PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by spoiled739

I am going to be redoing my 55 gallon tank and wanted to adjust what I have in there. there is a sump and a skimmer. I have softies and lps, along with mushrooms and rics.


I currently have two clownfish
one pink spotted watchman gobby

What I would like to add:
bangaii cardinal (x2) must be a male + female
purple firefish
coral beauty angelfish (added after the rock has been established)

The tank is currently set up but I am going to be getting a new tank, as this was my first tank and I bought it used when I first started and I feel it might have copper as I cannot keep a clean up crew. So I am getting a new 55 gallon. Please let me know if those fish are okay. As for the coral beauty I am aware that they can and do eat corals, but I am okay with risking the corals in the tank to have this beautiful fish. I also am aware that they pick at rocks for sponges and that is why I will be waiting quite awhile after I redo the tank.

That list is fine. Add the coral beauty last after the tank is more mature.

[Woodchuck12]

It is a 90 gallon, with a oversized skimmer and a total water volume of around 110 gallons. The only fish that I really want to have are at least 3 bannerfish, and the mandarin. I want the cardinals mostly to add some smaller midwater swimmers.

Red mandarin (to be added after 7+ months)
2 Banggai cardinals (male and female pair)
5 Schooling bannerfish


Black Long spined urchin
1 porcelain anemone crab
2 skunk cleaner shrimp
5 sexy anemone shrimp
5 pom pom crabs
2 Peppermint shrimp
Various sps/polyp/lps coral
Rose bubble tip anemone (to be added after 7+ months and before any coral)


Thanks, Charlie

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck12

It is a 90 gallon, with a oversized skimmer and a total water volume of around 110 gallons. The only fish that I really want to have are at least 3 bannerfish, and the mandarin. I want the cardinals mostly to add some smaller midwater swimmers.

Red mandarin (to be added after 7+ months)
2 Banggai cardinals (male and female pair)
5 Schooling bannerfish


Black Long spined urchin
1 porcelain anemone crab
2 skunk cleaner shrimp
5 sexy anemone shrimp
5 pom pom crabs
2 Peppermint shrimp
Various sps/polyp/lps coral
Rose bubble tip anemone (to be added after 7+ months and before any coral)


Thanks, Charlie

Should be fine.

[mlott132]

Just started the cycle on my new 75 gallon FOWLR tank. I am running a Trigger Systems Ruby 30S sump that has a Reef Octopus Diablo XS160, refugium, Eheim 1262 pump. I also have two Tunze 6025 powerheads in the DT. I have about 90lbs dry rock in the tank as well. Here is a list of fish that I would like to have. Please let me know your thoughts.

1x coral beauty angelfish
1x flame angel
1x foxface lo
1x hi fin red banded goby
1x six line wrasse
2x clownfish
1x firefish, purple
1x bicolor blenny
1x bicolor goatfish
1x tiger watchman goby
2x urchin
2x skunk cleaner shrimp
1x sea star

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by mlott132

Just started the cycle on my new 75 gallon FOWLR tank. I am running a Trigger Systems Ruby 30S sump that has a Reef Octopus Diablo XS160, refugium, Eheim 1262 pump. I also have two Tunze 6025 powerheads in the DT. I have about 90lbs dry rock in the tank as well. Here is a list of fish that I would like to have. Please let me know your thoughts.

1x coral beauty angelfish
1x flame angel
1x foxface lo these three are grazers which may be a bit much for your sized tank
1x hi fin red banded goby
1x six line wrasse not compatible with firefish
2x clownfish
1x firefish, purple
1x bicolor blenny
1x bicolor goatfish unless you are prepared to feed multiple times per day, this is not a good idea
1x tiger watchman goby
2x urchin
2x skunk cleaner shrimp
1x sea star

[markalot]

Hello.

40 gallon breeder, 4 gallon HOB refugium+skimmer, live rock, live sand, and all soft corals.

edit: This tank has been running with live rock, a cleanup crew, and lots and lots of critters since 1/30/2012

1 six line wrasse (I know!)
1 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Flame Angelfish
1 Flame Hawkfish

Thanks in advance!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by markalot

Hello.

40 gallon breeder, 4 gallon HOB refugium+skimmer, live rock, live sand, and all soft corals.

