Stocking tips for 75 Gallon Reef Tank

Jchockey12 · Jun 29, 2023

Hello all,
I am new to the hobby and just bought a 75 gallon tank. It is roughly 51Lx15Wx22H

I want to have a reef a tank and the fish that really made me want to jump into this hobby was a Mandarin Dragonet which I know are very hard to keep due to their picky eating habits.

I've been given a general idea that the most fish you want in a tank is 1" of fish per gallon. Is this a good rule of thumb? Also does this relate to aquarium volume or water volume as obviously, rock will take up water volume.

Now with that being said there are lots of other considerations like what area of the tank they occupy, what job they have in the tank, etc. and I would love some help.

Here are the fish I would LOVE to have in my tank. (I would hope to get the majority of these fish captive bred if possible)

Blue Mandarin
White Tail or Two Spot Bristletooth Tang
Flame Angelfish
Purple Tang (Juvenile with hope of getting bigger tank)
One Spot Foxface
Longfin Black Ice or Black Storm Clownfish (pair? what are the benefits drawbacks of having a pair)
Helfrichi or Purple Firefish
Flame Hawkfish
Wrasse (reef safe, any suggestions? I know some help with disease and pests, do all?)
Royal Gramme Basslet
Banggai Cardinalfish (3)
Midas Blenny
Fathead Sunburst Anthias

In total, if all are full grown, it adds to about 80" of fish.

Is this too many? Will some fish not get along with others? Is the angelfish worth the risk of picking on coral? Are there some other species that would greatly benefit my tank like an engineer goby to sift the sand?

Any and all comments/suggestions are welcome!

1112-425XL · Jun 29, 2023

I have heard 1/2 inch per g.

1 inch per g.

1 inch per 5 g.

3 inch per 5 g.

With that said, there is really no standard. It all depends on the type of fish. Their swimming habits, their eating habits. The bio load created by the fish. The tank maintenance, etc. Your stocking list might be a little on the high side.

Jchockey12 · Jun 29, 2023

I do plan on having a pretty

1112-425XL said:
I have heard 1/2 inch per g.

1 inch per g.

1 inch per 5 g.

3 inch per 5 g.

With that said, there is really no standard. It all depends on the type of fish. Their swimming habits, their eating habits. The bio load created by the fish. The tank maintenance, etc. Your stocking list might be a little on the high side.

I figured it was.

I do plan on having a pretty beefy skimmer and sump as well as a refugium to breed pods for the Mandarin.

jonnywink · Jul 6, 2023

Jchockey12 said:
Hello all,
I am new to the hobby and just bought a 75 gallon tank. It is roughly 51Lx15Wx22H

I want to have a reef a tank and the fish that really made me want to jump into this hobby was a Mandarin Dragonet which I know are very hard to keep due to their picky eating habits.

I've been given a general idea that the most fish you want in a tank is 1" of fish per gallon. Is this a good rule of thumb? Also does this relate to aquarium volume or water volume as obviously, rock will take up water volume.

Now with that being said there are lots of other considerations like what area of the tank they occupy, what job they have in the tank, etc. and I would love some help.

Here are the fish I would LOVE to have in my tank. (I would hope to get the majority of these fish captive bred if possible)

Blue Mandarin
White Tail or Two Spot Bristletooth Tang
Flame Angelfish
Purple Tang (Juvenile with hope of getting bigger tank)
One Spot Foxface
Longfin Black Ice or Black Storm Clownfish (pair? what are the benefits drawbacks of having a pair)
Helfrichi or Purple Firefish
Flame Hawkfish
Wrasse (reef safe, any suggestions? I know some help with disease and pests, do all?)
Royal Gramme Basslet
Banggai Cardinalfish (3)
Midas Blenny
Fathead Sunburst Anthias

In total, if all are full grown, it adds to about 80" of fish.

Is this too many? Will some fish not get along with others? Is the angelfish worth the risk of picking on coral? Are there some other species that would greatly benefit my tank like an engineer goby to sift the sand?

Any and all comments/suggestions are welcome!

I have an app on my iPhone called “Fish Harmony”. With it you can put in the fish you want and see what is comparable or maybe comparable. I’ve found it very handy when looking for new fish. Not a guarantee, but a good starting point.

Court_Appointed_Hypeman · Jul 6, 2023

I will say this for the mandarin in a 75g

Definitely have a fuge.

I bought a jar of pods from algae barn when I started my tank to dump in the fuge, 4 months later I got a mandarin, got nurvous that my pod population seemed to die back some, so I ordered a second jar the day I brought the mandarin home.

I started dosong silica and was already dosing nitrates and phosphates to keep nutrients up.

Was still getting worried after a month so I bought an 8 lb chunk of rock that was loaded with amphipods isopods, copepods, evidently some mysis as I have them in my tank now too. And this did add a lot but I wasn't sure the mandarin was eating them. I let my algaes grow in the display, some turfs and gha, upped my silica dosing to get diatoms to just barely show up, and this finally made me feel safe with mandarin food.

