45 gallon tall stocking list

[Cbones1979]

Hello, need some help.

My 45 gallon is up. I have the following.
saddleback clown
ocellaris clown
canary wrasse
bi-color blenny (not in the tank yet, still in 20 gallon, can't catch him)

Looking for other fish options for stocking this future mixed reef. Was hoping for utilitarian type fish (cleaning, algae, etc) but i've read about angel fish picking at corals etc etc.

Some options are firefish, cardinals, eventually a diamond watchman goby, another wrasse if it won't mess with current wrasse?

Anyone having success with these fish mixed?

 

[Zionas]

Maybe you’re successful with it but generally it’s risky mixing different species of Clowns. If I were you I’d just do a pair of Ocellaris for a peaceful community tank. Canary Wrasse is good. I assume you have a sand bed for it as it needs sand to feel comfortable. Otherwise nice color and movement, hardy and a good pest eater.

Bicolor Blenny’s good. Not sure how long your tank is but I think you’d be okay with another bottom dweller: I’d do a shrimp and goby combo.

And then maybe add 2 more fish for a total of 7 if your filtration can handle it. If you decide to add another Wrasse you can choose a smaller fairy wrasse like a Lubbock’s, or a Flasher Wrasse. The Pink Streak and Possum Wrasses all Max our at about 2-2.5”.

And after that add the Firefish or a Pajama / Bangaii Cardinal. TBH if I were you and I had a tank with good filtration here’s what I’d do:

x2 Ocellaris Clownfish

x1 Canary Wrasse

x1 Bicolor Blenny

x1 shrimp / goby pair

x1 Firefish or Bangaii / PJ Cardinal (I prefer Helfrichi / Purple / Magnificent Firefish over the red one)

x1 Small Fairy / Flasher Wrasse or a Pink Streak / Possum Wrasse


This way you’ll have a good mix of active swimmers, bottom dwellers, and clumsy swimmers (Clowns). You could also consider adding a basslet or Assessor of some kind, like a Royal Gramma, Blackcap Basslet, Swissguard Basslet, or a Yellow / McNeill’s / Randall’s Assessor in place of a second Wrasse or the Cardinal / Firefish slot.

Generally, in a 45 gallon, I’d limit my selection to fish 5” and smaller. Your Yellow Coris will get to 5” so make that your only larger active fish in the water column.

The Saddleback’s more aggressive than the Ocellaris. If I were you I’d pair the Ocellaris.

If you didn’t have the Bicolor Blenny or Ocellaris Clown or Yellow Coris Wrasse and you really wanted to keep the Saddleback, I’d go for a semi-aggressive / aggressive tank. The downside to that is many of these more feisty fish may pose a threat to invertebrates.

 

[Cbones1979]

Maybe you’re successful with it but generally it’s risky mixing different species of Clowns. If I were you I’d just do a pair of Ocellaris for a peaceful community tank. Canary Wrasse is good. I assume you have a sand bed for it as it needs sand to feel comfortable. Otherwise nice color and movement, hardy and a good pest eater.

Bicolor Blenny’s good. Not sure how long your tank is but I think you’d be okay with another bottom dweller: I’d do a shrimp and goby combo.

And then maybe add 2 more fish for a total of 7 if your filtration can handle it. If you decide to add another Wrasse you can choose a smaller fairy wrasse like a Lubbock’s, or a Flasher Wrasse. The Pink Streak and Possum Wrasses all Max our at about 2-2.5”.

And after that add the Firefish or a Pajama / Bangaii Cardinal. TBH if I were you and I had a tank with good filtration here’s what I’d do:

x2 Ocellaris Clownfish

x1 Canary Wrasse

x1 Bicolor Blenny

x1 shrimp / goby pair

x1 Firefish or Bangaii / PJ Cardinal (I prefer Helfrichi / Purple / Magnificent Firefish over the red one)

x1 Small Fairy / Flasher Wrasse or a Pink Streak / Possum Wrasse


This way you’ll have a good mix of active swimmers, bottom dwellers, and clumsy swimmers (Clowns). You could also consider adding a basslet or Assessor of some kind, like a Royal Gramma, Blackcap Basslet, Swissguard Basslet, or a Yellow / McNeill’s / Randall’s Assessor in place of a second Wrasse or the Cardinal / Firefish slot.

