90 gallon stocking

[User 28262454]

Hey all, new here and got a question about stocking.
planning on getting a 90 gallon tank set up in the next couple months and after it is properly cycled I have a general idea of what fish I would wanna throw in there. My current idea would be something like
- 2 ocellaris clowns
- bristletooth tang
-shrimp/goby pair (probably a tiger and an orange spotted goby)
-1 helfrichi firefish (Might end up just getting a purple) + I will have a lid on the tank
-1 long nose hawkfish

I would also be interested in getting some cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp, banded coral shrimp, anemones, and some corals (some of each type)

I am very open to all opinions and nothing is concrete on the list. What order would you recommend I add these fish?
I do have some other general questions

- how needed is a sump and skimmer
- would I be able to add some more fish down the line and if so would there be any issues if they were less aggressive then some of the other fish like the tang
- I am kinda nervous about buying fish online, how safe would this option be and what would be the best sites to order from

 

[User 28262454]

Alright back with list 4!
- 1 long nose butterfly
- 1 square tail bristletooth
- 1 rabbit foxface
- 1 carpenter’s flasher wrasse
- 1 orange back fairy wrasse
- 1 shrimp goby pair
- 2 designer ocellaris clowns
- 3 scissor tail dartfish
- 1 helfrichi firefish
- 1 royal gamma basslet
- 1 ember Blenny
- 1 Aiptasia eating filefish

Inverts

1 fire shrimp
3 cleaner shrimp
1 purple banded shrimp (or a regular one depending if I can find it with other shrimp in LFS)
1 crocea clam
1 maxima clam

Too long? For this list any corals or just keep it a FOWLR?

 

[Lavey29]

Thats what is so hard about picking these is that everyone just has different fferent experiences. I might see if i can find one in with other shrimps at a LFS but if not might just stick to the smaller ones

Banded shrimp just scares the other shrimp and some fish away but moves to slow to be a predator in the tank.

 

[sfin52]

Alright back with list 4!
- 1 long nose butterfly
- 1 square tail bristletooth
- 1 rabbit foxface
- 1 carpenter’s flasher wrasse
- 1 orange back fairy wrasse
- 1 shrimp goby pair
- 2 designer ocellaris clowns
- 3 scissor tail dartfish
- 1 helfrichi firefish
- 1 royal gamma basslet
- 1 ember Blenny
- 1 Aiptasia eating filefish

Inverts

1 fire shrimp
3 cleaner shrimp
1 purple banded shrimp (or a regular one depending if I can find it with other shrimp in LFS)
1 crocea clam
1 maxima clam

Too long? For this list any corals or just keep it a FOWLR?

I would drop the long nose butterfly.

 

[Rmckoy]

First things first .
welcome … I notice you’re a fellow Canadian .
I would strongly suggest researching compatibility of each fish you’re intending on adding .
While the system is going to be fairly new start slow .
Are you planning on using live rocks , or dry to start ?

 

[User 28262454]

First things first .
welcome … I notice you’re a fellow Canadian .
I would strongly suggest researching compatibility of each fish you’re intending on adding .
While the system is going to be fairly new start slow .
Are you planning on using live rocks , or dry to start ?

Hello!
I’ve been trying my best to research all the compatibilities but it seems everyone has a different story so it’s hard to figure out what works and what doesnt.
Im planning on going slow and adding 1-2 fish every two weeks.
For live vs dry rock I’m mot too sure what im gonna do. I guess it just matters how fast I want to get it started so I’m leaning a bit towards live rock. Im also going to use some of the reef safe clue to secure the rocks because I don’t want any accidents!
Should I be worried about the filefish eating the pistol shrimp?

 

[Rmckoy]

Hello!
I’ve been trying my best to research all the compatibilities but it seems everyone has a different story so it’s hard to figure out what works and what doesnt.
Im planning on going slow and adding 1-2 fish every two weeks.
For live vs dry rock I’m mot too sure what im gonna do. I guess it just matters how fast I want to get it started so I’m leaning a bit towards live rock. Im also going to use some of the reef safe clue to secure the rocks because I don’t want and accidents!
Should I be worried about the filefish eating the pistol shrimp?

So many things happening .
I would strongly recommend not gluing rocks together …
In the case of if you need to remove something or rearrange it’s almost impossible to remove some of the structure .
If rocks are added first before sand there is no reason to worry unless you add a a hole fish or urchin which can rearrange things
Post to ask for a list of fish that rearrange rocks … large damsels are my top answer .
filefish are great utility fish but I think waiting until it’s mature .
some such as a matted filefish is known to eat aptasia
Are you planning on corals or just fish ?

 

[Rmckoy]

When you set the tank .
add rocks , sand , all your equipment
Make it wet by adding water .
and this will give you a few weeks time to let it cycle while you decide what you’re adding for livestock .