Now my mandarin will eat large amphiopods and mysis (live though still has shown 0 interest in anything not live)

All that being said, I wanted to get a wrasse and a long nose hawkfish. I still have not gotten them because even with millions of mocro crustations all over the tank, I am too worried about giving my mandarin competition.

Just something to consider.

NotReefsafe · Jul 6, 2023

I would skip the purple tang. 75 is small, and purples are known to be aggressive, so as a beginner it will save you some headache.

Purple firefish are cheaper than helfrichi.

Pair often more exciting than a single. Other than that, for ocellaris, its a wash.

I would skip the anthias as well.

Since the mandarin is your must have...get a sump and a good reefugium. Consider macro algae in the display. Choose live rock over dry rock. Check out Biota captive bred mandarins.

good luck

Jchockey12 · Jul 12, 2023

Thank you all for the help!
I'll ditch the Anthias and Purple tang.

Jchockey12 · Jul 12, 2023

Court_Appointed_Hypeman said:
I will say this for the mandarin in a 75g

Definitely have a fuge.

I bought a jar of pods from algae barn when I started my tank to dump in the fuge, 4 months later I got a mandarin, got nurvous that my pod population seemed to die back some, so I ordered a second jar the day I brought the mandarin home.

I started dosong silica and was already dosing nitrates and phosphates to keep nutrients up.

Was still getting worried after a month so I bought an 8 lb chunk of rock that was loaded with amphipods isopods, copepods, evidently some mysis as I have them in my tank now too. And this did add a lot but I wasn't sure the mandarin was eating them. I let my algaes grow in the display, some turfs and gha, upped my silica dosing to get diatoms to just barely show up, and this finally made me feel safe with mandarin food.

Now my mandarin will eat large amphiopods and mysis (live though still has shown 0 interest in anything not live)

All that being said, I wanted to get a wrasse and a long nose hawkfish. I still have not gotten them because even with millions of mocro crustations all over the tank, I am too worried about giving my mandarin competition.

Just something to consider.

Are Wrasse and hawkfish known for eating Pods or can they acclimate to frozen or pellet foods?

Court_Appointed_Hypeman · Jul 12, 2023

Jchockey12 said:
Are Wrasse and hawkfish known for eating Pods or can they acclimate to frozen or pellet foods?

I was told a longnose hawkfish would be a good fit in my setup, and my LFS had one for a while. I got nervous and ended up passing in him, because they do eat pods.

I've been told it should not compete, but when reading about them it sounds like they may.

I may be safe now with my microfauna to have another pod eater, but im going to wait at least 4 more months to make sure my population continues to be this sustainable

littlefoxx · Jul 14, 2023

Jchockey12 said:
Hello all,
I am new to the hobby and just bought a 75 gallon tank. It is roughly 51Lx15Wx22H

I want to have a reef a tank and the fish that really made me want to jump into this hobby was a Mandarin Dragonet which I know are very hard to keep due to their picky eating habits.

I've been given a general idea that the most fish you want in a tank is 1" of fish per gallon. Is this a good rule of thumb? Also does this relate to aquarium volume or water volume as obviously, rock will take up water volume.

Now with that being said there are lots of other considerations like what area of the tank they occupy, what job they have in the tank, etc. and I would love some help.

Here are the fish I would LOVE to have in my tank. (I would hope to get the majority of these fish captive bred if possible)

Blue Mandarin
White Tail or Two Spot Bristletooth Tang
Flame Angelfish
Purple Tang (Juvenile with hope of getting bigger tank)
One Spot Foxface
Longfin Black Ice or Black Storm Clownfish (pair? what are the benefits drawbacks of having a pair)
Helfrichi or Purple Firefish
Flame Hawkfish
Wrasse (reef safe, any suggestions? I know some help with disease and pests, do all?)
Royal Gramme Basslet
Banggai Cardinalfish (3)
Midas Blenny
Fathead Sunburst Anthias

In total, if all are full grown, it adds to about 80" of fish.

Is this too many? Will some fish not get along with others? Is the angelfish worth the risk of picking on coral? Are there some other species that would greatly benefit my tank like an engineer goby to sift the sand?

Any and all comments/suggestions are welcome!

So with your size tank I would not do a foxface or purple tang, they grow sooo fast. With the cardinals, only get one But if you want 2 they have to be male/female or you will have issues. I also would say no to anthias in this tank, they only function in harems (I have lyertails in my 125, 1 male to 4 females). You cant just have one unfortunately they typically refuse to eat and just wither away without a harem. And I always suggest pairs of clowns, they are way happier together! Ive got both helfrichi and purple firefish in my 70 gallon, got lucky witb them being male and female. Hawks may eat your shrimp and stuff if you wanted any. And last the Mandarin, Ive got one in each tank, both wild caught. I added them 8 months in so my pods were at good levels for them! I also dose pods every day for them too. Hope this helps!!