If you only had a pair of clownfish...what would you add next?

[WestCoastReefNoob]

Hi all,
I just added a pair of Percula clowns (post-QT) to my recently cycled reef tank. What would you add next, and why?
Tank has a ~68 gallon display with lots of dry rock and a 2" sand substrate, if that influences your choice.

 

[TX_REEF]

You have to think about what are all the inhabitants you want in the tank ultimately, then figure out best introduction order, generally going from least to most aggressive to prevent territorial aggression. Some good options for a tank that size include blennies/gobies, smaller bristletooth or zebrasoma tang, smaller wrasses, dwarf angels. All of these have plenty of personality and color. In my 72 gallon display, I have a pair of occellaris clowns, six line wrasse, coral beauty angel, starry blenny, black molly, yellow tang, and three spingeri damsels. I've found it to be a pleasing combination and it does not feel under or over stocked.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above post. My 65g DT currently has:

Rohmboid wrasse
6 line wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Indigo dottyback
2x clowns
Lyretail anthia
Springerie damsel
Midas clenny
Coral beauty
Mandarin
Banded shrimp
2x fire shrimp
Acro crabs
Porcelain crabs
Pithos crabs
Scarlet hermits
3x tuxedo urchins
Bunch of snails

 

[exnisstech]

All good suggestions. I really like my midas blenny. It will swim and eat out of the water column with the big fish. I like my tail spot blenny also but it isn't much of a free swimmer and hangs out on the rocks. A yellow tang would also work. They are one of my best CUC members
My midas out and about

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I agree with all of the above! Always plan on the most aggressive fish being the last one in, for sure!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

All good suggestions. I really like my midas blenny. It will swim and eat out of the water column with the big fish. I like my tail spot blenny also but it isn't much of a free swimmer and hangs out on the rocks. A yellow tang would also work. They are one of my best CUC members
My midas out and about

I really want to get a midas blenny! I love the look and personality of them!

 

[exnisstech]

I really want to get a midas blenny! I love the look and personality of them!

It was a pleasant surprise when it started swimming with the other fish and competing for food. For the first week it was like some blennies I've had in the past. Hang on the rocks dart out grab food and return to the rock.

 

[shcrimps]

i would add a net to take them out (joking) i like clowns i’ve just been blessed with all the ones i’ve ever had to be spawns of satan unfortunately

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Fire fish can be a good addition!

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

You have to think about what are all the inhabitants you want in the tank ultimately, then figure out best introduction order, generally going from least to most aggressive to prevent territorial aggression. Some good options for a tank that size include blennies/gobies, smaller bristletooth or zebrasoma tang, smaller wrasses, dwarf angels. All of these have plenty of personality and color. In my 72 gallon display, I have a pair of occellaris clowns, six line wrasse, coral beauty angel, starry blenny, black molly, yellow tang, and three spingeri damsels. I've found it to be a pleasing combination and it does not feel under or over stocked.

Awesome, this is great info, thanks!
I have thinking maybe a goby, a blenny or wrasse, and a smaller tang. Coral beauty angel would be nice also, adding more color. What are your thoughts on Banggai cardinals?
Based on your feedback, and assuming the list above (tbd), I would add the cardinals and goby first, then blenny, coral beauty, tang, wrasse?

 

[TX_REEF]

Awesome, this is great info, thanks!
I have thinking maybe a goby, a blenny or wrasse, and a smaller tang. Coral beauty angel would be nice also, adding more color. What are your thoughts on Banggai cardinals?
Based on your feedback, and assuming the list above (tbd), I would add the cardinals and goby first, then blenny, coral beauty, tang, wrasse?

I would add the tang before the coral beauty - my coral beauty was intent on murdering my yellow tang when I added the tang, it was a nightmare to catch the coral beauty and put her in time out for 10 days to chill out. Otherwise, your stocking order looks good to me.

I don't know much about banggai cardinals - they look kinda cool, but also boring in my opinion they kinda just float there. I also have read quite a few accounts of them only accepting frozen food which is a pain if you ever have to leave your tank on an auto-feeders for vacation or other travel.

