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

Jon Fishman

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I have a 380-gallon display fowlr tank cycling. The only fish we are for sure is a dog-faced puffer. What are some other fish we should put in we want bright colorful fish? the tank has a deep sand bed and 320 pounds of rock in it. Thanks for any suggestions Justin

I like “variety” of shapes, so Puffer, angel, an Eel, a boxfish, and maybe a flounder
 

Gareth elliott

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I have a 380-gallon display fowlr tank cycling. The only fish we are for sure is a dog-faced puffer. What are some other fish we should put in we want bright colorful fish? the tank has a deep sand bed and 320 pounds of rock in it. Thanks for any suggestions Justin
I would probably do tangs and wrasses that i couldnt keep in a reef tank like maybe a Bird Wrasse, possibly angelfish.

add based on aggression levels of the fish you choose. some larger wrasses are timid when young and get more outgoing as they age, skip the ones that attack every fish you add after them like a banana wrasse. Tangs adding simultaneously can often avoid aggression amongst themselves, but would add them towards the end of your stocking.
 

mta_morrow

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How about this updated list for our 45g?
Ocellaris Clowns (two, paired)
Banggai Cardinals (two)
Orchid Dottyback
Black Cap Basslet
Pink Streaked Wrasse (tank is netted)
Yellow Goby + Pistol Shrimp
Lawnmower Tailspot Blenny (eventually)
That’s good. No issues!
 

Telvis

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I have a 210 mixed reef. I want to get a pair of harlequin shrimp but I’m not sure if they will be safe. I have a lot of rock so there’s tons of hiding places. I also have a nice supply of Asterina starfish. Below are my current tank inhabitants. I’m not opposed to removing a fish if necessary. The current inhabitants are all mature and get along pretty well. They have all been together a long time.

coral banded shrimp large
2x emerald crabs
Hermits
Snails
Large sail fin tang
Purple tang medium
2x yellow tail blue damsels
Purple dottiback
A pair of clowns
Yellow angel
Six line wrasse
Long nose hawk
 

biecacka

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Purple tang
yellow tang
blue tang
sailfin tang
2 green chromis
starry blennie
spotted rabbit fish
6 line wrasse
melanurus wrasse
Green wrasse
6 Ocellaris clown fish
2 bi color dotty back
coral beauty
Tibicen angelfish

my current stocked 240.
would like to add some more small fish for more movement. What’s everyone thoughts.......

corey
 

mta_morrow

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Purple tang
yellow tang
blue tang
sailfin tang
2 green chromis
starry blennie
spotted rabbit fish
6 line wrasse
melanurus wrasse
Green wrasse
6 Ocellaris clown fish
2 bi color dotty back
coral beauty
Tibicen angelfish

my current stocked 240.
would like to add some more small fish for more movement. What’s everyone thoughts.......

corey
5-7 azure damsels. A few flasher wrasse. A trio of zebra barred dart fish.
 

Gareth elliott

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I have a 210 mixed reef. I want to get a pair of harlequin shrimp but I’m not sure if they will be safe. I have a lot of rock so there’s tons of hiding places. I also have a nice supply of Asterina starfish. Below are my current tank inhabitants. I’m not opposed to removing a fish if necessary. The current inhabitants are all mature and get along pretty well. They have all been together a long time.

coral banded shrimp large
2x emerald crabs
Hermits
Snails
Large sail fin tang
Purple tang medium
2x yellow tail blue damsels
Purple dottiback
A pair of clowns
Yellow angel
Six line wrasse
Long nose hawk
the two biggest offenders would be the coral banded shrimp(technically a decapod)

and the long nose hawkfish

but they are vulnerable to any large fish, especially when molting.
 

mta_morrow

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Any reason you pick the azure damsels over blue sapphire or another in particular reason?

corey
Chrysiptera damsels are relatively mild mannered and not overly aggression. These will typically not cause any issues with other fish. Most other damsels do not play well with others.
 

mta_morrow

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How much do I improve my odds by getting rid of the hawk and coral banded?
Odds improve greatly. However once the harlequin deplete the asterina, which will happen quickly, you will have to raise and feed them starfish or return them.
 

arturoo1977

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Hi, all
Im setting up a 110gal tank 5' long 30" tall, so its a big window in the middle of living room. My idea is to have many small colorfull fish, inverts like shrimps and feather dusters, CUC and some corals.
Thing is, my rock work is mainly in bottom half and have plenty of water for swimming on upper half. A tang maybe?
Its not my first tank, but never had one this size before and Im a little confused with stocking density and tank length...
So... what will be a possible list of fish? Please help.
IMG_1067.JPG
 

Gareth elliott

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If keep with just peaceful species there are plenty of small colorful fish that can work in a 110 gallon.

