Need help deciding on whether or not a fish is right for your tank? Post here and we'll help!

[Saintnovakai]

I have two clowns in a 50g tank. The tank is 3 mo. new and will be a mixed reef. What fish do you recommend that will help with pests/agae and will do well together (and look cool ? I don't need to go fast since the tank is new, just trying to develop a plan. Also, how soon can I introduce another fish without too much stress on the fish? I have a 10g QT which is empty now that the clowns are in the DT so I am iching to get another fish in the QT.

Thank you for your help.

Please dont be Iching to get new fish. Ich is a bad word here. lol. Id go peaceful tank mates. Royal gramma, Cardinal, Maybe a wrasse known to get at pests, a few peppermint shrimps just incase aiptasia shows up and a few rock flower anemones. Tank will look nice.

 

[Tom Stevens]

Please dont be Iching to get new fish. Ich is a bad word here. lol. Id go peaceful tank mates. Royal gramma, Cardinal, Maybe a wrasse known to get at pests, a few peppermint shrimps just incase aiptasia shows up and a few rock flower anemones. Tank will look nice.

How funny. Thanks for the suggestions. I forget to mention, I have a Coral Banded Shrimp already. Will Pepermints get along the Coral Banded? Also, are rock flower anemones pretty hardy? I read somewhere to avoid anemones for the first year when you started up a new tank. I would really like to get the rock flowers though. I think the clowns would like them.

 

[Saintnovakai]

How funny. Thanks for the suggestions. I forget to mention, I have a Coral Banded Shrimp already. Will Pepermints get along the Coral Banded? Also, are rock flower anemones pretty hardy? I read somewhere to avoid anemones for the first year when you started up a new tank. I would really like to get the rock flowers though. I think the clowns would like them.

I doubt the shrimps will get along so scratch that. As for the RFAs they are pretty hardy if your water params are good. Ive broken the anemone rule but as we say here in Jamaica " Puss and Dawg no have the same luck". Lol. Others will chime in with their recommendations.

 

[mta_morrow]

I have two clowns in a 50g tank. The tank is 3 mo. new and will be a mixed reef. What fish do you recommend that will help with pests/agae and will do well together (and look cool ? I don't need to go fast since the tank is new, just trying to develop a plan. Also, how soon can I introduce another fish without too much stress on the fish? I have a 10g QT which is empty now that the clowns are in the DT so I am iching to get another fish in the QT.

Thank you for your help.

Do you have a stocking plan?

Please share it so we can help.

Also your clowns will have no interest in rock flower anemones. But they are cool!

 

[Tom Stevens]

Do you have a stocking plan?

Please share it so we can help.

Also your clowns will have no interest in rock flower anemones. But they are cool!

Hi,
No firm plans as of yet. I have just a few frags... a frogspawn, a colony of zoas, a baby toadstool, GSP, a hammer frag and a small stylophora. I like a mixed tank with mostly LPS, a few softies and couple of hardy SPS. That may change overtime, but that is what I am thinking at the moment. As for the fish, I am very open. The tank is mainly about the coral, but it does not feel complete without fish . I started with the clowns as they are hardy and fun to watch. Some small colorful fish that don't hide too much would be nice. Also, dispite all of the work I am doing to keep pests out, it is not if but when, so pest control is a motivation as well. There are so many choices of fish so I am hoping the collective group can help me focus. Right now I am want to add a couple of fish to the QT. Since the clowns are in the DT now, I have a QT that is empty ready for fish. Eventually, I want to turn the QT into an Anenome/Clown tank. It is a 10g AIO. The display is a 75.2 Waterbox of which 50g is the display.

Any help, suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

 

[mta_morrow]

Hi,
No firm plans as of yet. I have just a few frags... a frogspawn, a colony of zoas, a baby toadstool, GSP, a hammer frag and a small stylophora. I like a mixed tank with mostly LPS, a few softies and couple of hardy SPS. That may change overtime, but that is what I am thinking at the moment. As for the fish, I am very open. The tank is mainly about the coral, but it does not feel complete without fish . I started with the clowns as they are hardy and fun to watch. Some small colorful fish that don't hide too much would be nice. Also, dispite all of the work I am doing to keep pests out, it is not if but when, so pest control is a motivation as well. There are so many choices of fish so I am hoping the collective group can help me focus. Right now I am want to add a couple of fish to the QT. Since the clowns are in the DT now, I have a QT that is empty ready for fish. Eventually, I want to turn the QT into an Anenome/Clown tank. It is a 10g AIO. The display is a 75.2 Waterbox of which 50g is the display.

