Need help deciding on whether or not a fish is right for your tank? Post here and we'll help!
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Stew18
Active Member
I am new to the hobby and have learned so much just by watching this thread. Even though it has at times pointed out my mistakes 
I am just trying to get it right.
Here is what I have.........
40 gallon innovative marine with ATO, filter socks, and tune 9004 skimmer
1 yellow goby and pistol shrimp pair
1 royal gramma
1 very small yellow corps wrasse
1 starry blenny
1 matted file fish
I also have 10 hermits, 2 urchins, one crab, and 2 snails
all have been living very peacefully for months. Can I add more fish?
I was thinking about a fuzzy dwarf lion fish? or maybe a chalk bass?
What do you all think? Any other recommendations?
I am just trying to get it right.Here is what I have.........
40 gallon innovative marine with ATO, filter socks, and tune 9004 skimmer
1 yellow goby and pistol shrimp pair
1 royal gramma
1 very small yellow corps wrasse
1 starry blenny
1 matted file fish
I also have 10 hermits, 2 urchins, one crab, and 2 snails
all have been living very peacefully for months. Can I add more fish?
I was thinking about a fuzzy dwarf lion fish? or maybe a chalk bass?
What do you all think? Any other recommendations?
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
It may or may not be possible to add more fish depending on water quality and aggression, however a fuzzy dwarf would not be a good choice, as it is capable of eating almost all your current inhabitants. The chalk bass may work, but it and the royal gramma may fight.I am new to the hobby and have learned so much just by watching this thread. Even though it has at times pointed out my mistakes
Here is what I have.........
40 gallon innovative marine with ATO, filter socks, and tune 9004 skimmer
1 yellow goby and pistol shrimp pair
1 royal gramma
1 very small yellow corps wrasse
1 starry blenny
1 matted file fish
I also have 10 hermits, 2 urchins, one crab, and 2 snails
all have been living very peacefully for months. Can I add more fish?
I was thinking about a fuzzy dwarf lion fish? or maybe a chalk bass?
What do you all think? Any other recommendations?
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
They are cool looking for sure, but are capable of swallowing other fish the sizeI didn't realize that the lion fish would eat my other fish. The fish seem too big for its mouth. Although I'm new and have no idea about what I'm talking about
Paul B
10K Club member
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Rock Pool Reef Keepers
You can definitely put a lionfish in a 40 gallon tank. You can put a whale shark in there as long as he can keep his head under water. But a lionfish would be easier. They don't swim much or do much of anything but in such a small tank, you have to watch the wastes a lionfish can make. Not so much with the whale shark because he would be pooping outside the tank.
Anyone have experience with a clown tang? Awesome looking fish but I've heard they can be a bit aggressive. The other fish I'm looking at getting is a blue throat trigger- blue jaw what ever you want to call it and a male female pair of mandarins. My motley crew at the mo is 8 blue chromis,fox face,regal tang,yellow tang,coral beauty(dwarf angel)2 common clowns,longhorn cow.
Aquaph8
Love The Fish
Clown tangs are pretty aggressive and one of the most difficult to keep. They also get pretty big and need a fairly large tank.
Blue jaws can be a bit shy at first. Mostly reef safe but I'd expect them to pick on your clean up crew.
I've seen both of these fish pick on LPS corals.
Blue jaws can be a bit shy at first. Mostly reef safe but I'd expect them to pick on your clean up crew.
I've seen both of these fish pick on LPS corals.
pdiehm
Valuable Member
After some turns off the road, I think I'm back on the highway again.
Occelaris Clowns - 2
Coral Beauty
Midas Blenny
Bi-Color Blenny
Purple Firefish - 2
Blue Gudgeon Dartfish - 6
Hi-Fin Red Banded Goby
Yellow Tang
Yellow Eye Kole Tang
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
Cleaner Shrimp
Peppermint Shrimp
Any problems that I may encounter (I know there's always that threat with fish, particularly tangs, but the 2 I have are different shape/color)? I was going to add a Pseudochromis Fridmani, as they appear to be the least aggressive dottyback, but still appears they conflict with many fish I have on my list.
I would really like to add a Hippo Tang and take out the Kole, but not sure that will work in my 5' long tank (60x18x26). Friend has a hippo and yellow in his 75, and his hippo hasn't grown over 7.5", and has been that way for about 4 years. I'm not sure.
As for stocking order, the first stocking pieces will be a pair of clowns, and I would love to get a pair of firefish and have them group up like the clowns hopefully will.
