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

[mattzang]

Thank you, I feel lazy for asking a general question like that. I will do my research with your suggestions, appreciate it!

I have a 50 gallon cube, I followed your build thread!

I have a midas blenny and can't recommend one of those enough. Super cool fish. It seems you don't have my problem of lacking patience, so if I were you I'd take it slow and be really deliberate with what you want to add. Ask the people on here and they'll give you really good advice on what would fit well in your tank and in what order to put them in. I just had to take out all of my rockwork to catch a sixline wrasse that would've been a no go if I just did research on here first.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hey there I’m new to the hobby and have been stalking forums for a couple of months now. Cycled a tank now building cuc. I chose to startup with a 65 gallons with high hopes of slowly upgrading as I get used to this new hobby and maintenance schedule it requires. Here’s the thing... It’s very easy to get discouraged by tank size requirements as reading many posts has led me to think the size of my entire apartment isn’t suited to house a single foxface. Anyway here’s my question: how long can I house a baby yellow tang in a 65g before upgrading to a 150 gallon in a house with two bathrooms and a garage? Thanks

Plans to upgrade are great, but the fact of the matter is they often don't happen. It is best practice to get fish for the tank you have, not what you may get in the future.

Good yellow alternatives include: yellow coris wrasse, yellow assessor, yellow tilefish, and midas blenny.

 

[Neptune 555]

I have a 3 foot bow front reef 48 gallons. Here is my stocking list:

Current: BTA / 2 caramel clowns / spotted mandarin / emerald crab / cleaner shrimp / fire shrimp / barbershop shrimpgoby w/ pistol shrimp / yelloy clown goby / starry blenny / electric blue hermit / urchin / snails / xenia / mushrooms / kenya tree

I want to add:
ORA orchid dottyback
pygmy flameback angelfish
**optional yellow watchman goby w/ pistol shrimp - I want this fish to stir up the sand... and the smaller barbershop goby is being placed first in the tank.


Will this work? TY!

 

[Princess Hockey]

Springeri damsels are very well behaved and blue. Watanabi angels are probably a little too big, but a better choice than a powder blue.

Oh that watanabi is beautiful! Thank you again!

 

[mta_morrow]

I have a 3 foot bow front reef 48 gallons. Here is my stocking list:

Current: BTA / 2 caramel clowns / spotted mandarin / emerald crab / cleaner shrimp / fire shrimp / barbershop shrimpgoby w/ pistol shrimp / yelloy clown goby / starry blenny / electric blue hermit / urchin / snails / xenia / mushrooms / kenya tree

I want to add:
ORA orchid dottyback
pygmy flameback angelfish
**optional yellow watchman goby w/ pistol shrimp - I want this fish to stir up the sand... and the smaller barbershop goby is being placed first in the tank.


Will this work? TY!

The dotyback MAY be an issue with some of your smaller peaceful fish.

The flame back may nip at corals.

Yellow watchman is not a sand sifter, but cool on its own with a pistol shrimp.

Not sure if your tank is large enough for 2 pistol shrimp.

 

[Nyx101]

Plans to upgrade are great, but the fact of the matter is they often don't happen. It is best practice to get fish for the tank you have, not what you may get in the future.

Good yellow alternatives include: yellow coris wrasse, yellow assessor, yellow tilefish, and midas blenny.

Well the first one looks good but I already plan on a few small fish such as royal gramma, orchid dottyback, yellow tail damsel and firefish. Just can’t talk myself out of getting powder blue, yellow tang & a foxface in the future. A 125g tank is the final objective & since it’s double size, the lightning, glass top, rocks and sand will be halfway There. I’ve seen a sad foxface in a tiny tank at the petshop today and am very likely to get it. How long do I have before it outgrows my 65g? It’s currently under 3 inches long. Thanks.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Well the first one looks good but I already plan on a few small fish such as royal gramma, orchid dottyback, yellow tail damsel and firefish. Just can’t talk myself out of getting powder blue, yellow tang & a foxface in the future. A 125g tank is the final objective & since it’s double size, the lightning, glass top, rocks and sand will be halfway There. I’ve seen a sad foxface in a tiny tank at the petshop today and am very likely to get it. How long do I have before it outgrows my 65g? It’s currently under 3 inches long. Thanks.

If you are getting a 125g, just wait until it is setup to get the larger fish.

 

[Nyx101]

If you are getting a 125g, just wait until it is setup to get the larger fish.

Well that just doesn’t answer my question. Money ain’t an issue as much as timing. In the meantime I need to get me an algae eater. Rather than telling me what I should or should not do, do you know how fast these guys actually grow?

 

[mta_morrow]

Well that just doesn’t answer my question. Money ain’t an issue as much as timing. In the meantime I need to get me an algae eater. Rather than telling me what I should or should not do, do you know how fast these guys actually grow?