Any help, suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

Ok! Lots of good information. However, it’s helps to have some idea.

Are you looking for a peaceful tank with community fish?

Semi aggressive fish ?

Want to have shrimp or other inverts?

 

[UM Aquarium Club]

Currently working on stocking a JBJ 30g rimless w/o a top. Pretty set on getting a clownfish pair but I also want to add something else to give a bit more movement to the tank. I have a very shallow sand bed so I didn't want to go with some of the traditional options like a watchman or do anything like a wrasse that would jump w/o a lid. Anyone have any recommendations for a fairly active addition to tank that will otherwise be coral and 2x clowns?

 

[Tom Stevens]

Ok! Lots of good information. However, it’s helps to have some idea.

Are you looking for a peaceful tank with community fish?

Semi aggressive fish ?

Want to have shrimp or other inverts?

I think peaceful but I don’t mind a little spunk. I just don’t want to have to separate do to aggression. A nip here or there no issue. I have sand which is on the coarse side (1-2mm). I think that is ok for sand dwellers. Here is a pic of the tank.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hi All,

How close am I getting to max stocking on my 125G + 55G Sump assuming this batch of fish make it through QT:

1. Tank Raise Occ Clownfish x2
   
2. Orchid Dottyback
3. Melanurus Wrasse
4. Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse
5. Kole Tang
6. Scribbled Rabbitfish (In QT)
7. Azure Damselfish x 3 (In QT)
8. Yellow Tang (Next QT Round)
9. ? (Next QT Round)

I think #9 will be the last additions as I think I'll be at max stock. Wife is saying 2 cardinalfish. I think the tank may be too aggressive for them at that point given the order. I was thinking of a small or mid-sized fish like a dwarf angel (Flame or CB), another trio of damsels (Was thinking lemons - Pomacentrus moluccensis), or another Wrasse that could get along with the 2 I currently have that is yellow or purple or red. I still have no corals but I am planning to get some eventually (will be Euphyllia, Shroom, & Zoa heavy)

Cardinals would be fine with that stocklist.

The angels may be a risk with some of the coral.

Skip the lemon damsels, they are more aggressive than the rest of your stock.

Another wrasse could certainly work.

I have two clowns in a 50g tank. The tank is 3 mo. new and will be a mixed reef. What fish do you recommend that will help with pests/agae and will do well together (and look cool ? I don't need to go fast since the tank is new, just trying to develop a plan. Also, how soon can I introduce another fish without too much stress on the fish? I have a 10g QT which is empty now that the clowns are in the DT so I am iching to get another fish in the QT.

Thank you for your help.

A couple weeks in between additions usually suffices for letting the tank catch up.

Rainsford and hectori gobies are small sand sifters that also eat hair algae, but just let the tank mature beyond 6months before adding.

Stigmatura blennies are small, pretty fish with a ton of personality that eat algae.

A yellow coris wrasse is a bright, hardy pest eater.

Currently working on stocking a JBJ 30g rimless w/o a top. Pretty set on getting a clownfish pair but I also want to add something else to give a bit more movement to the tank. I have a very shallow sand bed so I didn't want to go with some of the traditional options like a watchman or do anything like a wrasse that would jump w/o a lid. Anyone have any recommendations for a fairly active addition to tank that will otherwise be coral and 2x clowns?

All fish are a risk to jump. Please reconsider not having a lid.

A trio of azure damsels are bright and hardy.

 

[Wi1son]

I am planning on setting up a 75 gallon reef in the near future, this will be my first saltwater tank. And I am working on pre planning my stocking list, in an "attempt" to avoid impulse purchases in the future. So I was wondering if I could get some stocking suggestions. Anything ranging from cuc to the fish. They only things I have decided on for sure are a pair of clowns, a yellow watchman goby and randall pistol shrimp, a pair of skunk cleaner shrimp, a pink streak wrasse, and some sort of blenny but am leaning towards the lawnmower blenny. I want to have an anemone for the clowns, but I know I need to wait a while before I would get one. I do want to add it before any corals however to try and avoid it walking around on them. I am looking for any livestock that will get along with what I listed above and will not harm shrimp, snails, or corals. Thanks for any replies.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I am planning on setting up a 75 gallon reef in the near future, this will be my first saltwater tank. And I am working on pre planning my stocking list, in an "attempt" to avoid impulse purchases in the future. So I was wondering if I could get some stocking suggestions. Anything ranging from cuc to the fish. They only things I have decided on for sure are a pair of clowns, a yellow watchman goby and randall pistol shrimp, a pair of skunk cleaner shrimp, a pink streak wrasse, and some sort of blenny but am leaning towards the lawnmower blenny. I want to have an anemone for the clowns, but I know I need to wait a while before I would get one. I do want to add it before any corals however to try and avoid it walking around on them. I am looking for any livestock that will get along with what I listed above and will not harm shrimp, snails, or corals. Thanks for any replies.

