65g Stocking Help

[Hasted]

Yes, I know this gets asked a lot.

The biggest struggle for me in this hobby is knowing which fish are good with each other. For instance, I just read very recently that a Midas Blenny wouldn't enjoy my YWG and Firefish. That WAS on my stocking list prior to reading that thread.

I know this is a very personable question and every single person may have a different idea... But that's what I am after!

Tank:
Red Sea XL300
65g + Sump, 36" x 23" and 22" tall
1.5" sandbed, good amount of caves and caverns for fish to go through.
I have 2 other tanks I can move problematic fish if "caution" fish do not work out (exception YWG and shrimp, will not move). Also friends with 5 tanks combined. Prefer NOT to have to move fish, though.
Decent Skimmer to handle a much larger bioload than what I have now.
Refugium section ready to go.
Mixed Reef.

Current Fish:
2 Clownfish (Black Photon)
1 Yellow Watchman (+Shrimp)
2 Exquisite Firefish

So, pretty chill fish. They all stick to their areas. Clowns hang out top left. YWG bottom middle. FFish right bottom.

I am looking to add a bit of movement and a bit chunkier fish.


-------------------


Looking at:
Mandarin (Captive bred, pods are good and can supplement, but will pay more to increase chances)
1-4 Wrasse (Flasher and/or Fairy)
Tomini Tang

Let's look at each option

Mandarin: I see that Mandarins are "with caution" with Firefish. Pod population is booming. Willing to buy a captive bred and also buy pods monthly if needed. My biggest worry, however, is that a lot of territory is claimed by the YWG and Firefish already. Would s/he be able to settle in? Lowest priority of all the fish listed for ME, but highest priority for wife. She loves them...

Wrasse 2-4 - I would like to do multiples of wrasse for color and movement. It seems as though Fairy and/or Flasher give me the highest chance to do so. A few that I have looked at include Pintail Fairy (tank too small?), McCosker's Flasher, Blue Flasher (Kinda boring), Exquisite Fairy (tank too small?), Hooded Fairy. Would like to get a couple different colors if possible. I have a tight fitting lid. Will gladly just take someone else's wrasse collection (2-4 if possible) that works in a 65g and copy it...

Tomini Tang - Smaller tang. Should be good to go for most of its life. IF it does outgrow this tank, my 4'x2' tank can house it.

-------


This would also be the presumable stocking order.

Again, I know every person has a different opinion and this question gets asked a million times. I still would like to know.
Got any other suggestions? Throw them at me!
Will GLADLY give as much info about my tank(s) you need to make a more informed decision.

 

[lapin]

Me, I would forget the mandarin. Wrasses will eat every pod in the tank in a day

 

[Hasted]

Me, I would forget the mandarin. Wrasses will eat every pod in the tank in a day

I was under the impression that Flasher and Fairy do not decimate the pod population like other Wrasse do?

I would definitely like to have 2-4 Wrasse over the Mandarin, though. Just don't tell my wife...

Edit: Even too much for a Captive Bred Mandarin that eats frozen?

 

[Hasted]

A bit more info about the Wrasses I have been looking at. An example would be:

Fairy Wrasse:
Exquisite Fairy (Male) (Exquisitius Complex)
Pintail (Lunatus Complex)

Flasher Wrasse:
McCosker's Flasher
Diamond-Tail (or Carpenter's) Flasher (Male)

The Flasher Wrasse seem so similar to each other so they can all be interchangeable. From what I understand, I can have one of them a male along with a male Fairy.

I am also fine with 3:1 or 2:1 ratio assuming I can just have a single male Flasher.

I used Evolved's Cirrhilabrus chart to find an acceptable duo of Fairy.

 

[malacoda]

In terms of fairy wrasses, a pintail (Isosceles) and/or Lubbock would be good.

I know a lot people and charts also say Exquisitus would be good a 55g and up ... but, IMHO, they need more space.

My tank has a longer run than typical 65g - it's 48" long (x18" x 18") and both exquisites that I've had became very pugnatious.

The first was a juvenile of the Indian Ocean variety (red on its flanks). It was in with a juvenile lubbocki and a juvenile lunatus. Even though it was only a 'teen' and only 2.5" long, it would still click into

After losing all 3 fairies to a sudden oxygen drop, I later added another exquisite ... this time a Fijian variety (no red at all) and an isosceles, this time both terminal males. The isosceles was added first, then the exquisite.

And while the isosceles puts up with it and has gotten used to it for the most part, the exquisite dose chase it frequently and display dominance regularly throughout the day...

Judging by it's both its behavior when showing dominance to the isosceles, some of its swimming behavior when it's not, and the similar behavior I saw in the previous juvenile, I'm now convinced it's because a 4' 65g is on the lower limit of feeling a bit to cramped for them.

You may also want to consider a pygmy wrasse...

I had a pink-streaked wrasse in my 24g. It was a neat and stunning looking fish, but a bit cryptic. Liked to stay close to the rockwork and would hide briefly if there was sudden motion outside the tank.

But...

When I moved it over to the 65g, it was like a whole new fish. Out and about all day, cruising around happily all over the tank. I suspect do to a combination of more space to stretch its fins and really 'fly' along with other small fish ... fang blennies, anthias, etc. ... moving about and giving it confidence. But, WOW, for a small fish it added a ton of color and movement to the 65g.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I’d get the Tang, especially if you are going to try Corals in the tank. They will keep the algae down. Sad that the Yellow Tangs, are not available or are very high priced.

 

[Hasted]

I’d get the Tang, especially if you are going to try Corals in the tank. They will keep the algae down. Sad that the Yellow Tangs, are not available or are very high priced.

I am definitely getting the tang especially since I have a larger tank that can support it IF it does end up getting too large.

Almost a year old set up with quite a few corals. Tang will be a happy addition for some algae control.

Even before the ban, I was eyeing the Tomini instead. I prefer them for some reason!