Stocking a 65 gallon 36x18x24

[DarrenCar]

The Starry Blenny might have some issues with the Watchman Goby, but it's hard to say for sure. Other than that the list looks very well balanced. Pretty much all of those fish aren't overly aggressive but they will stick up for themselves if the other fish get pushy, which is ideally what you want.

If the Goby and Blenny had issues with one another what would the reason be? Possibly because they are similar in size and or shape, competing for same real estate? If the watchman was left off what other fish will sift sand like the watchman goby would that wouldn’t have issues?

 

[Jesterrace]

Similar size and shape and they both tend to occupy a similar area of the tank. As for sand sifting, skip the fish and go with a few conch snails. I run 5 of them in my 90 gallon tank with 60lbs of sand and they will do the same job but without dumping and stirring up sand all over your tank, they also eat a few things gobies won't (ie fish poop):

 

[mattzang]

watchman don't really sift sand anyway, the pistol shrimp will dig a hole, but they aren't going to move around the tank sifting your sand

+1 on conch for sand bed maintenance. i have just 1 in a 50 gallon and he puts in the work

 

[Jesterrace]

Diamond Watchman Gobies will definitely sift the sand all over the tank, but make a colossal mess/sand storm in the process. I started out with Diamond Watchman Gobies, but after having 2 of them die in less than 18 months I gave up and switched to conch snails and have been much happier with the results overall and they are super hardy.

 

[mattzang]

my understanding is the diamond goby is not a watchman, an actual watchman will pair with a shrimp and.. watch. the diamond goby is a sifter and will not pair with a shrimp and will not watch anything, except watch sand go all over your corals placed on the sand.

perhaps i'm wrong and a watchman not paired with a shrimp will sift things? my mom has a watchman and it doesn't move. he's in front of the hole the shrimp is in all day everyday. no vacations no breaks

 

[malacoda]

My initial list I came up with consisted of,
2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Tailspot Blenny
1 Harptail Blenny
1 Carpenters Flasher Wrasse

The tailspot and harptail blennies will be fine together. Fang blennies (e.g. the harptail) are dissimilar enough from other combtooth blennies that they do not see them as rivals or competition.

So, while two fang blennies would be very unlikely to get along in a tank that size, and two tailspot blennies would be very unlikely to get along, a fang blenny and non-fang blenny should get along just fine.

I've had a Tongan fang blenny in a 24g with a tailspot, and a blackline fang blenny in a 24g with tailspot, and never had any problem with them at all.

Tailspots spend most of the day hanging out and chillin' on rocks.

Fangs spend most of the day cruise around the entire water column and occasionally posturing with their reflections in the glass.

IMHO, fangs are fantastice, very unrated fish. Don't think I'll ever have a tank without a fang blenny in it.

Oh, and both a fang and tailspot blenny should get along just fine with the clowns, gramma, and flasher wrasse.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Rather than Cherub, go with Pygmy angel and avoid damsels all together who become territorial and fiesty. Coral beauty angel would be another angel
Wrasses are colorful and hardy but realize also they do dig, stir up sand and even flip frag plugs and coral in search of food.

 

[DarrenCar]

Rather than Cherub, go with Pygmy angel and avoid damsels all together who become territorial and fiesty. Coral beauty angel would be another angel
Wrasses are colorful and hardy but realize also they do dig, stir up sand and even flip frag plugs and coral in search of food.

Is the Cherub not a pygmy angelfish?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is the Cherub not a pygmy angelfish?

Cherub is a pygmy ( non atlantic) whereas the true pygmy is Atlantic but yes, virtually the same

 

[DarrenCar]

Cherub is a pygmy ( non atlantic) whereas the true pygmy is Atlantic but yes, virtually the same

I must be misunderstanding because everywhere I research the Cherub Angelfish it says, The Pygmy Angelfish is also called the Cherubfish, Cherub Angelfish, or Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish.

 

[Kyl]

It helps if people use scientific naming when suggesting stock that can be called multiple things, like wrasse, etc.

 

[nereefpat]

I must be misunderstanding because everywhere I research the Cherub Angelfish it says, The Pygmy Angelfish is also called the Cherubfish, Cherub Angelfish, or Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish.