For tangs, check out tomini, kole and obviously yellows as they are all on the smaller end as far as tangs go.

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

I agree with the above post. My 65g DT currently has:

Rohmboid wrasse
6 line wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Indigo dottyback
2x clowns
Lyretail anthia
Springerie damsel
Midas clenny
Coral beauty
Mandarin
Banded shrimp
2x fire shrimp
Acro crabs
Porcelain crabs
Pithos crabs
Scarlet hermits
3x tuxedo urchins
Bunch of snails

Nice list! A Mandarin would be amazing, though I hear they're difficult to keep. Though I also heard they are captive bred now, so maybe no longer the case?

Beyond the two percula clowns, I have the following for CUC:
2x peppermint shrimp
1 emerald crab - plan to add 2 more
1 Mexican Turbo
a few blue hermits
handful of snails

Thanks!

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

All good suggestions. I really like my midas blenny. It will swim and eat out of the water column with the big fish. I like my tail spot blenny also but it isn't much of a free swimmer and hangs out on the rocks. A yellow tang would also work. They are one of my best CUC members
My midas out and about

Great mix of fish! Maybe I should think about a Midas Blenny, beautiful fish! Yellow tang definitely an option. was looking for a smaller tang but finding it difficult to find captive bred Tomini or similar. Thanks!

 

[Uncle99]

Some more fish friends monthly.
Then a BTA.

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

I would add the tang before the coral beauty - my coral beauty was intent on murdering my yellow tang when I added the tang, it was a nightmare to catch the coral beauty and put her in time out for 10 days to chill out. Otherwise, your stocking order looks good to me.

I don't know much about banggai cardinals - they look kinda cool, but also boring in my opinion they kinda just float there. I also have read quite a few accounts of them only accepting frozen food which is a pain if you ever have to leave your tank on an auto-feeders for vacation or other travel.

For tangs, check out tomini, kole and obviously yellows as they are all on the smaller end as far as tangs go.

Yikes! good to know, I'll save the coral beauty for last . Thanks for the heads up on the banggai, I do travel a quite a bit, so I'll be relying on pellets and auto feeder at times. yep, they're kind of boring, not much swim action for sure. interesting looking and I like that they occupy the upper water column...will have to rethink banggais. Any pointers for finding the tomini or kole tangs? do you know if these can be captive bred? Having difficulty finding them. Thanks again, this is great help!

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

I agree with all of the above! Always plan on the most aggressive fish being the last one in, for sure!

Most aggressive last, will do. with my current wish list that will probably be the Coral Beauty. Thanks!!

 

[TX_REEF]

Yikes! good to know, I'll save the coral beauty for last . Thanks for the heads up on the banggai, I do travel a quite a bit, so I'll be relying on pellets and auto feeder at times. yep, they're kind of boring, not much swim action for sure. interesting looking and I like that they occupy the upper water column...will have to rethink banggais. Any pointers for finding the tomini or kole tangs? do you know if these can be captive bred? Having difficulty finding them. Thanks again, this is great help!

I have not personally heard of captive bred tomini or kole tangs, which is one of the reasons I went with yellow. There are a lot of haters on them, but damsels are great open water, high water column fish. so many color and pattern options and tough as nails. just add them last so they don't have any newcomers to bully.

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

i would add a net to take them out (joking) i like clowns i’ve just been blessed with all the ones i’ve ever had to be spawns of satan unfortunately

I hear that, mine have been very...weird, from day one. No spawns of satan yet, but I'm keeping an eye on them. Thanks!!

 

[WestCoastReefNoob]

Some more fish friends monthly.
Then a BTA.

will do, trying to go slowly, not overload the biome too quickly...easier said than done. .
BTA?

 

[Uncle99]

will do, trying to go slowly, not overload the biome too quickly...easier said than done. .
BTA?

Yup, I think BTA is on the list for Percs.
Easy to keep this nem, stays put mostly.
Many are stunning.

I’m sure many others work as well.