Pick Stocking List A,B, or C for 32 Gal Biocube

[Kiboshed]

3 stocking lists, 3 plans for my first tank coming in. The staple 32 gallon Biocube.

Which do you think is best/ like the most?

A:

2 Banggai Cardinals

1 Firefish OR Purple Firefish OR Scissortail Dartfish

1 Dracula Goby OR Orange Stripe Prawn Goby OR Tail Spot Blenny OR Lawnmower Blenny

1 Aiptasia Eating Filefish OR Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish OR Banded Possum Wrasse

This is my favorite, most balanced I feel.

B:

1 Splendid Dottyback or Orchid Dottyback

1 Tomato OR Cinnamon Clownfish

1 Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby OR Dracula Goby OR Hi Fin Red Banded Goby OR Orange Stripe Prawn Goby

1 Aiptasia Eating Filefish OR Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish

This is my "aggressive" tank. Only 4 fish. All very unique and interesting in some way. All on different water levels and areas of the tank to reduce conflict. I also LOVE the appearance of all of these fish.

C:

2 Pink Skunk Clownfish

1 Blackcap Basslet

1 Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby OR Hi Fin Red Banded Goby

1 Harptail Blenny OR Smith's Blenny

1 Banded Possum Wrasse

This is by far the most beautiful of the mix. Diverse, exotic, balanced. Biggest issue is it would be very expensive and the bioload is quite large for a 32 Gal.

Corals I am looking at staring with:

Toadstool coral

Green Star Polyps

Pulsing Xenia

Mushroom Corals

Torch coral- to be purchased once tank matures

Thoughts?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Are you planning to have coral? The aiptasia eating filefish is iffy when it comes to being coral safe.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I would try a variation on A so you get a better mix of colors and a bit more pop.

2 banghai

1 purple firefish or zebra barred goby

1 tailspot blenny or bicolor blenny

1 shrimp goby of your choice. Flaming prawn would be sick.

1 swissgard basslet

 

[Kiboshed]

Are you planning to have coral? The aiptasia eating filefish is iffy when it comes to being coral safe.

Yes and definitely something I will keep an eye on. If it starts nipping it will go back to the store.

Also hear the captive bread Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish are less prone to coral eating.

BUT as I said, if it does start to damage corals it will get returned.

Here are the starter corals I am looking at:

Toadstool coral

Green Star Polyps

Pulsing Xenia

Mushroom Corals

Torch coral- to be purchased once tank matures

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

3 stocking lists, 3 plans for my first tank coming in. The staple 32 gallon Biocube.

Which do you think is best/ like the most?

A:

2 Banggai Cardinals

1 Firefish OR Purple Firefish OR Scissortail Dartfish

1 Dracula Goby OR Orange Stripe Prawn Goby OR Tail Spot Blenny OR Lawnmower Blenny

1 Aiptasia Eating Filefish OR Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish OR Banded Possum Wrasse

This is my favorite, most balanced I feel.

B:

1 Splendid Dottyback or Orchid Dottyback

1 Tomato OR Cinnamon Clownfish

1 Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby OR Dracula Goby OR Hi Fin Red Banded Goby OR Orange Stripe Prawn Goby

1 Aiptasia Eating Filefish OR Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish

This is my "aggressive" tank. Only 4 fish. All very unique and interesting in some way. All on different water levels and areas of the tank to reduce conflict. I also LOVE the appearance of all of these fish.

C:

2 Pink Skunk Clownfish

1 Blackcap Basslet

1 Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby OR Hi Fin Red Banded Goby

1 Harptail Blenny OR Smith's Blenny

1 Banded Possum Wrasse

This is by far the most beautiful of the mix. Diverse, exotic, balanced. Biggest issue is it would be very expensive and the bioload is quite large for a 32 Gal.

Thoughts?

I think the only solution is to buy 2 more biocubes...

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Yes and definitely something I will keep an eye on. If it starts nipping it will go back to the store.

Also hear the captive bread Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish are less prone to coral eating.

BUT as I said, if it does start to damage corals it will get returned.

Here are the starter corals I am looking at:

Toadstool coral

Green Star Polyps

Pulsing Xenia

Mushroom Corals

Torch coral- to be purchased once tank matures

Avoid all filefish. They will eat your mushrooms and possibly your torch.

I would avoid xenia and gsp. They will take over and won't look good long term. Do zoanthids and other euphyllia like frogspawn instead. Rock flower nems are nice too.

 

[Kiboshed]

I would try a variation on A so you get a better mix of colors and a bit more pop.

2 banghai

1 purple firefish or zebra barred goby

1 tailspot blenny or bicolor blenny

1 shrimp goby of your choice. Flaming prawn would be sick.

1 swissgard basslet

Some really great suggestions in there. Expensive though lol not a fan of the Bicolor Blennies appearance. The Swissguard is going on my list of must owns. Have you owned one? Think all 6 would mesh well in their various water columns and get along well? The Blennies wouldn't hassle the Cardinals with their activity for example?

I think the only solution is to buy 2 more biocubes...

Oh already planning my Red Sea 120 Gallon a couple years from now. This is just my starter, will eventually be my QA tank.

Avoid all filefish. They will eat your mushrooms and possibly your torch.

I would avoid xenia and gsp. They will take over and won't look good long term. Do zoanthids and other euphyllia like frogspawn instead. Rock flower nems are nice too.

Bummer, but I get what your saying. Really like the unique look of Filefish, but not at the cost of my corals. What corals can be kept with them?

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Some really great suggestions in there. Expensive though lol not a fan of the Bicolor Blennies appearance. The Swissguard is going on my list of must owns. Have you owned one? Think all 6 would mesh well.in their various water columns and get along well? The Blennies wouldn't hassle the Cardinals with their activity for example?

