800g stocking

[LukasV]

Hi Reefers,

I would be happy for your advices about stocking.

I am planning in my new house (that should be built in 2-3 years) a big tank. I expect at least 800g DT (with corresponding sump and so). Few weeks ago I got an second handed Red Sea Reefer XL425 which should be a "training" tank for me to be ready for a big one. I cycled it and now I started with stocking... I am buying just frags and small fishes (babies)... I do not need a "wow effect" immediately, I am willing to wait until everything will grow itself. And all the animals from current tank will be moved to the big one in few years. I think (and I hope) it is not a mistake to think that given that I can stock the Reefer similarly to the big one (with small fish that get a new bigger home when they will grow up).

I have read tons of pages here and heard hundreds of hours of videos from youtube butI am still unsure.
My tank started easily with 5 frags (SPS, LPS, anemone), 3 shrimps, 4 snails and of course one pair of Nemos (I have a small daughter so what would one expect). All are doing fine and in few day I expect another mates coming.

So my plan is:

CUC (the counts are the basics, anything can be even multiplied anytime):
24x snails (different groups)
4x cleaning shrimp
2x Fire schrimp
2x Peppermint shrimp
2x Pom-pom crab
2-3x porcelain or guard crabs (Porcellanidae or Trapezia sp.)
1-2x starfish (which one?)
1-2x urchin (which one?)
Beneficial fish:
1x One-spot Foxface
1x watchman gobi + shrimp
1x Diamond gobi
?x wrasses (which one and how many? 2 is enough?)
2x blennies (I would choose by appearance, not sure yet which)
1x Blue Sapphire Damsel
1x Magnificent Foxface

Other (beauty) fish:
2x Nemos (already have)
1x Dori (coming in few days, I have a small daughter so what to expect)
1x pair of Mandarin fish (coming in few days)
... and others that would be pretty and will fit


I was not looking by LFS for good looking fishes yet, so I have no idea which would be interesting for me, I understand that it is more important to set up a stability in the reef to which help others then to buy "beauty fish", so I would rather fully stock a beneficial fish in advance.

Please, what do you think about it?

 

[i cant think]

Hi Reefers,

I would be happy for your advices about stocking.

I am planning in my new house (that should be built in 2-3 years) a big tank. I expect at least 800g DT (with corresponding sump and so). Few weeks ago I got an second handed Red Sea Reefer XL425 which should be a "training" tank for me to be ready for a big one. I cycled it and now I started with stocking... I am buying just frags and small fishes (babies)... I do not need a "wow effect" immediately, I am willing to wait until everything will grow itself. And all the animals from current tank will be moved to the big one in few years. I think (and I hope) it is not a mistake to think that given that I can stock the Reefer similarly to the big one (with small fish that get a new bigger home when they will grow up).

I have read tons of pages here and heard hundreds of hours of videos from youtube butI am still unsure.
My tank started easily with 5 frags (SPS, LPS, anemone), 3 shrimps, 4 snails and of course one pair of Nemos (I have a small daughter so what would one expect). All are doing fine and in few day I expect another mates coming.

So my plan is:

CUC (the counts are the basics, anything can be even multiplied anytime):
24x snails (different groups)
4x cleaning shrimp
2x Fire schrimp
2x Peppermint shrimp
2x Pom-pom crab
2-3x porcelain or guard crabs (Porcellanidae or Trapezia sp.)
1-2x starfish (which one?)
1-2x urchin (which one?)
Beneficial fish:
1x One-spot Foxface
1x watchman gobi + shrimp
1x Diamond gobi
?x wrasses (which one and how many? 2 is enough?)
2x blennies (I would choose by appearance, not sure yet which)
1x Blue Sapphire Damsel
1x Magnificent Foxface

Other (beauty) fish:
2x Nemos (already have)
1x Dori (coming in few days, I have a small daughter so what to expect)
1x pair of Mandarin fish (coming in few days)
... and others that would be pretty and will fit


I was not looking by LFS for good looking fishes yet, so I have no idea which would be interesting for me, I understand that it is more important to set up a stability in the reef to which help others then to buy "beauty fish", so I would rather fully stock a beneficial fish in advance.

Please, what do you think about it?

You’ve gone in too quickly, mandarins will need an established tank (6-7 months old at least). It’s likely without an established pod population, one will die of starvation let alone two. And these fish aren’t easy to have feeding on Frozen/prepared foods.

A regal/hippo tang, that will likely outgrow your tank before you get the larger tank up. These fish are small at first but they do grow, and if fed properly they grow fast.

2 Rabbitfish in one tank can work - I personally have it working well with a Magnificent and a Black. However you need to know signs of aggression before planning on several rabbitfish. I would wait before going for two Foxfaces, stay with one of them for now - I’d go for the magnificent. Then in your larger tank, you can introduce a second. Or if you feel up for it, have one and care for that one for 1-2 years and then introduce a second later down the line (You will want to use an acclimation box).

Wrasse wise, in your 4’ tank I’d stick to a maximum of 7-9 wrasses depending on how much you want to stock your tank or how much territory you want to give. Mixing them is somewhat easy however there are guidelines to it. The best way however is if you say what wrasses you like the look of and we can then help you with which will mix well.

 

[NotReefsafe]

Slow down. You have a 90 gallon, not an 800 gallon. 3 years is a lot, and a "baby" fish now will be huge before your house is built.
If I was in your position, I'd start thinking about what corals I want to stock the 800 with, and grow out colonies--that's what will make your 800 special. Personally, I'd do a ton of easy soft corals. Huge toadstools and leathers, tons of Xenia, etc