Occelaris Clowns - 2
Coral Beauty
Midas Blenny
Bi-Color Blenny
Purple Firefish - 2
Blue Gudgeon Dartfish - 6
Hi-Fin Red Banded Goby
Yellow Tang
Yellow Eye Kole Tang
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
Cleaner Shrimp
Peppermint Shrimp
Any problems that I may encounter (I know there's always that threat with fish, particularly tangs, but the 2 I have are different shape/color)? I was going to add a Pseudochromis Fridmani, as they appear to be the least aggressive dottyback, but still appears they conflict with many fish I have on my list.
I would really like to add a Hippo Tang and take out the Kole, but not sure that will work in my 5' long tank (60x18x26). Friend has a hippo and yellow in his 75, and his hippo hasn't grown over 7.5", and has been that way for about 4 years. I'm not sure.
As for stocking order, the first stocking pieces will be a pair of clowns, and I would love to get a pair of firefish and have them group up like the clowns hopefully will.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
That list looks good, there shouldn't be any major issues.
I would recommend against the hippo as they do grow large and are active, but if you have a contingency plan for removing it when it outgrows the tank, it is possible.
tdyrkacz
Well-Known Member
My tank is the 93 gallon cube (30x30x24). It has ben up for about 6 weeks. I am new to the hobby but have been hanging around the boards for about a decade.
Minimalistic scape with about 60-70LBs of rock. 25 Gallon sump which probably only has 15 gallons of water in it.
This will be a mixed reef.
Currently I have
occelaris clown x 2
Clean up crew consists of
10 hermit crabs
2 brittle stars,
cucumber,
banded shrimp,
peppermint shrimp,
about a dozen snails,
one small crab... i forget which one.
I have a zoa colony and that's it for now.
Here is what I would like to add
Plenty of zoas, LPS and a little bit of SPS
A Clam... not sure which one yet.
RBTA eventually once the tank matures a bit.
A sea star.. something like a linckia.... I realize the tank must mature before I add it.
Green Mandarin again i know i have to wait with this.
Some wrasse... i would like to hear some suggestions
one or two "show fish"... to me this would be a tang or a puffer... though i know puffers are not very invert safe so i'm not sure about that.
I would be okay buying a small tang to keep for a few years until i have to sell once it gets too big. If I do this can i keep a hippo or is the tank just too small? If not i would like to hear other suggestions.
Purply dottyback... will it compete for food with the mandarin? I thought i read that somewhere.
Splendid dottyback
Purple Firefish
Maybe some sort of dart fish
I would love to hear more suggestions besides what I have listed.
Thank you.
Minimalistic scape with about 60-70LBs of rock. 25 Gallon sump which probably only has 15 gallons of water in it.
This will be a mixed reef.
Currently I have
occelaris clown x 2
Clean up crew consists of
10 hermit crabs
2 brittle stars,
cucumber,
banded shrimp,
peppermint shrimp,
about a dozen snails,
one small crab... i forget which one.
I have a zoa colony and that's it for now.
Here is what I would like to add
Plenty of zoas, LPS and a little bit of SPS
A Clam... not sure which one yet.
RBTA eventually once the tank matures a bit.
A sea star.. something like a linckia.... I realize the tank must mature before I add it.
Green Mandarin again i know i have to wait with this.
Some wrasse... i would like to hear some suggestions
one or two "show fish"... to me this would be a tang or a puffer... though i know puffers are not very invert safe so i'm not sure about that.
I would be okay buying a small tang to keep for a few years until i have to sell once it gets too big. If I do this can i keep a hippo or is the tank just too small? If not i would like to hear other suggestions.
Purply dottyback... will it compete for food with the mandarin? I thought i read that somewhere.
Splendid dottyback
Purple Firefish
Maybe some sort of dart fish
I would love to hear more suggestions besides what I have listed.
Thank you.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
A small puffer will likely end up nipping at a clam.
Don't put 2 dottybacks in that size tank, they will fight. Also if you get one add it towards the end of your stocking, as they are territorial.
Stick with flasher or fairy wrasses, as these won't compete for pods with your mandarin as most other wrasses will, plus there are some fairy wrasses that will make a stunning show fish.
Most tangs are too large, though a kole, tomini, or yellow may work, but a hippo gets far larger than most people realize.
Firefish and dartfish are very peaceful and excellent choices.
Possible show fish include: lineatus, rhomboid, pintail, flame wrasses, purple tilefish, marine betta.
