PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by JerryD

90 gallon tank. Looking to have fish and eventually add some soft corals. Considering yellow tank or dwarf angel fish. Also like chromis, clownfish, foxface. Appreciate any advice on good beginner stocking list including cleaning crew. Thank you!

As those who follow this thread know, I do not provide recommendations for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that I want you to develop research skills. I am always happy to analyze stocking lists for compatibility, however.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Amphiprotic

any examples? I'm trying to think of an easy to care for one. The smaller gobies I'm reading rest on branched SPS, I only have a tiny stylophora.

maybe a Striped Dottyback, Tank-Bred (Pseudochromis sankeyi)? so new list is:

Fish:
1 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni)
1 Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)
1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
1 Striped Dottyback, Tank-Bred (Pseudochromis sankeyi)

Keep in mind I made it just 1 cardinal.

No dottybacks, sorry.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Amoo

75 Gal with 20 Gal Sump, DSB ~75lbs of Rock

The whole purpose behind the tank is the clowns and anemone's so anything else on the list that could cause problems is definitely a no go for me.

Cleaner Crew:
1 Scarlet Reef Hermit - Paguristes cadenati
1 Electric Blue Hermit - Calcinus elegans
2 Peppermint Shrimp - Lysmata wardemanni complex
2 Porcelain Crab - Petrolisthes galathinus
4 Chestnut Turbo Snail - Turbo Castanea
10 Nassarius Snail - Nassarius sp.

Fish:
2 True Percula Clownfish - Amphirion Percula
1 Bicolor Blenny - Ecsenias Bicolor
2 Purple Firefish - Nemateleotris Decora only one will survive long term
1 Green Clown Goby - Gobiodan atrangulatus
2 Green Mandarin - Synchiroporus Splendidas not with a carpet anemone, and only one in this sized tank after it is mature
1 White Bandid Possum Wrasse - Wetmorella albofasciata
2 Kaudern's Cardinal - Pterapogon kauderni tank raised, male plus female

Corals:
Orange/Green Colony Polyp - Zoanthus sp.
Trumpet Coral - Caulastrea carvata
Red Candy Cap Coral - Montipora capricornis
Green Flourescent Mushroom - Actinodiscus sp.

Anemones:
RBTA - Entacmea quadricolor
Haddon's Carpet - Stichodactyla haddoni they eat fish

[Amoo]

Thanks Steve. I have no issue ditching the Madarin. That said, aftger doing some further research based on your feedback I think the Carpet will be above my skill level and budget pain tolerance due to a hungry Nem.

Will a purple firefish fight with any other dartfish or just their specific kind? ie can I add a Ptereleotris evides with a Nemateleotris Decora?

Proposed changes:

Remove Haddon's Carpet
Change Green Mandarin to 1
Remove one Purple Firefish
Add 1 Ptereleotris evides

or look for mated firefish pair.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Amoo

Thanks Steve. I have no issue ditching the Madarin. That said, aftger doing some further research based on your feedback I think the Carpet will be above my skill level and budget pain tolerance due to a hungry Nem. wise decision

Will a purple firefish fight with any other dartfish or just their specific kind? ie can I add a Ptereleotris evides with a Nemateleotris Decora? it is an issue of intimidation. Firefish are easily intimidated and similars over the long run will intimidate.

Proposed changes:

Remove Haddon's Carpet
Change Green Mandarin to 1
Remove one Purple Firefish
Add 1 Ptereleotris evides fine

or look for mated firefish pair. that will work, but difficult to find. Be careful of LFS that claim to have them, they are likely not.

[MrsFoxface]

We have a 90 mixed reef with 60+ lbs of live rock, 4" sand bed 40 sump with fuge approximately 2 months old.
Fish include:
2 O. Clownfish
1 one spot foxface
1 diamond goby
1 yellow watchman goby
1 chalk bass
1 solar fairy wrasse
Soon to be added fish:
1 two spot bristletooth
1 Flame dwarf angel
1 Green mandarin (when pod population is stable and suitable)

[Amoo]

Thank you Sir. Knowing my fish SHOULD live happily together and not tear apart the aqua scape, prior to purchase is a great resource to have. Keep up the good work man!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by MrsFoxface

We have a 90 mixed reef with 60+ lbs of live rock, 4" sand bed 40 sump with fuge approximately 2 months old.
Fish include:
2 O. Clownfish
1 one spot foxface
1 diamond goby
1 yellow watchman goby
1 chalk bass
1 solar fairy wrasse
Soon to be added fish:
1 two spot bristletooth
1 Flame dwarf angel
1 Green mandarin (when pod population is stable and suitable)
when the tank is 9 months mature

[MrsFoxface]

Ok thank you! We were told to wait 6-12 months for Mandarin. I am just double checking our info.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by MrsFoxface

Ok thank you! We were told to wait 6-12 months for Mandarin. I am just double checking our info.

No problem.

[rldcpa]

I have 2 yellow, Desjardins, ebbli tangs, wrasse, midas blenny, chromis, clam with a mixed reef tank with reef safe shrimp, hermit crabs and various types of corals.

I want to add 2 small/medium paired Maroon Clowns and bubble tip anemone.

I have read that they can be aggressive but not always.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by rldcpa

I have 2 yellow, Desjardins, ebbli tangs, wrasse, midas blenny, chromis, clam with a mixed reef tank with reef safe shrimp, hermit crabs and various types of corals.

I want to add 2 small/medium paired Maroon Clowns and bubble tip anemone.

I have read that they can be aggressive but not always.

