IM50 AIO Lagoon stocking inputs.

[Mr. GoodStuff]

Will be setting up an IM50 AIO and looking for some opinions or suggestions as far as stocking goes. I'm trying to not have too high of a bio load to avoid more frequent water changes and what not. Currently planned is the following:

• Black Storm Clownfish pair
• Yellow Coris Wrasse or Pink Streaked Wrasse - originally was leaning towards the coris but from research it seems it may be too big for the tank. Downside of the pink streaked is the pricing but what can I do. Also on the table was a six line but I prefer not to deal with a potential serial killer
• Possum Wrasse - still thinking about this one
• Algae Blenny
• Yellow Watchman Goby - originally was thinking diamond goby but not sure if I want a constant disaster in the sand plus they don't pair with shrimp
• Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp - to pair with the goby
• Fire Shrimp - only had skunk cleaners in the past and always liked the look of these better plus from what I researched it seems they are more timid which isn't a bad thing as I'd prefer it to not constantly tick of my planned euphyllia coral
• Tuxedo Urchin

Potential Candidates:

• Mandarin Dragonet - way way down the line when tank is established and a decent pod population is sustained and the blenny and shrimp won't cause problems
• Royal Gramma - always liked them but also not sure if I want to add another fish that doesn't really accomplish any "duties" in the tank
• Lyretail Anthias - probably not due to size and feeding requirement but is a thought
• Sand Sifting Star - way way down the line when tank is established if the pistol shrimp won't be an issue

I'm open to other suggestions and inputs. I know there's firefish and cardinals but they're just an added bio load with no real purpose in the tank and I even considered not doing clownfish because of this but my wife wants them and they're kind of a staple in reef tanks.

 

[alindell]

I have the IM 40 and I have 2 clownfish, 2 firefish and a dwarf angel. I could probably add one more small fish. I dose in nitrate and phosphate and do water changes like once a month.

 

[alindell]

Get 2 clowns, anthias like colder water and need lots of food and they get pretty big too. Yellow coris wrasse is cool, but you need a sand bed although I recommend for a reef tank to go bare bottom. Royal Gramma are cool but they can be finicky sometimes never had one live past a couple years. Good fish though and they like to hide. Watchman goby are good too.

Skarlet shrimp are better, more active , eat up uneaten food, and clean other fish. Never seen a fire shrimp do more than hide and occasionally come out. Dont get that urchin, get a short spined urchin, they are better and tuxedos will drag corals around. Short spines are reef safe and eat up algea.

 

[Mr. GoodStuff]

Get 2 clowns, anthias like colder water and need lots of food and they get pretty big too. Yellow coris wrasse is cool, but you need a sand bed although I recommend for a reef tank to go bare bottom. Royal Gramma are cool but they can be finicky sometimes never had one live past a couple years. Good fish though and they like to hide. Watchman goby are good too.

Skarlet shrimp are better, more active , eat up uneaten food, and clean other fish. Never seen a fire shrimp do more than hide and occasionally come out. Dont get that urchin, get a short spined urchin, they are better and tuxedos will drag corals around. Short spines are reef safe and eat up algea.

Bare bottom is nice but then I wouldn't be able to get the goby/shrimp pair, wrasses or sand stars.

 

[jkcoral]

Pink streaks and possums are awesome fish. I have both and they are among my favorites. You should get them!

Also, you might consider a tailspot blenny. In my experience, they are interesting little characters. They are the best price to laugh ratio in the hobby and also look cooler than some blennys.

For wrasses, any fairy would get too big, and the dimensions of the tank don’t really cater to flashers. Besides the pink streak and possum, you could consider a small leopard, although it may outgrow the tank in time.

 

[jkcoral]

Bare bottom is nice but then I wouldn't be able to get the goby/shrimp pair, wrasses or sand stars.

You could go bare bottom if you had rock sleeping wrasses (like the pink streak and possum). My 80g is a bare bottom wrasse tank, and it works great if you are okay with not having leopards, Coris, other sand sleepers

 

[Blopple]

I'd go for the royal Gramma. I always hear about the 'fieh should have jobs', but with limited space in a smaller tank you don't have as many options for utilitarian fish.

Clowns, yellow wrasse, possum wrasse, goby, blenny, Gramma sounds like a good list to me.

 

[tautog83]

just added salt to my aio 50 as well.. im transferring my clowns and tasilspot blenny into it then getting a black cap basslet..a starcki damsel and possibly a small flame angel as i think the clowns will eventually be transferred into another tank. My blenny is 2 years old so if i get another year or so out of him ill be replacing him with a possum wrasse

 

[Mr. GoodStuff]

Pink streaks and possums are awesome fish. I have both and they are among my favorites. You should get them!

Also, you might consider a tailspot blenny. In my experience, they are interesting little characters. They are the best price to laugh ratio in the hobby and also look cooler than some blennys.

For wrasses, any fairy would get too big, and the dimensions of the tank don’t really cater to flashers. Besides the pink streak and possum, you could consider a small leopard, although it may outgrow the tank in time.

You could go bare bottom if you had rock sleeping wrasses (like the pink streak and possum). My 80g is a bare bottom wrasse tank, and it works great if you are okay with not having leopards, Coris, other sand sleepers

I did not realize the pink streak and possum do not require sand, hmmmm. I guess my only set back would be the goby & shrimp pair which I guess don't really need sand but I don't think they are as appealing without the sand.

I like the tail spot blennies but I don't believe it will get along with the algae blenny and the algae blenny is much better at helping in the tank cleaning.