stocking 40 gallon tank

[gavinc123]

Hi all, I recently set up my 40 gallon reef tank and have moved all of my fish and snails into the tank so heres what i have so far;
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Bi-Color Blenny
1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 Mexican Turbo Snails
2 Bumblebee Snails
15 Cerith Snails
2 Hermit Crabs
1 Sand Sifting Sea Star
1 Rose Tip Anemone

I was wondering if you guys could give me some good suggestions for some fish, soft corals or easy to take care of corals and maybe even some clean up crew thanks!

 

[AJsReef]

If you have a lid a firefish or pair of them would fit nicely!

 

[shakacuz]

If you have a lid a firefish or pair of them would fit nicely!

i agree.

maybe add some trochus snails and more hermit crabs.

a nice goby/pistol shrimp pair would be great

 

[gavinc123]

i agree.

maybe add some trochus snails and more hermit crabs.

a nice goby/pistol shrimp pair would be great

I was planning on getting a goby pistol shrimp pair, i wasnt sure if it would pair well with the bi color blenny but he seems to be very chill with the clownfish and he hides in a little cave in a rock and with the fire fish i wanted one but i dont have a lid for it

 

[shakacuz]

I was planning on getting a goby pistol shrimp pair, i wasnt sure if it would pair well with the bi color blenny but he seems to be very chill with the clownfish and he hides in a little cave in a rock and with the fire fish i wanted one but i dont have a lid for it

i have a midas blenny, yasha goby, and red banded pistol. even if my blenny is a jerk sometimes (actually gets shut down by my yellow coris wrasse), he doesn't do anything to the yasha or pistol. in fact, the blenny avoids their cave because the yasha darts at him to protect the pistol!

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'd get an urchin, and particularly a tuxedo urchin. They really are spectacular additions to a tank, and you don't even have to quarantine them for ich (it's unknown if this applies to other diseaes, though).

Banded trochus snails will probably breed in your tank if their eggs aren't eaten.

Dwarf whitespotted filefish are much recommended if you can get them. They're great fish.

If you love the shape of Kenya Trees, do yourself a favour and get some nepthea coral instead. You'll thank yourself in about six months when you realize that your tank isn't overrun with them. Grube's gorgonian is also little seen, underrated, and a wonderful addition to any tank. It's the easiest gorgonian to keep. Finally, I'd get a rock flower anemone if you can find one or two cheaply. They're quite beautiful, hardy, and fluoresce beautifully.

 

[gavinc123]

I'd get an urchin, and particularly a tuxedo urchin. They really are spectacular additions to a tank, and you don't even have to quarantine them for ich (it's unknown if this applies to other diseaes, though).

Banded trochus snails will probably breed in your tank if their eggs aren't eaten.

Dwarf whitespotted filefish are much recommended if you can get them. They're great fish.

If you love the shape of Kenya Trees, do yourself a favour and get some nepthea coral instead. You'll thank yourself in about six months when you realize that your tank isn't overrun with them. Grube's gorgonian is also little seen, underrated, and a wonderful addition to any tank. It's the easiest gorgonian to keep. Finally, I'd get a rock flower anemone if you can find one or two cheaply. They're quite beautiful, hardy, and fluoresce beautifully.

Would you reccomend any tangs?

 

[gavinc123]

I'd get an urchin, and particularly a tuxedo urchin. They really are spectacular additions to a tank, and you don't even have to quarantine them for ich (it's unknown if this applies to other diseaes, though).

Banded trochus snails will probably breed in your tank if their eggs aren't eaten.

Dwarf whitespotted filefish are much recommended if you can get them. They're great fish.

If you love the shape of Kenya Trees, do yourself a favour and get some nepthea coral instead. You'll thank yourself in about six months when you realize that your tank isn't overrun with them. Grube's gorgonian is also little seen, underrated, and a wonderful addition to any tank. It's the easiest gorgonian to keep. Finally, I'd get a rock flower anemone if you can find one or two cheaply. They're quite beautiful, hardy, and fluoresce beautifully.

And also would the tuxedo urchin get along with corals and anemones? I only have a rose tip in right now but a LFS opens up saturday

 

[davidcalgary29]

Would you reccomend any tangs?

This is a sting operation, right? Oh boy...

 

[muzikalmatt]

You can definitely have a goby/pistol shrimp pair with the bicolor blenny. I have a bicolor blenny and yellow watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair in my IM Nuvo Fusion 40. They get along just fine as the goby stays underneath the rockwork with the shrimp and the blenny tends to stand on the middle to upper rockwork. I highly recommend the goby/pistol shrimp pair as it's just a very fun symbiotic relationship to witness.

I second getting an urchin as well. I have a halloween pincushion urchin in my tank and he's basically a reef tank roomba, and also pretty funny to watch. They won't hurt corals but what they will do is occasionally pick up loose frags and carry them around the tank. If it's in a frag rack or glued to the rock though, they can't really pick it up.

Definitely don't put a tang in a 40 gallon tank, especially with the stocking list you already have. It's not enough room and you're playing with fire.

Other recommendations, I think nassarius snails or a conch would be a good addition to help clean the sandbend. I have a pom pom crab that is really fun as well, but I rarely see him as he's more of a night owl.

As far as corals, you can always go the typical easy soft coral route with pulsing xenia, green star polyp, kenya tree and various mushrooms. Honestly, you could probably get some zoanthids too. I'm particularly fond of leathers including toadstools and sinularia. I have both in my tank and really like them both.

One thing I will mention to you though, my bicolor blenny nips at coral. I've witnessed him pick at green slimer, brain coral, and leptoseris, so be prepared if you get into LPS/SPS that he may go after them. Soft corals you should be fine though. Worst thing he'll do is sit on your zoas and make them close up.

 

[gavinc123]

You can definitely have a goby/pistol shrimp pair with the bicolor blenny. I have a bicolor blenny and yellow watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair in my IM Nuvo Fusion 40. They get along just fine as the goby stays underneath the rockwork with the shrimp and the blenny tends to stand on the middle to upper rockwork. I highly recommend the goby/pistol shrimp pair as it's just a very fun symbiotic relationship to witness.

I second getting an urchin as well. I have a halloween pincushion urchin in my tank and he's basically a reef tank roomba, and also pretty funny to watch. They won't hurt corals but what they will do is occasionally pick up loose frags and carry them around the tank. If it's in a frag rack or glued to the rock though, they can't really pick it up.

Definitely don't put a tang in a 40 gallon tank, especially with the stocking list you already have. It's not enough room and you're playing with fire.

Other recommendations, I think nassarius snails or a conch would be a good addition to help clean the sandbend. I have a pom pom crab that is really fun as well, but I rarely see him as he's more of a night owl.

As far as corals, you can always go the typical easy soft coral route with pulsing xenia, green star polyp, kenya tree and various mushrooms. Honestly, you could probably get some zoanthids too. I'm particularly fond of leathers including toadstools and sinularia. I have both in my tank and really like them both.

One thing I will mention to you though, my bicolor blenny nips at coral. I've witnessed him pick at green slimer, brain coral, and leptoseris, so be prepared if you get into LPS/SPS that he may go after them. Soft corals you should be fine though. Worst thing he'll do is sit on your zoas and make them close up.

Thanks, yeah I really wanna get a tuxedo urchin and a conch sounds really interesting. I'll probably get some more trochus snails and the pistol shrimp goby pair was already in the works. Thanks for the input