Did I screw myself when picking an original stocking list for my 60g reef?

[squidsreef]

I have a 60g (60s display with 25g sump) mixed reef (mainly lps).

The current fish/inverts I own are as follows:
1 Midas Blenny
2 Clowns (1 misbar b/w and 1 black ice, both juvenile or young adult)
1 Six-line wrasse
1 Emerald Crab
1 Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp
1 Florida Fighting Conch

I am picking up 2 fish that I reserved that are currently in quarantine on the 13th (I might be able to back out, but I would prefer not to):
1 2.5 inch tomini tang
1 Ray-fin goby

Everything I am trying to look at fish-wise are either too big for the tank, too difficult to feed (anthias eat many times per day), or will eat my corals, fish, or inverts.

I am looking for a fish or a pair of fish to round out the tank and complete my stocking list, but everything I look at has issues. My wife insists on getting unique fish that don't look like freshwater species (she doesn't want cardinals, dottybacks, damsels, or grammas). Fish I've looked at and the reasons I can't get them:

• Engineer Goby: gets too big and might eat my goby/shrimp pair
• Valentini Puffer: Will eat the emerald crab, possibly the shrimp
• Sand sifting gobies: they will likely starve with my new tank being too pristine and lack of biodiversity in the sand
• Any blennies: I already have a blenny, probably wouldn't mesh well with my midas
• Any wrasses: I have a six line wrasse, people have told me they are jerks to other wrasses
• Firefish: Midas blennies don't like firefish
• Filefish: Eats/nips at coral
• Marine Betta: will eat my smaller fish
• Hogfish/Scorpionfish: Possibly will eat the emerald crab, tiny goby, or shrimp

Does anyone have any suggestions for unique fish that would fit my tank and livestock? I understand I am being difficult with the restrictions that I have, but I've become attached to my fish and/or they are too difficult to remove without disturbing the entire rock structures.

 

[LosReef]

I have a 60g (60s display with 25g sump) mixed reef (mainly lps).

The current fish/inverts I own are as follows:
1 Midas Blenny
2 Clowns (1 misbar b/w and 1 black ice, both juvenile or young adult)
1 Six-line wrasse
1 Emerald Crab
1 Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp
1 Florida Fighting Conch

I am picking up 2 fish that I reserved that are currently in quarantine on the 13th (I might be able to back out, but I would prefer not to):
1 2.5 inch tomini tang
1 Ray-fin goby

Everything I am trying to look at fish-wise are either too big for the tank, too difficult to feed (anthias eat many times per day), or will eat my corals, fish, or inverts.

I am looking for a fish or a pair of fish to round out the tank and complete my stocking list, but everything I look at has issues. My wife insists on getting unique fish that don't look like freshwater species (she doesn't want cardinals, dottybacks, damsels, or grammas). Fish I've looked at and the reasons I can't get them:

• Engineer Goby: gets too big and might eat my goby/shrimp pair
• Valentini Puffer: Will eat the emerald crab, possibly the shrimp
• Sand sifting gobies: they will likely starve with my new tank being too pristine and lack of biodiversity in the sand
• Any blennies: I already have a blenny, probably wouldn't mesh well with my midas
• Any wrasses: I have a six line wrasse, people have told me they are jerks to other wrasses
• Firefish: Midas blennies don't like firefish
• Filefish: Eats/nips at coral
• Marine Betta: will eat my smaller fish
• Hogfish/Scorpionfish: Possibly will eat the emerald crab, tiny goby, or shrimp

Does anyone have any suggestions for unique fish that would fit my tank and livestock? I understand I am being difficult with the restrictions that I have, but I've become attached to my fish and/or they are too difficult to remove without disturbing the entire rock structures.

I had problems adding leopard wrasse to my 140 cause of my 6line. I eventually found a good size male Golden Rhomboid wrasse that was a bit larger. After using an acclimation box for a couple days there weren't any issues. The Rhomboid can defend himself and now they do their own things.

In my experience, the pecking order usually goes by size so picking something a little bigger than what you have without getting something that'll get too big is key. If you can catch a problem fish, you can reintroduce after a couple of days and it'll be as it's new again. It's a shuffle of territory each time. I'd recommend adding multiple fish together with separate acclimation boxes if space allows.

 

[squidsreef]

I had problems adding leopard wrasse to my 140 cause of my 6line. I eventually found a good size male Golden Rhomboid wrasse that was a bit larger. After using an acclimation box for a couple days there weren't any issues. The Rhomboid can defend himself and now they do their own things.

In my experience, the pecking order usually goes by size so picking something a little bigger than what you have without getting something that'll get too big is key. If you can catch a problem fish, you can reintroduce after a couple of days and it'll be as it's new again. It's a shuffle of territory each time. I'd recommend adding multiple fish together with separate acclimation boxes if space allows.

Currently, I don't have any problem fish (they're all behaving), but the last fish I added was the six-line wrasse.

Do you have any suggestions of fish that would fit well that aren't really nano-fish?

 

[Dbichler]

You could try any of the smaller angels a flame back would be my suggestion as it’s least likely to eat corals ime.

