Thoughts on stocking

[tgrab]

I recently purchased a waterbox infinia 125.3 and I am looking for input on my plans for stocking the tank. The DT is 85.9 gallons and the dimensions are 40.9×23.6×22.6. Here's what I'm thinking for fish:

2 ocellaris clownfish
3-5 anthias of some sort (I'm looking for suggestions)
goby + pistol shrimp
eventually a mandarinfish

I was also considering a few chalk bass in place of the anthias if the anthias aren't a great fit. I am also open to other suggestions for fish that might school/shoal that would work with the other fish.

 

[i cant think]

I recently purchased a waterbox infinia 125.3 and I am looking for input on my plans for stocking the tank. The DT is 85.9 gallons and the dimensions are 40.9×23.6×22.6. Here's what I'm thinking for fish:

2 ocellaris clownfish
3-5 anthias of some sort (I'm looking for suggestions)
goby + pistol shrimp
eventually a mandarinfish

I was also considering a few chalk bass in place of the anthias if the anthias aren't a great fit. I am also open to other suggestions for fish that might school/shoal that would work with the other fish.

If you have the money, ventralis Anthias (My LFS has around a group of 6 in and the photos do no justice). If you want cheap then lyretails however, often you get a group of 3-5 and they kill eachother off down to 1 or 2. So either way I recommend only 2 Anthias no matter what species - Sunburst do better alone unless the tank is large.

 

[Chrisv.]

I recently purchased a waterbox infinia 125.3 and I am looking for input on my plans for stocking the tank. The DT is 85.9 gallons and the dimensions are 40.9×23.6×22.6. Here's what I'm thinking for fish:

2 ocellaris clownfish
3-5 anthias of some sort (I'm looking for suggestions)
goby + pistol shrimp
eventually a mandarinfish

I was also considering a few chalk bass in place of the anthias if the anthias aren't a great fit. I am also open to other suggestions for fish that might school/shoal that would work with the other fish.

I'm going to throw out the presently unpopular opinion that shoals of anthias are a disaster in all but the largest tanks. To keep them long term (as they deserve to be kept!) they need to be fed almost constantly. The problem is that feeding them as they need to be fed results in a lot of waste and uneaten food. This results in a lot of nutrients. A very large volume of water can dilute the waste before it is processed. In an 85 gallon tank you just don't get that dilution factor. The other thing to keep in mind is that lyretail gets BIG! We're talking 5 inches. So 5 x 5 inch fish that eat constantly.... You see where I'm going.

The earlier suggestion of the fathead/sunburst anthias is spot on. They are beautiful. Add one or two and don't look back.

 

[i cant think]

I'm going to throw out the presently unpopular opinion that shoals of anthias are a disaster in all but the largest tanks. To keep them long term (as they deserve to be kept!) they need to be fed almost constantly. The problem is that feeding them as they need to be fed results in a lot of waste and uneaten food. This results in a lot of nutrients. A very large volume of water can dilute the waste before it is processed. In an 85 gallon tank you just don't get that dilution factor. The other thing to keep in mind is that lyretail gets BIG! We're talking 5 inches. So 5 x 5 inch fish that eat constantly.... You see where I'm going.

The earlier suggestion of the fathead/sunburst anthias is spot on. They are beautiful. Add one or two and don't look back.

I agree with this actually, I find that Anthias shouldn’t be kept in the smaller tanks (4’-6’) and should be kept in tanks of Atleast 8’ long. With Anthias it’s either get 1-2 or get 10-20 IME. The bigger the shoal the more it will work, shoals of 5-8 tend to end up being 1 or 2 because they kill eachother off. I find Anthias should have species only tanks in all honesty, sure the sun bursts will be fine in that tank since they’re actually the easiest to keep IMO.

 

[tgrab]

It sounds like anthias (at least multiple) might not be the best option. Does anyone have recommendations on other shoaling fish that would work in a tank this size?

 

[i cant think]

It sounds like anthias (at least multiple) might not be the best option. Does anyone have recommendations on other shoaling fish that would work in a tank this size?

While they don’t shoal, if the tank is 3’ long then most fairy wrasses will do alright - They won’t compete with the mandarin for food.

 

[tgrab]

Would Talbot's or azure damselfish work? I'm thinking 5ish

 

[i cant think]

Would Talbot's or azure damselfish work? I'm thinking 5ish

Azures could work however I find Talbot’s get ugly as they get older (As in appearance ugly).