I know others who have owned the swissgards but haven't gotten one yet for my tank. Pretty peaceful.

Blennies and cardinals occupy very different spaces, hence my recommendation. Cardinals will mostly hover, dartfish will move between caves and hovering, and basslet will be open swimmers, blenny will stick to rockwork mostly, shrimp goby will stick to sand bed. Gives them all unique territories and plenty of movement and color variation.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Bummer, but I get what your saying. Really like the unique look of Filefish, but not at the cost of my corals. What corals can be kept with them?

It's similar to angels where you got a 50/50 chance at best except anemone like things are definitely on the menu. Zoas, euphyllia, mushrooms, acans, and anemones are very likely to be snacks. SPS is safer but real hard to grow in a biocube.

 

[i cant think]

I would try a variation on A so you get a better mix of colors and a bit more pop.

2 banghai

1 purple firefish or zebra barred goby

1 tailspot blenny or bicolor blenny

1 shrimp goby of your choice. Flaming prawn would be sick.

1 swissgard basslet

One note here:
Flaming “Prawn” Gobies are not a true shrimp goby. They do not pair with any shrimp and instead crawl along the sand bed.
Sometimes you may not see it as they’re extremely cryptic and they really need a tank centred around them or similar species (Such as Trimma or other secretive gobies).

I’d personally drop off plan B straight away. The gobies in there wouldn’t enjoy the clown and the clown would instantly take over the tank and not enjoy any company. I’d go for a mix and mash of A and C but drop the clown. After having so many in larger tanks I would never have on in a tank smaller than 3’.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Avoid all filefish. They will eat your mushrooms and possibly your torch.

I would avoid xenia and gsp. They will take over and won't look good long term. Do zoanthids and other euphyllia like frogspawn instead. Rock flower nems are nice too.

I have a captive-bred radial filefish in my Evo 13.5 with grube's gorgonian and a bunch of mushrooms, and it hasn't eaten any of them. It apparently has some type of commensalist relationship with xenia, but my frag of that melted away in that tank and I haven't been able to test this myself. I've previously kept pygmy whitespotted filefish, and never saw them eat my coral, either.

I heartily agree with emphasizing "caution" with matted filefish, as mine has eaten a number of my polyps, including a lovely and expensive acan colony. It did nothing for my aiptasia, either.

 

[davidcalgary29]

B:

1 Splendid Dottyback or Orchid Dottyback

1 Tomato OR Cinnamon Clownfish

1 Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby OR Dracula Goby OR Hi Fin Red Banded Goby OR Orange Stripe Prawn Goby

1 Aiptasia Eating Filefish OR Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish

This is my "aggressive" tank. Only 4 fish. All very unique and interesting in some way. All on different water levels and areas of the tank to reduce conflict. I also LOVE the appearance of all of these fish.

That's not really an "aggressive" tank, with the exception of the clown, though. I still have never seen aggression in my captive-bred orchid dottybacks, including a new acquisition that I picked up a month ago. Filefish are odd enough in shape and behaviour that they're ignored by other fish. And I've never seen those gobies be aggressive to anything.

How about a species-only tank? I've wanted to build a captive-bred orchid dottyback harem for ages, but can't find a supply.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

If you eventually do Snails, I’d accumulate them by drip with the Vessel outside the Tank. Before putting them in the Aquarium, get them to close, and scrub their shells with a soft toothbrush. I think that where I got my Aiptasia from! Of course discard the water.

 

[bnord]

Some really great suggestions in there. Expensive though lol not a fan of the Bicolor Blennies appearance. The Swissguard is going on my list of must owns. Have you owned one? Think all 6 would mesh well in their various water columns and get along well? The Blennies wouldn't hassle the Cardinals with their activity for example?

Oh already planning my Red Sea 120 Gallon a couple years from now. This is just my starter, will eventually be my QA tank.

Bummer, but I get what your saying. Really like the unique look of Filefish, but not at the cost of my corals. What corals can be kept with them?

all due respect, Xenia and GSP can have a place in a new tank IF you place them on isolated rocks on the sand, or on a rock attached to the back/side with a reef safe magnet - have done this on many tanks and take them out and give them to the beginners later, and replace them with a zoo rock

Cinnamon and maroons are cool looking, but cinnamons in particular will rip the flesh from the back of you hand (nearly)

and have had 2 CB aptasia eating FF and when well fed have been good balanced reef tank mates - easy to catch out if not

 

[Kiboshed]

So here is what I think I will settle on after all the input:

2 Banggai Cardinals

1 Blackcap Basslet OR Swissguard Basslet

1 Firefish OR Purple Firefish OR Scissortail Dartfish

1 Dracula Goby OR Orange Stripe Prawn Goby OR Tail Spot Blenny OR Lawnmower Blenny

1 Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish OR Radial Filefish OR Banded Possum Wrasse

If 6 fish is too much for the 32 gal Biocube I will drop the Basslets since they are the only Atlantic species on the list anyway.

I will do my best to go captive bread and quarantined if I can, but definitely with the Filefish so I know they are not raised eating coral, then obviously return them if they start. Dropped the Aiptasia Eating Filefish all together.

Let me know your thoughts.

There is a stunningly beautiful Splendid Dottyback at my local pet store though which made me try and think of a plan B option for more aggressive fish.

What could you stock in a 32 Gal Biocube with a Splendid Dottyback if anything at all? Inverts? Corals? Already saw that it bit a cleaner shrimp in half at the shop, could have also been the Maroon Clown they have in there with it though.