Re-birth of 75G and stock list

BrokenSpoke · 02/04/2016, 02:52 PM

I had, key word here is had, a very stable reef tank that was close to 7 years old. The tank was full of LPS, softies, and a nice variety of fish (some easy to keep and some considered difficult). Like a lot of folks, I had a heater that was not connected to any sort of controller. This bothered me so I began researching controllers. Unfortunately, before I purchased a controller, I went away for a 3 day weekend.

When I returned home the first thing I noticed was the smell. If you ever lost a tank you know the smell and you never forget it. I went to check on the tank and everything, and I mean everything was dead. It seems the heater stuck on and the water temp was 94 degrees. In frustration I tore everything down, threw away the rock and sand, and put what was left into storage.

After two years of seeing the empty tank every day I figured it was time to start it back up again. Using my old equipment, which is still in great shape, I set the tank back up with Tropic Marin Reef Flakes and Walt Smith 2.1 rock. The tank is now fully cycled and it's time to start slowly stocking the tank again.

BrokenSpoke · 02/04/2016, 02:53 PM

So here is my initial stocking list. I DO NOT plan on getting every one of these fish as the tank would be severely overstocked, but my I' like your thoughts on combinations of these fish.

2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Black Cap Basslet
1 Exquisite Firefish
1 Spotted Mandarin (to be added 8 - 10 months down the road)
1 Mystery Wrasse
1 Tanaka Possum Wrasse
1 Blue Star Leopard Wrasse
1 Leopard Wrasse
1 Black Leopard Wrasse
1 Flame Angel
1 Potters Angel
1 Golden Angel

Again, I do not plan on having 14 fish in my 75, these are just fish I like in the quantities I am considering. The final stocking list will be a combination of fish from this list so I welcome your suggestions and yes, I realize that not all of the fish are compatible with others such as having more than 1 dwarf angel or the Black Cap and the Royal Gramma.

Also, I will bee keeping softies and LPS corals. Most of these are reef safe, a few are reef safe with caution, but I am aware of the risks and that should not influence your suggestions. I'll post pictures of my set up later tonight.

Thanks!

thegrun · 02/04/2016, 04:08 PM

I suspect most of what I have to say you know but here goes:
I would only keep one of the Basslets, either the Royal Gramma or the Black Cap but not both.
I think you are going to have a very difficult time with the Mandarin assuming you keep two or more of the wrasses on your list, I just don't see it competing well with multiple wrasses.
I'll leave commentary on the various leopard wrasses to someone who has kept them. I know they are difficult to keep and am uncertain to the wisdom of mixing multiple species.
I would only try one of the angels in a 120.

BrokenSpoke · 02/04/2016, 06:49 PM

I knew the two basslets would no go together, just on the fence as to which one.

The leopard wrasse / mandarin competing issue had not occurred to me so thank you for that input. As for mixing species, from what I have read the Blue Star, Leopard, and Black should be OK together and the same with the Mystery and the Tanaka. It would be either group, but not both.

As for the angels, I agree that I would only pick one but in the past I had a very fat, very happy, Flame Angel in my 75 so I would have to disagree on the 120 suggestion.

I'm mainly looking for suggestions on what combination of the above fish would be a good mix.

Right now I am leaning towards

2 Ocellaris Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Exquisite Firefish
1 Spotted Mandarin (to be added 8 - 10 months down the road)
1 Mystery Wrasse
1 Tanaka Possum Wrasse

And only one of the following
Flame Angel
Potters Angel
Golden Angel

thegrun · 02/04/2016, 08:15 PM

Sorry, I meant only one angel in your 120 gallon tank, not that one could not be kept in a 75 gallon tank (which I would say is about the smallest tank I would recommend for the angel).

02/04/2016, 02:52 PM	#1
BrokenSpoke Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 564	Re-birth of 75G and stock list I had, key word here is had, a very stable reef tank that was close to 7 years old. The tank was full of LPS, softies, and a nice variety of fish (some easy to keep and some considered difficult). Like a lot of folks, I had a heater that was not connected to any sort of controller. This bothered me so I began researching controllers. Unfortunately, before I purchased a controller, I went away for a 3 day weekend. When I returned home the first thing I noticed was the smell. If you ever lost a tank you know the smell and you never forget it. I went to check on the tank and everything, and I mean everything was dead. It seems the heater stuck on and the water temp was 94 degrees. In frustration I tore everything down, threw away the rock and sand, and put what was left into storage. After two years of seeing the empty tank every day I figured it was time to start it back up again. Using my old equipment, which is still in great shape, I set the tank back up with Tropic Marin Reef Flakes and Walt Smith 2.1 rock. The tank is now fully cycled and it's time to start slowly stocking the tank again.

02/04/2016, 02:53 PM	#2
BrokenSpoke Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 564	So here is my initial stocking list. I DO NOT plan on getting every one of these fish as the tank would be severely overstocked, but my I' like your thoughts on combinations of these fish. 2 Ocellaris Clowns 1 Royal Gramma 1 Black Cap Basslet 1 Exquisite Firefish 1 Spotted Mandarin (to be added 8 - 10 months down the road) 1 Mystery Wrasse 1 Tanaka Possum Wrasse 1 Blue Star Leopard Wrasse 1 Leopard Wrasse 1 Black Leopard Wrasse 1 Flame Angel 1 Potters Angel 1 Golden Angel Again, I do not plan on having 14 fish in my 75, these are just fish I like in the quantities I am considering. The final stocking list will be a combination of fish from this list so I welcome your suggestions and yes, I realize that not all of the fish are compatible with others such as having more than 1 dwarf angel or the Black Cap and the Royal Gramma. Also, I will bee keeping softies and LPS corals. Most of these are reef safe, a few are reef safe with caution, but I am aware of the risks and that should not influence your suggestions. I'll post pictures of my set up later tonight. Thanks!

02/04/2016, 04:08 PM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I suspect most of what I have to say you know but here goes: I would only keep one of the Basslets, either the Royal Gramma or the Black Cap but not both. I think you are going to have a very difficult time with the Mandarin assuming you keep two or more of the wrasses on your list, I just don't see it competing well with multiple wrasses. I'll leave commentary on the various leopard wrasses to someone who has kept them. I know they are difficult to keep and am uncertain to the wisdom of mixing multiple species. I would only try one of the angels in a 120.

02/04/2016, 06:49 PM	#4
BrokenSpoke Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 564	I knew the two basslets would no go together, just on the fence as to which one. The leopard wrasse / mandarin competing issue had not occurred to me so thank you for that input. As for mixing species, from what I have read the Blue Star, Leopard, and Black should be OK together and the same with the Mystery and the Tanaka. It would be either group, but not both. As for the angels, I agree that I would only pick one but in the past I had a very fat, very happy, Flame Angel in my 75 so I would have to disagree on the 120 suggestion. I'm mainly looking for suggestions on what combination of the above fish would be a good mix. Right now I am leaning towards 2 Ocellaris Clowns 1 Royal Gramma 1 Exquisite Firefish 1 Spotted Mandarin (to be added 8 - 10 months down the road) 1 Mystery Wrasse 1 Tanaka Possum Wrasse And only one of the following Flame Angel Potters Angel Golden Angel

02/04/2016, 08:15 PM	#5
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Sorry, I meant only one angel in your 120 gallon tank, not that one could not be kept in a 75 gallon tank (which I would say is about the smallest tank I would recommend for the angel).