Final Additions to Reefer 350

[Biokabe]

Hi all,

Looking for some feedback on some potential future additions to my tank. It's a Reefer 350 (basically, 75g + sump) mixed reef, with the following inhabitants:

• Pink Skunk Clownfish
• Purple Firefish
• Melanarus Wrasse
• Tomini Tang
• Forktail Blenny
• Springer's Damsel x 2
• Lyretail Anthias
• Red Margin Fairy Wrasse (I think)

My biofiltration is fairly strong; I've never had nitrates above 5 ppm, and there's miniscule amounts of nuisance algae in maybe 3-4 spots in the tank. Aggression between the fish is minimal; the lyretail anthias will occasionally lunge at the blenny (I think the blenny's tail makes her think that the blenny is another anthias), but that's the extent of it.

I would eventually like to add three more fish to the tank:

1. A pearly jawfish or some type of smaller shrimp goby (yasha, hi-fin, etc). I don't really have any sand-dwelling fish, so it's a niche that is unoccupied right now.
2. A Rainsford goby. My CUC keeps my sandbed fairly well stirred, but I think that a smaller sand-sifter would help keep the sandbed in good shape. Trying to avoid a full-on sleeper goby, because I don't think there's quite enough in the sandbed to support something like a diamond goby. But the Rainsford is smaller and shouldn't need to sift much, plus it might enjoy some of the algae spots that the tang has left alone.
3. Either a dwarf angel of some type (Cherub, Coral Beauty, Potter's, Flame or Flameback) or a Pyramid Butterfly. This is a type of fish that I've wanted, but I've always been wary because I don't want anything eating my corals and I know that the dwarf angels have the potential to do so. I've heard that heavy feeding is the best bet to keep them from experimenting with a coral diet, and I actually have the ability to do that now... between my biofilter mitigating the side effects of heavy feeding and my Plank autofeeder making sure that enough food gets in there, I'm already feeding 4 times a day, and increasing the amount is trivial if necessary.

Am I asking too much of my tank here, or can I make these eventual additions without making anyone miserable?

 

[dedragon]

I have a around 75 as well, my stocking is pretty similar:
2 percula clowns,
copperband butterfly,
small blue hippo tang,
lyretail anthias,
leopard wrasse,
2 springeri damsels,
1, 2 spot goby,
lawnmower blenny
My tank is also a mixed reef, i think im pushing it though and really only use it to show max amount of fish one can have. Planning an upgrade in the next year as well, dont need people on me about my stocking though lol

 

[Biokabe]

I have a around 75 as well, my stocking is pretty similar:
2 percula clowns,
copperband butterfly,
small blue hippo tang,
lyretail anthias,
leopard wrasse,
2 springeri damsels,
1, 2 spot goby,
lawnmower blenny
My tank is also a mixed reef, i think im pushing it though and really only use it to show max amount of fish one can have. Planning an upgrade in the next year as well, dont need people on me about my stocking though lol

So overstocked!

Other than the blue hippo, doesn't look too far off from what I'm planning... and you already have a plan to address that, so I won't say anything more than that.

How has the copperband been in your tank? Does he seem cramped or stressed out?

 

[dedragon]

Darn you! lol
Dont think its stressed at all only eats frozen food though. blue tang has become my enemy as it started nipping at sps from time to time.
I think either adding the angelfish or adding 2 smaller fish is a good option. Honestly though if you go slowly and think it is fine space wise for another fish and parameters allow it, decision is really up to you.

 

[HeyJay]

Dwarf angels are a gamble with coral no matter how much you feed. People will claim one species might be less risky than another, but really you're putting a fish in with part of it's natural diet and hoping it won't touch it.

 

[Biokabe]

Dwarf angels are a gamble with coral no matter how much you feed. People will claim one species might be less risky than another, but really you're putting a fish in with part of it's natural diet and hoping it won't touch it.

Yep, it's a calculated risk... and the reason there isn't already one in the tank. I'll probably go the pyramid route, honestly... now to find one.

 

[dedragon]

havent seen a pyramid butterfly in a long time, i think they were collected from hawaii so like yellow tangs they may increase in price. Even though both fish can be collected from other areas the ban may effect this certain fish

 

[Biokabe]

I wondered about that... used to see them fairly regularly. There's one on Diver's Den today, but for $300. Don't know if I like Live Aquaria enough to give them $300...

 

[dedragon]

for that price you can probably get it from tsmaquatics fully quarantined.

 

[dedragon]

checked marinecollectors as well, sold out but you can probably preorder one, $250 is still very steep for one fish IMO

 

[Biokabe]

Well, I don't disagree with you. If it were a fish that I knew was going to thrive in my tank for a decade, and I wouldn't find it lying dead on the sand in a month, I could stomach that cost... but of course, you can't know that about any fish ahead of time.

Not that I think it would die quickly, but when it comes to fish I always consider the, "How bad would I feel if it died in a month," aspect before I pull the trigger.

A copperband is also appealing and is a bit less money... but of course, they're known as a somewhat frail fish, and the same problem with coral predation that dwarf angels give is present there.

C'est la vie.