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[djatl]

I'm setting up a 65g FOWLR with a 15g sump, and just beginning to cycle with 12 lbs of uncured live rock and 50 lbs of dry rock. I added 40 lbs of aragonite sand and 20 lbs of packaged live sand. While I wait for the tank/live rock to cycle, I thought I'd finalize my stocking list for a mixed community tank.

Initial Stocking (initial ramp-up)
7 Blue-Green Chromis
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
2 Pajama Cardinal (and/or Banggai Cardinal)
1 Diamond Bar Goby (and other gobies/blennies?)
1 Royal Gramma
1 Longnose Hawkfish

Options for Later:
1 Longfin Bannerfish
1 Flame Angelfish
1 Green Mandarin (if I set up a refugium)
1 Yellow Tang (if I upgrade to a 5' 125g tank)

This is roughly the order I was planning to introduce them after the cycle is established. Any suggestions on stocking order, better combinations, or substitutions?

I had some specific questions on my choices also.
- If I get the Longnose Hawkfish, what kind of cleaning crew should I go with? I've read they eat a lot of the standard options.
- Any gobies or blennies that are compatible with the Diamond Bar Goby? I like the sand-sifters, but I'm not sure how much room I have for similar fish.

Thanks in advance!

[3Watt]

That's a lot of fish for a 65 gallon. But it's your tank. I hope you have a good skimmer and plan on staying diligent with maintenance.

It's been my experience that the hawks I've owned will generally leave snails alone if kept well fed but would eat hermits and ornamental shrimp no matter what.

Personally I would stay away from the sand sifting gobies. They sift for food and it doesn't take long for them to wipe out the life in a healthy bed. Once that happens it's hard to keep them in enough food and they eventually starve to death. But if you must I would add any other bottom dwelling fish you desire first so that territories can be established.

[tyler91913]

Looking to have a colorful 30 gallon tank. How does this group look?

Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus)
Lemonpeel Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)
True Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)
Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani)

More about the setup: 30 gallons, barebottom, rimless and open top, 10 gallon sump, Tunze 9006 skimmer, SCWD returns, mp10 for powerhead, AI Sols for lights, mushrooms and leathers and zoas for coral (no SPS or LPS), 30-40 lbs of LR.

Concerns: species incompatibility? risk of jumping? safety of zoas and mushrooms? too heavily stocked?

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to your feedback.

[djatl]

Originally Posted by 3Watt

That's a lot of fish for a 65 gallon. But it's your tank. I hope you have a good skimmer and plan on staying diligent with maintenance.

It's been my experience that the hawks I've owned will generally leave snails alone if kept well fed but would eat hermits and ornamental shrimp no matter what.

Personally I would stay away from the sand sifting gobies. They sift for food and it doesn't take long for them to wipe out the life in a healthy bed. Once that happens it's hard to keep them in enough food and they eventually starve to death. But if you must I would add any other bottom dwelling fish you desire first so that territories can be established.

There should be a lot of ORs in the later additions. Definitely not planning for all of them. And I may just stick with the 1 goby, just due to space on the floor of the tank.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by djatl

I'm setting up a 65g FOWLR with a 15g sump, and just beginning to cycle with 12 lbs of uncured live rock and 50 lbs of dry rock. I added 40 lbs of aragonite sand and 20 lbs of packaged live sand. While I wait for the tank/live rock to cycle, I thought I'd finalize my stocking list for a mixed community tank.

Initial Stocking (initial ramp-up)
7 Blue-Green Chromis Chromis will reduce their number down so there is one or at most two left
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
2 Pajama Cardinal (and/or Banggai Cardinal) Banggai cardinals must be a M+F for more than one
1 Diamond Bar Goby (and other gobies/blennies?)
1 Royal Gramma
1 Longnose Hawkfish

That is a lot for your sized tank

Options for Later:
1 Longfin Bannerfish
1 Flame Angelfish
1 Green Mandarin (if I set up a refugium)
1 Yellow Tang (if I upgrade to a 5' 125g tank)

This is roughly the order I was planning to introduce them after the cycle is established. Any suggestions on stocking order, better combinations, or substitutions?

I had some specific questions on my choices also.
- If I get the Longnose Hawkfish, what kind of cleaning crew should I go with? I've read they eat a lot of the standard options.

They will eat shrimp, but other CUC would be safe
- Any gobies or blennies that are compatible with the Diamond Bar Goby? I like the sand-sifters, but I'm not sure how much room I have for similar fish.

Sand sifters will deplete your sand bed then starve, but you are loaded up all ready.

Thanks in advance!

[djatl]

Why will the Chromis reduce their number so dramatically? Are they that territorial? Do I need a bigger tank for schooling behavior?

So dialing back the ambition...

Revised initial stocking list (add 2-3 individuals at a time, then let tank settle):
3 Blue-Green Chromis
2 Ocellaris
2 Pajama Cardinal
1 Diamond Bar Goby
1 Royal Gramma

If these are successful for a while and the tank can accommodate it, I'd add the Longfin Bannerfish as a showfish.

