Stocking decisions

[Readywriter]

When you are setting up a new tank how do you handle stocking decisions? For me it always starts off with me having an idea of what I want to keep and then turns into me having no idea by the time I got the tank set up. Except for inverts, I know exactly what inverts I want to see in my tanks.

 

[JNalley]

When you are setting up a new tank how do you handle stocking decisions? For me it always starts off with me having an idea of what I want to keep and then turns into me having no idea by the time I got the tank set up. Except for inverts, I know exactly what inverts I want to see in my tanks.

Generally speaking, I keep a list of potential fish in my head. I start with whatever is the hardiest and least aggressive, and then as I go and I refine the list in my head, I keep going in order of aggression level... This way the meek fish have a lot of time to pick a territory and settle in, and the more aggressive fish will typically not bother the older inhabitants (within reason, a lionfish may still eat your clowns).

 

[JNalley]

I also try and keep the fish in zones... 2-4 bottom dwellers, 4-5 rock dwellers/huggers, and 7-8 fish that like to swim in the open (depending on tank size obvciously) and try to keep it in those sorts of ratios...

 

[Readywriter]

Thats generally my approach. But I wind up finding easier to decide which fish I absolutely dont want than which ones I do lol.