Duke4Life
Just a crazy eel guy, LMAS
Posted this on another site but haven't received any answers to some questions I have and came across this thread. Tank is a 125, 20 gal sump, 20 gal QT. DT has been setup 4 months.
With a final stock list done I could use help on when to add as I might be waiting until the other hemisphere starts coming more back in for some additions:
In DT:
Chainlink eel, red and purple firefish, carpenters flasher wrasse, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp. Cirrhilabrus pylei in QT.
Want:
A pair of clowns
A combo of Bluehead fairy wrasse and pink margin fairy wrasse (evolved helped with wrasses and eat breakfast maybe as well, minus the pylei)
A squaretail Bristletooth tang
If possible:
Another fairy? Or reef safe wrasse? Other type of fish not on my list if not maxed.
Would it be ok to get a pair of juvenile clowns and add them to QT and have them as next addition?
Should I wait to add the pylei until I have the other wrasses?
Since my last mess up with the wrasses I've gone to getting 1-2 fish through QT before adding more. The pylei has been in qt 3 weeks to a month and don't want to move then catch and move again. I do have a 10 gallon I just restarted for QT as well.
Any tips or advice would be appreciated, I feel like my eel has stopped more response on this.
With a final stock list done I could use help on when to add as I might be waiting until the other hemisphere starts coming more back in for some additions:
In DT:
Chainlink eel, red and purple firefish, carpenters flasher wrasse, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp. Cirrhilabrus pylei in QT.
Want:
A pair of clowns
A combo of Bluehead fairy wrasse and pink margin fairy wrasse (evolved helped with wrasses and eat breakfast maybe as well, minus the pylei)
A squaretail Bristletooth tang
If possible:
Another fairy? Or reef safe wrasse? Other type of fish not on my list if not maxed.
Would it be ok to get a pair of juvenile clowns and add them to QT and have them as next addition?
Should I wait to add the pylei until I have the other wrasses?
Since my last mess up with the wrasses I've gone to getting 1-2 fish through QT before adding more. The pylei has been in qt 3 weeks to a month and don't want to move then catch and move again. I do have a 10 gallon I just restarted for QT as well.
Any tips or advice would be appreciated, I feel like my eel has stopped more response on this.
tdyrkacz
Well-Known Member
Thank you.
Can you help me decide how many fish I can actually have in this tank?
If I get a small tomini tang, a dottyback , a firefish and 2 or 3 dartfish, how many wrasses can I get? Are there any wrasses which should not be mixed? Thanks again... (Remember I already have 2 clowns).
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
The clowns can be added at any point to the mix.
If you can get the bluehead and pink margin in the tank before the pylei, that would be good.
Other fairy, flasher, leopard, or small Halichoeres would work.
Use a social acclimation box for adding any wrasses.
I don't like to say if people are maxed out on bioload, as all tanks are different. If your water quality is good, and their aren't any behavioral issues, you are usually safe to add fish.
You should be able to get at least a couple if not more. As long as your water quality is good and there are no behavioral issues you should be able to add more, but are no means obligated to do so.
TheEngineer
Formerly icecool2
My cycle is complete and it is time to put together the fish list! The tank is a 50g (24x24x20") rimless cube (no top) and the tank will be a reef.
Already Own (in another tank)
1. True Perc. Clown
Potential Additions
1. 3x Green chromis (I like the group size and that they are more active swimmers)
2. 3x Banghai cardinals (Not really active swimmers, but I like the way they shoal and that they stay in the middle column)
3. TBD Sandsifting fish
4. TBD Showpiece fish
As you can see #3 and #4 are questions at this point. I loved my Hoevan's wrasse, but I know they're jumpers. Thanks for the suggestions!
Already Own (in another tank)
1. True Perc. Clown
Potential Additions
1. 3x Green chromis (I like the group size and that they are more active swimmers)
2. 3x Banghai cardinals (Not really active swimmers, but I like the way they shoal and that they stay in the middle column)
3. TBD Sandsifting fish
4. TBD Showpiece fish
As you can see #3 and #4 are questions at this point. I loved my Hoevan's wrasse, but I know they're jumpers. Thanks for the suggestions!
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Some have reported aggression within a group of chromis, though this has not been my experience.
A trio of bangaii cardinals will quickly whittle down to a pras consexuals are intolerant of one another. A cardinal that maintains it's social nature in aquaria is blue eyed cardinals.
Any fish is capable of jumping, so that is always a risk, but fish that seek refuge in the rockwork rather than speed to escape a predator, basslets fit this description.
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