90G Stock List Review

jwood73

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I know these stock lists can get pretty old, so sorry in advance. I have based this list on reviewing a plethora of existing posts about stock lists but would like an initial gut check from more experienced reefers as this is largest tank I have kept thus far. You can view the aquascape on my build tread, but I have a healthy amount of rock work, caves, overhangs, swim throughs, and a 3" sand bed of caribsea special grade.

The tank does have a mesh lid as I would like the wrasses to be the primary display for the tank. The second half of the tank is open swimming space for fish, and the gyre pump offers a good current to swim against, both my blennies treat it like a treadmill at times.

Tank is a 48" 90G, with 36g sump, 20g refugium, bubble magus curve 7 skimmer and automated fleece roller.

Current inhabitants from my previous tank:
- Midas blenny
- Tailspot blenny
- Lubbock's multicolor wrasse
- Yellow watchman goby

Planned additions:
- Katherine's fairy wrasse
- McCosker's flasher wrasse
- Yellow wrasse (went with a yellow wrasse over a melanurus due to size and potentially being more peaceful, not sure how a pistol shrimp would fare)
- Squaretail Bristletooth Tang (seems to be smaller like the Tomini, but with better coloration imo) The tang would be my last addition.

Undecided Additions: I would probably add 1-4 from this list depending on which fish, their size, and where they would occupy in the tank.
- Some type of dartfish? Potentially a trio of zebra dartfish or a lone firefish.
- An additional rock dweller or two: royal gramma, randall's assessor basslet, black cap basslet or a springeri damsel
- Maybe a green citron goby
- Depending on total number I would like a splash of red, and have considered a flame hawkfish, but am open to other options.
- I keep looking at a one spot fox face as an alternate to the tang due to the color and personality, but feel the tang being smaller would fare better long term with the rock work I have in my tank. Honestly, I just need someone to tell me no, and to stick with the tang (this would be an either/or with the tang, and not in addition to).
- An additional flasher wrasse, perhaps a blue flasher wrasse.

Inverts:
- Trochus, nassarius, and turbo snails
- Dwarf blue leg and scarlet leg hermits
- Emerald crabs if needed.
- Cleaner shrimp.

Coral:
- Zoa island, GSP Island
- Florida ricordea near the base of the rock work
- Room for mostly LPS on the rock work (hammer, frogspawn, and duncans are what I am mainly planning).
- Photosynthetic gorgonians

Any feedback would be much appreciated.
 
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jwood73

jwood73

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Why not the tang and the Foxface?
I was under the impression that a 90g was borderline for both smaller tangs and fox faces and it would be an either or scenario to ensure everyone had ample room. I don’t think I’m too concerned from a bioload perspective.
 

tbrown

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One Spot and a Bristletooth together in a 4' 90 gallon should be fine long term.

@Fish Styx
 

steveschuerger

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I was under the impression that a 90g was borderline for both smaller tangs and fox faces and it would be an either or scenario to ensure everyone had ample room. I don’t think I’m too concerned from a bioload perspective.
When I had my 90 up and running, I had a fox face, CBB, leopard wrasse, Mel wrasse, bristletooth tang, 2 clowns, 2 Bangaii . I just made sure there were lots of breaks for territory and still had room in front for swimming space. So it can be done
 

NyReefer

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If it was me, I'd plan on stocking one less wrasse and adding a small tang. One day you'll have to find the tang a new home but until then you get a great fish that will also help with algae control.
 

littlefoxx

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be aware foxfaces get massive. My LFS has one in their display thats easilly a foot long. Big fish and they grow so fast. I would pass on the foxface if this was my tank.
 
