Fish roster for 170 & 40

[DmitryB]

I'll be setting up two tanks, both Innovative Marine: a 40 and a 170. (Note 170 is 60'' long x 30'' wide). 170 is still a couple of months away from delivery, but the 40 is arriving tomorrow! I've got live rock cooking in buckets, I'm already mixing fresh saltwater for the 40. Now the really fun part: choosing fish for the two tanks! (To be added over time, of course. Some will start in the 40 since it's starting now and then move to the 170.)

40 gallon will be softies and clams. 170 will be mix of SPS and softies.

My list is probably not super exciting as far as "Ohhh that's unusual!" but I'm just a boring guy, what can I say. But a few choices may be controversial because some of these fish are "reef with caution." I don't mind losing some snails and crabs. Corals is a whole other story!

I'm looking for warnings on compatibility, as well as "You absolutely can't have that in a 170." There are 2 or 3 possible "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm" choices, but I wonder if I get them as babies (and aquacultured,) they may be happy in a 170. In fact, I'll be getting aquacultured if this option exists, and as small as possible so they can grow in the tank.

Also looking for introduction order suggestions, who goes in first. And keep in mind, there's a 170 they can move into in a few months.

Also, of course looking for suggestions on fish I haven't added because I probably didn't think of it. (But no eels. I have an aversion for anything that "slithers." I'll scream and jump on to a chair.) So... the wish list.

- Clown pair (either Oscellaris, Percale, or Lightning Maroon.) Hopefully can pair it with an anemone. [Either 40 or 170]
- Blue Tang [aquacultured only, in 170]
- Yellow Tang [possibly start in 40, then into 170]
- Coral Beauty Angel [possibly start in 40, then into 170]
- Chromis school (how many in a school?) [170] OR
- Carberryi Anthers school [170]
- Sixline Wrasse [possibly start in 40, then into 170]
- Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse [170]
- Bicolor Blenny [40 or 70]
- Firefish (Exquisite or Red) [40 or 70]
- Mandarin Dragonet, maybe pair [40 or 170]
- Zebra Lionfish or Fu Manchu Lionfish, dwarf [170]
- Blue Throat Trigger OR Sargassum Trigger [170]
- Valentini Puffer OR Blue Spotted Puffer OR Leopard Toby Puffer [40 or 170]

 

[DmitryB]

 

[Gumbies R Us]

#reefsquad

 

[Rocks reef]

The trigger and puffer choices you made are amongst the "safest" to have in a mixed reef. However, as in life, nothing is guaranteed.
As far as a dwarf lionfish. The can and will eat fish almost the same size as they are, meaning that the Mandarin's would become a scooby snack.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

There are a couple things I'd be concerned about:

The lionfish will eat chromis and other small fish like the firefish (you put down filefish but I'm guessing you meant firefish). Anything that could possibly fit in it's mouth could be a target.

I'd be heavily cautious about adding any puffer to a tank with clams and somewhat cautious with LPS and soft corals. I had a valentini puffer absolutely decimate a favia colony in one day while I was at work.

Kinda sorta the same with coral beauty angel but that's more of a case by case scenario and they might also go after SPS polyps. A flame, flameback, or cherub angel would be a good alternative.

The mandarin would need to come in late after the tank has an established and consistent pod population. I also wouldn't house the mandarin in the 40 because of this. You also should not have a sixline and mandarins together as the sixline will easily outcompete the mandarin for food.

I commend you on trying to stock as many aquacultured species as possible, keep in mind some of them will be sold really small in size and you may need a smaller grow out aquarium with less competition.

Good luck and happy reefkeeping!

 

[DmitryB]

This is all excellent advice, thank you!

- Would a dwarf Lion be ok if he stayed in a 40 gallon tank? I'd keep a few fish there that are not small enough to be eaten. Let's say the two Clowns. Maybe the Valentini Puffer as well? (I think the Clams should probably go into the main display. That tank will have all kinds of dosing and oversight that would make Clams happier; and just make the 40 gallon purely softies tank.)

- The Valentini Puffer is tough. I was spoiled by one in my old tank where he was a model citizen, but I know they are unpredictable. They just have so much personality that I'd love to try one. Would Lion, Puffer, Clownfish + Anemone and LPS/softies be a decent combo in a 40 gallon?

- Sixline Wrasse: I keep reading horror stories about how aggressive they can be, so perhaps I'll scratch it off my list!

- With Blennies - should they be added after the tank is better established? Do they compete with Dragonets for food on the sand? Would any Blenny be safe with a Lion?

- I know people get Yellow Tangs early for algae control. Is this an early introduction fish or should it be kept for late stage introductions? I assume any attempt with a Trigger should be last.

- What about a Blue Tang - early, middle, late stage to introduce? The aquacultured Blue Tangs are tiny.

- And I absolutely will get an aquacultured animal if they exist. One big assumption - I think a safe one - is they'll be much hardier and used to aquariums from birth. Just seems like a no-brainer to me.

- Re: grow-out tank. I did see at Biota that they are all very small, you think it'd be necessary to keep them separate if they're all introduced small? (Not at the same time, of course. I'm also seeing BRS talking about how fantastic isolation boxes are for new introductions into a main display. I think that make sense. I will definitely keep the new fish in an introductory box for a few weeks.

- And any suggestions for other fish/alternatives? I'm always on the lookout for something I missed!

Thanks again!!