1 six line wrasse (I know!) Will be a problem
1 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Flame Angelfish
1 Flame Hawkfish Precludes having shrimp

Thanks in advance!

[steve888]

Hello:

I've had a 14G BioCube for almost 9 months now and things are going really well so I'm going to upgrade to a 30G or 50G system in a week or two. It's going to be a FOWLR tank with no sump. Here are the fish I was thinking about putting in each tank but I wanted to see what people thought first.

The first three fish in each list are the ones currently in my BioCube that I'll be moving to the new tank. The ones after that are the fish I was thinking of adding. Some people have already told me the Pygmy Angel is too big for a 30G so it's not a problem if I can't have one in a tank that size. I'm also wondering if having two Wrasses in the same tank will work (even though they are different species).

Thanks for any feedback or advice!

30G System

Six Line Wrasse
Yellow Clown Goby
Sharknose Goby
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Shepard's Pygmy Angelfish

50G System

Six Line Wrasse
Yellow Clown Goby
Sharknose Goby
Purple Firefish
Green Chromis x3
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Shepard's Pygmy Angelfish (or the Flame/Coral Beauty)

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by steve888

Hello:

I've had a 14G BioCube for almost 9 months now and things are going really well so I'm going to upgrade to a 30G or 50G system in a week or two. It's going to be a FOWLR tank with no sump. Here are the fish I was thinking about putting in each tank but I wanted to see what people thought first.

Actually, on this thread only RC staff responds, in this case me.

The first three fish in each list are the ones currently in my BioCube that I'll be moving to the new tank. The ones after that are the fish I was thinking of adding. Some people have already told me the Pygmy Angel is too big for a 30G so it's not a problem if I can't have one in a tank that size. I'm also wondering if having two Wrasses in the same tank will work (even though they are different species).

Thanks for any feedback or advice!

30G System

Six Line Wrasse makes options difficult going forward
Yellow Clown Goby
Sharknose Goby
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse not with a six line wrasse
Shepard's Pygmy Angelfish

50G System

Six Line Wrasse makes options difficult going forward
Yellow Clown Goby
Sharknose Goby
Purple Firefish not with a six line wrasse
Green Chromis x3
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse not with a six line wrasse
Shepard's Pygmy Angelfish (or the Flame/Coral Beauty)

[rollermonkey]

I've changed up my plan a bit.

Here's the desired fish, in what I think is the correct order of addition to the 29 Biocube:

CUC to include one peppermint shrimp to nip any aptasia before it starts.

One MacNiell's Assessor
(One Helfrichi Firefish)
One Dracula Goby / One Red banded snapping shrimp (simultaneous add)
Two Ocellaris Clownfish
One Fire shrimp

I think they are all compatible, but A: is it too much for the tank size and B: what is the likelihood that the pistol shrimp hunt the others?

I'll be QTing everything, one at a time in a 7.5g glass cube.

Do I need to give the pistol a little sand to push around in the QT?

[steve888]

Thanks, Steve, for your reply. I can drop the purple firefish out of the 50G setup. My six line wrasse gets along fine with the sharknose goby and yellow clown goby and my LFS said as long as I add him last to the new tank I should be okay. And they said the McCosker's would be okay with a six line...but, of course, their job is to sell fish, so what would you expect. I can live without the McCosker's, however.

I appreciate your comments and suggestions!

[raekai]

I have a 75 gal with skimmer in sump. Probably 100 lbs of live rock. led lights.white, blue and color changing.

clean up crew 6 turbos, 5 small snails, 5 hermits, 1 emerald, 1 brittle star.

Corals 5 mushrooms various colors. 2 captain americas, 30 heads eagle eye, xenia, kenya, 7 heads blue trumpet, 3 featherdusters,

fish: 4 clowns (2 fancy x wy) 1ora picasso and 1 black and white with orange face. 1 6 line wrasse. Had a purple firefish and an arrow crab, but they died after my dumbness put 2 new large rocks in and they skyrocketed the amonia and the nitrates. Also just got a longnose hawk, he died in my quarentine tank.

my plans are to add a few more corals and 1 purple tang(later), 1 longnose hawk, another purple firefish, 1 small puffer, 1 heniochous, and an anemone.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by rollermonkey

I've changed up my plan a bit.

