I know which fish but what numbers (250G)

[Yohan86]

I'll be setting up a 250G. I've maintained multiple reeftanks, so keeping water parameters and corals is no problem. But for stocking I usually go by other people. This time I selected some fish I would like to keep and think will all coexist (if not, please do tell) but I'm not sure about numbers. Which fish prefer to be alone, which prefer to be in a group. For example, I don't mind keeping a group of one species of tang, if the fish would prefer that over one of each from a few different groups. So below is my list, please give me your ideas about what to keep together:

Acanthurus leucosternon/Acanthurus nigricans
Amphiprion clarkii
Centropyge loriculus
Chelmon rostratus
Ecsenius midas
Halichoeres sp.
Heniochus diphreutes
Labroides phthirophagus
Lysmata amboinensis
Lysmata debelius
Macropharyngodon bipartitus/meleagris
Nemateleotris exquisita
Pseudanthias evansi
Pterapogon kauderni
Scartella cristata
Stenopus hispidus
Synchiropus splendidus
Zebrasoma flavescens

Linckia stars
Hermit crabs
Snails
Archaster typicus

[snorvich]

I would be careful with a Stenopus hispidus as they can take fish. Linkia stars rarely survive; hermit crabs will kill snails.

[Yohan86]

Thanks!!

[ThRoewer]

I would be careful with a Stenopus hispidus as they can take fish. Linkia stars rarely survive; hermit crabs will kill snails.
Have you ever seen a Stenopus catch, kill and eat a fish?

In my experience Stenopus don't attack fish to catch and eat them. All "attacks" I've witnessed were to chase fish away that came too close to the shrimp. I have and had relatively small fish with my Stenopus and never had them eat one.

If you see them eat on a dead fish it usually died on unrelated causes.

These days I prefer the smaller and more colorful Stenopus species, but in the past I also had several S. hispidus pairs.

As for the hermit crabs, some do, some don't kill snails. It really depends on the species of crabs and snails you have. It is of course always a good idea to provide enough empty shells.

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[AuroraDrvr]

Acanthurus leucosternon/Acanthurus nigricans - 1
Amphiprion clarkii - 2
Centropyge loriculus - 1
Chelmon rostratus - 1
Ecsenius midas - 1
Halichoeres sp. - 1
Heniochus diphreutes - 0
Labroides phthirophagus - 0 (Pester other fish to death)
Lysmata amboinensis - 2
Lysmata debelius - 2
Macropharyngodon bipartitus/meleagris - 2 (1 Male, 1 Female)
Nemateleotris exquisita - 2
Pseudanthias evansi - 3-5
Pterapogon kauderni - 2
Scartella cristata - 1
Stenopus hispidus - 0 (Aggressive towards fish & shrimp)
Synchiropus splendidus - 1 (Leopards & Dragonets will compete for food)
Zebrasoma flavescens - 1 (Will be aggressive towards any butterflies)

Linckia stars - 0 (Slowly perish due to salinity sensitivities & starvation)
Hermit crabs - 100 (Go for yellowtip hermits)
Snails - 100
Archaster typicus - 0 (Slowly perish due to starvation)

See above for what I'd stock.

[ThRoewer]

This is what I would do based on the species, not tank size.

Acanthurus leucosternon/Acanthurus nigricans - 1 (I wouldn't add an Acanthurus tang at all)
Amphiprion clarkii - pair (should have anemone)
Centropyge loriculus - pair or harem
Chelmon rostratus - pair
Ecsenius midas - 1 unless you could find a pair (blennies don't change sex!)
Halichoeres sp.
Heniochus diphreutes - 3
Labroides phthirophagus - pair (though tank size and fish load may not be enough for just one)
Macropharyngodon bipartitus/meleagris - 1 or pair
Nemateleotris exquisita - pair or just 1 (sexing is tricky and the size relation has to be right: male larger than female)
Pseudanthias evansi - 3 or more
Pterapogon kauderni - pair
Scartella cristata - 1
Synchiropus splendidus - pair
Zebrasoma flavescens - pair or better 3

Lysmata amboinensis - 2 or multiples of 2
Lysmata debelius - same as above
Stenopus hispidus - pair (I would recommend to rather go with S. tenuirostris, S. cyanoscelis or S. zanzibaricus which stay smaller and are guaranteed peaceful.)


Linckia stars - s(tay rather with Fromia species)
Hermit crabs - Caribbean blue-legs or scarlets
Snails - Astrea, Trochus, Turbo (get twice as many as you need 50% loss is not unusual, especially if you quarantine them)
Archaster typicus[/QUOTE]

[Yohan86]

Thanks for the answers!
- I've never had any problems with Stenopus hispidus eating anything either, but a smaller species would be an idea as well.
- I think I'll pass on the Labroides phthirophagus after reading some more about them.
- Never had any problems with hermit crabs either, but I do always provide them plenty of different sized shells. Then again, I do only have experience with elegans and tricolor. Only thing why I'm not sure about the hermits is because they do throw over the occasionally coral IME.

See above for what I'd stock.

100 hermit crabs:O Why so many?

Linckia stars - s(tay rather with Fromia species)


Why do you recommend Fromia over Linckia?

If it is food wise, I'll be running this system on a DyMiCo filter most likely. So food for the Anthias, stars and snails will be plenty!

What I found most interesting is that for 'schooling' fish like Anthias and Heniochus, you all recommend such small numbers (3 is a very small school IMO). Is this because of tank size or anything else?

Two more questions for ThRoewer, why no Acanthurus? And why do the clarkii need an anemone? I only know two person keeping a pair, and they do great in a flower and an Euphyllia...

[AuroraDrvr]

100 hermit crabs:O Why so many?
A little bit of die off. I've always found that 1 hermit/snail per 2-3 gallon works best for me. The tank is a 250g after all, correct?

Yellowtip hermits are herbivores, but will consume trace amounts of detritus/food particles. It'd probably be better to do 50-50 with blue leg hermits.

[saf1]

"Labroides phthirophagus - 0 (Pester other fish to death)"

No idea why I found this funny, but I did. Also you mentioned the yellow tang, I think that is what it was, why would it bother butterflies?

[Yohan86]

How about?

1 Acanthurus leucosternon
2 Amphiprion clarkii
2 Centropyge loriculus
1 Chelmon rostratus
1 Ecsenius midas
2 Gramma Loreto
1 Halichoeres sp.
5 Heniochus diphreutes
10 Lysmata amboinensis
10 Lysmata debelius
2-3 Macropharyngodon bipartitus/meleagris
2 Nemateleotris exquisita
8-10 Pseudanthias evansi
2 Pterapogon kauderni
1 Scartella cristata
2 Synchiropus splendidus
1 Zebrasoma flavescens