125G, 6 foot tank fish stocking

[Ryan Friman]

In the wake of velvet and ich in my DT, I decided to assess my current fish. I had to pull them all out and put them in a hospital tank. The current list is eight damsels, two clown fish, one file fish, one lyretail wrasse, one blue jaw trigger, three baby engineer gobies, and one blue green chromis.

I am going to get rid of the eight damsels and the wrasse. The damsels are too aggressive and the wrasse likes to pick on hermits and he likes to eat snails. Also, any shrimp that is put in is dead within the hour.

So, what can I put in after my 76 day fallow period? I would like to be able to have shrimp again, and I want the new fish to be reef friendly and not cause stress all the time like the damsels. I think schooling fish would be cool if possible.

My only thoughts right now are more blue green chromis and anthias. Jordyn just wants more anemones, clown fish, and engineer gobies. I would love to get some tangs too, I just have to make sure I do better with QTing this time around.

Please ask any question of you want to figure out what fish I would like. Thank you for the help.

 

[Ryan Friman]

Here is a FTS shot, for anyone that is wondering.

 

[tdileo]

I think 2 tangs (different genus of course) would be good ideas. Perhaps an acanthurus like a powder blue and a bristletooth or zebrasoma. Foxfaces and other rabbit fish are among my favorite fish. You could also do some of the many different species of fairy wrasses. Hawkfish, dwarf angels, and cardinals are good candidates.

 

[Ryan Friman]

I think 2 tangs (different genus of course) would be good ideas. Perhaps an acanthurus like a powder blue and a bristletooth or zebrasoma. Foxfaces and other rabbit fish are among my favorite fish. You could also do some of the many different species of fairy wrasses. Hawkfish, dwarf angels, and cardinals are good candidates.

Thank you for the suggestions. The tangs you suggested are awesome. So, you were saying two tangs plus one foxface or rabbit fish?

I would be worried about a hawkfish since I want shrimp. I had a longnose hawkfish that I know liked shrimp. Also, the dwarf angels like to nip corals, dont they?

 

[305rob305]

If you like schooling fish I would definitely go with Anthias. Also would like to add, it's a perfect time to get a pair of nice tangs and obviously qt them.

 

[Ryan Friman]

If you like schooling fish I would definitely go with Anthias. Also would like to add, it's a perfect time to get a pair of nice tangs and obviously qt them.

We had a kole tang and a sailfin tang. When you say pair, do you mean two different fangs or an actual pair? I just want to clarify.

 

[Ryan Friman]

I think 2 tangs (different genus of course) would be good ideas. Perhaps an acanthurus like a powder blue and a bristletooth or zebrasoma. Foxfaces and other rabbit fish are among my favorite fish. You could also do some of the many different species of fairy wrasses. Hawkfish, dwarf angels, and cardinals are good candidates.

Also, I worry about dwarf angles because I had a half black angel that I took out because he would not leave my open brain coral alone.

 

[tdileo]

Thank you for the suggestions. The tangs you suggested are awesome. So, you were saying two tangs plus one foxface or rabbit fish?

I would be worried about a hawkfish since I want shrimp. I had a longnose hawkfish that I know liked shrimp. Also, the dwarf angels like to nip corals, dont they?

I’ve never had any dwarf angels myself, but yes, they can either be completely safe, nip a little, or devour some corals. Usually the things most at risk are fleshy LPS such as open brains (like you’ve seen) and acans. My longnose hawk didn’t bother shrimp, but I know it’s possible. I think since your tank is 6’, you could do 2 tangs and the rabbit or foxface. especially if you start them off smaller.

 

[eatbreakfast]

You could do a handful of fairy and flasher wrasse species

Grammistes blenny

Midas blenny

 

[Huff747]

Midas blenny

I second the midas blenny. Ours found a hole he likes to perch in and watch what's going on but does come out and swim around. And my kids like the little antennae on his head.

 

[Ryan Friman]

Alright, I have a list of fish we came up with. I was hoping people could help me with some suggestions on compatibility, order of putting them in, or any other suggestions on the fish or on other fish that anyone thinks we should add. My plan is to quarantine everything. Currently, we have 2 clown fish, 1 or 2 engineer goby's, 2 or 3 peppermint shrimp, emerald crab, hermit crabs, and snails.

