Newb with lots of questions about predators and such

[beefchicken31]

I currently have a 75 gallon all glass tank and I want to take the plunge at saltwater. I have been doing a bit of research on reefs and I know a little more than just the basics so dont laugh if I have a really dumb question. Before I get started I will tell you my Plans for my tank: I cant do corals in this tank, (but hoping to do softies in a seperate tank), I want around 75 LBS or LR, 60-80 pounds of http://www.carib-sea.com/pages/products/marine/substrate/aragalive.html (West Carribean Reef Sand) , a DIY sump of about 20 gallons filled with chaeto lighted by just some full spectrum flourscents around 3 WPG, Im still not sure wheter ill skim or not, reef crystal salt mix, and a $40 refractometer at dr smith/fosters.

I havent set the stock list in stone yet but Im looking at the following fish:
Volitan Lionfish
Dragon Goby (Gobioides brousonnetti) [Dont give me the brackish talk lol]
Arothron Dog Face Puffer
Some type of eel
Arrow/Spider Crab
Pincushion or Black LS Urchin (Lytechinus vaniegatus/Diadema setosum)
Note that I obviously wont put all these fish in this tank, they are just what have struck my interest.

Now for the Questions:
1. If I did a chaeto sump, would a 75 gallon tank provide enough algae for either urchin to survive?
2. I know inverts like a higher SG and fish like it lower, so would an SG of 1.023 be a good medium?
3. Dragon gobies are filter feeders, would he get a good supply of small foods in this tank? (I will also feed him myself in addition obviously)
4. Probably a no go but will the puffer eat the arrow? or possible the urchin?
5. Would the lion eat the arrow/urchin?
6. Would there be any type of clean up crew? I know that a clean up crew would be lunch here, but would very very small snails/shrimps such as bumble bee snails (Pusiostoma sp.) or bumble bee shrimp (Gnathophyllum americanum) survive and help clean up the bits of food?
7. Would a cleaner shrimp survive in this tank?
8. WHat type of eel would you reccomend? I want one that isnt hard to feed, not really aggressive, comes out during the day, doesnt grow too large for a 75 gaallon tank.

Thanks for taking the time to read my very long post!

[beefchicken31]

sorry for the mistakes, i want 75 pounds OF LR not (or LR) and that link it tried is just a link to the "West Carribean Reef Sand" substrate by Carib-Sea.

[XtrmCHoPZ]

1.see #4
2. yes 1.023 is good
3. Probably not the best supply of food, but the more rock the better.
4. YES the puffer will eat both and will most likely try to eat any other invert
5. If the lion was big enough it might go after the crab, but you wouldnt be able to have one that big in a 75 anyways.....lions dont eat urchins
6. If u have predators you wont be able to have hermits, but I have had luck with LARGE turbo snails, the small with get killed.
7. I highly doubt it.
8. Chainlink, snowflake.....something like that. But they will hunt and kill/eat crabs and shrimp.

[LisaD]

maybe consider a sharp-nosed puffer (toby), though it could nip the fins of the lion.

[stykthyn]

pass on the volitans lion, he will outgrow the tank in a year. A fu manchu or fuzzy darf will do well.
I have had no problems with snails in an aggressive tank. Larger hermits are usually fine. I dont know about puffers, but I have found that Choc chip starfish work well as a clean up crew. I keep one with My lion and triggerfish and they have yet to bother it. As for the eel I would suggest a snowflake. IMHO they are the easiest to take care of. Just make sure that you secure the top with any eel as they are notorious for jumping out.

[beefchicken31]

Thanks fo the helpful replies! I have scratched the puffer off my wishlsit as I want to keep inverts. For the eel I am really interested in green wolf eels (Congrogadus subducens). For the lion I thought a 75 would be good for a Volita, too bad I guess I will settle for a smaller species.

Im still undecided on which urchin to get. I like the Lytechinus vaniegatus because it has a cool pink color and from what I have read they are easier to feed as they will easily take dried seaweed. They also come out during the day too. I also like the Diadema setosum because it has that cool "eye" thing in the center. WHICH URCHIN WOULD YOU RECCOMEND? If I could get both I would but I cant. Or can I?

