Help MrX build a livestock list!

[MrX]

Ok, now that the tank is running it's time to get serious about my livestock list. Up to this point I've just been focusing on getting everything up and running and the actual inhabitants has just been given cursory thought.

FWIW, this will be a mixed-reef tank. Dimensions are 48x24x24. Total water volume is about 240 gallons between the DT (120g), sump (60g), and frag tank (40g).

Current inhabitants are: 1x ocellaris clownfish, 1x emerald crab, 15-20 assorted snails (cerith, nassarius, astera) [3-4 of these live in the sump], 1x krptonite candy cane, 1x green palys

I plan on buying another ocellaris clown at some point in the next week. It will be about the same size or smaller than the one I have in the tank.

Below is the list of fish I'm considering. Looking for feedback/suggestions in regards to number of each type, pros/cons, other ideas, etc.

I'll try to keep this list updated as I get feedback.

In no order of importance, desire, etc. at this point:

• longnose hawk
• yellow watchman goby / Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris)
• [goby/shrimp pair?]
• group of firefish: Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) / Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) / Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
• 2+ barnacle blennie
• 2x cleaner shrimp (?)
• Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) / other type of wrasee
• pair cardinals: Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni) / Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) / ?
• scribbled rabbit
• a group of lyretail anthias (1 male, 3 female)
• couple chalk bass
• urchin - pencil/pincushion/tuxedo/Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus)
• yellow tang / kole tang
• blue hippo tang / Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus var.)
• group of chromis: Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis) / Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus)
• dottybacks?

Also open to input/advice on the order I should introduce these species.

Thanks!

 

[BoArDwAxStYlE]

swap six line for any fairy wrasse. Also might want make that a 3 pack of barnacle blennies at least. They are soo small and fast you might not see them often or at all, except for at feeding time.
Just what i would do, Sounds like quite the list. Good luck!

 

[mnavick]

How about 5 or 6 more Tangs, just kidding!!! (woo woo, just heard the T-Police siren go offf)
Great selection.
If you decide on Cardinals send Kiah a PM (aka:Michele,at Oceanus in Barre, sometimes her banner is at top of BRS). She runs a non-profit and tank raises them.

 

[Cjtabares]

I have read many people say tags don't do well in tanks less then 6'. I had a clown tang and a yellow tang when I had a 6' tank so i have experience with then in a tank less then 6'. The clown tang is one of my all time favorite fish, in my tank it very seldom used the whole length of the tank. It seemed to like to dart in and out of the rock work more then anything. The yellow tang seemed to enjoy cursing the length of the tank all the time. From my experience It seems like the yellow tang may not be as good in a shorter tank. I am not sure if this carries over to most yellow tangs or clown tangs but it is what happened with mine. I would read around before adding tangs to a less then 6' tank, seems to me some may do fine but some may also not be happy. They are very active swimmers.

 

[MrX]

swap six line for any fairy wrasse. Also might want make that a 3 pack of barnacle blennies at least. They are soo small and fast you might not see them often or at all, except for at feeding time.
Just what i would do, Sounds like quite the list. Good luck!

I had heard six-lines could be a PITA. Are fairy wrasses easier to deal with? I wasn't sure how many barnacle blennies to go with; I saw two in the tank over at FinsUp! place and they were very active/cute. At one point they were 'fighting' over a hole in a rock. Looked like two muppets trying to bite each other. I figured the kids would like watching them.

How about 5 or 6 more Tangs, just kidding!!! (woo woo, just heard the T-Police siren go offf)
Great selection.
If you decide on Cardinals send Kiah a PM (aka:Michele,at Oceanus in Barre, sometimes her banner is at top of BRS). She runs a non-profit and tank raises them.

I'm still not sold on the tangs... MrsX/DaughterX/SonX all want a Blue Hippo Tang. I'd prefer something not so prone to Ich. I'll PM Kiah now and see what she has.

I have read many people say tags don't do well in tanks less then 6'. I had a clown tang and a yellow tang when I had a 6' tank so i have experience with then in a tank less then 6'. The clown tang is one of my all time favorite fish, in my tank it very seldom used the whole length of the tank. It seemed to like to dart in and out of the rock work more then anything. The yellow tang seemed to enjoy cursing the length of the tank all the time. From my experience It seems like the yellow tang may not be as good in a shorter tank. I am not sure if this carries over to most yellow tangs or clown tangs but it is what happened with mine. I would read around before adding tangs to a less then 6' tank, seems to me some may do fine but some may also not be happy. They are very active swimmers.

