Help a newbie stock her tank!!!

[elisa h]

So to start off, I have a ~90 gallon hexagon tank that will be a reef (hopefully soon!)

I'm looking for ideas on peaceful, reef safe fish!

So far I have a baby misbar clown. My lfs told me I have about a month to get another clown before I have to worry about him turning female. I plan on getting another clown (probably snowflake clown) some time next weekend. Definitely another small one. Do you guys think this should work out ok?

My wish list:
Snowflake clown
Yellow eye kole tang OR tomini tang
Pink square anthia (male)

I know, not a very long list. That's why I need ideas! Have to be somewhat peaceful and reef safe!

Questions:
for anthias, I know they need multiple feedings a day, which I'm fine with. I already feed my clown 2-3 times a day. Do they need to be fed zooplankton every day? What are the best types of food to feed them? ( so far I have fed my clown a variety of frozen, fresh clam, and some flakes here and there bc that's what my lfs feeds and he's used to them)
Also for anthias, would it be possible to keep different types? I would love to have a male pink square and a female lyretail but I'm not sure how that would work. Definitely don't want to cause any fights!

I'd love any and all ideas, concerns, insight, etc

 

[keddre]

For the Clown, I recommend keeping types together: snowflake with snowflake, occelerious with occelarious (pardon my spelling), etc.

For stocking, maybe a bottom dweller like a goby?

 

[Diesel]

I think you're well on your way to a nice reef.
Have your homework done well.
Anthias are tricky fish for that I don't recommend them in a early stage of this tank.
Consider two wrasses instead of anthias.
The kole tang is not a bad choice but stick with just one as 90 gallon is pushing it.
Cobies are peaceful too.
Flame hawk is interesting to have as well.

 

[elisa h]

For the Clown, I recommend keeping types together: snowflake with snowflake, occelerious with occelarious (pardon my spelling), etc.

For stocking, maybe a bottom dweller like a goby?

I was under the impression that a snowflake clown is an occelaris, just a different morph. And yea I was thinking about maybe a yellow watchman goby!

 

[elisa h]

I think you're well on your way to a nice reef.
Have your homework done well.
Anthias are tricky fish for that I don't recommend them in a early stage of this tank.
Consider two wrasses instead of anthias.
The kole tang is not a bad choice but stick with just one as 90 gallon is pushing it.
Cobies are peaceful too.
Flame hawk is interesting to have as well.

I would definitely stick to one tang. With the anthias, I wouldn't get them for a while. But I'd love to have one at some point. How long should I let the tank mature before considering one?

 

[Diesel]

I would definitely stick to one tang. With the anthias, I wouldn't get them for a while. But I'd love to have one at some point. How long should I let the tank mature before considering one?

6 months on the most.
In that time period you can stock the tank with plenty od copepods.
How long is your tank running now?

 

[elisa h]

6 months on the most.
In that time period you can stock the tank with plenty od copepods.
How long is your tank running now?

Only a month. I didn't realize they ate copepods. I'll be making an order for them soon in that case! Since I only have one fish and I don't think clowns eat pods, they should be able to populate. Especially in 6 months time.

 

[Diesel]

Every fish eats pods.
But you will populate your tank as pods are not only for your fish to eat but they are a big part of your CUC too.

With only a month I will wait for more fish in your tank, let it mature a few weeks more.

 

[keddre]

I was under the impression that a snowflake clown is an occelaris, just a different morph. And yea I was thinking about maybe a yellow watchman goby!

I love my watchman and as far as the clown, I honestly don't know. I didn't ride the clown fish bandwagon that long

 

[VietExtender]

My favorite fish to watch is the yellow headed jawfish. Mine built a burrow under my zoa rocks and put shells around the entrance [emoji38]. I also have a flame and long nose hawkfish together in my 90 gallon as well. If you’re going to add wrasses, I’d consider the reef safe such as flashers or fairies. When you’re more experienced, a copper banded butterfly is a beautiful fish to keep. Just it’s hard to acclimate since they’re really sensitive (quarantine tank is a must).

Get a bubble tip anemone too! I love watching my black lightning clowns lay in them at night (might take a while for them to host an anemone, if they ever decide to).

 

[elisa h]

My favorite fish to watch is the yellow headed jawfish. Mine built a burrow under my zoa rocks and put shells around the entrance [emoji38]. I also have a flame and long nose hawkfish together in my 90 gallon as well. If you’re going to add wrasses, I’d consider the reef safe such as flashers or fairies. When you’re more experienced, a copper banded butterfly is a beautiful fish to keep. Just it’s hard to acclimate since they’re really sensitive (quarantine tank is a must).

Get a bubble tip anemone too! I love watching my black lightning clowns lay in them at night (might take a while for them to host an anemone, if they ever decide to).

I would love a copper band butterfly! Im not sure if my tank would be big enough for one though, and I know they are difficult to feed. And I am planning on getting an anemone at some point. It'd be so cool if my clowns hosted it! I'll look into jawfish too

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

At my store I feed our anthias mysis and pellet food they dont mind. Sorry glass was dirty they all just arrived.

 

[elisa h]

At my store I feed our anthias mysis and pellet food they dont mind. Sorry glass was dirty they all just arrived.

