Thoughts on my Stocking Ideas

[MrTPlush]

There are a millions stocking threads and I hate to add to the masses, but they feel so specific depending on the fish and setup I feel like I need some advice.

I have a 125gal 6’ tank. I do not have a sump, but have a 220gal rated Coralife skimmer. Frequent water changes aren’t a huge problem for me. I am open to adding additional filtration ideas if my stocking seems heavy.

What I know I want:
2 O. Clowns (currently in tank)
One Spot FoxFace (in QT)
Longnose Butterfly
Yellow Watchman Goby
Flame Angel
Yellow Tang

I feel like I still have room for my stock, but part of me wonders if that additional stock may be limited to smaller members with three large fish (butterfly/tang/foxface) in the tank already. The dreamer in me wants a Purple Tang, but the realist knows that would be risky with the Yellow Tang .

I guess I am curious what kind of hypothetical finishing touches one would recommend…just to get some different ideas. Whether that be smaller fish like cardinals/fire fish or one last bigger fish.

Thanks!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Definitely get a pistol shrimp with the watchman!
You could probably squeeze another 6-8 inch fish, but would probably get more out of a few more small guys like wrasses, royal grammas, blennies, or firefish. The more diverse a tank the more entertaining it is!

 

[MrTPlush]

Definitely get a pistol shrimp with the watchman!
You could probably squeeze another 6-8 inch fish, but would probably get more out of a few more small guys like wrasses, royal grammas, blennies, or firefish. The more diverse a tank the more entertaining it is!

I have been intrigued with the goby/shrimp combo. I actually (unintentionally) made a sweet cave when putting in my live rock. So much so I worry how much I will see my goby when I put him in…of course that probably means he will make his own cave somewhere else instead. All my rocks on the bottom glass and glued/epoxy so I don’t have any concern of massive collapse from digging.

When originally planning I was in the boat of diversity and putting smaller fish in to make it look like a community. It’s hard not to want one more show piece though, because let’s be honest, no one walks up to your tank to stare at a cardinal fish.

 

[i cant think]

I have been intrigued with the goby/shrimp combo. I actually (unintentionally) made a sweet cave when putting in my live rock. So much so I worry how much I will see my goby when I put him in…of course that probably means he will make his own cave somewhere else instead. All my rocks on the bottom glass and glued/epoxy so I don’t have any concern of massive collapse from digging.

When originally planning I was in the boat of diversity and putting smaller fish in to make it look like a community. It’s hard not to want one more show piece though, because let’s be honest, no one walks up to your tank to stare at a cardinal fish.

If your aims are to get it being more natural over not as natural then I don’t recommend another Show piece fish - If you look at them in the wild you won’t see like 10+ large fish all in one place and instead there’s maybe 2-3 together and then smaller fish like wrasse, damsels, blennies ect..

 

[MrTPlush]

Does anyone the best way to keep a mandarin? With a sump set up? It is by far one of my favorite fish, fell in love with it at the aquarium in Chicago. Of course the best way to care for it is all over the place. Can a HOB refuge work to keep it fed? A separate tank to breed pods?

Perfect world you can find one to feed on frozen…but seems even those won’t just live on frozen completely.

 

[MrTPlush]

If your aims are to get it being more natural over not as natural then I don’t recommend another Show piece fish - If you look at them in the wild you won’t see like 10+ large fish all in one place and instead there’s maybe 2-3 together and then smaller fish like wrasse, damsels, blennies ect..

Thanks, I have told myself from the start I don’t want to create a tank that looks hectic and cramped. Even if it works for harmony between fish, it looks like rush hour traffic to me. Some find it “impressive” when people have a loaded tank of fish getting along that are healthy…but I don’t find that attractive to look at as much. I think I may stick to my small tang of choice, long nose butterfly, and the fox face to be the bigger fish.

 

[Sharkbait19]

125 is probably enough for pods to be established. Hob refuge would only help, same for breeding.
I’d suggest getting a captive bred one to as they are better at eating prepared foods. How old is the tank?

 

[MrTPlush]

125 is probably enough for pods to be established. Hob refuge would only help, same for breeding.
I’d suggest getting a captive bred one to as they are better at eating prepared foods. How old is the tank?

It is approx. 3 months or so old. However, I started with about 75 pounds of premium live rock from the gulf so its current state is certainly more mature than say a tank started with all dry rock. I could always add the mandarin last as from what I read other fish don't tend to bother it. That would give the tank another 5 or so months before the mandarin would end up in the DT and would allow plenty of time to get a good pod population system to feed it.

I like the idea of getting a captive bred one or a wild caught one already eating frozen. That combined with supplemental pods seems to be the best way to get them thriving in captivity.

