How would YOU stock this tank?

[beesnreefs]

JBJ 65 gallon AIO. Will be a mixed reef (including several LPS and a few SPS). Matured live sand and rock, protein skimmer, 15 watts UV running at a slow rate to help minimize pests, weekly 10% water changes.

Currently has 1 small ocellaris clown and a yellow watchman goby. Over the next few months I'd like to slowly add fish to "max reasonable capacity".

If YOU were in charge of filling out the fish stocking list, what fish would you choose? And in what order would you introduce them?

 

[Cell]

I'd add another clown and another YWG with hopes of pairing the two existing fish. I'd add an algae blenny and/or maybe a kole or tomini tang for algae control and a wrasse for pest control and/or pod management. A blenny and tang may or may not get along though. I'd add a pistol shrimp or 2 for the YWG's. A fighting conch or 2 and a bunch of nassarius for the sand/detritus. As far as order, I'd just do the tang last, otherwise with the fish listed, I'm not sure it matters too much, they mostly hang out in different areas. If trying to pair the existing fish, I suppose sooner the better? This still leaves you with room for something in the water column like anthias or chromis.

 

[CCauthers]

Would not reccomend a kole or tomini at all, if you want to be a successful fishkeeper they will easily outgrow the tank quickly, and rehoming almost never works as planned. Instead you could do a nice flasher/fairy wrasse or two, which would look amazing

 

[Cell]

I don't think a tomini or kole tang in a 65 is egregious.

 

[nereefpat]

Looks like the dimensions of the display are 36x16 (subtracted the back chamber width) x20" high... So about 3 foot and 50 gallons.

I would do something like:
Clowns
Goby
Bangaii cardinal
Long nose hawk
Starry blenny
Yellow wrasse (H. chrysus)
Lubbock fairy wrasse

 

[Cell]

Ok I suppose that's a bit too small then. I forgot to factor in the AIO part.

 

[N.Sreefer]

Probably not going to be a popular answer but my first stocking choice would be a couple Molly's to get some free coral food and see if you have anything in the tank that'll kill a more expensive fish. They're really cheap compared to losing a tang. After that an orange shouldered tang I think they're underrated.

 

[nereefpat]

After that an orange shouldered tang I think they're underrated.

The tank is 36"x16" footprint. That tang gets 10+" long. Fishbase lists a max length of nearly 14 inches: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/4744

 

[N.Sreefer]

The tank is 36"x16" footprint. That tang gets 10+" long. Fishbase lists a max length of nearly 14 inches: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/4744

I would definitely love if they got that big but my local fish store has one in their display 1000g plus that's nearly a decade old and it basically stopped growing at 6 inches mabey it's misidentified or there's some sexual dimorphism there. I can't see a 6 inch max size fish as being to large for a 50 gallon 3 foot long tank if there's not a ton of rockwork in there. If they really can get that big I retract my suggestion.

 

[CCauthers]

You definitely wouldn't love it if it got that bit, it would be a death sentence to the fish. They can and will get to that size if they are well fed and such, no offense to the lfs but it can be hard to give all of the fish there the best care possible. I would not recommend putting a tang in this tank, its just too small. If you want a very active, colorful fish then lyretail anthias are also a perfect candidate.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I’d definitely make a pair of clowns and give the YWG a shrimp. Most dwarf angels would be happy in a tank that large, I’d go with a cherub, flameback, flame, or coral beauty. A longnose hawk for color, maybe a clown goby cause they’re adorable, a swimming around fish (wrasse or single chromis), a sand sifting starfish after the tank is about a year old, and maybe a mandarin/dragonette after the tank is fully established and pods are everywhere. A Midas blenny is also really nice to have, pretty fish and acts like a puppy.

It’s a little light on the fish for a 65 but I enjoy a LOT of corals so I understock fish to make sure they still have room after I overstock corals.

 

[Uptowngirl]

I would add another clownfish and a shrimp for your goby so you have pairs. A wrasse or two, and you have a sandbed so you can keep a lot of different species.
I’m a big fan of having a lots of smaller fish rather than a few big fish, so I would say go for some small gobies like shark nose. Mine comes up and cleans my arm every time I need to do something in the tank. Clown gobies are adorable too but I’ve never had one.
Blennies are also fun, I’ve always wanted to have barnacle blennies

 

[Jon Fishman]

I would put an Angler, an Eel, and 5-6 urchins in it.

 

[leighla]

I love flame hawks, midas blenny, tail spot blenny, valentini puffer.

 

[nereefpat]

I would put an Angler, an Eel, and 5-6 urchins in it.

Do you think that the angler might eat the watchman goby and clown?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Do you think that the angler might eat the watchman goby and clown?

Eventually, sure.

If the clown grows fast enough, it’d have a fighting chance