Help stocking a 215g reef...

[cloggins]

Howdy. I posted a thread in the new reefer's section about a week ago. The plans my wife and I made have changed since that post. So, I thought I'd post the list here, to get some advice on the fish we want. Thanks for any input...

We have a few questions about our stock choice:

• Is there anything in the list we should avoid?
• Are they too many fish for our system?
• Is the order we plan to introduce them decent?
• Any suggestions on other fish, or inverts?

First, about the tank...

• 215 gallon, 6' long tank
• 5" DSB
• Trigger Systems Triton 44 sump
• Maxspect Gyre XF280 pumps in tank
• Varios-8 pump for sump circulation
• Reef Octopus INT150 skimmer w/ CO2 scrubber
• 3x Kessil A360X display lights
• Kessil H360 lighting the refuge
• Triton reef system.

Below are the fish we're thinking of stocking. They are listed in the order we'd introduce them to the system.

• Chrysiptera damsel, 3-7
  • Azure damselfish (C. hemicyanea)
  • Yellowtail damselfish (C. parasema)
  McCosker's wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri), 1
• Dwarf angel, 1
  • Coral beauty (Nemateleotris decora)
  • Flame angel (Centropyge loricula, preferred)
• Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris or percula), 2-5
• Yellow coralgoby (Gobiodon okinawae), 1-3

• Elegant firefish (Nemateleotris decora), 1-2

• Zebremosa tang, 1

• Purple tang (Z. xanthurus, preferred)
• Yellow tang (Z. flavescens)

• Mandarin dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus), 1-2

• Pygmy hawk (Plectranthias inermis), 1

• Royal gramma (Gramma loreto), 1

Inverts (in case this is important).

• Emerald mythrax (Mithraculus sculptus)
• Blue (or orange) Linckia (Linckia laevigata)
• Maxima (Tridacna maxima)
• Fighting conch (Strombus pugilis)
• Pink cucumber (unk., from IPSF)
• Tiger tail cucumber (Holothuria sp.)
• Various snails (Nassarius, Cerith, Trochus, etc.)

Again, thanks!

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Just make sure you have get a Mandarin that will eat frozen unlesss you have stocked your tank with pods. (Assuming this is a new set up)

 

[cloggins]

Just make sure you have get a Mandarin that will eat frozen unlesss you have stocked your tank with pods. (Assuming this is a new set up)

Indeed. The Mandarin(s) will be added after the tank has had time to mature. It's a new tank (still running electric). The tank will be cycled, and seeded w/ pods from algaebarn and ipsf, before livestock is added.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I would only do one pair of clowns. And one fire fish, unless known to be a pair at purchase.

The yellow and purple tang are related there might be aggression between the 2.
I am not a tang of expert though.

 

[cloggins]

I would only do one pair of clowns. And one fire fish, unless known to be a pair at purchase.

The yellow and purple tang are related there might be aggression between the 2.
I am not a tang of expert though.

That's good to know.
We do plan on only one tang, likely the purple. If we don't get a purple, it'll be a yellow.

 

[bhuyett]

As long as the yellow and purple are added at the same time you will be fine. It is only after one of them has chosen their territory will you have issues. Otherwise you would need to take one out. Rest your scape and put both in at the same time. Then cross your fingers that the original one, doesn't select their territory first.

Myself I'm not a fan of clownfish, they are very territorial and will fight anything off that gets close. As for wrasse, there are much better selections other than a McCoskers. Check out the Cirrhilabrus Complex thread. In a 210 you would be better off with something that will reach 4 1/2" in length and have multiples. They look much better than any firefish IMO.

 

[cloggins]

As long as the yellow and purple are added at the same time you will be fine. It is only after one of them has chosen their territory will you have issues. Otherwise you would need to take one out. Rest your scape and put both in at the same time. Then cross your fingers that the original one, doesn't select their territory first.

Myself I'm not a fan of clownfish, they are very territorial and will fight anything off that gets close. As for wrasse, there are much better selections other than a McCoskers. Check out the Cirrhilabrus Complex thread. In a 210 you would be better off with something that will reach 4 1/2" in length and have multiples. They look much better than any firefish IMO.

I'm a fan of a few others. C. exquisitus is pretty cool. We're a bit concerned that any of the Wrasses will out compete the Mandarin(s) for food. It's also difficult to sort out which Wrasses are which... We tend to favor smaller fishes. I'll have to check through that Complex thread, and see what's what.

 

[Maritimer]

Firefish tend not to get along with other firefish, unless they're a pair - and even that may not last. If you see two firefish at the local fish shop defending their corner of the tank from all comers, those are the two you want.

Mull this wacky thought over ... royal grammas can be maintained in harems, if you get them tiny and add them all at once. So can flame angelfish.

Several fairy or flasher wrasses of different species will interact by flashing their finest colors at one another; you'll see this sort of thing if you add, for instance, a blue flasher and a royal flasher to your McKosker's.

I generally don't see any troubles arising from your stocklist - but as always, add the most peaceful early on (with the exception of mandarins, of course ... BTW, male and female are easily differentiated by their first dorsal fin, and you'll want one of each), more aggressive residents like the tang, later in.

~Bruce

 

[cloggins]

Based on the feedback, we've tried to clean up the fish list...

• Chrysiptera damsel (C. hemicyanea, or C. parasema) - 3-7
• Fairy wrasses (see below) - 3ish
• Royal gramma (Gramma loreto) - 1
• Dwarf Angel (N. decora) - 2
• Yellow coralgoby (Gobiodon okinawae) - 1
• Elegant firefish (Nemateleotris decora) - 1
• Pygmy hawk (Plectranthias inermis) - 1
• Tang (Z. xanthurus, or Z. flavescens) - 1
• Clownfish (A. ocellaris or percula) - 2
• Mandarin dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus) - 2 (Male, female)
• (maybe not) McCosker's wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri) - 1

Fairy wrasses we like

• C. exquisitus
• C. isosceles
• C. lineatus
• C. bathyphilus

 

[Jesterrace]

That's good to know.
We do plan on only one tang, likely the purple. If we don't get a purple, it'll be a yellow.

Zebrasoma Tangs can be jerks, but a 215 offers quite a bit of room, so they may work out okay, although I would be more worried about the non-tang tankmates. I assume you are aware at the coral nipping proclivities of dwarf angels (they are about 50-50 for nipping), so with a Flame Angel and a Coral Beauty you would definitely be at risk for that. Flame Angels tend to be one of the more aggressive Dwarf Angels and Dwarf Angels generally don't care for each other. Once again though with a 215 it will offer lots of space for both of them.