Help Stocking my Tank

[Renelope]

Hello all,

I'm hoping that all you great pros out there can provide me some guidance on how to stock the rest of my tank, so that I'm not overloading it with too many fish...

Is there a general rule of thumb, total number of fish inches or something?

I have a 90 gallon tank, and I'm setting up a refugium in my sump this week. I love the look of some macro algae's and as a plant lover in my house, am sure I'll end up expanding into some macros. I have plans for a mixed coral reef, with mostly softies and LPS, right now all I have is a few mushrooms that came with my live rock.

Currently I have the following:

• 2 ocellaris clowns
• 1 diamond watchman goby
• 1 starry blenny
• 3 benggai cardinalfish
• 2 cleaner shrimp
• other CUC

I want to add movement and color to my tank, right now pretty much all of those fish hide all day.

I like the following fish - so I would love any feedback on what below would work well with the fish above, and also with each other, and any other options that can be suggested within the confines of my tank info.

Tangs:
I love the look of tangs, but I understand they can be aggressive with each other and need to be cautious in reefs. Ideally I'd like 2 in my tank if I can fit them; but if I should only have 1 tang which tang would you all pick (of any variety)?

• Yellow tang
• Kole Tang
• Blue Tang - I have a 2 year old that loves Dory, but this would be my least desired fish.
• Purple tang
• Sailfin Dejardini tang

Do any of these get along? Any others I should consider? I'd like to get them at the same time, and same size, but worry about my load with the fish below...

Other fish I like:

• 1 - One Spot Fox Face
• 3 - Blue reef Chromis
• 1- Royal Gamma
• 1- Copper-banded Butterflyfish
• 1- Yellowhead Jawfish or a firefish- but I'm not sure they get along with my blenny

Others I should look at? Is that too many?

Obviously I don't plan to get them all at the same time, I want to introduce the rest over the next 1-2 years, but I like to plan that way I can 1. save money and 2. if they should be placed in a certain order that would be great knowledge to have.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

 

[Dr. Reef]

hi
on a 90 gal i would say none of the tangs are advisable. if you really have to have a tang then a yellow tang will probably be your best option.
on your second list you can add any of those to your tank with no issues.

 

[PatW]

The yellow or the Kole tang would work and maybe both together. The other three tangs really need a bigger tank.

The chromis could work but they often murder each other. Firefish would do well as would the royal gramma.

The jawfish could work but they need coarse sand .... actually nearly rubble.

 

[spiraling]

Why do your fish hide all day? clowns are usually out and about. cardinal fish will try to hang out near something they think is camouflage. Starry blennies should be out on the rocks, but hard to see.

Have you looked at flasher or fairy wrasses? They are active and have a ton of color.

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

The yellow or the Kole tang would work and maybe both together. The other three tangs really need a bigger tank.

The chromis could work but they often murder each other. Firefish would do well as would the royal gramma.

The jawfish could work but they need coarse sand .... actually nearly rubble.

+1 to this... Blue Reef chromis in particular are notorious for picking each other off... I've only seen success with these guys in very large aquariums or singly. I heavily advise against this particular species unless you only go with 1 or you feed >3x per day (and even then most people still don't have luck)

You could also go with some kind of wrasse; flasher and fairy wrasse being generally easier to care for. I personally like solarensis and melanarus wrasse.

A dwarf angel such as a flame or coral beauty would work as well, although they may pick at your macro algaes (keep in mind your starry blenny will probably do the same)

A basslet/ dottyback would work but some can be territorial.. most likely will not be an issue in your tank

 

[eatbreakfast]

Tangs will pick at your macro algae. Of the tangs on your list, kole and yellow are the most appropriate for your sized tank.

Coppeebands aren't the easiest fish to take care of. And I would advise against one in a 90g with a tang.

The sand doesn't have to be course for jawfish, as long as rubble is provided for them. Though the diamond goby may make things difficult for the jawfish if there isn't enough sand-space.