My friend from a WI reef club was telling me the same thing last night. I did some Googling and like everything else in this hobby got many different opinions to the same question. Some people thought the 48x24x24 was enough because of the extra depth making up for the shorter length. Others, of course, said NO WAY!

I'll do some more reading about Tangs in general before I go down that road.

New question: With the specimens on this list do you think there is a benefit to introducing them in any certain order?

NOTE: This list is by no means a definitive list of what will be in my tank. This is just spit-balling ideas and listing things that I and FamilyX might find interesting.

 

[FinsUp!]

Get more than 2 barnacle blennies! I actually have 3 in my tank one is a bit more of a hermit than the others so you probably didn't notice him... I always tell people they look like the sardines from Spongebob They add next to no bioload so you can really add as many as you want without much impact on your tank. I plan on getting 3 more at some point.

I'd nix the hawk. It's 50/50 as to whether they'll go after your inverts.

For me, cardinals are a must have They're just too cute. Mine is definitely Mr. Personality.

What about a cherub angel? Colorful, active and I've always had good luck with putting them in reef tanks. Never had one nip coral.

 

[jamesdong009]

I would also scrap the sixline. They can be terrors in a tank and are hard to catch when you want it out, at least IME.

I've always been a fan of flasher wrasses. Just make sure to keep a screened top because they're definitely jumpers.

 

[stingythingy45]

I'd scratch the:

Long nose hawk
Dotty backs

Off the list.

Too aggressive.

 

[Cjtabares]

By no means did mean the tang rule was a must. I was planning on setting up a 150 cube and planned on having a clown tang. The tank is 36"x36" and since my last one was not a long distance swimmer and darted through the rocks i was comfortable with it in there on the other hand i would have not put a yellow tang in the tank because the one i had loved to cruise up and down the tank and loved to swim right into the current of my mp40. Different fish have different needs.

My favorite wrasse are Rhomboid Fairy Wrasses, when I set up a large tank I plan on having a harem of them them. I also love Helfrichi firefish, there will be 2 in the 45, I have now, in the next few months.

 

[jt628]

I have a 6ftlong 140gal, with 3 tangs, powder blue, purple and kole... I would not reccomend more than one lang in a 4ft tank, Mine Is BARELY big enough for the 3 I have...

Scratch the Pencil urchin, It is not reef safe... Be careful with gobies, they jump, I have a Tribal Blenny, great coloring and an awesome personality... I also have had good luck with my tuxedo urchins...

If you ever make it over to get some live sand I also Have a bunch of polyp rock I will donate to the cause, Otherwise in the refugium they will go... (getting overgrown) Purple palys and Green eyed monsters,.

 

[MrX]

Thanks everyone! Great info, keep it coming!

My updated and improved list is:

MrX's Ever-evolving Livestock List

Current Residents

• 1x A.ocellaris Clownfish
• 1x Pink (?) Emerald Crab
• 15-20x Snails (cerith, nassarius, astera)

Potential Residents (somewhat ordered by interest/desire)

• 4-5x Firefish: Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) | Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) | Helfrichi | Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
• 5x+ Barnacle Blennie
• Tribal Blenny (?)
• 2x Cleaner Shrimp
• 4x Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 3 female)
• 2x Cardinals: Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni) | Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
• 1x+ Cherub Angel
• 1x Urchin: pincushion | Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus) [Not interested in long spine]
• Goby: Yellow Watchman | Diamond Watchman (Valenciennea puellaris) | Goby/Shrimp pair (?)
• 4-6x Chromis: Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis) / Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) [More research required]
• 1x Wrasee: leaning towards something other than a Six Line(Pseudocheilinus hexataenia); suggestions were Rhomboid Fairy or Flasher
• 1x Scribbled Rabbit
• 2x Chalk Bass
• 1x Yellow | Kole Tang [More research needed on whether a 48x24x24 is acceptable]
• 1x Blue Hippo Tang | Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus var.)

Ruled Out

• Longnose Hawk [Invert issue/Aggressive]
• Dottybacks [Aggressive]
• Pencil urchin [Not reef safe]

Past Residents

• 1x A.percula Clownfish (RIP/ICH)
• 2x Four-stripe Damsels (RIP/Yellowtails)
• 2x Yellowtail Damsels (Good Riddance!)

 

[MrX]

I have a 6ftlong 140gal, with 3 tangs, powder blue, purple and kole... I would not reccomend more than one lang in a 4ft tank, Mine Is BARELY big enough for the 3 I have...

