Planning Stage - Stocking and Compatibility Questions

Billyjose4

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
37
Reaction score
16
Location
Washington, PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Before I create my Build Thread, I want to get more input from those more experienced. It's not my first reef tank, but my first in 15 years.
I won't be adding these all at the start- nor could I afford to $$$. Below is my proposed stocking over the life of my "forever" tank. 220g (72"x24"x30")... for my kids. :grinning-face-with-smiling-eyes:
Appreciate any feedback or input relating to anything below. If you've had good or bad experiences, compatibility issues, or whatever, I value your input.

Livestock (Proposed):
4 small yellow tangs
2 small hippo tangs
1 small coral beauty angelfish
1 small flame angelfish
1 small bicolor angelfish
1 small lemonpeel or yellow angelfish
4 small captive-bred ocellarish clownfish
1-2 (large classification) angelfish [Emporer, Regal, Blue, or Queen] - undecided
1-2 *Reef Safe* Wrasses - undecided

Inverts (Proposed):
Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs
Electric Blue Hermit Crabs
Emerald Crabs
Blood Red Fire Shrimp
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Snapping Shrimp
Nassarius Snails
Cerith Snails
Turbo Snails

LPS Corals (Proposed):
Elegance Coral
Flower Pot Coral
Galaxea Coral
Duncan Coral
Grape Coral
Torch Coral
Frogspawn Coral
Alveopora Coral
Plate Coral
 

blaxsun

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 15, 2020
Messages
26,709
Reaction score
31,155
Location
The Abyss
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
With respect to livestock, even in a large tank you may have issues with the two dwarf angels. I have a midnight and coral beauty that do get along now, but they also spent a week sorting out 'living arrangements'. Also note that any angels (including the dwarfs) can be coral nippers. My coral beauty dwarf angel and juvenile emperor angel haven't even looked at a coral; the midnight dwarf angel will destroy any acans I place in the tank. There's a theory that if you get the fish small and young they may not have taken up any bad coral habits. This doesn't always pan out, though.

Inverts are fine, but the electric blue hermits (while nice) are apparently mean SOBs and may kill off your other hermits. I'd stick to algae, blue and scarlet. Not sure about the compatibility with the various shrimp (hopefully someone more knowledgeable can weigh-in).

In terms of corals, the only suggestion I can make is to start out with soft corals - as they're easier to care for, less expensive and more forgiving. They're also cheaper to replace - and just like doctors - you can fully expect to kill something.
 

RicanKing

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 19, 2021
Messages
65
Reaction score
12
Location
Tampa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
With respect to livestock, even in a large tank you may have issues with the two dwarf angels. I have a midnight and coral beauty that do get along now, but they also spent a week sorting out 'living arrangements'. Also note that any angels (including the dwarfs) can be coral nippers. My coral beauty dwarf angel and juvenile emperor angel haven't even looked at a coral; the midnight dwarf angel will destroy any acans I place in the tank. There's a theory that if you get the fish small and young they may not have taken up any bad coral habits. This doesn't always pan out, though.

Inverts are fine, but the electric blue hermits (while nice) are apparently mean SOBs and may kill off your other hermits. I'd stick to algae, blue and scarlet. Not sure about the compatibility with the various shrimp (hopefully someone more knowledgeable can weigh-in).

In terms of corals, the only suggestion I can make is to start out with soft corals - as they're easier to care for, less expensive and more forgiving. They're also cheaper to replace - and just like doctors - you can fully expect to kill something.
Following
 

Going off the ledge: Would you be interested in a drop off aquarium?

  • I currently have a drop off style aquarium

    Votes: 2 1.2%
  • I don’t currently have a drop off style aquarium, but I have in the past.

    Votes: 3 1.8%
  • I haven’t had a drop off style aquarium, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 26 15.6%
  • I am interested in a drop off style aquarium, but have no plans to add one in the future.

    Votes: 80 47.9%
  • I am not interested in a drop off style aquarium.

    Votes: 52 31.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 4 2.4%
Back
Top