What would you do?

[DeSoDo]

Hello all. Just wondering if the stocking list looks acceptable. I'll be adding my first group of fish this week or next. Tank is completely cycled and in the "ugly phase" so my copepods are helping with diatoms, I currently have 1 baby Blue legged hermit in the tank as well. My questions are as follows:
1. Is this list acceptable for a 65g tank? Footprint is the same as a 40g breeder, just taller.
2. There's a sale at my lfs on gobies, but they only have Yellow watchman gobies available. Can I get a pair and pair the 2 with 2 pistol shrimp and have those in my tank first? Before even adding clowns.
3. Should I go with a full CUC for a week before adding any other livestock first?

 

[DeSoDo]

I highly support this plan, and your wallet will probably thank you for this decision as well, since the assessor basslets I've seen available have always been about as expensive as 4 Springeris.

After seeing pictures of your aquarium and aquascape, I think you might be able to work with your list if you switch the chromis and assessor basslet for 3 Springeri damselfish. Though aggression is always still possible, your list seems reasonable for the size of tank you have, since you have several small, peaceful fish on your list.

I wanted to have a Converted freshwater tiger mollies for constant live good, but can't find them ANYWHERE! Local and even national pet stores don't have any available. No one in my state breeds them either.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

very heavy bioload for a 65. It could work I suppose but a skimmer would help.

 

[DeSoDo]

very heavy bioload for a 65. It could work I suppose but a skimmer would help.

I have a skimmer. And 2 hob filters rated for 80g total.

 

[Soren]

On a relative note, I've got a stable mostly-aggression-free (other than the yellowtail damsels darting out at the other fish occasionally) community in a 40g breeder display with a 30g sump.
Fish included are the following:
4 of Yellowtail Damsels ~3-5cm each
2 of Ocellaris Clownfish ~4cm and ~6cm
2 of Engineer Gobies ~14-16cm
1 of Court Jester Goby ~4cm
1 of Lawnmower Blenny ~7cm
and 1 of Onespot Foxface Rabbitfish ~12cm

The foxface will eventually be rehomed (I already have several larger tanks ready for the rehome) after it grows to the limit I consider for this tank.

I've also got many invertebrates in the clean-up crew, including nerite, astraea, and ninjastar snails, crown conches (which will get rehomed if they clean the sand too much), emerald and red mithractus crabs, a sallylightfoot crab, dozens of tiny blueleg hermit crabs, a few asterina starfish, probably more bristleworms than can be counted, and a significant population of various pods, though they often remain unseen since the fish eat them.

Corals include easy/invasive, hardy, beginner corals: pulsing xenia, green star polyps, and toadstool mushrooms, though I may add candycane corals, colt coral, and possibly a hammer euphelia from frags from a holding tank at home.

Note that mine is a heavy bioload system with significant macroalgae export from the sump and a skimmer built into my HOB filter to help with the bioload. It is a more risky system than if I had half as many fish, but it has gone well enough thus far over the past 2+ years. I also did use some ocean-direct live rock in my system as well as rocks from established systems, so no dry rock was used in this system.

Also, your biomedia HOB filter should help as a refugium for copepods if you do eventually get your mandarin. I would recommend not adding the mandarin until 18 months after starting a dry-rock system, though, and make sure you have a good method of culturing pods to avoid the disappointment of starving it to death.

 

[DeSoDo]

On a relative note, I've got a stable mostly-aggression-free (other than the yellowtail damsels darting out at the other fish occasionally) community in a 40g breeder display with a 30g sump.
Fish included are the following:
4 of Yellowtail Damsels ~3-5cm each
2 of Ocellaris Clownfish ~4cm and ~6cm
2 of Engineer Gobies ~14-16cm
1 of Court Jester Goby ~4cm
1 of Lawnmower Blenny ~7cm
and 1 of Onespot Foxface Rabbitfish ~12cm

The foxface will eventually be rehomed (I already have several larger tanks ready for the rehome) after it grows to the limit I consider for this tank.

