Hypothetical nano merger--stocking suggestions?

[JoJosReef]

Trying to buy a new house! When that happens, wife and I agreed we want to simplify and merge the home nano and the office nano into a single office tank. Below tanks and stocking:

Home Fluval Evo 13.5g: 2 clowns, big monti setosa, big trachy, single head torch, button scoly, big alveopora, nice pink nepthea, 2 head trumpet, red acan, green acan, multihead blasto wells, multihead blasto merl, various zoas on plugs, various mushrooms on plugs, tiny tiny space invader pectinia, struggling orange plate coral, 3x RFAs, large codium bush, largish GSP island, 2x conches, 2x turbos, lots of other snails, emerald crab, randall's pistol shrimp, hitchhiking brittle stars (and lots of microbrittles)
Notes: tank has GHA problem and eunice worms. I don't plan on transferring any of the rocks or sand to new tank

Work IM Nuvo 10g: 1 tailspot blenny, 1 exquisite firefish, green porcelain crab, spotted nem crab, emerald crab, botrycladia, pom pom gracilaria, codium, mint potato chip pavona, small neon green birdsnest, 5x RFAs (one baby), 1 torch, 1 splitting 6+head hammer, 1 head octospawn, zoas/palys on an island and plugs, small cyphastrea, branching GSP, 4 types of gorgonians, favia, hitchhiker corals, sponges, 1 dendro, lots of nerites, some astreas
Notes: 100% of rocks/sand are from TBS and are intended for transfer to new tank. Tank has a bubble algae problem but no GHA problem. Tank MIGHT have a rogue gorilla crab but I may have injured it months ago and never seen it since. No dangerous worms to my knowledge.

For this hypothetical build, I am considering 2 tanks: IM Nuvo 40L AIO or IM Nuvo SR 60g AIO with IM stand--- would love a bigger tank, but not in the cards till kids are bigger or off to child labor camp.

1. Lighting will be 1 Noopsyche mini + 1 AI Prime 16HD (or swap prime for second Noopsyche Mini or perhaps 2x Noops + Prime for 60g)
2. Long term goal will be to start automating once I learn how all of it works (ATO, parameter monitoring, dosing, auto-feeding, etc); words like solenoid, effluent and such make my head hurt.

Fish Stocking Questions:
1. In a tank of these two sizes, could there be friction between the clown posse (no aggression seen so far and don't attack my hand) and blenny/firefish gang (firefish is the boss in the 10g, but generally peaceful)?

2. Would a white tail bristletooth or a yellow eye kole tang work in one of these tanks? Would either of them get along with the clowns/blenny/firefish/other future inhabitants? Would my red macroalgae and codium be toast? Would they eat my corals?

3. Would any of the smaller angels work in these tanks? What are the corals at risk? Scoly and trachy high risk of getting eaten (would like more meat corals like lobo and a clam or two in future)?

4. Would a mandarin work in one of these tanks?

5. Would an engineer goby work in one of these tanks? Engineer + watchman goby (to pair with pistol)?

6. Are there any fish that eat bubble algae and that would fit in one of these tanks?

7. Any other fish stocking ideas? Priority being fish/coral/nem/crab/shrimp/snail safety.


For scaping, I will likely transfer the entire IM 10g and either fill in the rest of the space with Caribsea live sand or make another order for sand and rocks from TBS. Thinking of keeping 10g scape as is as one large island and another one or two islands spaced out in the rest of the length of the tank. Healthy sand bed for meat corals, fungias and maybe an elegance and clams.


I'd appreciate your thoughts on fish stocking to complement the clowns/blenny/firefish! Thanks!

 

[danenelsen]

I'll try and answer your questions! I'm pretty new at this also but I'll share what I know.

1. There is always a risk that fish might be mean to each other when adding, or in your case merging, but it is not likely.

2. A White Tail Bristletooth Tang would probably work in a 60 gallon. Your corals would also be safe.

3. There is a variety of angels that could work in your future tank but all of them to my knowledge eat corals and therefore I wouldn't recommend one.

4. A mandarin would work in both a 40 and a 60 gallon tank.

5. An Engineer Goby would definitely work in the 60 gallon, not sure about the 40 gallon though.

6. Emerald crabs are great for eating Bubble algae but if you're looking for a fish I would recommend a foxface rabbitfish.

Hope this helps!

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks! That is helpful. So keeping angels off the list with this type of coral stocking.

Seems like the 60 gallon is worth springing. However, Dr Reef says the foxface is a minimum 100 gallon tank, so may need another solution for the bubble coral. Emeralds don't seem to finish the job.

 

[Jmas4]

Hello! Here is my advice. Im sure someone with more experience can chip in and help guide you!

1. Introducing any fish together can cause friction and fighting. But the nature of the fighting will most likely be benign.

2. Tangs generally do not eat corals, but there are times where some reefers have reported a rogue tang going after a certain type of coral like acans after years of being model citizens. Regardless, I would not recommend a tang. The SR60 is only three feet long and even the smallest tangs would prefer a 4 foot tank. It can be done by giving ample swimming space, but the risk of aggression and stress goes up.

3. All of the dwarf angels may eat corals some more risky than others. The genus Genicanthus is reef safe, but they are in the same position as tangs where a larger tank is recommended.

4. A mandarin can work, but make sure the tank is mature with a stable pod population.

5. I would not recommend an engineer goby. They do not pair with shrimp and they can get massive. I had one a foot long and sadly had to give him away due to the amount of sand he was moving.

6. Emerald crabs and manual removal are the best choice for bubble algae.

7. I really like carpenter wrasses. They are small, peaceful, reef safe, active, and beautiful.

Good luck and happy reefing!

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks! I don't know that a bigger tank is in the cards, and if no tang, I don't think a 60 is necessarily better than the 40L. Will have another think.

So now thinking a bit more on the 40L tank, will have to rethink stocking. I know very little about wrasses, except that they can go after your inverts, sleep in the sand, and can have a mean streak... but there are a lot of them, so might have to open a thread on wrasses to learn more!

Until I start raising pods, will likely hold off on a mandarin.

Might just focus on extra space for corals.

Oh, how about a midas blenny? Would that get along with a Tailspot in the tank? They are different "types" of blennies, I think.