 

[Sharkbait19]

It is approx. 3 months or so old. However, I started with about 75 pounds of premium live rock from the gulf so its current state is certainly more mature than say a tank started with all dry rock. I could always add the mandarin last as from what I read other fish don't tend to bother it. That would give the tank another 5 or so months before the mandarin would end up in the DT and would allow plenty of time to get a good pod population system to feed it.

I like the idea of getting a captive bred one or a wild caught one already eating frozen. That combined with supplemental pods seems to be the best way to get them thriving in captivity.

Sounds like a plan! Just make sure to stay away from heavy pod eaters like wrasses (which you already have done) and you should be good!

 

[i cant think]

Sounds like a plan! Just make sure to stay away from heavy pod eaters like wrasses (which you already have done) and you should be good!

Actually, the fairy wrasse and flasher wrasse are fine for pod populations - Theyre open water feeders which means they mainly eat phyto and whatever other plankton is in the open area they hunt in. Even in captivity they’re fine - It’s leopards, Halichoeres and most of the genera with pseudo in (I can’t speak for Anampses since I’ve never owned one or even watched one peck the rock/sand that food wasn’t around).
And although the plan is to get one already eating, even a 3 month old tank won’t have the established population mandarins need (No matter what size the tank is). I’d wait till a minimum of 6 months but a year is better.

 

[Elliott ll]

There are a millions stocking threads and I hate to add to the masses, but they feel so specific depending on the fish and setup I feel like I need some advice.

I have a 125gal 6’ tank. I do not have a sump, but have a 220gal rated Coralife skimmer. Frequent water changes aren’t a huge problem for me. I am open to adding additional filtration ideas if my stocking seems heavy.

What I know I want:
2 O. Clowns (currently in tank)
One Spot FoxFace (in QT)
Longnose Butterfly
Yellow Watchman Goby
Flame Angel
Yellow Tang

I feel like I still have room for my stock, but part of me wonders if that additional stock may be limited to smaller members with three large fish (butterfly/tang/foxface) in the tank already. The dreamer in me wants a Purple Tang, but the realist knows that would be risky with the Yellow Tang .

I guess I am curious what kind of hypothetical finishing touches one would recommend…just to get some different ideas. Whether that be smaller fish like cardinals/fire fish or one last bigger fish.

Thanks!

Hey man... it sounds like you and I have very similar tastes in fish... Here is my current stock list:

Stock list for 90 gal + 30 gal sump (most of my fish are young & I plan to upgrade to a 250+ gallon tank in next year):

Blue Tang
Purple Tang
Foxface
Flame Angel Trio
Harlequin Tusk
Longnose Butteryfly Pair
Moorish Idol
Cleaner Wrasse
Flame Hawk
Mexican Blue Spotted Jawfish
Blue Throat Trigger
Humu Trigger
Clown Pair
Redheaded Solon Wrasse


Also I highly suggest a cleaner wrasse... idk why people say they're difficult... mine eats like a pig from day 1 and he cleans EVERYONE... it provides fish with a fun activity too

 

[i cant think]

Also I highly suggest a cleaner wrasse... idk why people say they're difficult... mine eats like a pig from day 1 and he cleans EVERYONE... it provides fish with a fun activity too

I know why cleaners are difficult:
They’re hard as hell to get feeding and are better suited to tanks with large fish such as angels, tangs, foxfaces/rabbits in general. These guys usually wither away in captivity because everyone wants the rarer/uncommon cleaners like the Hawaiian cleaner and Bicolor cleaners. The regular blue streaks are hard to come by and when you find one it’s Ill or dead within minutes.
These can also pester fish too much and stress out tank mates in captivity when you get one eating well and thriving.

IMO, these guys should be kept with the most peaceful of wrasses and not the aggressive things like C. aquamarinus, C. naokoae, C. scottorum, C. melanomarginatus. H. chloropterus, H. radiatus ect…

 

[Elliott ll]

I know why cleaners are difficult:
They’re hard as hell to get feeding and are better suited to tanks with large fish such as angels, tangs, foxfaces/rabbits in general. These guys usually wither away in captivity because everyone wants the rarer/uncommon cleaners like the Hawaiian cleaner and Bicolor cleaners. The regular blue streaks are hard to come by and when you find one it’s Ill or dead within minutes.
These can also pester fish too much and stress out tank mates in captivity when you get one eating well and thriving.

I've had two bluestreak cleaner wrasses, one is now with a friend. I've never had any issues feeding when using mysis shrimp. Both are healthy and thriving. I have complete opposite experience from what you are saying. I often will use my cleaner wrasse to calm a stressed fish, if the cleaner knows he's unwanted them he moves on, but he really helped my tangs during times of stress. They certainly need to be with large fish, but I think they're a lot easier to keep happy than you think. My cleaner even cleans me when I have my hand in the tank, he's got a great personality and always excited to see me (knows it feeding time probably).