I've also got many invertebrates in the clean-up crew, including nerite, astraea, and ninjastar snails, crown conches (which will get rehomed if they clean the sand too much), emerald and red mithractus crabs, a sallylightfoot crab, dozens of tiny blueleg hermit crabs, a few asterina starfish, probably more bristleworms than can be counted, and a significant population of various pods, though they often remain unseen since the fish eat them.

Corals include easy/invasive, hardy, beginner corals: pulsing xenia, green star polyps, and toadstool mushrooms, though I may add candycane corals, colt coral, and possibly a hammer euphelia from frags from a holding tank at home.

Note that mine is a heavy bioload system with significant macroalgae export from the sump and a skimmer built into my HOB filter to help with the bioload. It is a more risky system than if I had half as many fish, but it has gone well enough thus far over the past 2+ years. I also did use some ocean-direct live rock in my system as well as rocks from established systems, so no dry rock was used in this system.

Also, your biomedia HOB filter should help as a refugium for copepods if you do eventually get your mandarin. I would recommend not adding the mandarin until 18 months after starting a dry-rock system, though, and make sure you have a good method of culturing pods to avoid the disappointment of starving it to death.

I did think about both the foxface and lawnmower blenny as well. Then I changed my mind since the lawnmower will be all in the rocks that the mandarin will eventually be in, and found out the foxface's fins are poisonous. I have small kids at home and would not risking that.

 

[Soren]

I did think about both the foxface and lawnmower blenny as well. Then I changed my mind since the lawnmower will be all in the rocks that the mandarin will eventually be in, and found out the foxface's fins are poisonous. I have small kids at home and would not risking that.

To be clear, I do not recommend you add a foxface. They are my favorite marine fish, despite the venomous fins. From what I have read, the sting is a little worse than a bee sting which has never been too concerning to me. They are also skittish fish that typically stay far from my hands whenever I work in my tanks with foxfaces. Don't get me wrong, though, as I might think differently if other people were involved with my tanks.

The lawnmower blenny could be considered, but would have to replace the tailspot blenny on your list, as they are likely to have issue with one another.

I would not change your list other than replacing the chromis and basslet with 3 Springeri damsels, I just mentioned my fish in my similarly-sized system for confirmation that your stocking list might be reasonable for a 65g aquarium.

 

[Tamberav]

I highly recommend the springers, love mine! I think your list will be okay with the 3 springers instead of 5 chromis and basslet.


Foxface grow really fast, a "baby" one isn't an option due to their super speed growth and they get way too big for this size tank.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

You mentioned that you didn’t want to get a lid due to forgetting to clean it correct? I diy my lid for my tank using a simple screen door maker kit from Home Depot/Lowes. Never once have I had to clean it

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I have a skimmer. And 2 hob filters rated for 80g total.

i that case i say it’s ok?

 

[DeSoDo]

You mentioned that you didn’t want to get a lid due to forgetting to clean it correct? I diy my lid for my tank using a simple screen door maker kit from Home Depot/Lowes. Never once have I had to clean it

Yeah, I think that's what I'm gonna do.

 

[Duane family]

Given that non of these fish need much swimming space I don't see an issue. But with the chromis group of 5 in this tank you will have lots of aggression and within 6 weeks you will only have 2 left as they will kill the rest off.

The stocking level will be dense but should be ok if you are ontop of the maintenance aspects.

But just one additional thing, please don't buy these fish from the store and move them directly to your tank. Rather consider doing a propper quarantine process with them. It's highly likely that your chromis could carry Urenoma, your Clownfish could carry Brooklynella and your blenny could carry gill flukes.

 

[Soren]

Yeah, I think that's what I'm gonna do.

If you happen to need any special screen frame corners or pieces to fit around equipment, let me know, as I have 3D files to print and can even modify them to specific dimensions if you give them to me. I also have the ability to print them for you if you are interested. We can work this out in a private conversation if you want.

(I'm printing custom screen frames right now for my quarantine tank since my glass lid extends under a shelf and is inconvenient for access.)