Once bonded and mating, Maroon Clowns will be a terror. If you would like a demonstration, stick your hand in the tank.

[rldcpa]

So they are pure evil? I have a 6 foot 245 gallon and was thinking of putting the anemone on one side of the tank so they can't terrorize the whole tank.


How will they get along with the tangs?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by rldcpa

So they are pure evil? I have a 6 foot 245 gallon and was thinking of putting the anemone on one side of the tank so they can't terrorize the whole tank.


How will they get along with the tangs?

The distance a clownfish will leave its host anemone is directly proportional to its size. Maroon clownfish will want to control about 50 gallons of tank space. I cannot say they are "pure evil", if I had a 50 gallon tank, they would make a gorgeous species tank.

Since tangs are in a completely different ecological niche, they will not terrorize them, but will keep any fish (and you) out of their space. In the long run, your tangs will be problematical in a six foot tank but unrelated to the clownfish.

[rldcpa]

The tangs are a over a year old and are 3-4 inches now and they are happy and always hungry and eat very well. They are still small enough to go in and out of rocks.

[rldcpa]

Is it better to get unmated pairs but introduce them together?

[cherubfish pair]

Originally Posted by snorvich

Dwarf angels do not require sponge in their diet; they may eat angel formula or similar but it is not necessary. They do require "greens" either from the tank or supplied via nori

How often should they be fed these "greens"? I have put nori on a clip in my tank before, didn't ever see any fish eat it but it always disappeared overnight. I thought maybe it just dissolved into the water, does this happen?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by rldcpa

Is it better to get unmated pairs but introduce them together?

Yes. Two juveniles is ideal.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

How often should they be fed these "greens"? I have put nori on a clip in my tank before, didn't ever see any fish eat it but it always disappeared overnight. I thought maybe it just dissolved into the water, does this happen?

In small tanks, algae grazers need nori or a food that is vegetable based.

[Amphiprotic]

Originally Posted by snorvich

No dottybacks, sorry.

Liveaquaria says that one is peaceful? Here's another list then:

Fish:

• 1 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
• 1 Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni)
• 1 Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)
• 1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
• 1 Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Amphiprotic

Liveaquaria says that one is peaceful? Here's another list then:

Fish:

• 1 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
• 1 Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni)
• 1 Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas)
• 1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
• 1 Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)

This list is fine. The most peaceful dottyback is P. fridmani but you have a flasher wrasse and basslet which, especially in a small tank, would be problematic

[Amphiprotic]

Alright thanks. And is it invert safe? i can add a shrimp or two?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Amphiprotic

Alright thanks. And is it invert safe? i can add a shrimp or two?

Absolutely. No issues.

[Despairodyne]

Hi Steve, this is my plan as of now.

120 gallon display, 50 gallon sump, 30 gallon refugium. 200 lbs Live rock
and a big skimmer.

I think it might be too many fish but I'll be paring it down if it starts
to look crowded.

Siganus unimaculatus (One Spot Foxface)
Ctenochaetus tominiensis (Bristletooth Tomini Tang)

[If feeding enough vegetables will keep them both happy, otherwise
substitute another flasher/fairy wrasse TBD]

Wetmorella tanakai (Pygmy Wrasse)
Gobiodon okinawae (Yellow Clown Goby) x 2
Paracheilinus mccoskeri (McCosker's Flasher Wrasse)

Ecsenius midas (Midas Blenny)
Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma)
Fowleria flammea (Red Stop Light Cardinal Fish)

Nemanthias carberryi (Carberryi Anthias) x 3
[After 9 months perhaps]

Synchiropus splendidus (Red Mandarin)
[after a year]

Diademichthys lineatus (Yellow Stripe Clingfish)
[When and if I think I can be successful]


Skunk Cleaner Shrimp x 1
Fire Shrimp x 2
Peppermint Shrimp x 2
Fighting Conch
Appropriate snails

MY original plan had a pair of Snowflake clowns but I'm giving them their
own 30 gallon tank instead.

Thanks in advance.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Despairodyne

Hi Steve, this is my plan as of now.

120 gallon display, 50 gallon sump, 30 gallon refugium. 200 lbs Live rock
and a big skimmer.

I think it might be too many fish but I'll be paring it down if it starts
to look crowded.

I will note any issues below

Siganus unimaculatus (One Spot Foxface)
Ctenochaetus tominiensis (Bristletooth Tomini Tang)

[If feeding enough vegetables will keep them both happy, otherwise when the tank is mature, both should be fine, but do not introduce early
substitute another flasher/fairy wrasse TBD]

Wetmorella tanakai (Pygmy Wrasse)
Gobiodon okinawae (Yellow Clown Goby) x 2 in general they do not do well together, but your tank may be large enough
Paracheilinus mccoskeri (McCosker's Flasher Wrasse) needs a mesh top (1/4 inch)

Ecsenius midas (Midas Blenny)
Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma)
Fowleria flammea (Red Stop Light Cardinal Fish)

Nemanthias carberryi (Carberryi Anthias) x 3 needs multiple feedings per day
[After 9 months perhaps]

Synchiropus splendidus (Red Mandarin)
[after a year]

Diademichthys lineatus (Yellow Stripe Clingfish)
[When and if I think I can be successful] your odds of success are poor


Skunk Cleaner Shrimp x 1
Fire Shrimp x 2
Peppermint Shrimp x 2
Fighting Conch
Appropriate snails

MY original plan had a pair of Snowflake clowns but I'm giving them their
own 30 gallon tank instead.

Thanks in advance.