 

[Renelope]

+1 to this... Blue Reef chromis in particular are notorious for picking each other off... I've only seen success with these guys in very large aquariums or singly. I heavily advise against this particular species unless you only go with 1 or you feed >3x per day (and even then most people still don't have luck)

You could also go with some kind of wrasse; flasher and fairy wrasse being generally easier to care for. I personally like solarensis and melanarus wrasse.

A dwarf angel such as a flame or coral beauty would work as well, although they may pick at your macro algaes (keep in mind your starry blenny will probably do the same)

A basslet/ dottyback would work but some can be territorial.. most likely will not be an issue in your tank

Thats good info to know about the Chromis, thank you for that. Is there a fish that is blue anyone would recommend?

 

[Renelope]

Why do your fish hide all day? clowns are usually out and about. cardinal fish will try to hang out near something they think is camouflage. Starry blennies should be out on the rocks, but hard to see.

Have you looked at flasher or fairy wrasses? They are active and have a ton of color.

I may be slightly exaggerating, but my clowfish are "hosting" a piece of branched live rock in the corner of my tank and hang out there most of the day - the cardinals just kind of float around under the caves, and the blenny is the exact color of my live rock - so I guess I'm just saying I don't have much movement in my tank from the fish I have in there... I'll have to look into the wrasses, thanks for the tip!

 

[spiraling]

I may be slightly exaggerating, but my clowfish are "hosting" a piece of branched live rock in the corner of my tank and hang out there most of the day - the cardinals just kind of float around under the caves, and the blenny is the exact color of my live rock - so I guess I'm just saying I don't have much movement in my tank from the fish I have in there... I'll have to look into the wrasses, thanks for the tip!

it sounds like they are all doing just fine.
quick tip - the rock is "hosting" you clowns. Clowns don't host, they are the hostees.

 

[eatbreakfast]

quick tip - the rock is "hosting" you clowns. Clowns don't host, they are the hostees.

Not necessarily true. So even though by definition of the word, it is indeed the anemone, or in this case the rock, that is acting as host to the clowns, in sub-set groups and communities(such as reef-keepers) worfs and phrases can, and often do have different meanings. This is one of those cases. The vast majority of the reefkeeping community refers to clowns hosting in anemones, though technically incorrect, is still also technically correct because language constantly evolves based on popular usage.

 

[Maacc]

As far as the tangs go, about the only one that would be happy long term in a 90 is the kole.
Jawfish will be great with great personality, only as mentioned above it will need rubble.
I would avoid the chromis unless you go single, they will just pick each other off.
Definitely avoid the butterfly until you get a larger tank and more experience under your belt.
For the colors you are looking for, take a look at a melanurus wrasse, yellow wrasse and some of the flasher wrasses. They will add color and should all be compatible, not to mention serve as resident pest control.
If you decide to go with fairy wrasses definitely check out evolved's complex guide, it will save you lots of heartache.

 

[Bluecbs]

Ime, yes, cbb is tough, but if you have to get a like butterfly, check out the longnose, forcipiger flavissimus. It is generally easier to care for and to get eating (make sure alredy eating at the lfs)...just put it in before the tang and the one spot foxface. Reefsafe wise, among the safest of butterflies...you can research from others experience.
Firefish need to go in very early too

 

[Renelope]

Ime, yes, cbb is tough, but if you have to get a like butterfly, check out the longnose, forcipiger flavissimus. It is generally easier to care for and to get eating (make sure alredy eating at the lfs)...just put it in before the tang and the one spot foxface. Reefsafe wise, among the safest of butterflies...you can research from others experience.
Firefish need to go in very early too

Thank you for the suggestion, how established should the tank be before getting a butterflyfish?

 

[Bluecbs]

Tho among the easiest butterfly, they still need stable water condition, so at least 6 mnths. And with butterflies, always good to treat for flukes, either freshwater bath w MB, or prazi