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

[Kyl]

C. springeri has been very peaceful in my tank.

 

[mta_morrow]

Are there any peaceful damsels or are they all mean?

Anyone of the chrysiptera species are relatively well behaved.

I personally have a trio of azure damsels in a very peaceful tank with no issues. They bicker among themselves and could care less about the other fish.

Don’t believe the stories that ALL damsels are evil!

 

[Peekay]

Are there any peaceful damsels or are they all mean?

I have a Jewel Damsel that gets along pretty well with the firefish, and pair of banggai cardinals. He's just a really really aggressive eater is all.

 

[a;lksdjf]

Are there any peaceful damsels or are they all mean?

Azure, yellow tail, and talboti are about the most peaceful damsels in the hobby, but they can still be slightly aggressive

 

[Gage Sullivan]

A pair of false perc clowns, a clown goby, midas blenny, pink streaked wrasse, a dartfish/firefish, a flame hawkfish if you don’t have any shrimp or crabs, and a Valentini puffer is a bit of a gamble on whether it will nip at coral (they usually don’t but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious), but if you don’t have shrimp or crabs they’re hardy and have great personality if you can give it the hard shelled food to wear down its teeth every couple of days

Thanks! I’ll take them all into consideration.

 

[Mordie101]

Anyone have a round about number of how many fish I can keep in a Red Sea reefer 250 with a “heavily stocked” size skimmer (vertex ohmega 150) and a refugium?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Anyone have a round about number of how many fish I can keep in a Red Sea reefer 250 with a “heavily stocked” size skimmer (vertex ohmega 150) and a refugium?

Will all depend on the type of fish, if were all smaller peaceful fish, like gobies maybe 5 or 6 eventually. If larger and or more boisterous species were mixed in like certain clowns or dwarf angel 3 or 4.

 

[Mordie101]

Will all depend on the type of fish, if were all smaller peaceful fish, like gobies maybe 5 or 6 eventually. If larger and or more boisterous species were mixed in like certain clowns or dwarf angel 3 or 4.

Really? I thought it’d be a lot higher than that more like 8-10 small/mid sized fish! Thank you for your advice and help!

 

[jonneyb]

Hi, new reefer here. I wanted to ask if anybody has any experience mixing pajama cardinalfish and Kauderns cardinal fish? I know that the pajamas are typically very peaceful, will they be picked on by the other cardinalfish if I get a couple of each in the same tank? I did a bit of searching on Google and I got mixed results so I figured I'd post here.

thanks!

BUMP

 

[Wheeljack]

I will be setting up a Reefer 525 XL in the next few months and wanted to get opinions on a possible stock list. Tank is 59" x 22" x 22.6". DT is 108g with a 31g sump for 139g total. Will be run with a Nyos 160 skimmer, planned refugium, filter socks, and around 80-100lbs of rock. Possibly with an algae scrubber but I need to look more into them before I decide on that. Anyway, here's the fish I'm interested in:

Spoiler: Fish Wish List

Photon Clowns x2 **
Flame Angel x1
Goby + Pistol Shrimp x1ea **
Black Cap Basslet x1
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse x1
Midas Blenny x1 **
Blue Gudgeon Dartfish x2
Firefish x2
Jawfish (Blue Dot or Yellow Head) x1

Yellow Tang x1
Powder Blue Tang x1
Masked Swallowtail Angelfish x1
Keyhole Angelfish x1

Now any fish marked ** is on my finalized stock list. They are the ones I want the most and will not budge on. Everything else is just a possibility/wish list for a perfect world where everything gets along and there's no such thing as bioload.

Unfortunately, that's not how the real world works. XD I'm aware tangs can be aggressive with each other and it'd be a "one or the other" type choice. I'm leaning more toward the yellow tang because while I love the powder blue, I think my tank is probably borderline size wise and I hear they're ich magnets. Ideally, I'm most interested in the Swallowtail for a larger fish but again I'm worried my tank is too small.

