Reefer 170 stock list

laezur · Apr 4, 2023

Hi guys, just wanting to check if there is anything else that I can stock in my tank or if I'm at my capacity as I'd love some more movement/colour in the tank. The tank is currently over-filtered with a sump, skimmer and an external canister (Fluval FX2), I know that doesn't usually mean much, but sometimes you can fit a fish where you wouldn't usually.

2x Clownfish,
1x Bengai Cardinal
1x Peppermint Shrimp
1x Mandarin
Snails/Hermits
Hoping to add an urchin next

Quietman · Apr 4, 2023

I would say you can add a couple more smaller fish. Careful not competing with mandarin (unless it's taking prepared foods just fine). Going to have to watch aggression with those clowns in a smaller tank too. I have a 170 and only keep one clown and it's caused a problem or two in the past requiring temporary jailing. I'd go with fish that stay close to bottom or on rocks. Maybe a YWG/Shrimp pair, Tailspot blenny is very nice and if Mandarin is on prepared foods - a Pygmy or Pink Streaked Wrasse is also an option.

laezur · Apr 4, 2023

Quietman said:
I would say you can add a couple more smaller fish. Careful not competing with mandarin (unless it's taking prepared foods just fine). Going to have to watch aggression with those clowns in a smaller tank too. I have a 170 and only keep one clown and it's caused a problem or two in the past requiring temporary jailing. I'd go with fish that stay close to bottom or on rocks. Maybe a YWG/Shrimp pair, Tailspot blenny is very nice and if Mandarin is on prepared foods - a Pygmy or Pink Streaked Wrasse is also an option.

A watchman goby would be wonderful!

Mandarin is taking prepared foods, I got very lucky with him. He loves brine shrimp, but my tank is also a year and a half old and I consistently dose copepods so I think there's plenty of food there for a competitor. Of course, I'd be cautious with that.

As far as my clowns go... They are the most docile fish I have ever seen. Legitimately, they have their anemone and don't even defend it, fish go through their territory fine all day long, I've even moved the rock with their anemone attached and they just followed me with it. Sometimes when I get my hands in the tank to scrub stubborn algae they'll wait by my hand for the algae to come loose of the glass and then eat it. I've got a video of my hands in the tank basically handling them and they will come and investigate. They're big as well, definitely into sexual maturation. Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent here. Some small fish that add some movement would be lovely. I don't have a huge sand bed so I'd be wary about the sleeping places for the wrasse.

Quietman · Apr 4, 2023

laezur said:
A watchman goby would be wonderful!

Mandarin is taking prepared foods, I got very lucky with him. He loves brine shrimp, but my tank is also a year and a half old and I consistently dose copepods so I think there's plenty of food there for a competitor. Of course, I'd be cautious with that.

As far as my clowns go... They are the most docile fish I have ever seen. Legitimately, they have their anemone and don't even defend it, fish go through their territory fine all day long, I've even moved the rock with their anemone attached and they just followed me with it. Sometimes when I get my hands in the tank to scrub stubborn algae they'll wait by my hand for the algae to come loose of the glass and then eat it. I've got a video of my hands in the tank basically handling them and they will come and investigate. They're big as well, definitely into sexual maturation. Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent here. Some small fish that add some movement would be lovely. I don't have a huge sand bed so I'd be wary about the sleeping places for the wrasse.

Sounds like well managed. My clown was fine until I added a new fish at the 3 year point. Then she went bananas and I had to quickly setup a clown jail in 10 gallon. Luckily after a month re-introduction was peaceful again, just needed a reset. Point is fish can react unexpectedly when you change the equation. The pink streaked wrasse doesn't sleep in sand but with your mandarin also eating pods - wouldn't go with that anyway.

laezur · Apr 4, 2023

Quietman said:
Sounds like well managed. My clown was fine until I added a new fish at the 3 year point. Then she went bananas and I had to quickly setup a clown jail in 10 gallon. Luckily after a month re-introduction was peaceful again, just needed a reset. Point is fish can react unexpectedly when you change the equation. The pink streaked wrasse doesn't sleep in sand but with your mandarin also eating pods - wouldn't go with that anyway.

How would Chromis do or something similar? Everytime I see a beautiful reef with lots of movement they usually include these fish as they swim through the negative space and around the coral/rockwork quite a lot where as my Clowns obviously stay near their anemone, and the Bangai barely moves. Even something similar to those fish, but I'm not clued up on many species.

Quietman · Apr 4, 2023

Quietman said:
Sounds like well managed. My clown was fine until I added a new fish at the 3 year point. Then she went bananas and I had to quickly setup a clown jail in 10 gallon. Luckily after a month re-introduction was peaceful again, just needed a reset. Point is fish can react unexpectedly when you change the equation. The pink streaked wrasse doesn't sleep in sand but with your mandarin also eating pods - wouldn't go with that anyway.

For chromis, I have one and it's always been one of my favorites - just a gorgeous blue color. Even though one of cheaper fish to get. One thing glad I did is listen to people on here. Chromis will frequently terrorize each other if try to school (at least without some predator fish) and it's very common to end up with just one. I started with one and he's the oldest fish in my tank. Survived everything from beginning till now, very hardy. But especially in a small tank - I'd just get one.

And I LOVED my YWG/Tiger shrimp pair until lost them subsequent to dino outbreak. Great fish, not aggressive but doesn't take any grief from other fish either. Kept to his quarter of the tank and watching the shrimp dig and dig and dig was always enjoyable. Have a good fitting lid - things can jump oddly well for bottom dwellers. They're not sand sifters either so no worries competing.