Basselets
Flasher and fairy wrasses
Gobys

After it matures a bit, a mandarin
what fish are you interested in?
Make a small list of must have fish, then plan around those.

aggressiveness of species selected will determine number of fish, before the nitrogen cycle of a tank will ime. Why 2 tanks the same size one will 3 tangs and a hanful of other fish. But the other can had 20 small fish that ignore each other.

Hi, all
Im setting up a 110gal tank 5' long 30" tall, so its a big window in the middle of living room. My idea is to have many small colorfull fish, inverts like shrimps and feather dusters, CUC and some corals.
Thing is, my rock work is mainly in bottom half and have plenty of water for swimming on upper half. A tang maybe?
Its not my first tank, but never had one this size before and Im a little confused with stocking density and tank length...
So... what will be a possible list of fish? Please help.
IMG_1067.JPG
 

arturoo1977

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My list at this point is very short actually, and my concern is that this fish will look too small in display.
Don't take numbers as final, this would be minimum:

2 ocellaris clowns
1 royal gramma
1 six line wrasse
1 watchman goby
1 hawkfish (longnose, falco, flame)

My wish list to have:
1 yellow tang
1 blue tang (or similar)
1 flame angel or coral beauty (better both)

Thanks!
 

Gareth elliott

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My list at this point is very short actually, and my concern is that this fish will look too small in display.
Don't take numbers as final, this would be minimum:

2 ocellaris clowns
1 royal gramma
1 six line wrasse
1 watchman goby
1 hawkfish (longnose, falco, flame)

My wish list to have:
1 yellow tang
1 blue tang (or similar)
1 flame angel or coral beauty (better both)

Thanks!
I would skip the sixline, they get nasty as they age.

Small fish make a tank imo, especially those that are very active swimmers. I have a 4 foot planted its not the $250 cichlid pair viewers enjoy but the School tetras and colony of shrimp lol.

In a 5 foot tank i would do just 1 dwarf angel personally, its possible 2 could work if added simultaneously, but every fish is different.

Hippo tangs get too large for a 110. A yellow and maybe a bristletooth tang of some kind?
 

kput

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Posted a separate thread but no response yet.. this is my proposed stock list for a 120g reef tank. Thoughts or help? I know the Cowfish will do well with most of these, but not sure how a lot of them will interact with each other.

1 Cowfish (Must have)
1 Leafy Filefish
1 Mandarin Goby
2x Bimaculatus Anthias
1 Goby/Candy Cane pistol pairs (possibly Randall Gobies? Not decided yet)
2x Firefish
2x Lyretail Anthias
1 Flame Angel or Coral Beauty
1 Orchid Dottyback
1x Leafy Filefish
2 Blue Eyed Cardinal or Pajama Cardinal or Zebra Dartfish
2x Masked or Neon Goby
Fire shrimps
 

Gareth elliott

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Posted a separate thread but no response yet.. this is my proposed stock list for a 120g reef tank. Thoughts or help? I know the Cowfish will do well with most of these, but not sure how a lot of them will interact with each other.

1 Cowfish (Must have)
1 Leafy Filefish
1 Mandarin Goby
2x Bimaculatus Anthias
1 Goby/Candy Cane pistol pairs (possibly Randall Gobies? Not decided yet)
2x Firefish
2x Lyretail Anthias
1 Flame Angel or Coral Beauty
1 Orchid Dottyback
1x Leafy Filefish
2 Blue Eyed Cardinal or Pajama Cardinal or Zebra Dartfish
2x Masked or Neon Goby
Fire shrimps

Lactoria cornuta or longhorn cow fish get too large for a 120g.

Lyretails can be aggressive amongst themselves, that might not be enough anthias to spread out the aggression.

leafy file fish, will eat corals also gets too large for the tank.

Mandarin would be fine in this tank size, as long as wait for it to mature before adding.

Bimaculatus Anthias are again one of the more agressive anthias species. I would pick a single species and increase shoal size to spread the aggression out.

i have a soft spot for dwarf angels so i wont knock them off the list, just know that its about 50/50 if they will nip corals.

Orchid dotty backs while more peaceful than other dotty backs, they can still be aggressive. in a 120 this should work, but every fish is different.

blue eyed or dartfish groups sound fine :)
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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