What are some livestock options you are drawn to? That can affect other livestock choices. In the end you are the one that will have to look at the tank.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

Mix reef Red sea reefer 450 (60x20x22)
Current stock
Pair of ocellaris clowns
Halichoeres biocellatus (red-line wrasse)
Kole tang
Flame angel

My question, too small for a yellow tang with the kole? Wife likes the yellows, but I figure a foxface lo might be a good substitute.

What other good fish could I add besides some smaller guys like azure damsels and a blenny?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Mix reef Red sea reefer 450 (60x20x22)
Current stock
Pair of ocellaris clowns
Halichoeres biocellatus (red-line wrasse)
Kole tang
Flame angel

My question, too small for a yellow tang with the kole? Wife likes the yellows, but I figure a foxface lo might be a good substitute.

What other good fish could I add besides some smaller guys like azure damsels and a blenny?

It's borderline for the yellow tang with the kole as well. The foxface is indeed a good substitute.

Other options include more wrasses, flame or longnose hawk, midas blenny, yellow assessor, royal gramma, purple tilefish.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

It's borderline for the yellow tang with the kole as well. The foxface is indeed a good substitute.

Other options include more wrasses, flame or longnose hawk, midas blenny, yellow assessor, royal gramma, purple tilefish.

I love flame hawks. Had one in my 40g but added him too early and he bullied other fish at feeding time so I donated him to my brother's tank he set up in his bio class room. (He gets all of my trouble makers), but maybe I'll try another added last.

Would I be able to add a second helicheoris. Like a melanarus?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I love flame hawks. Had one in my 40g but added him too early and he bullied other fish at feeding time so I donated him to my brother's tank he set up in his bio class room. (He gets all of my trouble makers), but maybe I'll try another added last.

Would I be able to add a second helicheoris. Like a melanarus?

You should be able to add a melanurus. Just be sure to use a social acclimation box.

 

[a;lksdjf]

Alright so in the distant future I would like to set up a 150 gallon FOWLR and I would like to know before I get my hopes up if there’s going to any compatibility issues with the stocking wishlist or if I would be over stocking it because these fish are going to be big

- a pair of maroon clownfish
- 1 snowflake eel
- 1 porcupine puffer
- 1 hoeven’s wrasse
- 1 Russell’s lionfish (probably added last)
- 1 marine betta
- 1 yellow tang
- 1 tomini tang

 

[eatbreakfast]

Alright so in the distant future I would like to set up a 150 gallon FOWLR and I would like to know before I get my hopes up if there’s going to any compatibility issues with the stocking wishlist or if I would be over stocking it because these fish are going to be big

- a pair of maroon clownfish
- 1 snowflake eel
- 1 porcupine puffer
- 1 hoeven’s wrasse
- 1 Russell’s lionfish (probably added last)
- 1 marine betta
- 1 yellow tang
- 1 tomini tang

The lion will be capable of eating the melanurus.

I have had snowflakes go rogue toward tankmates when they get big.

 

[Tikosyn]

So I have a 160g tank. I currently have a pair of bellus angels in QT awaiting entry. I was considering also adding a female masked swallowtail because I have heard that in just a pair of bellus the male can be relentless in pursuing the female and lead to her death. Would this be an ok plan to break up possible aggression?

 

[eatbreakfast]

So I have a 160g tank. I currently have a pair of bellus angels in QT awaiting entry. I was considering also adding a female masked swallowtail because I have heard that in just a pair of bellus the male can be relentless in pursuing the female and lead to her death. Would this be an ok plan to break up possible aggression?

That may help.

 

[a;lksdjf]

The lion will be capable of eating the melanurus.

I have had snowflakes go rogue toward tankmates when they get big.

I’m planning on adding the eel 2nd to last so it can grow up and adjust with everything to lessen the chances of that happening and do you think the lionfish would go after a Hardwicke wrasse?