If I get the time to setup a remote refugium and let it stock up, I'd like to add the mandarinfish. But that's a long way off. I don't think anything from above will cause a problem for a mandarin.

Hopefully this is more reasonable for a 65g.

Thanks for the input!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by djatl

Why will the Chromis reduce their number so dramatically? Are they that territorial? Do I need a bigger tank for schooling behavior?

So dialing back the ambition...

Revised initial stocking list (add 2-3 individuals at a time, then let tank settle):
3 Blue-Green Chromis
2 Ocellaris
2 Pajama Cardinal
1 Diamond Bar Goby
1 Royal Gramma

If these are successful for a while and the tank can accommodate it, I'd add the Longfin Bannerfish as a showfish.

If I get the time to setup a remote refugium and let it stock up, I'd like to add the mandarinfish. But that's a long way off. I don't think anything from above will cause a problem for a mandarin.

Hopefully this is more reasonable for a 65g.

Thanks for the input!

Yes, it is more reasonable. Damsels, of which Chromis are examples, tend to be very territorial. In our aquaria it is not really possible to get schooling behavior. Anthias in a larger tank (upwards of 125 gallons) will shoal. My blog, if you are interested, provides the differences between schooling and shoaling.

[topbottomfeeder]

Can I add three green chromis to a 110gal tank?

I already have for about 3 month
2 ocellaris clowns
1 Royal Gramma
3 Firefish soon to be 4
1 coral beauty
1 clown goby

1 Coral banded shrimp
3 peppermint shrimp(was 5 but 1 died when there was a ammonia spike and the other got too close to the CBS)

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by topbottomfeeder

Can I add three green chromis to a 110gal tank?

They likely will become one or at most two, bioload is fine

I already have for about 3 month
2 ocellaris clowns
1 Royal Gramma
3 Firefish soon to be 4 A male + female is stable, 4 will become one or two
1 coral beauty
1 clown goby

1 Coral banded shrimp Will take fish
3 peppermint shrimp(was 5 but 1 died when there was a ammonia spike and the other got too close to the CBS)

[tyler91913]

Hiya Steve - thoughts on my post #1128?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by tyler91913

Looking to have a colorful 30 gallon tank. How does this group look?

Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus)
Lemonpeel Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)
True Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)
Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani)

More about the setup: 30 gallons, barebottom, rimless and open top, 10 gallon sump, Tunze 9006 skimmer, SCWD returns, mp10 for powerhead, AI Sols for lights, mushrooms and leathers and zoas for coral (no SPS or LPS), 30-40 lbs of LR.

Concerns: species incompatibility? risk of jumping? safety of zoas and mushrooms? too heavily stocked?

Ooops, so sorry, I must have missed yours. The only one with a slight propensity for jumping is P. fridmani although any fish can jump. No obvious incompatibilities

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to your feedback.

[les258]

hello i have set back up for saltwater i have a 180 gal tank 55 gal sump/refu i have 220 pounds live sand 200 # base rock 50#live rock running two 1300 gph wave makers protine skimmer for lights iam have a 8 bulb t5 so iam i headding in the wright way want to have soft corals and lps and a few fish thanks les oh ya useing ro/di filter

[topbottomfeeder]

I want to eventually have a school of chromis(I heard that I need at least 5 for a schooling effect) is there no way for me to get the chromis to behave? I have seen 110gal tanks that have more ten chromis in a school and a lot of other fish.

any suggestion is appreciated

[Rrudo74901]

Steve,
I have a cleaner shrimp in my tank and added 3 trochus snails. The shrimp seems to be turning the snails upside down and picking at them. Is that normal and are the two species compatible? Seems the shrimp is killing the snails?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by les258

hello i have set back up for saltwater i have a 180 gal tank 55 gal sump/refu i have 220 pounds live sand 200 # base rock 50#live rock running two 1300 gph wave makers protine skimmer for lights iam have a 8 bulb t5 so iam i headding in the wright way want to have soft corals and lps and a few fish thanks les oh ya useing ro/di filter

Sounds fine so far. Read, read, read. When you get a possible fish stocking list, feel free to check back for compatibility commentary.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by topbottomfeeder

I want to eventually have a school of chromis(I heard that I need at least 5 for a schooling effect) is there no way for me to get the chromis to behave? I have seen 110gal tanks that have more ten chromis in a school and a lot of other fish.

any suggestion is appreciated

It is impossible for me to intelligently comment on tanks you have seen and I never do so. Chromis will not behave, unfortunately, and may initially shoal, but will not school.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Rrudo74901

Steve,
I have a cleaner shrimp in my tank and added 3 trochus snails. The shrimp seems to be turning the snails upside down and picking at them. Is that normal and are the two species compatible? Seems the shrimp is killing the snails?

There should be no interaction between snails and cleaner shrimp under normal circumstances. Are you feeding the tank?