 

[LosReef]

Currently, I don't have any problem fish (they're all behaving), but the last fish I added was the six-line wrasse.

Do you have any suggestions of fish that would fit well that aren't really nano-fish?

A Bristletooth type tang would probably be good for a while. Or you can use the excuse that your fish are getting too big. You need a bigger tank when they grow out. Lol. Long term strategy. Jk I've got a Flamefin but I've always liked the Whitetail Bristletooth. They're the smaller tangs.

 

[squidsreef]

A Bristletooth type tang would probably be good for a while. Or you can use the excuse that your fish are getting too big. You need a bigger tank when they grow out. Lol. Long term strategy. Jk I've got a Flamefin but I've always liked the Whitetail Bristletooth. They're the smaller tangs.

I am already picking up a bristletooth tomini tang on the 13th of the month!

 

[tritonpower]

chalk bass are small but somewhat plain looking. 3 swimming together are nice.I like mine.
Is your wife against both pajama cardinals as well as the white/black ones. I like the pajama a lot more.

 

[squidsreef]

chalk bass are small but somewhat plain looking. 3 swimming together are nice.I like mine.
Is your wife against both pajama cardinals as well as the white/black ones. I like the pajama a lot more.

She just think they look like zombies. With them being nocturnal and move very strangely I can understand that.

 

[LosReef]

I know that you said no to nano, but have you considered jawfish? Very cool personality and pair with pistol shrimp. Bluespot jawfish are really nice. I'm thinking about getting one for my tank.

 

[FortyFour44]

Have you looked into a flame hawkfish? Tons of personality and won’t compete for space in your water column.

 

[squidsreef]

Have you looked into a flame hawkfish? Tons of personality and won’t compete for space in your water column.

Flame hawkfish will not do well with my tiny shrimp goby

 

[squidsreef]

I know that you said no to nano, but have you considered jawfish? Very cool personality and pair with pistol shrimp. Bluespot jawfish are really nice. I'm thinking about getting one for my tank.

Jawfish need a much deeper sandbed than I have

 

[Idoc]

Sand sifting gobies: they will likely starve with my new tank being too pristine and lack of biodiversity in the sand

Firefish: Midas blennies don't like firefish

My Diamond goby sifts the sand all day, but I supplement feeding him with mysis. He goes into the water column to eat with all the other fish. If I see his belly looking a little skinny, I will directly feed him mysis shrimp with a turkey baster so that it is directed at him only. He loves seeing that baster coming into the tank...tries to eat out of it directly.

I have a Midas Blenny and previously had a Firefish -- the midas blenny didn't pay any attention to the firefish. But, the firefish was so timid it hid in a rock constantly...the one fish that gave it a hard time was my leopard wrasse.

 

[62518161]

She just think they look like zombies. With them being nocturnal and move very strangely I can understand that.

Never wanted one but now I need a zombie fish!

 

[WirelessMike]

I have a 60g (60s display with 25g sump) mixed reef (mainly lps).

The current fish/inverts I own are as follows:
1 Midas Blenny
2 Clowns (1 misbar b/w and 1 black ice, both juvenile or young adult)
1 Six-line wrasse
1 Emerald Crab
1 Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp
1 Florida Fighting Conch

I am picking up 2 fish that I reserved that are currently in quarantine on the 13th (I might be able to back out, but I would prefer not to):
1 2.5 inch tomini tang
1 Ray-fin goby

Everything I am trying to look at fish-wise are either too big for the tank, too difficult to feed (anthias eat many times per day), or will eat my corals, fish, or inverts.

I am looking for a fish or a pair of fish to round out the tank and complete my stocking list, but everything I look at has issues. My wife insists on getting unique fish that don't look like freshwater species (she doesn't want cardinals, dottybacks, damsels, or grammas). Fish I've looked at and the reasons I can't get them:

• Engineer Goby: gets too big and might eat my goby/shrimp pair
• Valentini Puffer: Will eat the emerald crab, possibly the shrimp
• Sand sifting gobies: they will likely starve with my new tank being too pristine and lack of biodiversity in the sand
• Any blennies: I already have a blenny, probably wouldn't mesh well with my midas
• Any wrasses: I have a six line wrasse, people have told me they are jerks to other wrasses
• Firefish: Midas blennies don't like firefish
• Filefish: Eats/nips at coral
• Marine Betta: will eat my smaller fish
• Hogfish/Scorpionfish: Possibly will eat the emerald crab, tiny goby, or shrimp

Does anyone have any suggestions for unique fish that would fit my tank and livestock? I understand I am being difficult with the restrictions that I have, but I've become attached to my fish and/or they are too difficult to remove without disturbing the entire rock structures.

Nice list. Have you showed your wife a Coral Beauty? Absolutely love mine and he seems to do fine with my clowns and bicolor blenny.

 

[FortyFour44]

Flame hawkfish will not do well with my tiny shrimp goby

Not sure then. Maybe trade in the 6line and open the door for a variety of wrasses to provide color and movement.

 

[Alenya]

Trade the 6 line and pick some other wrasse - a couple fairy wrasse and a couple flasher wrasse?

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

If you have a healthy copepod population: