65G Reef Build: Stocking Help

shawnriv · Sep 7, 2015

Hello Everyone,

I will be starting a 65 gallon rimless SPS dominate reef build. I am looking to stock my tank with colorful fish and would love to hear everyone's opinions and feedback. The tank itself is shallow and four feet in length measuring 48 x 24 x 13 inches. I currently have another existing tank that the 65G will be replacing that has 2 Percula Clowns, 1 Bengaii Cardinal, and 1 Flame Angel. I will be returning the Flame Angel to my local fish store because he/she has become a bully and of course, nipping at my SPS. I am thinking of trading the Flame for a Sunburst Anthias. Therefore as of this moment, there are only three fish on the list that will be getting transferred to the new build.

Thank you!

143MPCo · Sep 8, 2015

[HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG]

eatbreakfast · Sep 8, 2015

The sunburst should work, though he may hide more in a bright tank.

Other suggestions include:
Midas blenny, grammistes blenny, pink streak wrasse, yellow assessor, royal gramma, swales basslet, possum wrasse, firefish, dartfish, longnose hawk, flame hawk.

Reefrookie220 · Sep 8, 2015

Add 2 more cardinals to make a trio, a mixture of different colored chromis, fire fish gobies, cleaner shrimp.

eatbreakfast · Sep 8, 2015

Reefrookie220 said:
Add 2 more cardinals to make a trio, a mixture of different colored chromis, fire fish gobies, cleaner shrimp.

I would recommend against a trio of bangaii cardinals. Even though they school in the wild, in home aquaria a pr forms and the pr will kill off the others relatively quickly. Couple that with the fact that frequently a bangaii that has been on it's own for a while seems to be intolerant of any other bangaii's, and adding more will be an exercise in futility.

Newtybar · Sep 8, 2015

Sunburst is your icon!

KDawg0623 · Sep 8, 2015

We have a female Sunburst Anthias and we love it. But we don't really have an coral. most just a FOWLR tank atm.

KDawg0623 · Sep 8, 2015

We have a female Sunburst Anthias and we love it. But we don't really have an coral. most just a FOWLR tank atm.

reefnfeef · Sep 8, 2015

my yellow assessor was active in my 34g RSM but is pretty much hiding 24/7 in my 60 cube. Great fish though.

shawnriv · Sep 8, 2015

Reefrookie220 said:
Add 2 more cardinals to make a trio, a mixture of different colored chromis, fire fish gobies, cleaner shrimp.

eatbreakfast said:
I would recommend against a trio of bangaii cardinals. Even though they school in the wild, in home aquaria a pr forms and the pr will kill off the others relatively quickly. Couple that with the fact that frequently a bangaii that has been on it's own for a while seems to be intolerant of any other bangaii's, and adding more will be an exercise in futility.

I wouldn't mind having another Bangaii Cardinal so maybe they will pair off, but I don't want to have to guess their sex and make a mistake.

Newtybar said:
Sunburst is your icon!

Yup! Hands down my favorite fish of all time. Have I ever owned one? No. But it's my goal.

KDawg0623 said:
We have a female Sunburst Anthias and we love it. But we don't really have an coral. most just a FOWLR tank atm.

How long have you had the Sunburst? I've heard from multiple people that they only have luck with them for a few months and then they strangely die. I always QT my fish and nevertheless each fish that goes in my new build will be QT for at least three weeks with preventative medication.

shawnriv · Sep 8, 2015

eatbreakfast said:
The sunburst should work, though he may hide more in a bright tank.

Other suggestions include:
Midas blenny, grammistes blenny, pink streak wrasse, yellow assessor, royal gramma, swales basslet, possum wrasse, firefish, dartfish, longnose hawk, flame hawk.

I really hope it doesn't hide. I will definitely be adding a Royal Gramma and possibly a Flame Hawkfish.

KDawg0623 · Sep 9, 2015

How long have you had the Sunburst? I've heard from multiple people that they only have luck with them for a few months and then they strangely die. I always QT my fish and nevertheless each fish that goes in my new build will be QT for at least three weeks with preventative medication.

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We have had ours for almost 6 months. We have been very fortunate though. During that time our fish had gotten ich so we have to QT everything and keep the tank fallow for 72 days, even though they were all in a small tank, we only lost one chromis

kireek · Sep 9, 2015

I love the Anthia group myself,your tank is short however.Is the top going to have a cover on top to prevent the fish from jumping out? If not,I would choose a fish that will tolerate a stocked frag tank better. Some of the fish suggested( hawks,gammas) may become territorial as well,compounding the problem.