90-gal. Stocking Advice Thread

[cshouston]

Hello! I have a two month old 90 gallon tank (48x18x24) with a 30 gallon sump housing a Red Sea SK300 skimmer. My long-term plan is for an SPS-exclusive reef tank (no soft or LPS at all). My current stock list is:

Fish:

Pseudochromis fridmani, Orchid Dottyback 2”
Halichoeres melanurus, Melanurus Wrasse 1.5”
Ctenochaetus flavicauda, White Tail Tang 3”

Proposed additions:
4” Regal Angel
4” Scribbled Rabbitfish
4” Bella Goby
3” McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse

Inverts:

Lysmata amboinensis, Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Lysmata sp., Peppermint Shrimp

Stenopus hispidus, Banded Coral Shrimp

Petrolisthes galathinus, Porcelain Crab

Mithraculus ruber, Red Mithrax Crab


I’d really appreciate some opinions about fish. What would you add? When should I call it a day in order to avoid an obscene bio-load?

I’d love to have another tang, perhaps a yellow, but I know there might be an issue with the White Tail Bristletooth, and I don’t really want fish I’d have to rehome later due to size or attitude. My dream fish right now would be a Regal Angelfish if I can get one pre-quarantined and medicated like I did with the current fish. Overall, I’d like to add more movement and personality, and I feel like the tank could use some yellow, or even blue. A rhomboid wrasse also came to mind when I was brainstorming.

 

[Thaxxx]

GO GATORS!
I can recommend a female Swallowtail Angel fish.
Most peaceful fish I have. Reef safe, stays a smaller size.
Half way between a dwarf angel and regular angel.
And a Yellow Pyrimid Butterfly. Also considered reef safe.

 

[cshouston]

GO GATORS!
I can recommend a female Swallowtail Angel fish.
Most peaceful fish I have. Reef safe, stays a smaller size.
Half way between a dwarf angel and regular angel.
And a Yellow Pyrimid Butterfly. Also considered reef safe.

What a coincidence! I showed my girlfriend pictures of that genus of angelfish, since I read they were reef safe, and those were her favorite. I was partial to the Bellus angels, but I gather they’re more expensive than the spotbreast. I’d love a pair because the male is also a gorgeous fish. A four-foot tank is enough swimming space for them?

The pyramid was also on my radar, but I wasn’t sure if any butterflyfish could be entirely trusted, haha.

 

[Thaxxx]

The spotbreast is active but they don't get big. And what growth you get is slow after about 3 1/2". They are very mellow. I had 2 females and the bigger one started to turn male. I put the smaller one into another tank I started. That was a year ago. The larger female is stuck in between female to male transition. Weird.

 

[cshouston]

I’d love to hear any more opinions, especially about roughly where to call it quits so as not to overstock.

 

[nereefpat]

Midas blenny and one of the Meiacanthus blennies for yellow.

I always recommend a long nose or flame hawk. Slight risk with your peppermint shrimp.

 

[Alchameth]

Plenty of room in there for more fish. I'm a fan of Dartfish, plenty to choose from... You could go with a black cap basslet for your punch of purple, and change the dottyback to a black neon or indigo tons to choose from in the dottyback family, I'd just add one with the tang. I have a black neon and found that he can be a bit of an @#$@# sometimes to anything added after him. Him and my 2 clowns are thick as thieves. If the dottyback takes an interest the clowns do too... just typically with a bit more curiosity and not really agression.

 

[cshouston]

I lost the exquisite wrasse a day or two after receiving it from Diver’s Den. I’m 99% certain it was a swim bladder issue from the way it was swimming.

That leaves the white tail bristletooth tang, melanurus wrasse, and orchid Dottyback.

I’d like to add a one-spot foxface and a small (3-4”) regal angelfish to finish my stock list for this 90-gal. How does that sound?

I am already in the planning stages for setting up a 180-gal. 6x2x2 in about a year. I’d like to add a purple tang when that time comes. Should I wait or would it be possible, at least marginally, to add a small ~4” specimen now with the bristletooth? Would any other tang be compatible in the short term with the bristletooth in the current 4’ tank?

thanks!

 

[cshouston]

So, proposed stock list would be:

2” orchid Dottyback
1.5” melanurus wrasse
3” white tail bristletooth tang
3-4” one spot foxface
3-5” regal angelfish

alongside the previously listed inverts (and the snails/hermits)

Thoughts?

 

[hotdogmj71]

I've got a spotbreast angel in QT now. She is beautiful now & I can't wait to see her under real lights. Not sure if you knew, but I think a SW tank without a clown is illegal

 

[cshouston]

I've got a spotbreast angel in QT now. She is beautiful now & I can't wait to see her under real lights. Not sure if you knew, but I think a SW tank without a clown is illegal

haha! I considered a clownfish, however, in the past, the clownfish I’ve had just tend to host in the corner and spend all day there. It bums me out. I’d want a BTA as well if I picked up a clown to see the symbiotic behavior, but don’t want to risk it going walkabout and stinging corals. Not to mention, the last clown I had used to attack/bump my hand any time it was in the tank. She got pretty territorial.

I was able to find a quarantined and medicated regal angel from Dr. Reef here on the forums, otherwise I’d definitely be going with the spotbreast. Maybe when I get the 180 set up, I can think about adding one.