Generally, in a 45 gallon, I’d limit my selection to fish 5” and smaller. Your Yellow Coris will get to 5” so make that your only larger active fish in the water column.

The Saddleback’s more aggressive than the Ocellaris. If I were you I’d pair the Ocellaris.

If you didn’t have the Bicolor Blenny or Ocellaris Clown or Yellow Coris Wrasse and you really wanted to keep the Saddleback, I’d go for a semi-aggressive / aggressive tank. The downside to that is many of these more feisty fish may pose a threat to invertebrates.

Really great response my man.

For the clowns, I had them both originally at the same time. The first ocellaris passed away with some strange disease. Went back to LFS and they suggested adding a smaller one as the saddle would be more likely to accept. It has worked for well over a year at this point. Saddle is 2x the size and occasionally chases the oce around but mostly they just swim around together.

The blenny sits on top of rocks and in rocks so i'm sure a bottom dweller/sand dweller would be fine.

 

[Zionas]

Glad it’s working out for you. Are your Ocellaris Captive bred? And what were the symptoms of the “strange disease” that killed the other one?

I bet your LFS has all their systems hooked together, if they have wild caught Clownfish they may well have introduced disease into the tanks of the captive bred ones.

If that Clownfish was covered in a white film before it died, then it was Brooklynella AKA Clownfish disease. Captive Bred Clowns are supposed to be almost bulletproof but if your LFS doesn’t completely isolate their captive bred stock from their wild stock it’s more likely.

 

[Cbones1979]

Glad it’s working out for you. Are your Ocellaris Captive bred? And what were the symptoms of the “strange disease” that killed the other one?

I bet your LFS has all their systems hooked together, if they have wild caught Clownfish they may well have introduced disease into the tanks of the captive bred ones.

If that Clownfish was covered in a white film before it died, then it was Brooklynella AKA Clownfish disease. Captive Bred Clowns are supposed to be almost bulletproof but if your LFS doesn’t completely isolate their captive bred stock from their wild stock it’s more likely.

I had posted videos of hit here. It literally was swimming upside down in circles. No spots anywhere on it. It was divebombing into the acclimation tank side. it died the next day.

The two current clowns have been bulletproof (knock on wood) and were captive bred.

 

[Zionas]

If it was wild caught, rough handling may have led to decompression / swim bladder issues or assuming the worst, cyanide caught.

Clowns aren’t particularly susceptible to swim bladder problems. Some deep water fish can be susceptible to it.

Just my guess though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Firefish goby
Watchman goby
Coral banded shrimp
6 line wrasse
Sm yellow eye kole tang

 

[Zionas]

I like the look of the 6 Line Wrasse but wouldn’t aggression towards other fish as well as picking off shrimp and snails be an issue with them? A total least that’s what I’ve heard.

 

[Cbones1979]

I like the look of the 6 Line Wrasse but wouldn’t aggression towards other fish as well as picking off shrimp and snails be an issue with them? A total least that’s what I’ve heard.

Had six line. He dried up on the floor after jumping through a inch wide hole rip

 

[Zionas]

Sorry for the loss Can’t believe they jump through the tiniest of openings.

 

[Cbones1979]

Maybe you’re successful with it but generally it’s risky mixing different species of Clowns. If I were you I’d just do a pair of Ocellaris for a peaceful community tank. Canary Wrasse is good. I assume you have a sand bed for it as it needs sand to feel comfortable. Otherwise nice color and movement, hardy and a good pest eater.

Bicolor Blenny’s good. Not sure how long your tank is but I think you’d be okay with another bottom dweller: I’d do a shrimp and goby combo.