I'm also aware that the Flames and Keyholes can be coral nippers and that'll be a concern when I do add coral. The Kehole especially is a concern because I've not found anyone who can vouch for them in a reef tank so probably not going in.

So what sort of stock list would you guys choose out of these fish? What would compliment my three must haves the most? Any other suggestions I should look at for fish?

 

[mta_morrow]

Will all depend on the type of fish, if were all smaller peaceful fish, like gobies maybe 5 or 6 eventually. If larger and or more boisterous species were mixed in like certain clowns or dwarf angel 3 or 4.

What are the gallons and length and width?

 

[a;lksdjf]

I will be setting up a Reefer 525 XL in the next few months and wanted to get opinions on a possible stock list. Tank is 59" x 22" x 22.6". DT is 108g with a 31g sump for 139g total. Will be run with a Nyos 160 skimmer, planned refugium, filter socks, and around 80-100lbs of rock. Possibly with an algae scrubber but I need to look more into them before I decide on that. Anyway, here's the fish I'm interested in:

Spoiler: Fish Wish List

Photon Clowns x2 **
Flame Angel x1
Goby + Pistol Shrimp x1ea **
Black Cap Basslet x1
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse x1
Midas Blenny x1 **
Blue Gudgeon Dartfish x2
Firefish x2
Jawfish (Blue Dot or Yellow Head) x1

Yellow Tang x1
Powder Blue Tang x1
Masked Swallowtail Angelfish x1
Keyhole Angelfish x1

Now any fish marked ** is on my finalized stock list. They are the ones I want the most and will not budge on. Everything else is just a possibility/wish list for a perfect world where everything gets along and there's no such thing as bioload.

Unfortunately, that's not how the real world works. XD I'm aware tangs can be aggressive with each other and it'd be a "one or the other" type choice. I'm leaning more toward the yellow tang because while I love the powder blue, I think my tank is probably borderline size wise and I hear they're ich magnets. Ideally, I'm most interested in the Swallowtail for a larger fish but again I'm worried my tank is too small.

I'm also aware that the Flames and Keyholes can be coral nippers and that'll be a concern when I do add coral. The Kehole especially is a concern because I've not found anyone who can vouch for them in a reef tank so probably not going in.

So what sort of stock list would you guys choose out of these fish? What would compliment my three must haves the most? Any other suggestions I should look at for fish?

I would avoid a powder blue if you’re going to get another tang and consider replacing it with a powder brown or kole/bristletooth tang to go with your yellow, your tank is too small for a large angelfish, either get 3 firefish and dartfish or get 1 of each because they don’t do well in pairs, blue dot jawfish require cooler water than all of the fish on your list so get the yellow head, and the flame angel and keyhole angel will probably fight. Aside from that, looks fine compatibility-wise.

 

[mta_morrow]

I will be setting up a Reefer 525 XL in the next few months and wanted to get opinions on a possible stock list. Tank is 59" x 22" x 22.6". DT is 108g with a 31g sump for 139g total. Will be run with a Nyos 160 skimmer, planned refugium, filter socks, and around 80-100lbs of rock. Possibly with an algae scrubber but I need to look more into them before I decide on that. Anyway, here's the fish I'm interested in:

Spoiler: Fish Wish List

Photon Clowns x2 **
Flame Angel x1
Goby + Pistol Shrimp x1ea **
Black Cap Basslet x1
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse x1
Midas Blenny x1 **
Blue Gudgeon Dartfish x2
Firefish x2
Jawfish (Blue Dot or Yellow Head) x1

Yellow Tang x1
Powder Blue Tang x1
Masked Swallowtail Angelfish x1
Keyhole Angelfish x1

Now any fish marked ** is on my finalized stock list. They are the ones I want the most and will not budge on. Everything else is just a possibility/wish list for a perfect world where everything gets along and there's no such thing as bioload.