Here's the desired fish, in what I think is the correct order of addition to the 29 Biocube:

CUC to include one peppermint shrimp to nip any aptasia before it starts.

One MacNiell's Assessor
(One Helfrichi Firefish)
One Dracula Goby / One Red banded snapping shrimp (simultaneous add)
Two Ocellaris Clownfish
One Fire shrimp

I think they are all compatible, but A: is it too much for the tank size and B: what is the likelihood that the pistol shrimp hunt the others?

The pistol shrimp should be fine

I'll be QTing everything, one at a time in a 7.5g glass cube.

Do I need to give the pistol a little sand to push around in the QT?

I would not bother QT the pistol shrimp

Bioload is fine, but I would be aware that a mated pair of clowns will want to rule the tank.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by steve888

Thanks, Steve, for your reply. I can drop the purple firefish out of the 50G setup. My six line wrasse gets along fine with the sharknose goby and yellow clown goby because they do not occupy the same ecological niche and my LFS said as long as I add him last to the new tank I should be okay. And they said the McCosker's would be okay with a six line...but, of course, their job is to sell fish, so what would you expect. I can live without the McCosker's, however.

I appreciate your comments and suggestions!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by raekai

I have a 75 gal with skimmer in sump. Probably 100 lbs of live rock. led lights.white, blue and color changing.

clean up crew 6 turbos, 5 small snails, 5 hermits, 1 emerald, 1 brittle star. hermits will eventually kill snails and are opportunistic feeders. Emerald crabs can take fish once large enough

Corals 5 mushrooms various colors. 2 captain americas, 30 heads eagle eye, xenia, kenya, 7 heads blue trumpet, 3 featherdusters,

fish: 4 clowns (2 fancy x wy) 1ora picasso and 1 black and white with orange face.

Only one pair of clownfish per normally sized tank; the other will be killed

1 6 line wrasse.

A very aggressive fish which will limit choices going foward

Had a purple firefish and an arrow crab, but they died after my dumbness put 2 new large rocks in and they skyrocketed the amonia and the nitrates. Also just got a longnose hawk, he died in my quarentine tank.

my plans are to add a few more corals and 1 purple tang(later), 1 longnose hawk, another purple firefish, 1 small puffer, 1 heniochous, and an anemone.

A purple tang really needs a larger tank. A firefish will likely be intimidated by the sixline wrasse and stop eating. Depending on which puffer, that may also be a problem.

[rollermonkey]

Originally Posted by snorvich

I would not bother QT the pistol shrimp

Bioload is fine, but I would be aware that a mated pair of clowns will want to rule the tank.

By rule the tank, do you mean they'll bully the rest, or simply that they'll occupy the water column while everybody else will be in and out?

I know the Assessor and the Firefish are supposed to be fairly shy even in a peaceful tank and the goby will end up down on the substrate, but I'd rather keep just a single Clown if they're going to gang up on everything else.

I had the Helfrich in parenthesis because that's the fish I thought would be the one to drop if the bioload was too high, but if the clowns are going to be problematic, even with them entering the system two to three months after the Assessor and one to two after the Helfrichi I can stick with only one of them.

Is the order the best way to do this group?

[steve888]

Thanks again, Steve. I wish my LFS would have told me this about the six-line wrasse before I bought it. I guess it's partly my fault, too. Before I bought it, I read that they were generally okay with most fish but it sounds like they are almost as bad as damsels. Oh well, worse case is I can return it to them and get something that's a bit less aggressive. Thanks again for your help!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by rollermonkey

By rule the tank, do you mean they'll bully the rest, or simply that they'll occupy the water column while everybody else will be in and out?

clownfish go through various stages. After they decide which one will be female, they bond as a precursor to mating. Once this starts they want to control (for A. ocellaris or A. percula) about 25 gallons of tank space

I know the Assessor and the Firefish are supposed to be fairly shy even in a peaceful tank and the goby will end up down on the substrate, but I'd rather keep just a single Clown if they're going to gang up on everything else.