 

[BryanM]

definitely need a lid. I hate hearing of carpet surfing deaths.... Keep in mind any hole is probably big enough for something to escape.

I'm not an expert on stocking, seems like a lot, but you can compensate with oversized filtration to deal with the bioload.

 

[DeSoDo]

Given that non of these fish need much swimming space I don't see an issue. But with the chromis group of 5 in this tank you will have lots of aggression and within 6 weeks you will only have 2 left as they will kill the rest off.

The stocking level will be dense but should be ok if you are ontop of the maintenance aspects.

But just one additional thing, please don't buy these fish from the store and move them directly to your tank. Rather consider doing a propper quarantine process with them. It's highly likely that your chromis could carry Urenoma, your Clownfish could carry Brooklynella and your blenny could carry gill flukes.

I'll definitely look into doing a qt tank. I've been lucky with my other tank, even though I only have 3 fish in it. And I've decided to drop the chromis and basslet for a trio of Springeri damsels.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

definitely need a lid. I hate hearing of carpet surfing deaths.... Keep in mind any hole is probably big enough for something to escape.

I'm not an expert on stocking, seems like a lot, but you can compensate with oversized filtration to deal with the bioload.

wish these tanks that come as a package would give you a halfway decent lid. Not asking for high quality just something mesh that comes on and off easily.

 

[Soren]

wish these tanks that come as a package would give you a halfway decent lid. Not asking for high quality just something mesh that comes on and off easily.

As easy as I find DIY mesh lids to build, I still am surprised there are not more standard options available, at least not that I have found.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I'm a little embarrassed to say this but I got some mesh and still have yet to make it work with showcasing the beauty of the rimless tank look. Thinking of cutting some acrylic I have laying around but havent gotten around to it yet. If I do it, I want it to still have that rimless tank look.

 

[DeSoDo]

wish these tanks that come as a package would give you a halfway decent lid. Not asking for high quality just something mesh that comes on and off easily.

I found one on Amazon that I'm gonna give a shot. Mixed reviews.

 

[Soren]

I'm a little embarrassed to say this but I got some mesh and still have yet to make it work with showcasing the beauty of the rimless tank look. Thinking of cutting some acrylic I have laying around but havent gotten around to it yet. If I do it, I want it to still have that rimless tank look.

Sure, DIY mesh lids work great for rimmed tanks but not so well for maintaining the aesthetic of a rimless tank. I think I've seen acrylic lid frames with attachment for mesh in the openings for intended use on rimless tanks, but I have no experience. I personally always have rimmed tanks, as the security is worth more to me than the aesthetic of a rimless tank, but this is all a matter of personal opinion.

 

[ScottJ]

Hello all. Just wondering if the stocking list looks acceptable. I'll be adding my first group of fish this week or next. Tank is completely cycled and in the "ugly phase" so my copepods are helping with diatoms, I currently have 1 baby Blue legged hermit in the tank as well. My questions are as follows:
1. Is this list acceptable for a 65g tank? Footprint is the same as a 40g breeder, just taller.
2. There's a sale at my lfs on gobies, but they only have Yellow watchman gobies available. Can I get a pair and pair the 2 with 2 pistol shrimp and have those in my tank first? Before even adding clowns.
3. Should I go with a full CUC for a week before adding any other livestock first?

FWIW, you might want to consider getting an HOB overflow box (because tank is all set up, and you may not be able to drill) and running a sump, maybe 20 or 30 gallons. I would recommend LifeReef, but there are others.

I used to run a 20 gallon tank with a Bubble Magus HOB protein skimmer, Tidal 75 filter, and a sumpless ATO. That was one of the worst ideas I ever had. I had nothing but problems for the couple years it ran. Algae, cyano, dinos, nasty. To be honest, it may have been the lights, but the HOB setup wasn't helping.

I had a 55 gallon FW planted tank in my living room that we turned into a reef with a sump and HOB overflow. It's been running quite well for going on 3 years now. I grow chaeto in a refugum in the sump, and I think that makes all the difference.

Just my 2 cents.