasse, and cleaner inverts? Also would taking out the royal gramma make make this list safer or no difference?

 

[Maritimer]

If all the fish were in some imaginary LFS, I'd probably add the flame and clowns last or closer to it - but they're not. If you have the flame and clowns, get them in place before turning your QT attention to the next fish in line.

One of the greatest inventions known to reefers is "social acclimation". When you're ready to place new fish into your display, isolate them in a separate container. This can be a purpose-designed acrylic box that magnets to the side of the display, or as simple as a "Kritter Keeper" with a few holes drilled in the sides, placed on the sandbed with some cover in it, or even an eggcrate divider. Give the new guy a day or two in the box, in the tank, and the residents will usually settle down and accept his presence. (If not, placing a mirror at one end of the tank will generally keep them so focused on the "invader" of their own species that they'll give little to no attention to the newbie of another species.)

I've seen bad things written about royal grammas, but they've not been my experience. Grammas I've known tend to choose a cave or two, stay pretty close to home, and dive for cover on a regular basis. The little gramma aggression I've seen has consisted mostly of sitting just outside their cave and opening their mouths _really_wide_ at an interloper, hoping he'll just go away. I have a young gramma now, and she can occasionally be glimpsed darting between rocks or hovering just in front of someplace dark. She's quick at mealtimes, though . . .

~Bruce

 

[scoopsthedog]

50G Reef Tank / 16G sump. Two friendly bonded Wyoming Clowns, Midas Blenny, two cleaner shrimp, 3 sexy shrimp, CUC. I'd like to add
Mandarin (once copepods are set)
Wrasse (Leopard? Flame? Any recommendations?)
Clown Goby

 

[Maritimer]

Don't see a problem with the mandy or the clown goby, but keep in mind that -some- wrasses will compete with your mandarin for the 'pod resource - and they'll probably win.

Flashers and most fairy wrasses will spend more time higher in the water column, waiting for plankton to drift by, and less time picking 'pods off your rockwork. Leopards ... love 'pods.

~Bruce

 

[scoopsthedog]

Don't see a problem with the mandy or the clown goby, but keep in mind that -some- wrasses will compete with your mandarin for the 'pod resource - and they'll probably win.

Flashers and most fairy wrasses will spend more time higher in the water column, waiting for plankton to drift by, and less time picking 'pods off your rockwork. Leopards ... love 'pods.

~Bruce

Thanks - any thoughts on which Wrasses are least picky on food and reef friendly?

 

[Maritimer]

I've got flashers and fairies in my tank, and if they were any less picky, I'd have to wear gloves in the tank. They'll take any frozen, flake, pellet small enough to fit in their mouth, and they'll rip right into the nori sheets alongside my tang and dwarf angelfish.

They totally ignore corals and anemones, but may pick off smaller (tiny!) ornamental shrimp. They'll pretty much leave feather-dusters alone as well - at least they leave mine alone!

~Bruce

 

[scoopsthedog]

I've got flashers and fairies in my tank, and if they were any less picky, I'd have to wear gloves in the tank. They'll take any frozen, flake, pellet small enough to fit in their mouth, and they'll rip right into the nori sheets alongside my tang and dwarf angelfish.

They totally ignore corals and anemones, but may pick off smaller (tiny!) ornamental shrimp. They'll pretty much leave feather-dusters alone as well - at least they leave mine alone!

~Bruce

I do have sexy shrimp so that might be a problem?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I do have sexy shrimp so that might be a problem?

Leopard wrasses will compete for pods with the mandy, and when big enough will eat the sexy shrimp.

Fairy and flasher wrasses are safer because they eat from the water column more than picking at rocks.

Clown goby will be fine.

Possible other additions would include stigmatura blenny or midas blenny or starry blenny, firefish, a small group of zebra or scissortail dartfish, sunburst anthias, neon goby, watchman goby w/pistol shrimp.