And then maybe add 2 more fish for a total of 7 if your filtration can handle it. If you decide to add another Wrasse you can choose a smaller fairy wrasse like a Lubbock’s, or a Flasher Wrasse. The Pink Streak and Possum Wrasses all Max our at about 2-2.5”.

And after that add the Firefish or a Pajama / Bangaii Cardinal. TBH if I were you and I had a tank with good filtration here’s what I’d do:

x2 Ocellaris Clownfish

x1 Canary Wrasse

x1 Bicolor Blenny

x1 shrimp / goby pair

x1 Firefish or Bangaii / PJ Cardinal (I prefer Helfrichi / Purple / Magnificent Firefish over the red one)

x1 Small Fairy / Flasher Wrasse or a Pink Streak / Possum Wrasse


This way you’ll have a good mix of active swimmers, bottom dwellers, and clumsy swimmers (Clowns). You could also consider adding a basslet or Assessor of some kind, like a Royal Gramma, Blackcap Basslet, Swissguard Basslet, or a Yellow / McNeill’s / Randall’s Assessor in place of a second Wrasse or the Cardinal / Firefish slot.

Generally, in a 45 gallon, I’d limit my selection to fish 5” and smaller. Your Yellow Coris will get to 5” so make that your only larger active fish in the water column.

The Saddleback’s more aggressive than the Ocellaris. If I were you I’d pair the Ocellaris.

If you didn’t have the Bicolor Blenny or Ocellaris Clown or Yellow Coris Wrasse and you really wanted to keep the Saddleback, I’d go for a semi-aggressive / aggressive tank. The downside to that is many of these more feisty fish may pose a threat to invertebrates.

welp...gramma passed away with what looked like rotting fins (not ich) and wrasse commited suicide jumping into the overflow box and siphon.

Back to my original 2 clowns and blenny....

 

[Zionas]

Do you have a cover or top for your tank? If not invest into one before keeping wrasses or any other fish likely to jump.

The Gramma, hmm, strange one. Any bullying? Did you use any copper on it?

 

[Cbones1979]

Do you have a cover or top for your tank? If not invest into one before keeping wrasses or any other fish likely to jump.

The Gramma, hmm, strange one. Any bullying? Did you use any copper on it?

yup, i have a cover but he jumped up over the small space between the in tank overflow box and between the cover which is maybe 1 inch?

Gramma was fine for weeks until i added the other fish. He was all upset after that.

 

[Zionas]

Must have been some bullying involved. Maybe it’s fins we’re being nipped at.

1 inch is still a gap. Is there a way to completely cover the tank?

 

[Cbones1979]

Must have been some bullying involved. Maybe it’s fins we’re being nipped at.

1 inch is still a gap. Is there a way to completely cover the tank?

i'd have to cover the in tank overflow. He never got out of the tank so my top kept him in.

I noticed zero bullying on all accounts both wrasse and gramma. if anything the wrasse was chasing my smaller clown.

The gramma just got mad whenever anyone swam by. They all ignored him.

Thanks man

 

[smacbride]

My Royal Gramma died after being bulled by my larger Clown fish. Tore up his fins and then he went into hiding. I eventually found his body in the clutches of a hermit crab.

 

[Cbones1979]

My Royal Gramma died after being bulled by my larger Clown fish. Tore up his fins and then he went into hiding. I eventually found his body in the clutches of a hermit crab.

Yeah, im back to square one on fish now. Maybe i should have put the gramma in after the other ones. I'll have a qt tank ready for the next set of fish.

 

[smacbride]

So I added a pair Bangaii Cardinals and a red finned fairy wrasse to go with my clown pair and it is working ok great so far. I used to have a Lemon peel angel and it ate all my snails and killed a few anemones along the way.

 

[Cbones1979]

So I added a pair Bangaii Cardinals and a red finned fairy wrasse to go with my clown pair and it is working ok great so far. I used to have a Lemon peel angel and it ate all my snails and killed a few anemones along the way.

what size tank? I have a 45 gallon. i def want a wrasse.

 

[smacbride]

Forgot to mention, my tank is a 34g Red Sea max AIO