I'm picking up my first tank next week and putting together my finalized stocking list and was hoping to get some input on my selections. Is the bioload alright for the tank and are any of my selections not great together? Do you have alternative suggestions for fish I've maybe overlooked? What order should I introduce them to the tank?
I ranked them in order of my desire for them.
1. Pair of Chocolate or Mocha Clownfish
2. Porcelain Anemone Crab
3. Pink Spot Watchman Goby with Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp
4. Not sold on a specific fish yet, but looking at
Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse? Hooded Flame Fairy?
Black Leopard Wrasse? Or Pink dotty back?
Would the dottyback be too aggressive? What about the Wrasses.
Thank you for taking the time to read and help me learn!
What size is the tank? That’s gonna be the biggest factor here. If we’re talking 20 to 30 gallons, you’re probably fine from a bioload perspective, but there are a few things to consider - territorial issues, space, and how everyone settles in.
First, the dottyback... you might want to rethink that one, especially in a smaller setup. Some species, like the Orchid, can be okay, but others are aggressive little nightmares that will bully anything they think they can get away with. If you’re really set on one, captive-bred Orchid Dottybacks tend to be a lot more manageable than wild-caught, but in anything under 30+ gallons, I’d probably skip it.
Wrasses are where things get tricky. Red Velvet and Hooded Flame Fairy Wrasses really need at least 40 gallons, ideally more, with good open swimming space. The Black Leopard Wrasse is beautiful, but it’s not beginner-friendly - finicky eater, needs a mature sandbed, and does best in at least a 50-gallon setup. If you’re looking for a wrasse that works in a smaller tank, maybe consider a Pink-Streaked Wrasse or a Possum Wrasse instead... they stay small, don’t harass other fish, don't sleep in the sand, and are generally pretty easygoing.
The Porcelain Anemone Crab is a cool choice, but are you planning on keeping an anemone? They do best when hosting one. Some adapt without, but it's a bit of a toss-up.
The clownfish and watchman goby with pistol shrimp should be solid. Clowns can get territorial, but in a reasonable-sized tank, it’s manageable, and the goby-shrimp pair should be fine as long as there’s enough sandy substrate for burrowing.
For stocking order, I’d start with the goby and shrimp first so they can settle into a burrow, then the porcelain crab (if no anemone, just keep an eye on how it adjusts). Clownfish can go in next since they’re hardy and adapt fast, and if you’re adding a wrasse or dottyback, they should go in last to minimize aggression.
What’s your plan for cycling and quarantine? Since you’re picking up the tank next week, just want to make sure you’re set up for that process - getting through the ugly phases early makes life a lot easier down the road, and using things like live rock, pre-cycled filter media, store- (or online-) bought copeods, and bottled bacteria can all help enable a fish-in cycle, but you need a plan, still need to quarantine (unless you're buying them from an LFS or online vendor that will QT them for you), and should definitely not introduce all those fish at once. They're all pretty hardy, but particularly as a first-time reef keeper, I would suggest you should space out the introductions over several weeks to a few months (I'd think - someone can correct me if I'm wrong).
If this is under 30 gallons, I’d strongly consider skipping the fairy wrasses, leopard wrasse, and dottyback. They’ll either outgrow the space or cause issues. If you really want a wrasse, Pink-Streaked or Possum Wrasses would be my top pick. If you’re set on a dottyback, a captive-bred Orchid
might work in 30 gallons or more, but I’d be cautious.
Would love to hear what others think, especially if anyone has experience keeping a Porcelain Crab without an anemone.
