65gal stocking ideas

[smhray]

Hi, I got a Red Sea reefer 250 which is about 65 gallons and I was just wondering what fish should I have in there. I want one fish that like to swim around the middle and top of the tank. The tank was secondhand and I got a purple tang, blue velvet damsel, and a brown goby that sifts sand. Are there any other tangs I could get for this tank?

 

[CookieRdReef]

Only 1 tang in a 65. The Purple Tang might get too big eventually. Also I believe that damsel species is super aggressive. Middle to top swimmers would be chromis and anthias with chromis being much easier and more appropriate for a 65g.

 

[Zionas]

No Tangs in a 65 IMO unless short term. You could get away with a Kole, Tomini, Squaretail or White Tail Bristletooth but long term I’d have them in at least a 75- gallon 4’ tank, 90 gallons even better.

The Purple will have to be re-homed or if you upgrade to at least a 125 gallon long (6’ tank). Blue Velvet Damsel is super aggressive and will have to be removed.

If I were you I’d do:
2 Ocellaris Clowns

1 shrimp and goby pair

1 Starry, Tailspot, Bicolor or another Blenny

1 pygmy angel (they’re among the most reef safe angelfish)

1 Royal Gramma / Blackcap Basslet / Swissguard Basslet or 1 Yellow / Randall’s / McNeill’s Assessor

1 sand sifting goby (as you already have)

1 Yellow Coris / Melanurus Wrasse

1 smaller Fairy / Flasher Wrasse

(You could replace the pygmy angel with another smaller- 4” and below Fairy / Flasher Wrasse of your choosing, or a Possum / Pink Streak Wrasse)

Oh wait, you want more active fish right?

If that’s the case choose one between a shrimp and goby pair or a blenny, one out of the two, and you could do another wrasse (smaller one), a Firefish, or a Scissortail / Zebra / Blue Gudgeon Dartfish.

The Six Line / Mystery / Eight Line / Four Lines can get aggressive. The Firefish / Dartfish need a tank without gaps, wrasses too. Gobies and blennies too. Most fish really. If you like a slower, hovering fish, PJ Cardinal or Bangaii Cardinal will do.

Chromis kill each other off unless in bigger tanks and unless being fed often. That seems to be the anecdotal consensus. Correct me if I’m wrong but a single Blue / Green Chromis or a single Blue Chromis (Atlantic species) should be fine, so that’s yet another option.

 

[PTXReef]

No Tangs in a 65 IMO unless short term. You could get away with a Kole, Tomini, Squaretail or White Tail Bristletooth but long term I’d have them in at least a 75- gallon 4’ tank, 90 gallons even better.

The Purple will have to be re-homed or if you upgrade to at least a 125 gallon long (6’ tank). Blue Velvet Damsel is super aggressive and will have to be removed.

If I were you I’d do:
2 Ocellaris Clowns

1 shrimp and goby pair

1 Starry, Tailspot, Bicolor or another Blenny

1 pygmy angel (they’re among the most reef safe angelfish)

1 Royal Gramma / Blackcap Basslet / Swissguard Basslet or 1 Yellow / Randall’s / McNeill’s Assessor

1 sand sifting goby (as you already have)

1 Yellow Coris / Melanurus Wrasse

1 smaller Fairy / Flasher Wrasse

(You could replace the pygmy angel with another smaller- 4” and below Fairy / Flasher Wrasse of your choosing, or a Possum / Pink Streak Wrasse)

Oh wait, you want more active fish right?

If that’s the case choose one between a shrimp and goby pair or a blenny, one out of the two, and you could do another wrasse (smaller one), a Firefish, or a Scissortail / Zebra / Blue Gudgeon Dartfish.

The Six Line / Mystery / Eight Line / Four Lines can get aggressive. The Firefish / Dartfish need a tank without gaps, wrasses too. Gobies and blennies too. Most fish really. If you like a slower, hovering fish, PJ Cardinal or Bangaii Cardinal will do.

Chromis kill each other off unless in bigger tanks and unless being fed often. That seems to be the anecdotal consensus. Correct me if I’m wrong but a single Blue / Green Chromis or a single Blue Chromis (Atlantic species) should be fine, so that’s yet another option.

Wow, great response and suggestions @Zionas . I completely agree with everything said! I have a 95 gal and have had two tangs (a yellow tang and a hippo tang) when they were smaller. After a year, I am having to rehome them as they are getting larger and more aggressive towards one another. I would highly suggest only have tangs temporarily in a smaller system!

 

[Zionas]

Thanks! I was just giving some very basic 0.02.

If humans lived more fish that pair up or at most form small groups than fish that constantly school together but kill each other off in the process, the world would be a better place. If I were a fish I’d be a pairing fish rather than a Schooling one.