Unfortunately, that's not how the real world works. XD I'm aware tangs can be aggressive with each other and it'd be a "one or the other" type choice. I'm leaning more toward the yellow tang because while I love the powder blue, I think my tank is probably borderline size wise and I hear they're ich magnets. Ideally, I'm most interested in the Swallowtail for a larger fish but again I'm worried my tank is too small.

I'm also aware that the Flames and Keyholes can be coral nippers and that'll be a concern when I do add coral. The Kehole especially is a concern because I've not found anyone who can vouch for them in a reef tank so probably not going in.

So what sort of stock list would you guys choose out of these fish? What would compliment my three must haves the most? Any other suggestions I should look at for fish?

The firefish will need to be a bonded pair, otherwise only 1.

Yellow tang over the powder blue is the wise decision.

I personally would not do a swallow tail in that size tank(I have the same tank)

I have a flame angel and coral beauty and as you stated, they may or may not nip, and they can change their mind any time they want.

The list is fine IMO with exceptions listed.

Click on my build thread link and 1st post has my stock list.

23 fish.

 

[Wheeljack]

@a;lksdjf @mta_morrow

Thanks guys! Good to know about the darts and firefish. With any luck I can find a bonded pair, otherwise one it is. And the Blue Dot too. I hadn't realized he was a cooler water species. I'll be taking him, the Powder and the Swallowtail off my possible list then. Keyhole/Flame angel is another one or the other choice, sorry I didn't make that clearer! I'd like to limit the battlefields in my tank if at all possible. XD

Mta_murrow, I'll give your thread a good look!

 

[mta_morrow]

@a;lksdjf @mta_morrow

Thanks guys! Good to know about the darts and firefish. With any luck I can find a bonded pair, otherwise one it is. And the Blue Dot too. I hadn't realized he was a cooler water species. I'll be taking him, the Powder and the Swallowtail off my possible list then. Keyhole/Flame angel is another one or the other choice, sorry I didn't make that clearer! I'd like to limit the battlefields in my tank if at all possible. XD

Mta_murrow, I'll give your thread a good look!

Please feel free to ask any questions about the tank. I’ll help as much as I can.

I absolutely love mine!

 

[Gareth elliott]

What are the gallons and length and width?

The OP was asking about a reefer 250 or 65 gallons. I don’t remember the exact dimensions off the top of my head

 

[mta_morrow]

Anyone have a round about number of how many fish I can keep in a Red Sea reefer 250 with a “heavily stocked” size skimmer (vertex ohmega 150) and a refugium?

Hi Mordie101.

Honestly, it’s not just a number.

It’s a balance. Free swimmers, cave dwellers, bottom dwellers etc.

Size of the fish, space requirements, and on and on.

In order to help, can you tell us some fish that you may have found that you want to have?

Do you want peaceful, or aggressive?

Mike

 

[Mordie101]

Hi Mordie101.

Honestly, it’s not just a number.

It’s a balance. Free swimmers, cave dwellers, bottom dwellers etc.

Size of the fish, space requirements, and on and on.

In order to help, can you tell us some fish that you may have found that you want to have?

Do you want peaceful, or aggressive?

Mike

Hey! I was looking at
2 clowns
1 firefish
1 Christmas wrasse
1 mccoskers flasher wrasse
1 Midas blenny
1 neon dotty back
1 long nose hawk fish
1 flame angelfish
1 “four wheel drive” goby or 2 spot goby

I’m going for a minimalist aquascape for swimming room for everyone with a few small islands or caves for the more shy fish.

I’m going to have a refugium and a large skimmer. Also gonna put some marine pure blocks to help with surface area.

 

[mta_morrow]

The list is good except for the neon

Not a good choice for a rather peaceful tank.

Consider a royal gramma or black cap basslet instead

 

[Mordie101]

The list is good except for the neon

Not a good choice for a rather peaceful tank.

Consider a royal gramma or black cap basslet instead

Sweet! Thanks!