 

[mckinleyw]

So here it goes. I am running a 50 short 36x18x18 right now i was looking at upgrading to a 48x30x24 if i can find one, or a 48x24x24. First size is a 150, i want to keep costs down and finding these dimensions has been difficult. The second is a 120, I've seen these in both RR and non-drilled.
The following is what i am stocking right now in my 36x18x18.
Corals:
Somekind of paly polyp.
A couple zoas
Green frogspawn
Yellow frogspawn
Duncan
GSP
Kenya tree
And misc mushrooms

Inverts:
Skunk cleaner shrimp
3 rainbow bubble anemone
1 green LTA
Short spined urchin
Clean up crew
Sand sifting star
Blue leg hermits
And snails

Fish:
3 red firefish
2 pj cardinals
1 orange stripe prawn goby
2 clownfish
1 tomini tang
When it comes to upgrading i have a few fish in mind curious on what thoughts are. Here is the addon list fish only. Im gonna stay mostly softie and a couple lps mixed in.

Yellow tang
Mandarin dragonette
Midas blenny
Some kind of flasher wrasse
Coral beauty angel
???Potters angel??
I really want this one but ive read they are really difficult.

 

[eatbreakfast]

So here it goes. I am running a 50 short 36x18x18 right now i was looking at upgrading to a 48x30x24 if i can find one, or a 48x24x24. First size is a 150, i want to keep costs down and finding these dimensions has been difficult. The second is a 120, I've seen these in both RR and non-drilled.
The following is what i am stocking right now in my 36x18x18.
Corals:
Somekind of paly polyp.
A couple zoas
Green frogspawn
Yellow frogspawn
Duncan
GSP
Kenya tree
And misc mushrooms

Inverts:
Skunk cleaner shrimp
3 rainbow bubble anemone
1 green LTA
Short spined urchin
Clean up crew
Sand sifting star
Blue leg hermits
And snails

Fish:
3 red firefish
2 pj cardinals
1 orange stripe prawn goby
2 clownfish
1 tomini tang
When it comes to upgrading i have a few fish in mind curious on what thoughts are. Here is the addon list fish only. Im gonna stay mostly softie and a couple lps mixed in.

Yellow tang
Mandarin dragonette
Midas blenny
Some kind of flasher wrasse
Coral beauty angel
???Potters angel??
I really want this one but ive read they are really difficult.

Potters are a more delicate angel, but aren't terribly difficult. Your proposed stocking should work without issue, just add the tang last.

 

[mckinleyw]

Potters are a more delicate angel, but aren't terribly difficult. Your proposed stocking should work without issue, just add the tang last.

Really. Which tang? Tomini is in current display. So the coral beauty and potters ( added at same time ) wont be issue? Thank you @eatbreakfast for response.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I was referring to the yellow tang on the 'wish' list. Since angels are also deep-bodied, laterally compressed fish, an established tang may view them as competition and behave aggressively toward them.

 

[mckinleyw]

I was referring to the yellow tang on the 'wish' list. Since angels are also deep-bodied, laterally compressed fish, an established tang may view them as competition and behave aggressively toward them.

OK. thank you.

 

[ThunderGoose]

My ocellaris clowns (two) are almost done with quarantine and ready to go into my tank. I'm now starting to think - what's next?

I have a RedSea Reefer 250 (54 gallon ID), 6 weeks old. I know I want a pistol shrimp/watchmen pair at some point. I will have corals (mostly LPS) and invertebrates. The corals and invertebrates are the reason I wanted a reef tank to be honest. There's nothing like that available for freshwater!

So options? I've managed to rule out a lot of things already... but clearly not enough!

Banggai cardinals
PJ cardinals
Blue neon goby
Small wrasse (flasher or fairy type)
Firefish or purple firefish
Blenny of some sort (midas, canary, bicolor)
Royal Gramma

My preferences are for interesting personalities (which, I think, rules out cardinals), so right now the wrasse is high on my wish list. Is it going to be too early (tank will be 4 months old by the time they'd be out of QT) for a wrasse?

Can I keep any of the blennies or neon gobies with the watchman goby?

Any of these do better in pairs or trios than solo?

How many fish is too many? I've found numbers ranging from 4 - 8.

I'm wanting to pick the next 1-2 fish for QT in the next week or so in order to make sure I can find them or, if necessary, have my LFS order them.

Thanks!