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jwood73

jwood73

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be aware foxfaces get massive. My LFS has one in their display thats easilly a foot long. Big fish and they grow so fast. I would pass on the foxface if this was my tank.
My understanding is the one spot is the smallest of the fox faces with a max size of 8” with some saying they range from 6-8” full grown. Which is still a large fish, but not as large as say the magnificent.
 

littlefoxx

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be aware foxfaces get massive. My LFS has one in their display thats easilly a foot long. Big fish and they grow so fast. I would pass on the foxface if this was my tank.
My understanding is the one spot is the smallest of the fox faces with a max size of 8” with some saying they range from 6-8” full grown. Which is still a large fish, but not as large as say the magnificent.
The one I saw was a one spot. Ive also seen a few 9 inch ones for sale from people rehoming them because they out grew the tank
 
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jwood73

jwood73

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be aware foxfaces get massive. My LFS has one in their display thats easilly a foot long. Big fish and they grow so fast. I would pass on the foxface if this was my tank.
My understanding is the one spot is the smallest of the fox faces with a max size of 8” with some saying they range from 6-8” full grown. Which is still a large fish, but not as large as say the magnificent.
The one I saw was a one spot. Ive also seen a few 9 inch ones for sale from people rehoming them because they out grew the tank
I’ll have to look into that some more. That would probably push it back out of my options for this tank.
 

littlefoxx

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I’ll have to look into that some more. That would probably push it back out of my options for this tank.
Have you looked info dwarf angels? They are a good option for this tank. A lawnmower blenny is my favorite for algae, those dudes eat all kinds of algae
 
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jwood73

jwood73

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Have you looked info dwarf angels? They are a good option for this tank. A lawnmower blenny is my favorite for algae, those dudes eat all kinds of algae
I like flame angels a lot and would consider one even with the risk to some coral nipping. I suppose that could be the more colorful showpiece in place of something like a fox face.

I already have two blennies so I was going to shy away from an algae blenny. Also I’ve read some can be hard to keep fed once you start to run out of algae. I do like starry blennies but wouldn’t want to risk the aggression. Do you think a small Bristletooth could fill the algae grazer niche instead?
 

littlefoxx

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I like flame angels a lot and would consider one even with the risk to some coral nipping. I suppose that could be the more colorful showpiece in place of something like a fox face.

I already have two blennies so I was going to shy away from an algae blenny. Also I’ve read some can be hard to keep fed once you start to run out of algae. I do like starry blennies but wouldn’t want to risk the aggression. Do you think a small Bristletooth could fill the algae grazer niche instead?
To be honest I think tangs should be in a 6 foot or longer tank. But thats my opinion. 🙂 ive also kept 3 bristletooths and boy were all 3 of them nasty in temperament until I moved my last one to my 300 gallon. Even in that tank it liked to chase other fish around but not as bad as when they were in my 125 gallon.

I have 3 tangs in my tank currently and none of them could really be bothered to eat the algae. They like the nori clip. They do graze but as far as considering them an algae grazer to control the algae not really 😂 they are used to me feeding them different frozen algae so they are spoiled. My unicorn is really the only one I see pick at the rocks, my purple and sailfin usually just swim around and wait for the nori clip and their frozen food
 

UncommonSense

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This 15+yr old one spot Foxface at my LFS (180g tank) is at least 9-10” long…

I will add that it actually stabbed, and envenomed the owner’s hand while he was razor scraping the dirty glass in this photo, a day after I took it…

This happened two days ago, he was in intense pain for several hours… his hand was still very swollen and painful yesterday…

IMG_7493.jpeg


It’s worth noting that this is the first time this has ever happened with this fish, and it was likely an accident on the part of the Foxface; given that it was competing with two jerk tangs for juicy fresh algae scrapings off the glass…
 
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littlefoxx

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This 15+yr old one spot Foxface at my LFS (180g tank) is at least 9-10” long…

I will add that it actually stabbed, and envenomed the owner’s hand while he was razor scraping the dirty glass in this photo, a day after I took it…

This happened two days ago, he was in intense pain for several hours… his hand was still very swollen and painful yesterday…

IMG_7493.jpeg


It’s worth noting that this is the first time this has ever happened with this fish, and it was like an accident on the part of the Foxface; given that it was competing with two jerk tangs for juicy fresh algae scrapings off the glass…
Ouch yeah that hurts! Beautiful purple and sailfin though!
 

Fish Styx

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One Spot and a Bristletooth together in a 4' 90 gallon should be fine long term.

@Fish Styx
Absolutely! You can even add a yellow and a small(er) Acanthurus sp. to that mix. A chocolate would be a stunner.

As for the Bristletooths, not all Ctenochaetus sp. are small, despite popular opinion. For a four foot, stick with a Kole or Tomini.

Happy Reefing.
 

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