Thoughts on my stocking list for 75g mixed reef

[RRReef]

Hey all!

Finally getting around to stocking my 75g that I plan to be a mixed reef. Here's my draft fish stocking list, but was hoping for some feedback! I've already added the pair of ocellaris clownfish that have been in there for about 3 weeks and doing well (tank was set up and cycled for a month before that using bottled bacteria and dosing ammonia).

2 Ocellaris Clownfish
1-2 Firefish
1 Royal Gramma
1 blenny (thinking Midas, but also considering Bicolor, Starry, or Sailfin)
1-2 wrasses (was looking at Melanurus, Dusky, Red-Lined, Richmonds, Vroliks, or Grey Head)
1 spot foxface
1 bristletooth tang
1 Green mandarin (added last, after tank matures and healthy pod population)

I'm looking for feedback on two items:
1) is this too many fish for a 75g? (If so, my initial thought would be remove firefish / royal gramma, but want to hear your thoughts)
2) besides adding the mandarin last after i have a mature tank with strong pod population, what order would you add the fish?

Other potentially relevant info:
- tank will have a lid
- I cycled without lights and just got them in about a week ago, so no noticeable algae growth yet
- temp 78, amm/nitrite 0, nitrate 7, salinity 1.026
- coral will be primarily softies/lps, with maybe a few sps eventually
- plan to have snails, shrimp, conch, & bristle star as CuC. I tried to avoid fish that go after inverts but let me know if I missed something
- I've got a plank autofeeder that I'm currently feeding once a day


Thanks in advance!

 

[rayadog]

Can’t speak from experience but I wouldn’t consider adding a foxface AND a bristletooth in a 75. Those big fish count for many more smaller fish and it’s kind of a small tank or bare minimum for a bristletooth. But I suppose you could be someone with tiny starters and rehome as they get bigger; or maybe they won’t need rehomed.

For the firefish, as long as the flow isn’t too strong or they can sensibly find all the nice places in the rock work to chill and hide so they’re not swimming all the time. As long as the other slim fish don’t make the firefish too timid to enter the rocks; maybe add them first/sooner?

I have 1 yellow wrasse in my 75 with sump and I have added pods before and during his stay. I never seem to see them but he is always hunting and has a full enough stomach. So considering that, I would think I could advise against 2 wrasses and a mandarin. BUT don’t let me stop you cause I might just be floundering to keep an established population or the pods are trained to not leave the rock work during the day. Just something to consider. Wrasses be busy.

Those are the only yellow flags I see. Just things to consider. Looks like a nice list otherwise.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I agree, the only concern I would have is having two bigger fish in there, that is the spot foxface and the tang. I would just be concerned about overcrowding and potentially not enough space in there.
Do you have a photo of your tank rn?

 

[RRReef]

I agree, the only concern I would have is having two bigger fish in there, that is the spot foxface and the tang. I would just be concerned about overcrowding and potentially not enough space in there.
Do you have a photo of your tank rn?

 

[RRReef]

Thank you both! I definitely see how the two big guys can be an issue so I guess I need to decide which one I like better .

Also I attached a photo (I think) of my tank in a separate reply - on the left I made a bunch of different smaller caves for hiding spots, and made a bigger arch on the right. Not quite as fancy looking as some of the other aquascapes out there but I thought it worked out well for my second time ever making an aquascape!

 

[Marine Betta]

Hey all!

Finally getting around to stocking my 75g that I plan to be a mixed reef. Here's my draft fish stocking list, but was hoping for some feedback! I've already added the pair of ocellaris clownfish that have been in there for about 3 weeks and doing well (tank was set up and cycled for a month before that using bottled bacteria and dosing ammonia).

2 Ocellaris Clownfish
1-2 Firefish
1 Royal Gramma
1 blenny (thinking Midas, but also considering Bicolor, Starry, or Sailfin)
1-2 wrasses (was looking at Melanurus, Dusky, Red-Lined, Richmonds, Vroliks, or Grey Head)
1 spot foxface
1 bristletooth tang
1 Green mandarin (added last, after tank matures and healthy pod population)

I'm looking for feedback on two items:
1) is this too many fish for a 75g? (If so, my initial thought would be remove firefish / royal gramma, but want to hear your thoughts)
2) besides adding the mandarin last after i have a mature tank with strong pod population, what order would you add the fish?

Other potentially relevant info:
- tank will have a lid
- I cycled without lights and just got them in about a week ago, so no noticeable algae growth yet
- temp 78, amm/nitrite 0, nitrate 7, salinity 1.026
- coral will be primarily softies/lps, with maybe a few sps eventually
- plan to have snails, shrimp, conch, & bristle star as CuC. I tried to avoid fish that go after inverts but let me know if I missed something
- I've got a plank autofeeder that I'm currently feeding once a day


Thanks in advance!

Are you thinking of putting sps in the tank and if so what kind? If you want acros, you probably want to keep your nitrates under 20ppm. With that many fish (the large ones in particular) it could be hard. My only concern with the stock list that hasn’t been mentioned are the Firefish. They are very timid, and the blenny and wrasses may bully them. They also do better in odd numbers.

 

[RRReef]

Are you thinking of putting sps in the tank and if so what kind? If you want acros, you probably want to keep your nitrates under 20ppm. With that many fish (the large ones in particular) it could be hard. My only concern with the stock list that hasn’t been mentioned are the Firefish. They are very timid, and the blenny and wrasses may bully them. They also do better in odd numbers.

I haven't fully decided on if I'm going to do any sps, but if I do it would probably be like a monti cap or some kind of easier sps - as of right now I'm thinking I'll avoid acros. And good point with the firefish - they seem cool but I was wondering if they'd just be hiding all the time vs out and swimming around.

 

[Marine Betta]

Are you thinking of putting sps in the tank and if so what kind? If you want acros, you probably want to keep your nitrates under 20ppm. With that many fish (the large ones in particular) it could be hard. My only concern with the stock list that hasn’t been mentioned are the Firefish. They are very timid, and the blenny and wrasses may bully them. They also do better in odd numbers.

I haven't fully decided on if I'm going to do any sps, but if I do it would probably be like a monti cap or some kind of easier sps - as of right now I'm thinking I'll avoid acros. And good point with the firefish - they seem cool but I was wondering if they'd just be hiding all the time vs out and swimming around.

Montis aren’t difficult. Some other easier sps are leptos, pavona, and cyphastrea. They are just about as easy as most LPS. Firefish are awesome little fish. I just think they’re better off with extremely docile tank mates unless you can have a very large school of them.