IME they do great in moderately aggressive tanks. My harlequin tusk even lets him clean him from time to time... Other wrasses are not a fan of cleaners, a lot to do with their thick slime coats. While I do have a few other wrasses with mine, they are the fish that only occasionally allow him to clean them. The best tank mates for cleaner wrasses are tangs, butterfly fish, and angels.

 

[MrTPlush]

Hey man... it sounds like you and I have very similar tastes in fish... Here is my current stock list:

Stock list for 90 gal + 30 gal sump (most of my fish are young & I plan to upgrade to a 250+ gallon tank in next year):

Blue Tang
Purple Tang
Foxface
Flame Angel Trio
Harlequin Tusk
Longnose Butteryfly Pair
Moorish Idol
Cleaner Wrasse
Flame Hawk
Mexican Blue Spotted Jawfish
Blue Throat Trigger
Humu Trigger
Clown Pair
Redheaded Solon Wrasse


Also I highly suggest a cleaner wrasse... idk why people say they're difficult... mine eats like a pig from day 1 and he cleans EVERYONE... it provides fish with a fun activity too

Ha! You would think that even more so with my updated list I have decided on

2 Clowns
Foxface
Blue Throat Trigger
Flame Angel
Purple Tang
Mandarin

That is an awesome list you have though. That would be a fun tank to sit in-front of and watch all day.

 

[i cant think]

I've had two bluestreak cleaner wrasses, one is now with a friend. I've never had any issues feeding when using mysis shrimp. Both are healthy and thriving. I have complete opposite experience from what you are saying. I often will use my cleaner wrasse to calm a stressed fish, if the cleaner knows he's unwanted them he moves on, but he really helped my tangs during times of stress. They certainly need to be with large fish, but I think they're a lot easier to keep happy than you think. My cleaner even cleans me when I have my hand in the tank, he's got a great personality and always excited to see me (knows it feeding time probably).

IME they do great in moderately aggressive tanks. My harlequin tusk even lets him clean him...

I know there’s a few that survive but I find those few are around 5-6 large fish and not 2-3. IME your tank sounds over stocked (Even if they’re babies, I know of blue/regal tangs that have grown to Atleast 4” in just 1-3 months). If you get the tank in a year you’ll have some active 3-4” fish that will most likely be stressed in that tank size.

 

[Elliott ll]

I know there’s a few that survive but I find those few are around 5-6 large fish and not 2-3. IME your tank sounds over stocked (Even if they’re babies, I know of blue/regal tangs that have grown to Atleast 4” in just 1-3 months). If you get the tank in a year you’ll have some active 3-4” fish that will most likely be stressed in that tank size.

I pushed the limits for sure, overstocked would mean that I wasn't able to maintain 0ppm parameters and fish would be stressed or show aggression towards one another. This isn't the case so far. The pops has kept a regal tang happy in a 75 gallon for 10 years now. Everyone has a different experience I guess! We've found that it's all about water quality to happiness.

 

[Elliott ll]

Ha! You would think that even more so with my updated list I have decided on

2 Clowns
Foxface
Blue Throat Trigger
Flame Angel
Purple Tang
Mandarin

That is an awesome list you have though. That would be a fun tank to sit in-front of and watch all day.

You'll be really happy with the Blue Throat... mine was very shy for the fish month but now he will hand feed (although I try not to too often). It's really fun to watch because they will look up at floating food and then make a great white shark and attack! I named mine Bruce from finding nemo lol

 

[MrTPlush]

You'll be really happy with the Blue Throat... mine was very shy for the fish month but now he will hand feed (although I try not to too often). It's really fun to watch because they will look up at floating food and then make a great white shark and attack! I named mine Bruce from finding nemo lol

I’m pretty excited for for it, I read they are quite characters. He should bring some great personality to the tank. I will have to run that name by the wife. I didn’t plan on naming all the fish, but thus, that is the wife’s involvement in the tank…so they all have names. Something tells me she might like that name.

 

[i cant think]

I pushed the limits for sure, overstocked would mean that I wasn't able to maintain 0ppm parameters and fish would be stressed or show aggression towards one another. This isn't the case so far. The pops has kept a regal tang happy in a 75 gallon for 10 years now. Everyone has a different experience I guess! We've found that it's all about water quality to happiness.

Yeah, true. When I meant over stocked I meant a large bio load of fish sorry for not clarifying! I have the same tank and 13 fish will be in it eventually, 1 is a Foxface rabbit, then there’s the twin spot bristletooth tang and the genicanthus Angel. The rest stay around 4-5” (CBB and 5 wrasse, then a clownfish). I personally find it to look bad with more than 2-3 large fish in a 4’ tank - This is why I haven’t gone with a xanthychis ringens.