Makes it better but does not completely solve the problem as a single one will become female and she will be a bit of a bully

I had the Helfrich in parenthesis because that's the fish I thought would be the one to drop if the bioload was too high, but if the clowns are going to be problematic, even with them entering the system two to three months after the Assessor and one to two after the Helfrichi I can stick with only one of them.

Is the order the best way to do this group?

Most aggressive last, least first

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by steve888

Thanks again, Steve. I wish my LFS would have told me this about the six-line wrasse before I bought it. I guess it's partly my fault, too. Before I bought it, I read that they were generally okay with most fish but it sounds like they are almost as bad as damsels. Oh well, worse case is I can return it to them and get something that's a bit less aggressive. Thanks again for your help!

They will be ok with noone occupying their ecological niche, but can be terrors with similars.

[rollermonkey]

Originally Posted by snorvich

I would not bother QT the pistol shrimp

Bioload is fine, but I would be aware that a mated pair of clowns will want to rule the tank.

Originally Posted by snorvich

Most aggressive last, least first

Thank you, Steve, I do know the rule about stocking order, I just don't know which fish is the most peaceful to least peaceful. Everywhere I look, all I see is "peaceful" for all of them except the Assessor, which nobody seems to agree on if it's extremely timid or semi-agressive. (I've seen two or three articles on them that actually say both within the same text.)

My planned stocking order after the CUC with about one month spacing is
#1 Blue Assessor, #2 Helfrichi Firefish, #3 Dracula Goby / Red banded shrimp pair, then #4 the O. clown (or clowns one at a time for QT purposes) and adding a Fire shrimp at the end.

Does that order sound about right?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by rollermonkey

Thank you, Steve, I do know the rule about stocking order, I just don't know which fish is the most peaceful to least peaceful. Everywhere I look, all I see is "peaceful" for all of them except the Assessor, which nobody seems to agree on if it's extremely timid or semi-agressive. (I've seen two or three articles on them that actually say both within the same text.)

My planned stocking order after the CUC with about one month spacing is
#1 Blue Assessor, #2 Helfrichi Firefish, #3 Dracula Goby / Red banded shrimp pair, then #4 the O. clown (or clowns one at a time for QT purposes) and adding a Fire shrimp at the end.

Does that order sound about right?

I would do the Helfrichi Firefish first, otherwise fine.

[mlott132]

I have decide to change my fish plan a little bit. Let me know your thoughts.

Old:
1x coral beauty angelfish
1x flame angel
1x foxface lo
1x hi fin red banded goby
1x six line wrasse
2x clownfish
1x firefish, purple
1x bicolor blenny
1x bicolor goatfish
1x tiger watchman goby
2x urchin
2x skunk cleaner shrimp
1x sea star

New:
1x blue hippo tang
1x flame angel
1x foxface lo
1x hi fin red banded goby
1x kole yellow eye tang
2x clownfish
1x firefish, purple
1x bicolor blenny
1x tiger watchman goby
2x urchin
2x skunk cleaner shrimp
1x sea star

[rollermonkey]

Thanks again, Steve. I'll probably stop after the first clown and let that settle out for a while. See how it plays out, grow some corals.

About 3-4 months after that clown, I'll hopefully be making a move to a house somewhere within 30 minutes from here, and that'll take up a lot of my fish thoughts during that window of time.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by mlott132

I have decide to change my fish plan a little bit. Let me know your thoughts.

Old:
1x coral beauty angelfish
1x flame angel
1x foxface lo
1x hi fin red banded goby
1x six line wrasse
2x clownfish
1x firefish, purple
1x bicolor blenny
1x bicolor goatfish
1x tiger watchman goby
2x urchin
2x skunk cleaner shrimp
1x sea star

New:
1x blue hippo tang requires a MUCH larger tank
1x flame angel
1x foxface lo
1x hi fin red banded goby
1x kole yellow eye tang two grazers in a 75 gallon tank will not work well long term (although your current list actually has three)
2x clownfish
1x firefish, purple
1x bicolor blenny
1x tiger watchman goby
2x urchin
2x skunk cleaner shrimp
1x sea star

[mlott132]

The more I read about the blue hippo I agree with you. Did not realize how big they get. Which other grazer(s) on my list do you think I should not get?