Tank Stocking

kevgib67 · Dec 12, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Yea that's my favorite one. Would it work in my tank?

Every fish is an individual but I don’t see why not. It has worked well for me.

paragrouper · Dec 12, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Wow! That is a beautiful fish. How easy is it to care for?

Fairly easy. Just have a lid for your tank

Bear Claw · Dec 22, 2023

How about inverts? I listed the ones I have. I was wondering what some cool and somewhat easy inverts I could get. I was thinking about getting an anemone, cleaner shrimp, some more snails + conch, more hermits, a serpent star, and maybe some photosynthetic gorgonians and sponges, a peppermint shrimp, an urchin, and macroalgae.

As said before, I want to have as diverse a tank as I can for my size limitations. Any recommendations on the stock I should get as well as care for them would be immensely helpful!! Thank you!!

kevgib67 · Dec 22, 2023

I love my skunk cleaner shrimps , always out and about and clean my hands when they are in the tank. I’ve had just about every other one but they have been a little more reclusive. As you can see by my avatar, I’m a big fan of my tuxedo urchin by far the best cuc in my tank, nothing mows down algae like it. I have micro brittle stars but might not be your thing as you only see their little arms sticking out of the rocks. My go to for hermits are the dwarf red and blue legged hermits. They have never bothered a snail ( I do keep plenty of empty shells scattered around). You might like the Halloween hermit, very cool looking, but they only use conch shells and may be risky for your current and future conch. Other than the snails you mentioned, other good snails are turbos, trochus, ninja stars and ceriths. If I had a choice between a serpent star or a brittle star, I would choose the brittle star.

Bear Claw · Dec 22, 2023

kevgib67 said:
I love my skunk cleaner shrimps , always out and about and clean my hands when they are in the tank. I’ve had just about every other one but they have been a little more reclusive. As you can see by my avatar, I’m a big fan of my tuxedo urchin by far the best cuc in my tank, nothing mows down algae like it. I have micro brittle stars but might not be your thing as you only see their little arms sticking out of the rocks. My go to for hermits are the dwarf red and blue legged hermits. They have never bothered a snail ( I do keep plenty of empty shells scattered around). You might like the Halloween hermit, very cool looking, but they only use conch shells and may be risky for your current and future conch. Other than the snails you mentioned, other good snails are turbos, trochus, ninja stars and ceriths. If I had a choice between a serpent star or a brittle star, I would choose the brittle star.

Awesome thank you so much!! This is immensely helpful!! would a tuxedo urchin be okay in my tank? I could feed it algae. I am actually really interested in the micro brittle star. Would all of these inverts need extra feeding?

kevgib67 · Dec 22, 2023

Bear Claw said:
Awesome thank you so much!! This is immensely helpful!! would a tuxedo urchin be okay in my tank? I could feed it algae. I am actually really interested in the micro brittle star. Would all of these inverts need extra feeding?

Ya, I have my urchin in a 32g, if needed you could supplement by rubber banding nori to a piece of rock. In the almost 2 years I’ve had mine I’ve done it a couple times out of precaution, but there always seems to be enough food in the tank. The micro brittle starfish just grab food out of the water column, no need to feed. I bought mine from a member on here who breeds and sells them. It was so long ago I don’t remember the name. You could always start a thread asking who sells micro brittle starfish.

Bear Claw · Feb 4, 2024

My new QT is fully cycled and ready for fish. I was thinking about picking up a tailspin blenny and a 6-line wrasse. I have a 12.5-gallon QT. As an update, I have a 32.5-gallon mixed reef and currently have 2 clowns, a yasha goby, a royal gramma, a bangaii cardinal fish, a peppermint and cleaner shrimp, corals, snails, and hermits. Is there any reason I shouldn't get the blenny and wrasse? I also wanted to make sure they wouldn't fight if put in the QT together. Thank you!

kevgib67 · Feb 4, 2024

Bear Claw said:
My new QT is fully cycled and ready for fish. I was thinking about picking up a tailspin blenny and a 6-line wrasse. I have a 12.5-gallon QT. As an update, I have a 32.5-gallon mixed reef and currently have 2 clowns, a yasha goby, a royal gramma, a bangaii cardinal fish, a peppermint and cleaner shrimp, corals, snails, and hermits. Is there any reason I shouldn't get the blenny and wrasse? I also wanted to make sure they wouldn't fight if put in the QT together. Thank you!

I currently have similar stocking in 32 gallon. 2 clowns, royal gramma, sixline wrasse, diamond watchman goby, yellow tailed damsel and a tailspot blenny.

Bear Claw · Feb 4, 2024

kevgib67 said:
I currently have similar stocking in 32 gallon. 2 clowns, royal gramma, sixline wrasse, diamond watchman goby, yellow tailed damsel and a tailspot blenny.

If I add anything else it will definitely be the yellow tailed damsel. Good stock choice! I love diamond gobies! Do you think it’s a good idea then?

kevgib67 · Feb 4, 2024

Bear Claw said:
If I add anything else it will definitely be the yellow tailed damsel. Good stock choice! I love diamond gobies! Do you think it’s a good idea then?

How old is your tank? You’ll need to have an established sand bed to support the goby. 5-6 months. But I see no problems. Here is a pic with 6 of the fish before adding my tailspot blenny.

Bear Claw · Feb 4, 2024

kevgib67 said:
How old is your tank? You’ll need to have an established sand bed to support the goby. 5-6 months. But I see no problems. Here is a pic with 6 of the fish before adding my tailspot blenny.

Mine is 2.5 years old. I wasn’t planning on getting another diamond goby. I meant do you think getting a wrasse and goby. Sorry

Bear Claw · Feb 4, 2024

kevgib67 said:
How old is your tank? You’ll need to have an established sand bed to support the goby. 5-6 months. But I see no problems. Here is a pic with 6 of the fish before adding my tailspot blenny.

Also, that’s a beautiful tank!! Which tank is it?