70 gallon stocking list advice

littlefoxx · Feb 16, 2023

Hey all,

Had a velvet outbreak that killed all my amazing fish. I was looking to re do my stocking list and just plan out and think during the fallow period so l can get opinions and do as much research on the fish as I can.

stocking list 1
2 clowns (designer or just the occ/perc)
1 dwarf Angel
1 tomani tang (Ive read that this or the yellow eyed kole tang would work in my size tank with lots of live rock, which I have but I always hear so many different things regarding them so any advice is very welcome!!)
3 blue reef chromis
Midas blenny
Royal gramma
Watchmen goby w/pistol shrimp

List 2
Snowflake eel
2 maroon (or regular) clowns
Dwarf fuzzy lionfish
Dwarf angel
Tomini tang
3 blue reef chromis
Midas blenny

List 3
2 regular clowns
Dwarf angel
Midas blenny
Royal gramma
Wrasse (suggestions more than welcome) looking at Lubbock, clown fairy, and yellow coris
Watchmen goby
Purple firefish
Engineer goby

List 3
2 clowns
Dwarf angel
Tomini/kole tang
Midas blenny
Firefish
Wrasse (1)
Blue reef chromis (3)
Snowflake eel

List 4
2 clowns
Dwarf angel
Tomini tang/kole tang
Midas blenny
Dwarf lionfish
Wrasse (3)

I am dead set on the midas blenny, clowns, and angel because I lost all those and l loved them so much.

Like I said any advice is very welcome since lm new! Especially on stocking (where the two tangs are concerned) and on if the bio load is too much. If some of you think that please suggest a list from the combo above so l can get an idea for how many fish will fit comfortably in the tank!

That is the most important thing to me is getting fish that will be happy in there and go well together since they are animals and my goal is to provide them a beautiful home with corals! I also have hermits, shrimp and snails. I know snowflake and lion say not to put them together but lots of feeds on here I have seen people have no issue with them being with inverts while others say theirs massacred all inverts. I will say my inverts are important to my tank and l have a few prized shrimp and halloween crabs. (Love those hermits a lot, dont want them being eaten but they are pretty dang big for saltwater hermits lve seen)

KrisReef · Feb 17, 2023

In the beginning the aquarium trade had standard sizes of tank’s. Since reef keeping became popular the sizes of tanks has changed with large footprints and shallow depth(s).
What are the dimensions of your tank?
Are you planning on getting an anemone for the clownfish? They can be a pain because they don’t always stay put, wandering around and getting into places or harms way just doing their thing. I think clowns deserve an anemone, but they don’t have to have one. Just asking for a few details
Gl

littlefoxx · Feb 17, 2023

KrisReef said:
In the beginning the aquarium trade had standard sizes of tank’s. Since reef keeping became popular the sizes of tanks has changed with large footprints and shallow depth(s).
What are the dimensions of your tank?
Are you planning on getting an anemone for the clownfish? They can be a pain because they don’t always stay put, wandering around and getting into places or harms way just doing their thing. I think clowns deserve an anemone, but they don’t have to have one. Just asking for a few details
Gl

Yes I was planning on a BTA for my clowns so they can have an awesome home. And im not sure dimensions, the tank model is a red sea max 260 for 69 gallons. Its more of a cube than it is a long traditional tank. I included a picture below for reference

CookieRdReef · Feb 17, 2023

Cool fish choices. I love the idea of having an eel or a lionfish one day though it would be a pain to hand feed them.

Lists 2 and 3 are pretty heavy bioload for a tank that size especially when fish or eels are grown. A small tang should be good in that size. I would be nervous about putting small wrasses with a lionfish but I am not an expert on lionfish. I had a Melanarus and Yellow Coris in my 75 and currently have those 2, a Ref Coris, and a Leopard in my 180. I would recommend all but the Red Coris for a 70g.

littlefoxx · Feb 17, 2023

CookieRdReef said:
Cool fish choices. I love the idea of having an eel or a lionfish one day though it would be a pain to hand feed them.

Lists 2 and 3 are pretty heavy bioload for a tank that size especially when fish or eels are grown. A small tang should be good in that size. I would be nervous about putting small wrasses with a lionfish but I am not an expert on lionfish. I had a Melanarus and Yellow Coris in my 75 and currently have those 2, a Ref Coris, and a Leopard in my 180. I would recommend all but the Red Coris for a 70g.

If Im not mistaken those smaller wrasses are 4 or so inches?? I can never find a good size fish to look at with lions cause its always “whatever fits in their mouth” but it never says what size is considered “safe” as far as size!!

nereefpat · Feb 17, 2023

Looks like a RSR max 260 is 36x22" display with 56 gallons.

I like #3. I wouldn't do a tang of any kind.

KrisReef · Feb 17, 2023

nereefpat said:
Looks like a RSR max 260 is 36x22" display with 56 gallons.

I like #3. I wouldn't do a tang of any kind.

I like my tangs, Tomini could hang.

About predators. They normal eat weaker fish off the reefs, or anything that will fit in their mouth when they are hungry.

So, if you keep the predators well fed their mouth size is less important, in theory. Predators also produce a lot of waste and in smaller tanks that means more water changes.

When you have fish in with a predator, the fish are likely not that comfortable with a lion or eel sitting next to them all day. Some folks get small fish and trade them to someone with a bigger tank or the lfs when they get too big.

Two tangs and a nem are going to grow up and be protective of their corner of the reef, and the size of our tanks sets the practical limit for territories. My clownfish are a few years old, maybe 10 and if they have an anemone they defend that spot, easily as much as the entire tank bottom of your set up. My nem decided to wander after 3 years of sitting in the same place. I found pieces of it after it surfed the powerhead. I didn't have a guard because the nem had sat in place and not moved for 3 years. ($700 nem gone in seconds).

The pair of clowns will tolerate other fishes in their territory but as the tank ages 2 clowns, a tang, a wrasse is getting pretty full for territory pressure. You can add more, but to me that is like living in an apartment (no parking space) or worse, going back inside cell block 7. Just a few things to consider, it's gonna be cool!

littlefoxx · Feb 17, 2023

nereefpat said:
Looks like a RSR max 260 is 36x22" display with 56 gallons.

I like #3. I wouldn't do a tang of any kind

Ah okay, do you think the tang isnt going to have enough room?

nereefpat · Feb 17, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Ah okay, do you think the tang isnt going to have enough room?

That is my opinion, yes.

littlefoxx · Feb 17, 2023

nereefpat said:
That is my opinion, yes.

Okay that makes sense. I will probably skip the tang. I had a half black mimic tang (baby) in there before cause a LFS said it would only be 5 inches… found out here that they are like 8 to 10…but he passed from the velvet outbreak. I really loved watching him swim around so l was curious if another tang or similar fish would be okay in there?

nereefpat · Feb 17, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Okay that makes sense. I will probably skip the tang. I had a half black mimic tang (baby) in there before cause a LFS said it would only be 5 inches… found out here that they are like 8 to 10

Yeah, mimic tangs get way too big for a 3' tank.