Stocklist for Reefer 250

[Alenya]

Hope everyone's having a chill weekend

I have not started stocking my tank yet so consider this list the long term rough plan - I would be very open to suggestions pros and cons.

The tank has plenty of rockwork and room to swim, and currently an inch of sand, and will mainly be a LPS, softy tank.

Must haves:

Pair wild caught percula clowns (currently in my nano)

Yellow watchman goby (currently in my nano)

Valentini puffer (my favourite fish, I honestly wouldn't care if he ate everything in the tank)

Two of the following wrasses:

Lubbocks fairy wrasse

Pintail fairy wrasse

Naoko's fairy wrasse

Yellow wrasse

Yellow fin flasher wrasse

Shortlist of extra fish:

Bangai or pyjama cardinals

Lawnmower or starry blenny

Scarlet hawkfish

Royal gramma

Pygmy perchlet

Possum wrasse (hard to get here but I've had one before, lovely)

Fathead anthias

Thanks <3

Edit: forgot to mention this will be a nem free tank!

 

[Arlen nemeth]

Hope everyone's having a chill weekend

I have not started stocking my tank yet so consider this list the long term rough plan - I would be very open to suggestions pros and cons.

The tank has plenty of rockwork and room to swim, and currently an inch of sand, and will mainly be a LPS, softy tank.

Must haves:

Pair wild caught percula clowns (currently in my nano)

Yellow watchman goby (currently in my nano)

Valentini puffer (my favourite fish, I honestly wouldn't care if he ate everything in the tank)

Two of the following wrasses:

Lubbocks fairy wrasse

Pintail fairy wrasse

Naoko's fairy wrasse

Yellow wrasse

Yellow fin flasher wrasse

Shortlist of extra fish:

Bangai or pyjama cardinals

Lawnmower or starry blenny

Scarlet hawkfish

Royal gramma

Pygmy perchlet

Possum wrasse (hard to get here but I've had one before, lovely)

Fathead anthias

Thanks <3

I see wrasses, wrasses make me happy

 

[Alenya]

I see wrasses, wrasses make me happy

This will be the first time I've ever had a wrasse!

 

[Arlen nemeth]

This will be the first time I've ever had a wrasse!

Nice the way they swim is just so peaceful

 

[Arlen nemeth]

This will be the first time I've ever had a wrasse!

One thing u might wanna do is get 1 male and 1 or 2 females for the flasher wrasses ,this makes them flash more and have brighter colors

 

[josvanmeer]

seems like a lot of stock for a reefer 250 tbh, don't overstock it.

 

[harrylikesfish]

Following.

 

[Alenya]

seems like a lot of stock for a reefer 250 tbh, don't overstock it.

Cheers this is the shortlist not every one will go in. It’s likely we won’t have access to a fair few of these species.

 

[Alenya]

One thing u might wanna do is get 1 male and 1 or 2 females for the flasher wrasses ,this makes them flash more and have brighter colors

I did read this and was hoping if we ended up with a flasher that having a male from a different wrasse family would encourage this behaviour without females in the tank?

 

[CookieRdReef]

I believe of the wrasses you picked the Yellow Coris and Opossum are the pest eaters. I don't think the flasher and fairy wrasses are known for pest control like the YC and Opossum. YC will go after small inverts though.

 

[Alenya]

I believe of the wrasses you picked the Yellow Coris and Opossum are the pest eaters. I don't think the flasher and fairy wrasses are known for pest control like the YC and Opossum. YC will go after small inverts though.

I have the yellow top of my wrasse list for this reason, I am not worried about inverts as I will have a valentini in this tank so it will remain largely invert free apart from larger CUC

My partner is very keen on the Longnose Hawkfish so adding this one to the list. I'll have to make it work somehow I think that will replace the Scarlet Hawkfish and eliminate the Possum Wrasse

 

[Arlen nemeth]

Cheers this is the shortlist not every one will go in. It’s likely we won’t have access to a fair few of these species.

Mmm i dont thunk different species work like that. Maybe skip the flashers add a pair of sixlines or a melanurus

 

[Arlen nemeth]

Cheers this is the shortlist not every one will go in. It’s likely we won’t have access to a fair few of these species.

