35 Gallon stock list suggestions

nine8taco · Feb 13, 2016

I havent ever really had to give any thought to having an overstocked tank before so i would like to get yalls opinions on what i can fit in this thing. As some background im running an asm g3 skimmer, i have a fuge with a volume of around 10-12 gallons which has a little bit of LR as well as caulerpa and chaeto. Total system volume is around 55 gallons total rock is around 40lbs. I am planning to run almost all softies and lps so i can stand to run a little bit "dirtier" water. So im planning to have a few more fish than is probably "recommended".

What i currently have:
-two picasso perculas

What I would like to get:
-Starry or midas blenny (id love to get away with both but i think the tank would just be too small for them to get along, im leaning toward the midas for the color factor)
-Banggai cardinal (wifes only request so this one is a must)
-Diamond goby
-a couple wrasse (what kinds, i dont really want a pair id rather have different ones)

I welcome any and all suggestions as well as an criticism. Thanks all.

Joeganja · Feb 13, 2016

Banggai Cardinal you can get actually but reccomendd you get 3 because they are a schooling fish. Wrasses your really open to one wrasse because they need a lot of swimming space and they can get aggressive towards each other. Mystery wrasse, six line wrasse although they can be a hit or miss, leopard, ornate, fairy wrasse. Be careful some fairy wrasses are not reef safe. Diamond goby I would say good pick but make sure your sand bed is deep enough because they will stir it up and cause your phosphates to rise up especially if you've never cleaned your sandbed because they will do that. Blenny hmm i would choose Midas because they seem more fit for smaller tanks.

Maritimer · Feb 13, 2016

Young banggai are reported to school well enough, but as they get older, they'll pair off - and the pair (if you wind up with a pair) will kill any others.

Wrasses do like to swim, but there are a few that stay small enough to enjoy a 35. I've got a McKoskers, which is spectacular, but orange-red, similar to the perculas. (No white or black to speak of, but thin bright blue lines...) I've also got a Lubbock's fairy wrasse, which should stay small. Most of the time, he's got a peach-orange forehead, yellow dorsal and violet body. When he gets excited, the peach goes white, the dorsal goes up, and the violet separates into blood-red blotches with a ragged electric blue edging - and then the chasing starts.

Have you considered a tailspot blenny? Soft, pleasing colors on a smaller fish with a high cuteness quotient that will still happily snack on your algae . . .

Just some thoughts.

~Bruce

nine8taco · Feb 14, 2016

thanks for the input so far! Maritimer: would the tailspot be in lieu of the midas and starry blenny or would he go with a stary or midas?

Maritimer · Feb 14, 2016

I'm not sure ... I'm hoping to be able to keep the two together in my 65 eventually, but would have to add the tailspot first. Tailspots get about three inches long, IIRC, the only starry I've seen locally was a solid five or six. Pretty good-sized blenny (very cool-looking!), and from what I've heard they can be ... feisty.

~Bruce