Rate of growth for any living animal will depend on diet, environment, and other conditions. There is no "this is it" answer.

You have been given the best advice possible in the best interest of the animal, which is what we do here.

If money is no object, you can set up a larger tank now.

Foxface are readily available all year long.

 

[Nyx101]

Rate of growth for any living animal will depend on diet, environment, and other conditions. There is no "this is it" answer.

You have been given the best advice possible in the best interest of the animal, which is what we do here.

If money is no object, you can set up a larger tank now.

Foxface are readily available all year long.

Space is the issue here but I guess I’ll scrape the algae myself then. Ofc LFS just advises me to buy it as a baby and upgrade in a few years just wanted to know if years translates to months in this perticular fish’s case.

 

[mta_morrow]

Space is the issue here but I guess I’ll scrape the algae myself then. Ofc LFS just advises me to buy it as a baby and upgrade in a few years just wanted to know if years translates to months in this perticular fish’s case.

Most people here at R2R will tell you to always check here about recommendations or advice given from an LFS prior to purchases of equipment or livestock.

More often than not their advice is geared towards a sale. I fell for it too when I was starting out.

You’re making a good choice waiting till you upsize.

If you run into algae issues, please post in the nuisance algae forum and we will help you there.

Happy reefing!

 

[Neptune 555]

180 FOWLF - maybe some bad tasting soft coral?

Stocking wish list:
huma huma Trigger fish
Midnight Dog Face Puffer
green Bird wrasse
threadfin butterfly
flame hawk fish
Blue hippo tang
Yellow tang
Vrotek wrasse (family Hali)
sand sifting goby
pair of blue mandarins (I thought they would be fine b/c they taste bad / are poisonous?)
Will my leather coral survive?
Zenia?
Mushrooms?

thanks!!
Neptune

 

[eatbreakfast]

Well that just doesn’t answer my question. Money ain’t an issue as much as timing. In the meantime I need to get me an algae eater. Rather than telling me what I should or should not do, do you know how fast these guys actually grow?

There are plenty of appropriate algae eaters for a 65g. Many blennies are good algae eaters. Trochus and turbo snails, tuxedo urchins, emerald crabs, and hermits all help as well.

180 FOWLF - maybe some bad tasting soft coral?

Stocking wish list:
huma huma Trigger fish
Midnight Dog Face Puffer
green Bird wrasse
threadfin butterfly
flame hawk fish
Blue hippo tang
Yellow tang
Vrotek wrasse (family Hali)
sand sifting goby
pair of blue mandarins (I thought they would be fine b/c they taste bad / are poisonous?)
Will my leather coral survive?
Zenia?
Mushrooms?

thanks!!
Neptune

The corals will be fine.

Even though they have a noxious slime coat the puffer and trigger may nip the mandarins.

 

[Neptune 555]

Eatbreakfast,

Ya it didn't occur to me that they could harm the mandarin as they taste bad... but it is debatable? Possibly worth a chance?? Would it help if I have the mandarins in the tank first? I am setting up my sump with a refugium for the mandarins...? so am trying to get a plan together...

 

[eatbreakfast]

Eatbreakfast,

Ya it didn't occur to me that they could harm the mandarin as they taste bad... but it is debatable? Possibly worth a chance?? Would it help if I have the mandarins in the tank first? I am setting up my sump with a refugium for the mandarins...? so am trying to get a plan together...

Tetradonts are curious and mischievous, but with powerful jaws. It's a tough combo.

 

[Mordie101]

Can i put a male and female dragonet pair in a 40 gallon tank?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Can i put a male and female dragonet pair in a 40 gallon tank?

If you have a large established refugium, maybe. If not, then it likely won't work longterm.

 

[Mordie101]

If you have a large established refugium, maybe. If not, then it likely won't work longterm.

Thanks! Trying to upgrade tanks and decide size and stocking list and thought of that with roughly the smallest I’d go tank size!

 

[cdfjr1975]

Going to begin putting water and live sand into my tank tonight, 100 gallon 60(l) x 16(w) x 24(d) so it might be more than one night since I only have on brute to mix salt.

Trying to determine my stock list. For now it will be FOWLR, but will eventually add coral. Sand is fiji pink and crushed coral mixture.

Currently have two clowns in 20 gallon QT which has served as my DT for a year so they will be the first addition.

Thoughts on some fish I'm thinking about, fish later and order to add would be appreciated.

Flame or red hawk fish
Starry Blenny
Longnose Atlantic Butterfly
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Exquisite Firefish
Bartlett's Anthias

Thanks in advance!

 

[Actuallykimhansen]

so im in the building stages of my dream nano 13g 23.6 inch wide 15 inch deep and 8.6 inch high and i am thinking about some cool little characters except for my 2 ocellaris, filtration is not going to be an issue, but im more concerned regarding territory

--link to build--
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-shallow-reef-build-13gal-12g-sump.463605/