• 3 Chalk Bass
• Midas Blenny
• Algae Blenny
• Six Line Wrasse
• Orange Spotted Goby
• Snapping Shrimp, Red Banded (hoping to have it bond with Orange Spotted Goby)
• Kole Yellow Eye Tang
• Sailfin Tang
• One Spot Foxface
• Yellow Prawn Goby
• Blood Red Fire Shrimp

 

[Ryan Friman]

I have a 55g QT tank or a 20L QT tank (all of the fish were small or small/medium size on Live Aquaria.) If I setup the 55g, is it possbile to QT all the fish at one time? That way I do not have to really worry about order of putting them in DT and could put them all in at once after QT, or would it be bad to put them all into the DT at one time anyways?

 

[nereefpat]

Sailfin tangs get huge. A yellow, purple, or scopas would be a better choice.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Alright, I have a list of fish we came up with. I was hoping people could help me with some suggestions on compatibility, order of putting them in, or any other suggestions on the fish or on other fish that anyone thinks we should add. My plan is to quarantine everything. Currently, we have 2 clown fish, 1 or 2 engineer goby's, 2 or 3 peppermint shrimp, emerald crab, hermit crabs, and snails.

• 3 Chalk Bass
• Midas Blenny
• Algae Blenny
• Six Line Wrasse
• Orange Spotted Goby
• Snapping Shrimp, Red Banded (hoping to have it bond with Orange Spotted Goby)
• Kole Yellow Eye Tang
• Sailfin Tang
• One Spot Foxface
• Yellow Prawn Goby
• Blood Red Fire Shrimp

I personally would skip the six line. They can be terrors.

I would do wrasses. I have a blue star vermiculite wrasse, Solon wrasse in my system now. Any of the fairy wrasses, flasher wrasses like carpenter's, McCosker's.....

Halichoeres chrysus (yellow wrasse) Halichoeres claudia (Christmas wrasse)......

Tangs- kole or Tomini
Blennies- word of caution mixing them with tangs. Some tangs don't accept blennies.

Like your choice on chalk bass!

Long nose hawk would work.

Mandarin once tank matures.

 

[Ryan Friman]

Alright, we ended up with 3 Chalk Bass, Kole Yellow Eye Tang, Scopas Tang, Powder Blue Tang, Orange Spotted Goby with Snapping Shrimp (hopefully they pair,) Blood Red Fire Shrimp, and ORA Captive-Bred Snowflake Clownfish (Bonded Pair). We were going to buy a Magnifica Anemone for the two clown fish but, we figured we would just wait and try to find one in town that we could see before we bought.

Down the road, we may add more fish. My plan now is to buy some Chelated Copper (Copper Power blue) since it is the best to use with tangs and get the 55g QT tank setup.

 

[cracker]

Ryan, Your tank looks very nice . I really can't comment on Your fish wish list . I'm interested in the (Copper Power Blue). Is this stuff a better choice from other types/brands ?

 

[Ryan Friman]

Ryan, Your tank looks very nice . I really can't comment on Your fish wish list . I'm interested in the (Copper Power Blue). Is this stuff a better choice from other types/brands ?

Well, they have green (freshwater) and blue (marine). It is chelated copper, instead of ionic copper. Chelated is safer than ionic when treating tangs (and other fish). @melypr1985 has a nice chart that describes all of this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.283450/

Also, @Humblefish recommended I used Copper Power the last time I did a QT but, I did not have access to it and needed some right away, so I had to use Cupramine (which is ionic.) Plus, on Humblefish's post on what medications to have on hand, the recommendation is Copper Power. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/medications-to-keep-on-hand.213574/

I am wondering how the orange spotted goby will do in QT, I may have to go buy some sand for him in the QT. Anyone know if it is okay to just put the Snapping Shrimp in the DT? Will he be fine without a goby?

 

[Ryan Friman]

And so the QT process begins. I am getting all the fish in tomorrow.