Those lyretails look nice! Do you know if it's possible to mix types of anthias in aquariums? Or if it's possible to keep a pair instead of a group?

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Have not tried it yet but I know your not suppose to have more then one male in a tank with females or they fight.

 

[Lninwa]

You're right a snowflake is an occelaris

 

[VietExtender]

Those lyretails look nice! Do you know if it's possible to mix types of anthias in aquariums? Or if it's possible to keep a pair instead of a group?

I’m lucky and have a really awesome saltwater fish store 15 minutes away. I got a copperband there that was already eating frozen foods. For the answer to the anthias mixing, yes you can mix females. I’ve never tried mixing different males, but I wouldn’t want to try that anyways (probably would be a bloodbath). You can keep any amounts of females together, they’re a group kind of fish. My saltwater guy says he has more success with 3 than with 2. This is because females morph into males when there are no males present.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Some have had success keeping lyretail and Bartlett together.

 

[Gablami]

I've had lyretail and Bartlett together. The aggression of the male Bartlett kept the lyretails female. These two anthias are amongst the most hardy. They are active swimmers and eat out of the water column. Never saw them pick at pods. Ate frozen and pellets. I don't think you need to wait that long to add to a 90 gallon.

 

[40B Knasty]

First I would like to say about your copepods situation. Look up Algagen Tisbe Pods. They will live in a home aquarium and keep popping up in your tank. Tigger pods not so much. Amphipods are big. Some picky eaters will not be able to eat them due to share size.
In my 65g I have a yellow & purple wrasse, flame angel, grammica lined dart fish, and psychedelic mandarin. I have lost 4 fish due to bullying from a Randall's Prawn Goby mainly.
I will say my favorite fish was my swissguard basslet. Great tank mate and was best buds with my clown.
I think a tomini being the smaller of tangs would be fine in your tank. Just always put in the consideration of their attitude/life style. You are in that tank size where a dwarf angel would be no problem, but they can pick at corals. They leave the good stinging ones alone like torches and hammers. Pulsing Xenia is the first to get hit and only one from my personal experience. When you get into a more "boss" like fish like an angel. Do not consider an anthies. The anthies will most likely hide. Then it will die. They do need to eat a lot of times per day, because they are also low man on the food chain of command. So they will eat less being out competed for food IF you do not have a peaceful tank. I lost a red saddle back anthies due to this and I had a peaceful tank aside one fish. Randall's Prawn bullied him too about a year ago. You can do a dragonet no problem IF you setup baby brine shrimp hatcheries and let your Tisbe pod population take off running for a few months. If you want to learn how message me. I can run you through it all. It will literally cost you less than $75 to have Tisbe pods and baby brine shrimp to feed it everyday.
I read a lot and watch a ton of videos. Take this into consideration also. We will get a lot of great info on here. A lot of experienced members that have all the bells and whistles that have never had a tank smaller than a 120g or stepped into a Petco in their life. Figure out what fish would work for a 10g-75g. There seems to be a gap between the 75g-120g where if you were to look for a fish in that range there is not much and there all risks if they are in a 110 or lower gallon tank. Hope this helps and best of luck with your tank.

 

[elisa h]

First I would like to say about your copepods situation. Look up Algagen Tisbe Pods. They will live in a home aquarium and keep popping up in your tank. Tigger pods not so much. Amphipods are big. Some picky eaters will not be able to eat them due to share size.
In my 65g I have a yellow & purple wrasse, flame angel, grammica lined dart fish, and psychedelic mandarin. I have lost 4 fish due to bullying from a Randall's Prawn Goby mainly.
I will say my favorite fish was my swissguard basslet. Great tank mate and was best buds with my clown.
I think a tomini being the smaller of tangs would be fine in your tank. Just always put in the consideration of their attitude/life style. You are in that tank size where a dwarf angel would be no problem, but they can pick at corals. They leave the good stinging ones alone like torches and hammers. Pulsing Xenia is the first to get hit and only one from my personal experience. When you get into a more "boss" like fish like an angel. Do not consider an anthies. The anthies will most likely hide. Then it will die. They do need to eat a lot of times per day, because they are also low man on the food chain of command. So they will eat less being out competed for food IF you do not have a peaceful tank. I lost a red saddle back anthies due to this and I had a peaceful tank aside one fish. Randall's Prawn bullied him too about a year ago. You can do a dragonet no problem IF you setup baby brine shrimp hatcheries and let your Tisbe pod population take off running for a few months. If you want to learn how message me. I can run you through it all. It will literally cost you less than $75 to have Tisbe pods and baby brine shrimp to feed it everyday.
I read a lot and watch a ton of videos. Take this into consideration also. We will get a lot of great info on here. A lot of experienced members that have all the bells and whistles that have never had a tank smaller than a 120g or stepped into a Petco in their life. Figure out what fish would work for a 10g-75g. There seems to be a gap between the 75g-120g where if you were to look for a fish in that range there is not much and there all risks if they are in a 110 or lower gallon tank. Hope this helps and best of luck with your tank.

Thank you! Very helpful. And what a cute mandarin [emoji5]️️ they are beautiful fish and I'd definitely consider one down the road when my tank is more mature and I am more experienced! And I will look up those pods!