Advice on fish stocking order please?

[PrimaryQwilfish]

Hello all, I would appreciate some advice on the order I should stock my fish. I have a 32 gallon biocube I am cycling at the moment (photo below) with the basics, and have decided what fish/stock I want, but am not sure the best order to add them.

I want a Prawn goby with pistol shrimp, a flame hawkfish, a valentini puffer and a springer dottyback. My corals will all be softies to reduce puffer temptation to nip (toadstool, xenia, GSP, gorgonian and zoas). Im unsure on any other inverts atm due to the puffer. Ive heard they menace snails more, so maybe Ill try my luck with hermits or an emerald crab. If no clean-up crew is possible, do you think a Bicolor blenny would hurt or be overstock?

I know all these fish are boistrous and teritorial, so I wanna add them in order of least to most to keep aggression down. My current plan is when the tank is fully cycled, to start with the pistol shrimp and goby, so theyll have time to bond and get comfy in the tank and grow. Following that, Im thinking Ill add corals and then the valentini puffer, followed by last the flame hawkfish and springer dottyback. Thoughts or advice?

 

[Big G]

Sounds like a great plan. Love my Blue Spot Toby. He's so cool. I can feed him by hand. He's smart. He never bothers the snails or shrimp in the tank. But of course your mileage can vary. Great looking tank.

 

[PrimaryQwilfish]

Sounds like a great plan. Love my Blue Spot Toby. He's so cool. I can feed him by hand. He's smart. He never bothers the snails or shrimp in the tank. But of course your mileage can vary. Great looking tank.

Thanks! I worked really hard on the aquascape, it is actually my first personal saltwater tank! (I've taken care of others for universities) It always helps to get second opinions. Omg I love Toby puffers in general, I was torn between getting a Blue spot and Valentini, decided on Valentini cause its a bit smaller and better fit for my tank size. I hope mine gets that personable like yours! Just about everyone has had good feedback on them not attacking crustaceans, Ive only seen one horror story. I hope I am lucky in that department as well. Any thoughts on if a bicolor blenny would be overstock beyond those 4?

 

[Big G]

The Blenny "may" pick on the goby. You just never know with these guys. Can always re-home it if it does show aggression. Beautiful fish. I like them a lot.

 

[PrimaryQwilfish]

The Blenny "may" pick on the goby. You just never know with these guys. Can always re-home it if it does show aggression. Beautiful fish. I like them a lot.

Hrm, noted. I thought maybe the goby would be ok with the shrimp makin him a home. Ill consider it, I do have a good friend with a 300 gallon thatd welcome it if it acts up.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

You done a great job on the scape in that tank! One of our tanks is also a 32 Biocube and the scape isn't 1/2 that nice.

 

[PrimaryQwilfish]

You done a great job on the scape in that tank! One of our tanks is also a 32 Biocube and the scape isn't 1/2 that nice.

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate that! I fretted over it way too much, my sig. other was going nuts by the end of it [emoji13]

 

[4FordFamily]

I would add the dottyback last, I think you’d be fine with any order you want other than that. Perhaps the puffer second to last

 

[PrimaryQwilfish]

I would add the dottyback last, I think you’d be fine with any order you want other than that. Perhaps the puffer second to last

Yeah, I've heard Dottys can be super territorial so I planned on it last, thanks for the advice! Stinks cause the springer is one of my top fav fish and I have to wait longest for it! [emoji30] I flip-flop on when to add the puffer and hawkfish so thanks for the suggestion too

 

[4FordFamily]

Yeah, I've heard Dottys can be super territorial so I planned on it last, thanks for the advice! Stinks cause the springer is one of my top fav fish and I have to wait longest for it! [emoji30] I flip-flop on when to add the puffer and hawkfish so thanks for the suggestion too

Flame hawks are pretty docile. I wouldn’t lose any sleep about that one

 

[PrimaryQwilfish]

Flame hawks are pretty docile. I wouldn’t lose any sleep about that one

Oh really? I had read a few sources saying they could be territorial. That's good news, thank you! The flame hawk was my sig. others pick so I was unsure about it cause I know less about them. I have more background knowledge on puffers and gobys.

 

[4FordFamily]

Oh really? I had read a few sources saying they could be territorial. That's good news, thank you! The flame hawk was my sig. others pick so I was unsure about it cause I know less about them. I have more background knowledge on puffers and gobys.

Flame hawks are docile as far as hawks go, longnose even more so. Most others are more aggressive.

 

[PrimaryQwilfish]

Flame hawks are docile as far as hawks go, longnose even more so. Most others are more aggressive.

Ohhhh Ok. That is good to know, Longnose was a second choice. Most likely what I read refered to hawkfish as a whole. Thank you!

I can't wait for the cycle to end, I've wanted my own SW tank forever. Had FW tanks forever, and brackish for awhile now.