 

[Jesterrace]

I've got a spotbreast angel in QT now. She is beautiful now & I can't wait to see her under real lights. Not sure if you knew, but I think a SW tank without a clown is illegal

My tank has been illegal for 3 years then. Had a snowflake ocellaris in my first tank who was a complete jerk and it was the last fish I added to that tank. I've just reached the point where I feel that clowns are overdone and overrated IMHO. I might own them again if I decide to do a species specific nano, but that would be it. So many other cool fish that are out there that can take a spot that would be given to a clownfish.

 

[Jesterrace]

Hello! I have a two month old 90 gallon tank (48x18x24) with a 30 gallon sump housing a Red Sea SK300 skimmer. My long-term plan is for an SPS-exclusive reef tank (no soft or LPS at all). My current stock list is:

Fish:

Pseudochromis fridmani, Orchid Dottyback 2”

Cirrhilabrus exquisitus, Exquisite Fairy Wrasse 3”

Halichoeres melanurus, Melanurus Wrasse 1.5”

Ctenochaetus flavicauda, White Tail Tang 3”



Inverts:

Lysmata amboinensis, Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Lysmata sp., Peppermint Shrimp

Stenopus hispidus, Banded Coral Shrimp

Petrolisthes galathinus, Porcelain Crab

Mithraculus ruber, Red Mithrax Crab


I’d really appreciate some opinions about fish. What would you add? When should I call it a day in order to avoid an obscene bio-load?

I’d love to have another tang, perhaps a yellow, but I know there might be an issue with the White Tail Bristletooth, and I don’t really want fish I’d have to rehome later due to size or attitude. My dream fish right now would be a Regal Angelfish if I can get one pre-quarantined and medicated like I did with the current fish. Overall, I’d like to add more movement and personality, and I feel like the tank could use some yellow, or even blue. A rhomboid wrasse also came to mind when I was brainstorming.

One Spot Foxface? I have had one in my 90 for 2 years and love having it. Replaced a jerk of a Yellow Tang and he has done a nice job of balancing out the tank.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

So, proposed stock list would be:

2” orchid Dottyback
1.5” melanurus wrasse
3” white tail bristletooth tang
3-4” one spot foxface
3-5” regal angelfish

alongside the previously listed inverts (and the snails/hermits)

Thoughts?

That honestly doesn’t sound like many fish for a 90 gallon tank. It feels like a perching type fish is missing from the list. I think that every tank needs a goby, blenny, or hawk. Perhaps you could look into flasher or fairy wrasses.

 

[cshouston]

That honestly doesn’t sound like many fish for a 90 gallon tank. It feels like a perching type fish is missing from the list. I think that every tank needs a goby, blenny, or hawk. Perhaps you could look into flasher or fairy wrasses.

I guess I just like to err on the side of lower bio-load. I like the idea of a perching type, though. I may look into a flame hawk fish or some kind of blenny to round out the stocking.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I guess I just like to err on the side of lower bio-load. I like the idea of a perching type, though. I may look into a flame hawk fish or some kind of blenny to round out the stocking.

There is a chance that your cleaner and peppermint shrimp could be on the menu for a hawk. In my opinion, I would pick the hawk any day though, and I love mine.
Definitely better to be cautious than to overstock, so I can’t fault you for having that logic. I just prefer a more active tank.

 

[nereefpat]

3-5” regal angelfish

A little big for a 90 gallon? Don't know, as I haven't kept one.

 

[cshouston]

A little big for a 90 gallon? Don't know, as I haven't kept one.

I had considered that, but the info I read on reefs.com stated that the minimum tank was 75 for an adult, 50 for a juvenile. They only get about 8-9”, and by the time it’s that big it will be in the 180-gal. system I’m planning anyway.

 

[cshouston]

I decided to forego the hawk fish and go with a goby instead. I ordered a Bella goby and a mccosker’s flasher wrasse today from Diver’s Den. I also have a juvenile regal angel coming from Dr. Reef at quarantinedfish.us in a couple of weeks and a scribbled rabbitfish entering quarantine so at least a month out. That will complete the tank as far as I’m concerned.

So:
2” orchid Dottyback
1.5” melanurus wrasse
3” white tail bristletooth tang
4” Bella goby
3” McCosker’s flasher wrasse
4” regal angelfish
4” scribbled rabbitfish

with an upgrade to a 180-gal. 6x2x2 system in the next 12 months. I don’t think any of these will outgrow the 90 that quickly. Any thoughts or comments?

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I decided to forego the hawk fish and go with a goby instead. I ordered a Bella goby and a mccosker’s flasher wrasse today from Diver’s Den. I also have a juvenile regal angel coming from Dr. Reef at quarantinedfish.us in a couple of weeks and a scribbled rabbitfish entering quarantine so at least a month out. That will complete the tank as far as I’m concerned.

So:
2” orchid Dottyback
1.5” melanurus wrasse
3” white tail bristletooth tang
4” Bella goby
3” McCosker’s flasher wrasse
4” regal angelfish
4” scribbled rabbitfish

with an upgrade to a 180-gal. 6x2x2 system in the next 12 months. I don’t think any of these will outgrow the 90 that quickly. Any thoughts or comments?

The only two where I could possibly see them outgrowing the 90 are the angel and rabbit fish. I have never owned either one, so I can’t speak for their growth rates or how much room they need.