750x750x500 Stocking Opinions

[Wrangy]

So I'm upgrading my tank and it's going to be a 750x750x500mm tank with external overflow and a larger sump with strong skimming and zeovit. The tank will continue being an sps dominated tank with some zoa's and ric's coral-wise and clams are a big centre point too.
I'm definitely going to be bringing my flame hawkfish, bellus angelfish and royal gramma over into the new tank so that's going to be my base level stocking for this tank. The following is what I'm after opinions for and thoughts on:
- A pair of yellow assessors or a single if no pairs are found.
Then either:
- A mystery wrasse
or
- A harem of three of a leopard wrasse species, in particular Macropharyngodon vivienae but very doubtful on the ability to obtain this in Australia! (Recently featured on Reef Builders and I've fallen in love! Reef Nuggets 4: Macropharyngodon and notes on maintaining a harem) The tank will definitely be covered too!
- Have no ideas as it seems fully stocked to me. I can't do blennies or gobies though as my hawkfish hates them.


To me with these fish I would say the tank is well stocked but I feel I'm a little over-cautious with fish stocking so I would appreciate some thoughts/suggestions on what I'm thinking about.

 

[Marshall O]

So the dimensions are 29.5" x 29.5" x 19", which is about 70 gallons or 270 liters, correct? If so, I do think the tank is on the small size for a Bellus Angel. If you did not add this, I think you could easily do 10 or so smaller fish. I think the tank may be on the small side for a trio of Leopard Wrasses, though one or maybe two should be ok. I would do 2 from other species if that is the route you want to go. Avoid the Mystery Wrasse, along with all others in the Pseudocheilinus genus. They do not play well with other Wrasses, nor other fish in general.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

I do like blennies, especially blue-lined blennies. If your tank is not full by then I'll say get one of the blennies

 

[Wrangy]

So the dimensions are 29.5" x 29.5" x 19", which is about 70 gallons or 270 liters, correct? If so, I do think the tank is on the small size for a Bellus Angel. If you did not add this, I think you could easily do 10 or so smaller fish. I think the tank may be on the small side for a trio of Leopard Wrasses, though one or maybe two should be ok. I would do 2 from other species if that is the route you want to go. Avoid the Mystery Wrasse, along with all others in the Pseudocheilinus genus. They do not play well with other Wrasses, nor other fish in general.

yes, about 70-75 gallons. The bellus is still a small juvenile so she doesn't mind the smaller space at the moment but when she outgrows the tank I'll definitely be finding a bigger home for her
Why do you say that a trio would be too small? Just out of curiosity, is it a food related restriction or a space one? What wrasse would you recommend going with then?
I'm happy to avoid the mystery wrasse if it's really not a team player though.

 

[Wrangy]

I do like blennies, especially blue-lined blennies. If your tank is not full by then I'll say get one of the blennies

As I said above my hawkfish hates blennies and gobies so they're out of the question unfortunately, he's like the terminator once they go in the tank. I managed to get them out before utter destruction last time.

 

[Marshall O]

yes, about 70-75 gallons. The bellus is still a small juvenile so she doesn't mind the smaller space at the moment but when she outgrows the tank I'll definitely be finding a bigger home for her
Why do you say that a trio would be too small? Just out of curiosity, is it a food related restriction or a space one? What wrasse would you recommend going with then?
I'm happy to avoid the mystery wrasse if it's really not a team player though.

Food restriction mostly. They hunt for pods all day long. I just don't think that size tank can supply enough for three. Plus, with the smaller tank, it leaves less room if there are squabbles between them. As far as other Wrasses, smaller Fairy & Flasher Wrasses (those they only get to about 3") would be ok. Normally I would recommend a Halichoeres, but that would compete for pods with a Leopard Wrasse. A Possum Wrasse would be another option. Although they also hunt for pods, they stay much smaller, and so would not really be competition.

 

[Wrangy]

Food restriction mostly. They hunt for pods all day long. I just don't think that size tank can supply enough for three. Plus, with the smaller tank, it leaves less room if there are squabbles between them. As far as other Wrasses, smaller Fairy & Flasher Wrasses (those they only get to about 3") would be ok. Normally I would recommend a Halichoeres, but that would compete for pods with a Leopard Wrasse. A Possum Wrasse would be another option. Although they also hunt for pods, they stay much smaller, and so would not really be competition.

Fair enough, thank you for all the help and info! I really would love to do everything to give these guys the best chance possible at a long healthy life. If I were to go with a pair of leopards as the basis of the tank would there be any particular species of fairy or flasher that you would recommend in the tank.
I would go as far as restarting the stocking of the tank around leopard wrasse to give them a better chance or do you think they'd be fine with a hawkfish and royal gramma?

 

[Wrangy]

After having a chat with the individual that wrote the article on m. vivienae, I'm definitely only going to get a pair of Leopard wrasse. Hopefully m. vivienae but I'll happily get m. chaoti as they're source locally to me if I can't get m. vivienae
Also going to keep my hawk and Gramma and maybe try to find a mate for my hawkfish as that would be amazing!

 

[Wrangy]

So far the fishlist has refined a little bit:
1x Royal Gramma (transfer)
1x Flame Hawkfish (transfer)
1x sml Flame Hawkfish (female, new for a pair with my current hawk)
2x Leopard Wrasse (a pair for the tank)
1x Bellus Angelfish (transfer, until she outgrows the tank)


I'm still looking for a couple of other really nice bright fish that aren't blennies or gobies.
A pair of assessors is still on the list too.