Setting up a 90 Gallon reef cube! Need stocking ideas!

psphillies · Oct 22, 2019

Hi all!

I am new to the forum and was looking for input/ ideas on stocking...

Info on tank:
Dimensions 30x30x20 (90 gal)
20 gal sump

Right now my list includes:
-Royal Gramma
-Clown (pair)
-Dragononet (green?)
-Cardinal fish (3)
-Firefish (purple)
I'm not sure if everything is compatible and if everything goes well with a reef.
Any additional input or ideas is greatly appreciated!

psphillies · Oct 22, 2019

Also, would love to have some sort of puffer. But wanting to have some starfish and shrimp I don't know if that's possible...

Jmas4 · Oct 22, 2019

Welcome to reef2reef!
A dragonet may require a larger tank. I recommend only 1 or 2 cardinalfish because when you have 3 they will pair off and bully the third. A puffer is not safe with shrimp.

MERKEY · Oct 22, 2019

Welcome!!

You could add an angel, watchman goby, so many choices lol....

Wolf89 · Oct 22, 2019

pufferfish are not reef safe or shrimp safe

I'd recommend a fox face for your tank, it would be a great fit

Saltwatertaffy · Oct 22, 2019

Blue or yellow eye kole tang

C. Eymann · Oct 22, 2019

Wolf89 said:
pufferfish are not reef safe or shrimp safe

I'd recommend a fox face for your tank, it would be a great fit

+1 fox face or a ctenochaetus tang would be a good addition.

If you had to have a puffer you could try a saddled toby (valentini puffer) or a bluespot toby- they are fairly reef safe, but may munch on some of your crabs.

Jesterrace · Oct 22, 2019

psphillies said:
Hi all!

I am new to the forum and was looking for input/ ideas on stocking...

Info on tank:
Dimensions 30x30x20 (90 gal)
20 gal sump

Right now my list includes:
-Royal Gramma
-Clown (pair)
-Dragononet (green?)
-Cardinal fish (3)
-Firefish (purple)
I'm not sure if everything is compatible and if everything goes well with a reef.
Any additional input or ideas is greatly appreciated!

Royal Gramma may bully the Firefish (similar shape and color) and Firefish are very easily bullied in most cases. I would get the Royal Gramma and skip the firefish. I would look at a Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse instead. Far more visible and active and way more personality:

The mandarin may be a challenge and it all depends on how much of a pod population you can build up before adding it. Generally 6 months to a year is needed to get a sizeable population breeding in your sump to sustain one. They have very short digestive tracts and need to feed near constantly.