I’ve been in the hobby for about 20 years, but have mostly had freshwater tanks (Discus were my fav). This is now my third saltwater tank. I’ve recently retired so decided to spoil myself with a brand new custom aquarium … 130 gal display tank with 35 gal sump (actually combined working volume is 140 gal). I have about 120 lbs of rock in the tank, and a bunch more in the sump.
I sized the equipment to support a heavy bio load. Between my filtration system, skimmer, carbon reactor, UV sterilizers, and a bunch of Chaeto in the refugium, my water parameters are very stable with nearly zero nitrates and phosphates.
The tank has been running now for 3 months (I did a fishless cycle for the first 30 days and then added a small amount of livestock). I’m ready to start adding more fish.
I'm looking for some help in deciding on a stocking plan for the tank. I plan on keeping this tank a FOWLR setup.
Here is what I’ve got in the tank now (ignoring cleaning crew):
2 x Skunk cleaner shrimp
2 x Blood Red shrimp
5 x Peppermint Shrimp
1 x Yellow Tang (about 3”)
1 x Purple Tang (about 3”)
1 x Sailfin Tang (about 2”)
Here are the options I am thinking about for the remaining livestock (in no particular order):
1 x Rusty Angelfish
1 x Black Cap Basslet
1 x Flame Hawkfish
2 x Black Ice Clownfish
1 x Exquisite Firefish OR Helfichi Firefish
1 x Diamond Watchman Goby
1x Madagascar Spotted Croucher Goby
4 x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse OR 4x Azure Damsel
1 x Pearlscale Butterfly
1 x Scribbled Angelfish
1 x Green Mandarin
Questions:
- Given the size of my display tank, how much of this list do you think I can reasonably accommodate? (I know they can’t all go in at once … I figured I’d stock the tank in a few batches with a couple of weeks between each)
- Based on my online research, and discussions with fellow hobbyists, I think this list of fish should be compatible … What do you think?
- To minimize risk, what order would you recommend I add these fish in?
Any thoughts you have to share would be greatly appreciated.
I sized the equipment to support a heavy bio load. Between my filtration system, skimmer, carbon reactor, UV sterilizers, and a bunch of Chaeto in the refugium, my water parameters are very stable with nearly zero nitrates and phosphates.
The tank has been running now for 3 months (I did a fishless cycle for the first 30 days and then added a small amount of livestock). I’m ready to start adding more fish.
I'm looking for some help in deciding on a stocking plan for the tank. I plan on keeping this tank a FOWLR setup.
Here is what I’ve got in the tank now (ignoring cleaning crew):
2 x Skunk cleaner shrimp
2 x Blood Red shrimp
5 x Peppermint Shrimp
1 x Yellow Tang (about 3”)
1 x Purple Tang (about 3”)
1 x Sailfin Tang (about 2”)
Here are the options I am thinking about for the remaining livestock (in no particular order):
1 x Rusty Angelfish
1 x Black Cap Basslet
1 x Flame Hawkfish
2 x Black Ice Clownfish
1 x Exquisite Firefish OR Helfichi Firefish
1 x Diamond Watchman Goby
1x Madagascar Spotted Croucher Goby
4 x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse OR 4x Azure Damsel
1 x Pearlscale Butterfly
1 x Scribbled Angelfish
1 x Green Mandarin
Questions:
- Given the size of my display tank, how much of this list do you think I can reasonably accommodate? (I know they can’t all go in at once … I figured I’d stock the tank in a few batches with a couple of weeks between each)
- Based on my online research, and discussions with fellow hobbyists, I think this list of fish should be compatible … What do you think?
- To minimize risk, what order would you recommend I add these fish in?
Any thoughts you have to share would be greatly appreciated.