Stocking for a 60 gallon cube.

[eliaslikesfish]

So I’ve had a 60 gallon cube for almost a year now and have 2 clowns, a midas blenny and a fire shrimp along with a bunch of LPS and softies. Have a small blue hippo tang as well that I impulsively purchased when i was brand new to the hobby, she is being rehoused to a 240 gallon this Sunday thankfully so I’m just looking for ideas for 1 or 2 more fish to finish off this tank.

to the tang police- yes I am aware this was cruel and irresponsible of me and that’s why she’s being given to someone with a much larger tank where she’ll thrive.

Thanks in advance!

 

[lapin]

Royal Grammas are always fun to watch swim upside down under bridges and rock overhangs

 

[shakacuz]

suggestions;

court jester goby
hector's goby
randall's goby/pistol shrimp pair
pink streaked wrasse or yellow lined possum wrasse(or the white lined)
royal gramma for some nice color (personality could be hit or miss)
fire fish
cardinal
azure or springeri damsel

 

[Cthulukelele]

Good on you for find the tang a home!

Are you looking for anything in particular? Dither fish, cave dweller, active swimmer, rock pecker/cruiser, sand dweller?

 

[shakacuz]

Good on you for find the tang a home!

Are you looking for anything in particular? Dither fish, cave dweller, active swimmer, rock pecker/cruiser, sand dweller?

all the above! smother the OP with options, haha

 

[Cthulukelele]

For rock cruisers if you're okay with reef safe with caution a cherub or flameback angel would bring a lot of life to that tank. Sixline could also work but temperament is hit or miss. Clown gobies are fun as well.

Bottom dwellers it's hard to beat a pistol shrimp/shrimp goby pair. Since you have LPS I imagine some are in the sand so I'd go with a Randall's pistol shrimp and a smaller shrimp goby like a yashas or hi fin so they don't smother your sand dwelling corals.

For just dithering free swimming fish almost any fairy or flasher wrasse could work at that size as long as you have a lid. Alternatively a chrysiptera damsel (Roland's, starki, yellow tail, talbots, azure, springeri, a few I'm forgetting).

For cave loving fish royal gramma is hard to beat. You could also consider yellow banded possum wrasse or pink streak wrasse.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

For rock cruisers if you're okay with reef safe with caution a cherub or flameback angel would bring a lot of life to that tank. Sixline could also work but temperament is hit or miss. Clown gobies are fun as well.

Bottom dwellers it's hard to beat a pistol shrimp/shrimp goby pair. Since you have LPS I imagine some are in the sand so I'd go with a Randall's pistol shrimp and a smaller shrimp goby like a yashas or hi fin so they don't smother your sand dwelling corals.

For just dithering free swimming fish almost any fairy or flasher wrasse could work at that size as long as you have a lid. Alternatively a chrysiptera damsel (Roland's, starki, yellow tail, talbots, azure, springeri, a few I'm forgetting).

For cave loving fish royal gramma is hard to beat. You could also consider yellow banded possum wrasse or pink streak wrasse.

the pistol shrimp and goby pair has always fascinated me, I have one large flat live rock in particular that has a nice burrow potential but my fire shrimp is there literally 24/7 except for feeding time for about 1-2 minutes. Also heard that they will eventually be killed if you put a pistol shrimp in and I imagine that especially if the govt and shrimp decide to choose that perfect spot… correct me if I’m wrong

 

[shakacuz]

the pistol shrimp and goby pair has always fascinated me, I have one large flat live rock in particular that has a nice burrow potential but my fire shrimp is there literally 24/7 except for feeding time for about 1-2 minutes. Also heard that they will eventually be killed if you put a pistol shrimp in and I imagine that especially if the govt and shrimp decide to choose that perfect spot… correct me if I’m wrong

it'll be fine unless you put in a shrimp eating wrasse or big enough fish that'll view the pistol as food.

fire shrimp or cleaner shrimps do nothing because the pistol is usually always in the burrow, only coming out if the goby does.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

based on the suggestions (thank you everyone!) I’m thinking a pistol shrimp/goby pair depending on what you guys think about it with my fire shrimp or one of the wrasses above and maybe an angel? I’ve always loved some of the angelfish just always worried about the size and the coral picking. if I chose a wrasse would it be smart to end it there or would an angel or a small goby be okay to add as well? same as the pistol and goby pair, if I were to add just that pair, should that be all?

 

[Cthulukelele]

the pistol shrimp and goby pair has always fascinated me, I have one large flat live rock in particular that has a nice burrow potential but my fire shrimp is there literally 24/7 except for feeding time for about 1-2 minutes. Also heard that they will eventually be killed if you put a pistol shrimp in and I imagine that especially if the govt and shrimp decide to choose that perfect spot… correct me if I’m wrong

It would take an act of God for a Randall's pistol shrimp to kill a fire shrimp if that's what you're referring to. The Randall's is a tiny creature. The snapping is mostly just a deterrent in all but the largest species of commonly kept pistol shrimp (bulls eye and Japanese reds)

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I’ve had a 60 gallon cube for almost a year now and have 2 clowns, a midas blenny and a fire shrimp along with a bunch of LPS and softies. Have a small blue hippo tang as well that I impulsively purchased when i was brand new to the hobby, she is being rehoused to a 240 gallon this Sunday thankfully so I’m just looking for ideas for 1 or 2 more fish to finish off this tank.

to the tang police- yes I am aware this was cruel and irresponsible of me and that’s why she’s being given to someone with a much larger tank where she’ll thrive.

Thanks in advance!

Cardinals
If healthy- chromis (trio)
Dartfish
Tailspot blenny
Anthias (no more than a trio)

 

[Troylee]

Chalk bass are way cool and do great in a tank that size.

 

[Cthulukelele]

based on the suggestions (thank you everyone!) I’m thinking a pistol shrimp/goby pair depending on what you guys think about it with my fire shrimp or one of the wrasses above and maybe an angel? I’ve always loved some of the angelfish just always worried about the size and the coral picking. if I chose a wrasse would it be smart to end it there or would an angel or a small goby be okay to add as well? same as the pistol and goby pair, if I were to add just that pair, should that be all?

If it were my tank the shrimp goby pair and a flameback angel would be my choice, and then I'd consider the tank fully or close to fully stocked-- perhaps 1 or 2 more smallish fish. a chalk bass would be pretty cool as troylee mentioned. They're similar in behavior and temperament to royal grammas, but can sometimes eat very very small fish (you don't have any I'd worry about though)

 

[jpshoemaker46]

I see tangs in ever smaller tanks that do fine! They will do fine in smallish tanks... People just overreact honestly

 

[eliaslikesfish]

Any place in particular (online) you guys would recommend picking up a randall’s pistol and a yasha goby? Called every LFS within a 50 mile radius with no luck and no plans to be getting them in soon…

 

[shakacuz]

Any place in particular (online) you guys would recommend picking up a randall’s pistol and a yasha goby? Called every LFS within a 50 mile radius with no luck and no plans to be getting them in soon…

drreefs or tsm aquatics