 

[User 28262454]

Thanks for the info on not glueing rocks!
My question would be if I have to wait to put the filefish in until the tank is mature would that mean I would have to wait until the filefish is in to put all of the other more aggressive fish in like the tang?
I was thinking of doing coral and I have some experience with it in my 18 gal with just a clown and fire shrimp. However I have read that the filefish may eat coral.

 

[User 28262454]

I would drop the long nose butterfly.

Do you think I could replace it with a jawfish or too heavy on the bioload? Thinking a dusky

 

[Dave1993]

Hello!
I’ve been trying my best to research all the compatibilities but it seems everyone has a different story so it’s hard to figure out what works and what doesnt.
Im planning on going slow and adding 1-2 fish every two weeks.
For live vs dry rock I’m mot too sure what im gonna do. I guess it just matters how fast I want to get it started so I’m leaning a bit towards live rock. Im also going to use some of the reef safe clue to secure the rocks because I don’t want any accidents!
Should I be worried about the filefish eating the pistol shrimp?

1-2 fish every 2 weeks isnt going slow

 

[sfin52]

Thanks for the info on not glueing rocks!
My question would be if I have to wait to put the filefish in until the tank is mature would that mean I would have to wait until the filefish is in to put all of the other more aggressive fish in like the tang?
I was thinking of doing coral and I have some experience with it in my 18 gal with just a clown and fire shrimp. However I have read that the filefish may eat coral.

Just because you've read that tangs are aggressive doesn't mean they are aggressive toward other fish. It really depends on the species of fish. I find bristletooth to be more peaceful tang and the same with foxfaces.

I wouldn't replace the butterfly with another fish.

 

[sfin52]

Thanks for the info on not glueing rocks!
My question would be if I have to wait to put the filefish in until the tank is mature would that mean I would have to wait until the filefish is in to put all of the other more aggressive fish in like the tang?
I was thinking of doing coral and I have some experience with it in my 18 gal with just a clown and fire shrimp. However I have read that the filefish may eat coral.

Its possible I've never seen my filefish nip at coral.

 

[sfin52]

1-2 fish every 2 weeks isnt going slow

It depends on the size of fish. 21inch fish is not the same as 1 4 inch fish.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Those clowns actually look very nice! I defiantly like the ones that are black with some white stripes, If were to buy one looking like the image attached would it stay with that sort of color patter or would it change to be a bit more orange?
Also how many would you recommend getting for this tank?

Stick with 2. I tried a trio and had to remove the smallest after the other 2 tried to kill him. He now lives in my refugium.

The specimen in the pic will be brown with an orange face as an adult. The black saddleback, which is the same species from a different locale will have less orange, a darker body color, and more of a stripe than a saddle for the middle white bar. Both are nice, but I prefer the brown saddleback more than the black after keeping both varieties. They just look nicer together. I like my clarkii pair better than my old black saddleback pair.

 

[doubleshot00]

It depends on the size of fish. 21inch fish is not the same as 1 4 inch fish.

Exactly. I added 5 at one time (after my cycle) but will never do that again. They have been in my tank for over a month now and are very happy. Im still nervous to add more as ive already had some ups and downs. All parameters are looking good but for the OP i would slow down.

 

[User 28262454]

Exactly. I added 5 at one time (after my cycle) but will never do that again. They have been in my tank for over a month now and are very happy. Im still nervous to add more as ive already had some ups and downs. All parameters are looking good but for the OP i would slow down.

Alright good to know. Will definitely go a lot slower.

What order should I add these guys after the cycle is done?
Any recommendations on what to feed and how many times a day for this tank?

As for coral I think I’ll try just one frag to start (maybe a gsp) and if it does good add some more slowly and see how it works.

 

[doubleshot00]

Alright good to know. Will definitely go a lot slower.

What order should I add these guys after the cycle is done?
Any recommendations on what to feed and how many times a day for this tank?

As for coral I think I’ll try just one frag to start (maybe a gsp) and if it does good add some more slowly and see how it works.

Clowns first then wait a few weeks and see how your levels are. I would add the tangs last. Wish i did.

Feeding is very subjective. I think feeding two small portions a day is best.

Do coral last after you have all your fish and Disease free.

 

[User 28262454]

Clowns first then wait a few weeks and see how your levels are. I would add the tangs last. Wish i did.

Feeding is very subjective. I think feeding two small portions a day is best.

Do coral last after you have all your fish and Disease free.

So for the fish in between the clowns and tang it doesn’t really matter what order they go in?

For my nano salt I have currently ai just feed a bit of mysis shrimp daily. Would 2 portions of that work or is there another food I should get. Are any of the fish on my list going to have any special dietary needs? Like a certain food, target feeding, etc?

 

[Dave1993]

i would add the clowns last they can be more aggressive than tangs personally i wouldn't add clowns at all

 

[User 28262454]

For the order of adding I am thinking
1st - helfrichi firefish
2nd - dartfish
3rd - shrimp goby pair
4th - ember blenny
5th - royal gamma basslet
6th - rabbit foxface
7th - the wrasses ( same time or separate?)
8th - filefish
9th - tang
10th - clowns

Does this look like a good order?