[Monkeyfish]

Diademas are a good choice for an urchin. Just be aware that urchins are nocturnal and tend to come out and roam only AFTER the lights are off. In addition they primarily eat corraline algae so if you want to see your rocks color up nicely you need to avoid urchins.

Congrogadus subducensare are not actually eels, but a species of dottyback. They are extremely aggressive and will eat inverts and small fish. I actually saw one kill a good sized (8" long) volitans by attacking it from below and going for the belly.

If this is your first foray into saltwater you may want to avoid lionfish. They are venomous, will eat anything that can fit in their mouth and can be difficult to wean off of live food. If you do decide to get one make sure it eats frozen/prepared foods at the store. Do NOT take their word for it if they tell you. Ask the LFS to feed the lion in front of you so you can see it eat.

[beefchicken31]

Hmmm got to look for another eel then... For the urchin I have decided on going for the Lytechinus vaniegatus. I would like to see the nice corraline colors, but i would like to see an urchin more =)

Yes, this is my first venture into the marine world (scary) but I think I can handle a lionfish. The only thing in this future tank that the dwar zebra lionfish could possibly eat would be the arrow crab. Im also not too worried about the venom, as I was told it is equivalent to a bee sting.

If I dont decide to go for the lionfish, is there any other flashy "center-piece" fish for a tank like this? (no puffers obviously)

[LisaD]

My wolf eel is pretty peaceful, I haven't heard of that kind of behavior before. I keep it with leaf fish, a waspfish and a small blue throat trigger. The wolf eel backs down from the trigger at feeding time, and blue throats are wimps (as are the other fish in the tank). I wouldn't rule out a wolf eel just yet.

I don't think a wolf eel would bother urchins, not sure about an arrow crab. They will eat whatever can fit in their mouths, but the mouth is not that huge... Just keep it well fed if you get one, mine eats daily, sometimes twice a day.

[XtrmCHoPZ]

Im sorry to say but with a 75g youre somewhat limited on your options. I would suggest some fish, but others on here will just get upset at me for even doing so......well who cares! If you are going to get a dwarf lion good tanks mates might be a larger dwarf angel, small triggers, maybe a single tang that doesnt get too big, probably a Zebrasoma species. THese are just possibilities.

[LisaD]

True, options are a bit limited. I don't think there are any triggers that would be safe with a dwarf lion AND small enough for a 75 (at least not at adult size) - what did you have in mind.

As a predator fan, I'd keep the dwarf lion, a green wolf eel, an urchin or two. Maybe one more fish for color and motion like a largish dwarf angel or a yellow tang (I don't think many other tangs are recommended for a tank as small as a 75). I'm not sure how big dragon gobies get, but if you can get a big one, at least 4 or 5 inches, it may be ok with a lion and wolf eel.

[Monkeyfish]

Lionfish venom, though generally far from lethal, is more potent than a bee sting. It can cause swelling and pain for several days if not treated properly.

If you get the dwarf lion make sure that its tankmates will not fit into its mouth (or they will). However, you also need to avoid fish that are fin nippers as lions aren't really aggressive (just voracious) and can be harassed by more aggressive fish.

As for the wolf eel - fish have different personalities like animals. However, after what I saw I'm not willing to take the chance.

[beefchicken31]

The dragon gobies get up to 15 inches and resemble FW ropefish. Though they are long in size, they are actually filter feeder and produce little waste. I want to keep one in a mrine tank because the LR would provide ideal food items, which are often difficult to to find as they will only est SMALL foods despite being so large. They are found in brackish and marine waters in the wild, and I have accliamted many to SW and are still living in SW years later.

So anyways, Im looking at a Dwarf Zebra lionfish, a Green Wolf Eel, an Arrow crab, an urchin, and the dragon goby, and a brittle star. I know all these cant go in the tank together but they are just what I am looking at. (Or could they provided I do frequemt water changes and had about 90 LBS of LR + a chaeto sump?)