Scratch the Pencil urchin, It is not reef safe... Be careful with gobies, they jump, I have a Tribal Blenny, great coloring and an awesome personality... I also have had good luck with my tuxedo urchins...

If you ever make it over to get some live sand I also Have a bunch of polyp rock I will donate to the cause, Otherwise in the refugium they will go... (getting overgrown) Purple palys and Green eyed monsters,.

List updated. I have glass tops, not on at the moment. I plan on making some screen tops using the BRS mesh stuff. Until then I'd put the glass tops back on if/when I get some more livestock.

Definitely need to get down your way... I'll look at your previous PM and check my schedule and see if we can arrange a time.

Thanks!

 

[Cjtabares]

A suggestion on the wrasses, if you are going to get a flasher or a fairy the males only really reach there true color potentionl when there is a female present. Getting just one you might end up with less then brilient colors seen on many pictures online.

 

[MrX]

A suggestion on the wrasses, if you are going to get a flasher or a fairy the males only really reach there true color potentionl when there is a female present. Getting just one you might end up with less then brilient colors seen on many pictures online.

Thanks! Noted and adjusted.

 

[FinsUp!]

Noticed you have 1x+ next to the cherub angel... Only one angel of the same species per tank More than one, and in most cases any two that look alike (ie cherub and flameback, coral beauty and potters) will fight. Your tank may be big enough to have two very different angels, like a lemonpeel or a flame and a cherub, but even then it could still be risky.

My cherub is king of the rockwork. He's by no means aggressive, just defensive of his territory. He'll come out and chill with all the other fish with absolutely no issue, but go near his rocks while he's in there? He'll let you know they're HIS rocks!

 

[MrX]

Noticed you have 1x+ next to the cherub angel... Only one angel of the same species per tank More than one, and in most cases any two that look alike (ie cherub and flameback, coral beauty and potters) will fight. Your tank may be big enough to have two very different angels, like a lemonpeel or a flame and a cherub, but even then it could still be risky.

Thanks. I meant to put a note there with a question mark/more research needed. Updating list now.

 

[MrX]

MrX's Ever-evolving Livestock List

Current Residents

• 1x A.ocellaris Clownfish
• 1x Pink (?) Emerald Crab
• 15-20x Snails (cerith, nassarius, astera)

Potential Residents (somewhat ordered by interest/desire)

• 4-5x Firefish: Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) | Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora) | Helfrichi | Scissortail Dartfish (Ptereleotris evides)
• 5x+ Barnacle Blennie
• Tribal Blenny (?)
• 2x Cleaner Shrimp
• 4x Lyretail Anthias (1 male, 3 female)
• 2x Cardinals: Kaudern's Cardinal - Tank-Bred (Pterapogon kauderni) | Spotted Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
• 1x Cherub Angel (note: potentially more than 1 if very different like lemonpeel or a flame and a cherub)
• 1x Urchin: pincushion | Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus) [Not interested in long spine]
• Goby: Yellow Watchman | Diamond Watchman (Valenciennea puellaris) | Goby/Shrimp pair (?)
• 4-6x Chromis: Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis) / Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) [More research required]
• 2x Wrasse: leaning towards something other than a Six Line(Pseudocheilinus hexataenia); suggestions were a M/F pair of Fairy or Flasher
• 1x Scribbled Rabbit
• 2x Chalk Bass
• 1x Yellow | Kole Tang [More research needed on whether a 48x24x24 is acceptable]
• 1x Blue Hippo Tang | Yellow Belly Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus var.)

Ruled Out

• Longnose Hawk [Invert issue/Aggressive]
• Dottybacks [Aggressive]
• Pencil urchin [Not reef safe]

Past Residents

• 1x A.percula Clownfish (RIP/ICH)
• 2x Four-stripe Damsels (RIP/Yellowtails)
• 2x Yellowtail Damsels (Good Riddance!)

 

[FinsUp!]

Also forgot to mention that all of the dwarf angels are reef safe with caution. Won't bother invertebrates, but some have more of a tendency than others to be coral nippers (although many people report success with cherubs, flamebacks, CB's and flames). To me, having my little angel is worth the risk (angels are my favorite fish group)

 

[jt628]

my tribal blenny

 

[Cjtabares]

I would never put an angel fish in one of my reef tanks again. My tanks are more reefs then fish tanks. The fish come 2nd to my coral. I have heard many people say they can be reef safe but Jeremy from Coral Reef always told me that with angels its a matter of when and not if. the one I bought that was supposedly safe most of the time was nOt for me, had to tear my whole tank apart to get him. This is your choice and have to decide what comes first for you.