You're not misunderstanding, it's just confusing in this case. Common names are a bit of a mess in this case.

There is a catch-all genus of angelfish called Centropyge. In it are all of what we call the dwarf angels....everything from small C. argi to huge C. tibicen.

The smallest of the genus are sometimes called pygmy angels, and there are a handful of them: C. acanthops, C. argi, C. aurantonotus, C. flavicauda, C. resplendens, and maybe one or two that I'm missing. Common names work fine sometimes, but "pygmy" isn't a very good one.

 

[DarrenCar]

This is what I will call my official wish list. I think this all works out. Only time will tell, trial and error I suppose.
Next task is to figure out what is a proper order to introduce these fish into the tank.

2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris )
1 Pygmy (Cherub) Angelfish (Centropyge argi)
1 Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
1 Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignites)
1 Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)
1 Pink Spotted Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)

This was my last edit. I did put the scientific name next to the common name just to be sure on what fish I was meaning to speak on. Is the one I have listed the correct one? Centropyge argi
I will also be removing the Pink Spotted Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus) to avoid issues with Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus) and possibly getting a Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto) instead.
Making the hopefully final list,

2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris )
1 Pygmy (Cherub) Angelfish (Centropyge argi)
1 Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
1 Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignites)
1 Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
1 Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)​

 

[sde1500]

That is a good list. FWIW I'd doubt you'd have any trouble between the blenny and goby. My starry tends to stay on rocks, not the sand where the goby would be.

My 65 gallon stocking is two Ocellaris clowns, starry blenny, Melanurus wrasse, Bangaii cardinal, green mandarin, and planning to add a saddleback puffer soon.

 

[DarrenCar]

That is a good list. FWIW I'd doubt you'd have any trouble between the blenny and goby. My starry tends to stay on rocks, not the sand where the goby would be.

My 65 gallon stocking is two Ocellaris clowns, starry blenny, Melanurus wrasse, Bangaii cardinal, green mandarin, and planning to add a saddleback puffer soon.

That's a nice mix. I believe I will stay away from the Watchman for now. I am getting the impression they can move the sand around a lot. I think I can take care of the sand bed just as well with some Nassarius Snails (Nassarius sp.) and Fighting Conch (Strombus spp.).

 

[Jesterrace]

Cherub is a pygmy ( non atlantic) whereas the true pygmy is Atlantic but yes, virtually the same

Actually the Cherub is the Atlantic Pygmy (formerly known as C.Argi). I think you are thinking of the Pacific Pygmy which is this guy:

https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=167&cid=9

@the OP the list sounds great and I think you will be happy with it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Actually the Cherub is the Atlantic Pygmy (formerly known as C.Argi). I think you are thinking of the Pacific Pygmy which is this guy:

https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=167&cid=9

@the OP the list sounds great and I think you will be happy with it.

YES

 

[Jesterrace]

YES

I've never heard of the Pacific Pygmy being referred to as a Cherubfish, just the Atlantic Pygmy and IMHO the Atlantic Pygmy is better looking.

 

[DarrenCar]

Well I have made a few edits due to fear and wife wants. I have decided that since I want coral in the future I would be best to possibly NOT chance the angelfish. Instead I think I will substitute a similar looking Starcki Damsel (Chrysiptera starcki) From what I am reading these damsels would be about the same aggression level as an Angelfish. My wife does not like the Ignitus Anthias so I will remove that. She does like the Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) but I am concerned about it getting beat up. Finally the wrasse. I am still not positive I like the Lubbock. I am thinking possibly a Halichoeres species may be suitable but I'm concerned about snails and if I add a fire or cleaner shrimp. My wife likes the Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres claudia ).
So I have yet another revised list.

2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris )
1 Starcki Damsel (Chrysiptera starcki)
1 Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres claudia )
1 Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
1 Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
1 Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)

 

[nereefpat]

I like that list.
Your wife is nuts for picking an ugly pajama cardinal over an anthias...but, different strokes...

H. claudia will more than likely be fine with big Lysmata spp (fire and skunk cleaners).

You may have trouble finding a starki, but every once in a while I see them on live aquaria. That's okay, since it probably should be last anyway.