[Rrudo74901]

Snails went all over the tank the first 2 days now they have been stationary for 2 days.

I am assumingn they may be dead.

I am feeding the fish, am I supposed to feed the snails??

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Rrudo74901

Snails went all over the tank the first 2 days now they have been stationary for 2 days.

I am assumingn they may be dead.

I am feeding the fish, am I supposed to feed the snails??

Unfortunately, this thread is about marine fish, their compatibility with each other and the environment you are providing. Best information might be acquired from a separate thread in New to the Hobby.

[kikimers13]

I have a 29gal, hob filter, 2 350gph pumps (I may be wrong-they may be 250), 3-4 inch sand bed, 20lbs live rock, 5lbs live rock rubble, heater, and lighting fixture with 1x250w Phoenix Hexarc Blue 14,000k, 2x ocean sun 10000k t5, 2x acintic t5, 4x lunar led.

My live stock is:

3x emerald crab
6x blue leg hermit
2x red leg hermit
1x Ocellaris pair (they are spawning)
5x nassarius snail
2x turbo snail
5x astrea snail
4x sand sifting crabs (sand fleas)
4x pulsing xenia frags
3x button polyp frags
1x zoa frag

Params:

Salinity-1.023
Temp- 80.3
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-0
Ammonia- < .25
pH- 8.3


I'm hoping to add another fish to the tank whether it be a blenny, goby, etc. but I'm not sure what to go with because my female Ocellaris is rather feisty (she attacks my fingers/hands if they come in the tank). I assume my chances of having a fish that swims higher in the water column than a blenny or goby would be slim because of her aggressiveness. I'm also looking for something that would be reef safe because I want to be able to have quite a bit more coral than I do now; both sps and lps.

Any suggestions? Or would I be better off staying away from any more fish?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by kikimers13

I have a 29gal, hob filter, 2 350gph pumps (I may be wrong-they may be 250), 3-4 inch sand bed, 20lbs live rock, 5lbs live rock rubble, heater, and lighting fixture with 1x250w Phoenix Hexarc Blue 14,000k, 2x ocean sun 10000k t5, 2x acintic t5, 4x lunar led.

My live stock is:

3x emerald crab I am a bit concern ed as these are opportunistic feeder and if hungry, can take fish.
6x blue leg hermit
2x red leg hermit
1x Ocellaris pair (they are spawning)
5x nassarius snail
2x turbo snail
5x astrea snail
4x sand sifting crabs (sand fleas)
4x pulsing xenia frags
3x button polyp frags
1x zoa frag

Params:

Salinity-1.023
Temp- 80.3
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-0
Ammonia- < .25
pH- 8.3


I'm hoping to add another fish to the tank whether it be a blenny, goby, etc. but I'm not sure what to go with because my female Ocellaris is rather feisty (she attacks my fingers/hands if they come in the tank). I assume my chances of having a fish that swims higher in the water column than a blenny or goby would be slim because of her aggressiveness. I'm also looking for something that would be reef safe because I want to be able to have quite a bit more coral than I do now; both sps and lps.

Any suggestions? Or would I be better off staying away from any more fish?

Spawning clownfish want to own a minimum of about 25-30 gallons of tank space. Some species, even more. You can probably get away with a shrimp/goby combination, but I doubt that a water column swimming fish would do very well.

[les258]

Originally Posted by snorvich

Sounds fine so far. Read, read, read. When you get a possible fish stocking list, feel free to check back for compatibility commentary.

thanks the wife wants clowns and tangs

[kikimers13]

Originally Posted by snorvich

Spawning clownfish want to own a minimum of about 25-30 gallons of tank space. Some species, even more. You can probably get away with a shrimp/goby combination, but I doubt that a water column swimming fish would do very well.

Thanks! About the emeralds; I intend to get store credit for them from the lfs as soon as my hair algae issue is under control. I'm not sure if I needed that many but the owner of the lfs really encouraged it and offered to give me 100% store credit once their food supply is gone. I think I'll take your advice and look into a goby/shrimp combo when I do take those emeralds back and see how that goes with the clowns. I really love having a clown pair I just wish they were more hospitable! Thanks again =)

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by les258

thanks the wife wants clowns and tangs

Some Tangs will work in your tank, others less so.

[Jandree22]

Looking for thoughts on stocking of a 25g cube. Tank is not setup yet. Specs will be 20-30# rock (depending on a desirable scape), barebottom, 40g sump, AquaC EV120 skimmer, remote DSB w/chaeto, gfo & gac reactors, weekly WC of 5g. Tank will include an even mix of sps/lps/rics & zoas, possibly a clam haven't decided there yet.

I realize this list is heavy, and one or two at least must be axed. They're listed in order of priority with the last two tied... I like the awkward swimming behaviors of both. Also wondering if the gramma and hawk would spar over rock territory.

2 Ocellaris
1 Green Chromis
1 Royal Gramma
1 Bangaii Cardinal
-or-
1 Falco Hawk


Be gentle