Stocking options for 65 gallon

[SheldonC]

Title says it all - I'm looking for stocking options for my Red Sea Reefer 300 (65 gallon display, 15 gallon sump). I currently have two mochavinci clownfish, and a young melanarus in QT. I would love to have a nice variety of fish, but I don't want anything that I need to remove once it's get too large. I want a fish that will live it's whole life in the tank. I know I can't do any tangs, but what else do folks recommend?!

 

[Rijodan]

cant go wrong with a diamond goby, keep your sand spotless and interesting lil fellers. some type of flasher fairy wrasse is also fun. id recommend stay away from the allure of those cheap colorful damsels unless you get a bunch. mean mofos and end up being tank bullies and stealing food from corals

 

[SheldonC]

cant go wrong with a diamond goby, keep your sand spotless and interesting lil fellers. some type of flasher fairy wrasse is also fun. id recommend stay away from the allure of those cheap colorful damsels unless you get a bunch. mean mofos and end up being tank bullies and stealing food from corals

I love the idea of a diamond goby, but do they readily eat prepared food? I've heard they do fine for a while until they decimate the sandbed and then slowly starve to death.

 

[Rijodan]

ive had one in every one of my tanks, the only issue is when the tanks are brand new or if you have multiple, atleast in my case. but i also heavy feed so take that in account. i think ive only had one that would not eat frozen food and that may be more because he was tiny and the second in a 180 tank

 

[SheldonC]

ive had one in every one of my tanks, the only issue is when the tanks are brand new or if you have multiple, atleast in my case. but i also heavy feed so take that in account. i think ive only had one that would not eat frozen food and that may be more because he was tiny and the second in a 180 tank

Good to know! Since I would QT the fish, maybe I could get it to eat frozen foods eventually so it becomes a non-issue once it's in the display.

 

[Lavey29]

Title says it all - I'm looking for stocking options for my Red Sea Reefer 300 (65 gallon display, 15 gallon sump). I currently have two mochavinci clownfish, and a young melanarus in QT. I would love to have a nice variety of fish, but I don't want anything that I need to remove once it's get too large. I want a fish that will live it's whole life in the tank. I know I can't do any tangs, but what else do folks recommend?!

I have the same tank and this is my stocking. I run a fuge and oversized skimmer. I have extensive rockscape.

6 line wrasse
Coral beauty
Rohmboid wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Mandarin
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Indigo dottyback
2 fire shrimp
2 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
3 tuxedo urchins
Orange starfish
Serpent starfish
Lots of scarlet hermits and snails

Most of these have been with me almost 3 years now.

 

[NeedAReef]

I have the same tank and this is my stocking. I run a fuge and oversized skimmer. I have extensive rockscape.

6 line wrasse
Coral beauty
Rohmboid wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Mandarin
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Indigo dottyback
2 fire shrimp
2 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
3 tuxedo urchins
Orange starfish
Serpent starfish
Lots of scarlet hermits and snails

Most of these have been with me almost 3 years now.

pics let's see that beauty! Give the OP some inspiration!!

 

[Lavey29]

pics let's see that beauty! Give the OP some inspiration!!

 

[SheldonC]

I have the same tank and this is my stocking. I run a fuge and oversized skimmer. I have extensive rockscape.

6 line wrasse
Coral beauty
Rohmboid wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Mandarin
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Indigo dottyback
2 fire shrimp
2 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
3 tuxedo urchins
Orange starfish
Serpent starfish
Lots of scarlet hermits and snails

Most of these have been with me almost 3 years now.

How does the single anthias do? I've only ever seen them in schools!

 

[Lavey29]

How does the single anthias do? I've only ever seen them in schools!

First one I've had. He's fat and huge now, solid 3 inches, bright orange with blue eyes. He's been good about a year now with me. He has his reef spot next to the damsel and if one or the other get to close they turn and do a tail shake. Kind of funny but never any aggression at all from any fish.

 

[Lavey29]

OP what you want to focus on is diversity and what I mean is try and incorporate fish that are top swimmers, mid tank swimmers and bottom dwellers. This way they all have their own tank space. Yes they will also venture out of these zones but eventually you will see their preferred swimming areas and it allows for more fish in the tank but everyone needs a cave spot for lights out. Focus on color variety, don't mix community fish with predator fish. Add what might be considered aggressive fish last. Also consider utilitarian fish for your tank like yellow coris wrasse or 6 line to keep tank free of pests.

 

[Jenyphur]

I have the same tank and this is my stocking. I run a fuge and oversized skimmer. I have extensive rockscape.

6 line wrasse
Coral beauty
Rohmboid wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Mandarin
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Indigo dottyback
2 fire shrimp
2 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
3 tuxedo urchins
Orange starfish
Serpent starfish
Lots of scarlet hermits and snails

Most of these have been with me almost 3 years now.

Wow, wow and wow...I love this list. I also have the 300 and was looking for options for stocking. I currently have:
Diamond goby (Dusty) (he's AWESOME and eats everything I put in there, froze, flake, freeze dried...he's a pig)
2 widebar gladiator clowns
Flame angel
bi collar dottyback
midas blenny
2 cleaner shrimp (Pepe and La Pew)
conch snail (The Dude)
Pom pom crab - adorable
various snails

I'm wanting to get a 6 line wrasse but I keep reading how aggressive they can be...I"m waiting until the end to add it.

Great pic btw. Thanks for posting!

 

[Lavey29]

Wow, wow and wow...I love this list. I also have the 300 and was looking for options for stocking. I currently have:
Diamond goby (Dusty) (he's AWESOME and eats everything I put in there, froze, flake, freeze dried...he's a pig)
2 widebar gladiator clowns
Flame angel
bi collar dottyback
midas blenny
2 cleaner shrimp (Pepe and La Pew)
conch snail (The Dude)
Pom pom crab - adorable
various snails

I'm wanting to get a 6 line wrasse but I keep reading how aggressive they can be...I"m waiting until the end to add it.

Great pic btw. Thanks for posting!

Thank you, you are off to a great start stocking your 300. I have extensive rockscape which I feel allows more fish in the tank because they can explore more and hide if they need to. 6 lines are fine, they are great utilitarian fish for pests. I had a yellow coris to which aged out a few months back which is another good pest eater. Inverts like a serpent star are cool because they are basically harmless to other inverts but they crawl all over under the rocks in the shadows cleaning your detritus. If you plan your tank right you can easily manage 12 small and medium size fish in there.

 

[Jenyphur]

Great info thank you. I like the idea of the serpent star. I’ve never had one …will start researching now.

Thank you !!

 

[krollins]

Another recommendation would be a jawfish or engineer goby would be fine editions.

 

[Lavey29]

Great info thank you. I like the idea of the serpent star. I’ve never had one …will start researching now.

Thank you !!

Just don't get the big green ones. They can harm fish and get huge. The smooth purple one is what I have and harmless.

 

[Lavey29]

Another recommendation would be a jawfish or engineer goby would be fine editions.

Jawfish is cold water fish like 70 degrees.

 

[krollins]

Jawfish is cold water fish like 70 degrees.

Blue spots like those temperatures. I have a dusky jawfish in my tank that is 75 degrees.