 

[dedragon]

Azures or saphires/springers could work but idk if they shoal well together at all as much as are just a lot of damsels individually or pairs. Chromis like vanderbilt chromis maybe could work but chromis do tend to pick themselves down to 1or 2 as well.

 

[TimSt]

How do you like the Infinia 125.3? I'm thinking about getting one. Seems to be a very nice set up.

 

[damsels are not mean]

It sounds like anthias (at least multiple) might not be the best option. Does anyone have recommendations on other shoaling fish that would work in a tank this size?

shoaling:
Smaller chromis such as:
Chromis acares (new on LA and only 2"!!)
Chromis margaritifer
Chromis vanderbuilti

The popular cardinals:
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Pterapogon kauderni


True schooling fishes:
Cardinals:
Zoramia leptacantha
Ostorhinchus luteus
Ostorhinchus margaritophorus
Apogon parvulus (these are like the saltwater version of neon tetras)

Dartfish:
Aioliops megastigma (hard to get, doesn't ship well, but if you see some at LFS eating I would buy)

Honorable mention to Eviota pellucida and the other Eviota gobies. They don't shoal in the traditional sense but they like to live in groups and may hover together sometimes. There are a few species of small gobies like this that are captive bred and will likely do well in a tank. Wild is risky with tiny fish.

 

[tgrab]

How do you like the Infinia 125.3? I'm thinking about getting one. Seems to be a very nice set up.

It hasn't arrived. Delivery is scheduled for Monday so I can report back later.

Updated stocking list is:
2 clownfish
Goby + pistol shrimp
Mandarin
5 zebra dartfish
Carpenter's flasher wrasse
1-2 other fairy/flasher wrasse
Midas blenny
Bristletooth tang?
Maybe a royal gramma too

 

[tgrab]

Well the tank came in yesterday and I'm hoping to have it set up and cycling by next week. I should probably get around to setting up a build thread...

Any thoughts on stocking order? I'm also considering a leopard wrasse but I've gotten some conflicting information about keeping them with mandarins.

 

[i cant think]

In that tank it’s possible - My LFS has a 5’ long reef with a mandarin and 5 pod eating wrasse along with a CBB, all of them are fat.

 

[tgrab]

In that tank it’s possible - My LFS has a 5’ long reef with a mandarin and 5 pod eating wrasse along with a CBB, all of them are fat.

That's good to know! I would love to have a few different leopards with the mandarin, but I'm worried about competition for food and I'd rather not have to add pods regularly if possible.

 

[i cant think]

That's good to know! I would love to have a few different leopards with the mandarin, but I'm worried about competition for food and I'd rather not have to add pods regularly if possible.

I have a nano with 3 pod eaters, one being quite possibly worse than a mandarin. Those three are:
- Pink Streak Wrasse
- Griessingeri Goby
- Blue Star Leopard Wrasse

My nano is a Red Sea Max and the BSLW is temporary. Will go into my 4’ once she’s 3-4 inch.

 

[tgrab]

I have a nano with 3 pod eaters, one being quite possibly worse than a mandarin. Those three are:
- Pink Streak Wrasse
- Griessingeri Goby
- Blue Star Leopard Wrasse

My nano is a Red Sea Max and the BSLW is temporary. Will go into my 4’ once she’s 3-4 inch.

Do you supplement pods at all or do those fish also eat your regular food?

 

[i cant think]

Do you supplement pods at all or do those fish also eat your regular food?

The only fish that won’t eat regular food is my Griessinger’s goby because his mouth is so small. I supplement pods weekly but I can go several months without needing to supplement (I only do that when truly needed). My tank is 1 year old but my rock is 10-20 years old.

 

[tgrab]

How do you like the Infinia 125.3? I'm thinking about getting one. Seems to be a very nice set up.

Now that it's set up I can say I'm mostly happy so far. The tank/stand itself is beautiful. The sump fills basically the whole cabinet which is good and bad I suppose. The electrical cabinet is also nice but a bit more space would have been helpful as well.

 

[tgrab]

So I've done some more thinking and I'm looking at the following list:

2 Clownfish
Flasher wrasse - Carpenter's or McCosker's
Goby with shrimp
Midas blenny
Royal gramma
Kole tang
Mandarin
Exquisite wrasse
Solar wrasse
Leopard wrasse of some kind

What would a good order for adding these?