Want opinions on this stocking of a 37g reef

[theop]

I am getting my reef set back up after my move. It's an Oceanic "cube" 37g. It was a softy coral reef before but this time around I've upgraded the lights to a Current USA Outer Orbit hood with a 150W HQI bulb and 2 x 65W actinic PC bulbs).

The plan is for mostly LPS corals with some zoanthids, a bubble-tip anemone, a clam or two, and maybe some easier SPS.

So my question is about the fish. What do you think of this stocking:
1. Fourline wrasse (already in the tank). It's like the more common sixline wrasse.
2. Orchid dottyback (it's in a holding tank now since it tried to eat my pistol shrimp in my nanocube at work).
3. Midas blenny.
4. Pair of clownfish. Hopefully will host the anemone but not essential to do so.

The wrasse is a given since it's in the tank already. The dottyback could go in or be sold/traded. The others are more negotiable based on opinions.

[Mishap]

The Wrasse should be fine, especially since you already have it.
The Dottyback I would recommend selling or trading it, they can get very aggressive as you already know.
Midas blenny should be fine as well, but it does run the risk of perching on the bubble-tip.
Clownfish also should be fine.

Good luck, and let us know how it develops!

[Ritten]

I would get the wrasse out and add him last, if at all. I have had bad luck with both four lines and six lines getting aggressive with age. However, a lot of people have no trouble. I love my orchid, but you should put any larger shrimp if you want them in first. Having said that, looks like a colorful, fun fish list.

[theop]

Thanks for the feedback.

Would the blenny perching on the anemone be harmful to either? I would think the fish would come out on the losing end... I had a bicolor blenny in this tank before I moved but I wanted to go for something a little less common and more colorful this time around.

The orchid and neon dottybacks are supposed to be much less aggressive than the other pseudochromis are. This is the reason that I got him. I did not have any problems with it around the other fish in my nano.

The problem is that I didn't realize they they will eat smaller ornamental shrimps. He didn't bother a fire shrimp in that tank but would constantly go after my pistol shrimp. I don't consider that an agression problem, just a natural predator/prey issue.

[bubblethumper]

I love my Fridmani (Orchid) Pseudochromis. Really a model citizen

I have never heard of a fourline wrasse, but it sure looks cool. Maybe have to get one for my new tank!

[theop]

bubblethumper, I grew up in Jacksonville (Terry Parker H.S. class of 1990) and my parents still live there. Got anything to frag for when I'm down there in early Sept? :)

I was lucky to find the fourline at my LFS. They said they can't order them but they had a customer trade one in. I'd never seen one before. From all descriptions I've read they are exactly like the sixline, and so far I have found this to be true (have only had it for a week). They are very pretty with the green body, neon blue stripe through the eye, and an deep red tail

I'm thinking about a pair of tomato clowns... anyone have experience with them?

[phoenixstar89]

tomato clowns get rather large so I probably wouldn't reccomend them for a 37g long term. midas blennies are great fish as are orchid dotties. Orchids are well known to be the least aggressive of the dotties but you still may get an angry one the beats on other fish. if your looking for some cool rarer blennies, do a search for escenius gravieri or escenius stigmatura. I've got a tail spot blenny(e. stigmatura) in one of my 55g and he's awesome.

[bubblethumper]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7821333#post7821333 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by theop
[B]bubblethumper, I grew up in Jacksonville (Terry Parker H.S. class of 1990) and my parents still live there. Got anything to frag for when I'm down there in early Sept? :) maybe ;)

Shoot me an email before you get to town and I'll see what I can do for ya! [email is macmillanjr at yahoo dot com] Always happy to help out someone from J-ville. I too grew up here, Episcopal H.S. class of 2000. I moved back to jax to persue a career in aviation after college.

Hope you don't hold it against me that I went to private school ;)

[theop]

Although it's beautiful, the dottyback is off of the stocking list. One of the LFS here has a mated pair of tomato clowns and will trade it for the dottyback.

As for tomato clown size, I've read that they usually don't exceed 4". I'm planning on getting a bubble-tip anemone for them to host.

So I need suggestions for 1 more fish to replace the dottyback on the list. Preferably something with some blue. A purple firefish is an option but I have an open top (mostly covered by my light hood). I am afraid of a dwarf angel (cherub or coral beauty) because of their reputation to nip at corals and clams.

[bubblethumper]

Well... there is the hybrid ORA (whatever that stands for) pseudochromis. Goes for about $90 last I saw. It's blue.

What kind of lighting system and photoperiod do you have? My pet theory is that firefish (and all jumpers) are more likely to jump when suddenly lit (or unlit). Especially when they have not yet staked out a place in the tank

[theop]

As long as you didn't go to Bolles I won't hold private school against you. :)

The actinics run 8a-8p. The halide goes 10a-6p and it takes a couple of minutes for it to achieve full brightness. There are white moonlights which run during the night.

The thing about my light hood is that it is as wide as the tank and only 3" less than the width. It is raised about 3" off the top. It does a pretty good job of covering the tank, but I'd still worry about a fish which is prone to jumping. I'm in process of painting some eggcrate black to see how making a removable frame of a few inches all the way around the tank looks.

Midas blennys apparently can be jumpers as well, so I need to figure out a solution or decide not to worry about it.

I tend to agree with you about jumping. My fourline wrasse went into the overflow twice in the first week but has since stopped doing it. I think it's because he's settled in, but maybe he just learned that there wasn't any food back there. One of the LFS owners here says that fish usually jump out of the back of the aquarium - so he says only cover the back.

[theop]

Oh, this is the hybrid you were referring to:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=849023&perpage=25&pagenumber=1