Aquarium stocking...

[matthewnostrebor]

Hello, so after a couple of years of reefing I have just ordered a Waterbox 150.4 (400L)

I would really like to get some new fish, and would like some reassurance that I'm not overstocking the tank.

My wish list is;
Some kind of Blennie
Yellow Wrasse
Radiant Wrasse
Copperband
Kole tang

Please bear in mind I currently have
5 Chromis
2 (Pair) clowns
1 Klarki Clown (already looking to rehouse)

Please any advice would be greatly appreciated, general consensus tells me the copperband is not possible.

 

[mcarroll]

Hello, so after a couple of years of reefing I have just ordered a Waterbox 150.4 (400L)

I would really like to get some new fish, and would like some reassurance that I'm not overstocking the tank.

My wish list is;
Some kind of Blennie
Yellow Wrasse
Radiant Wrasse
Copperband
Kole tang

Please bear in mind I currently have
5 Chromis
2 (Pair) clowns
1 Klarki Clown (already looking to rehouse)

Please any advice would be greatly appreciated, general consensus tells me the copperband is not possible.

Would you like reassurance you aren't overstocking it, or would you like the truth?

Although the 150.4 is about 100 gallons, it's only a four foot tank, so I would hesitate on the tang and butterflyfish. If you couldn't go without both, I'd pick the Kole by a mile.

With the others on our WANT list and your current residents, I'd say you're full up!

I wonder about the wrasses and blenny sharing the substrate area....blennies are ***hole-prone, and those wrasses can be dicey until established. Planning for just a little rock or a lot of rock? More would be better for this group together.

If you wanted to trade out some/all of your old stock then that would change things. (Overstocking is usually just done and not spoken about, BTW. So there are virtually no standards here. I'm glad you're aware. If we could have an index of the mass (grams) of common fish in common sizes (S,M,L), we could make decently accurate calculations for stocking density in our tanks, but for historical reasons there's no such index. Someone pls correct me if I'm wrong about said index.)

If it was my setup, I'd actually just upgrade my current fish to MANSION LIVING and add no more fish – just more coral. Coral..... But I like to spoil my fish too – with pure square footage. There's no substitute.

 

[matthewnostrebor]

Thanks, yes it would definitely be abit of a mansion for the current inhabitants, as the clowns don't venture more than 10cm from their anemones except when feeding, so a better half of the tank stays relatively empty apart from the Chromis.

I think I'll drop the Blennie and copperband in that case.

Could the wrasses be an issue for something like 3 peppermint shrimp?

 

[matthewnostrebor]

Would you like reassurance you aren't overstocking it, or would you like the truth?

Although the 150.4 is about 100 gallons, it's only a four foot tank, so I would hesitate on the tang and butterflyfish. If you couldn't go without both, I'd pick the Kole by a mile.

With the others on our WANT list and your current residents, I'd say you're full up!

I wonder about the wrasses and blenny sharing the substrate area....blennies are ***hole-prone, and those wrasses can be dicey until established. Planning for just a little rock or a lot of rock? More would be better for this group together.

If you wanted to trade out some/all of your old stock then that would change things. (Overstocking is usually just done and not spoken about, BTW. So there are virtually no standards here. I'm glad you're aware. If we could have an index of the mass (grams) of common fish in common sizes (S,M,L), we could make decently accurate calculations for stocking density in our tanks, but for historical reasons there's no such index. Someone pls correct me if I'm wrong about said index.)

If it was my setup, I'd actually just upgrade my current fish to MANSION LIVING and add no more fish – just more coral. Coral..... But I like to spoil my fish too – with pure square footage. There's no substitute.

This is my current rock work, and then the second photo is what will be added alongside in the new tank. It will be roughly 10cm from the glass on the back and sides, and 20cm from the front.

 

[mcarroll]

Could the wrasses be an issue for something like 3 peppermint shrimp?

I think best case scenario is that the shrimp will go fully nocturnal to avoid the wrasses and you never *ever* see them. I don't know that the shrimp would really have a very good shot though.

This is my current rock work, and then the second photo is what will be added alongside in the new tank.

It's hard to judge across two pics and half dry. ;)

Since you're at least there in person, just judging by eyeball would you say that's more on the "minimal rock" end of the spectrum or more on the "lots of rock" end? Just as another point of reference, do you know the total pounds of rock? 1 pound per gallon, wet is a rule of thumb. Not sure what that would translate to in dry rock.