Sixlines get so aggressive by themselves because they dont have a female to fight to prevent it from turing male if u get a pair they wont be aggresive. Add a bigger one and a smaller one if you cant find a pair

 

[mattzang]

I did read this and was hoping if we ended up with a flasher that having a male from a different wrasse family would encourage this behaviour without females in the tank?

correct, you do not want multiples of the same fish. ie males and females. the females will turn male and they will fight to the death. so, just get different species

and don't get the naoko, they're pretty aggressive for a cirrhilabrus

 

[JR Bodyman]

Welcome to R2R! Looking forward to seeing your build with all the fishies!!!

 

[Zionas]

x2 Percula Clownfish- Somewhat disagree about getting wild caught, they have better colors but my main concern here is disease. I hope it works well for you.

x1 Yellow Coris Wrasse

x1 fairy wrasse from your list

x1 Possum Wrasse

x1 flasher wrasse from your list

x3 Pajama Cardinalfish

x1 Starry Blenny (heard they’re easier to feed and keep than the Lawnmowers that often starve)

x1 Royal Gramma

x1 Yellow Watchman Goby + Tiger Pistol Shrimp pair

x1 Saddled Valentini Puffer

x1 Fathead Anthias- Heard they’re not the easiest to keep but I’ll let others weigh in. I’d also love to have one if given the chance.


This is assuming an ideal situation for you. Should be a beautiful tank if everything works out.

 

[Zionas]

As for Geometric Pygmy Perchlet technically they’re an Anthias but they resemble Hawkfish in almost every way so not sure about their safety with inverts, so I’ll let others comment but if it’s okay they remain small and I think could surely add one.

 

[Alenya]

x2 Percula Clownfish- Somewhat disagree about getting wild caught, they have better colors but my main concern here is disease. I hope it works well for you.

x1 Yellow Coris Wrasse

x1 fairy wrasse from your list

x1 Possum Wrasse

x1 flasher wrasse from your list

x3 Pajama Cardinalfish

x1 Starry Blenny (heard they’re easier to feed and keep than the Lawnmowers that often starve)

x1 Royal Gramma

x1 Yellow Watchman Goby + Tiger Pistol Shrimp pair

x1 Saddled Valentini Puffer

x1 Fathead Anthias- Heard they’re not the easiest to keep but I’ll let others weigh in. I’d also love to have one if given the chance.


This is assuming an ideal situation for you. Should be a beautiful tank if everything works out.

Thank you

Any thoughts on Longnose Hawkfish? My partner seems keen on one and I would like to make that work as apart from the Cardinals this was the only one that caught his eye. but apparently they can be aggressive, not sure how that would go with wrasse and a starry blenny since the blenny would be occupying rock space as well.

Re the perculas; a friend at one of my LFS quarantined a pair for me, they have been in my nano for a few weeks and look chipper. I agree about wild caught but they are here now so it’s all about husbandry to keep them in good shape

 

[Alenya]

Updated list:

2 x percula clowns
1 x YWG
1 x Valentini Puffer

1 x yellow wrasse
1 x pintail wrasse
2 x either bangai or pyjama cardinals
1 x starry blenny

1 x Longnose Hawkfish (partner’s choice)

Still interested in also having a scarlet Hawkfish but think this might end up with too many rock perching fish?

And have added marine betta as a possible option, this is a beautiful fish. Still reading up about it.

 

[Zionas]

They; along with the Flame Hawk (Scarlet Hawk) have tons of personality and are among the most peaceful of all Hawkfish, but they can still pose a threat to shrimp. They’re both rock dwellers like the Starry Blenny but occupy different niches so they should be fine. In a RSR 250 I’d only do 1 Hawkfish though. Neither the Longnose nor the Flame should bother your wrasses.

I love the Marine Betta! It’s one of the hardiest and most “bulletproof” fish out there, and it’s an absolute beauty. They get to 8” but aren’t too active. Some may require live foods to initiate feeding so it’s best to pick up one that’s eating prepared foods at the LFS, or even better a captive bred one from ORA. I’ve long considered one for my setup but I thought what if I get a specimen that needs live foods for a feeding response I’d be screwed. A great pity.