Stocking 90g help :/

[KnJAquatics]

Ok so Im in charge of my moms 90g tank we got it and it had been running for 9mths the day we transferred everything and brought it home we did very minimal cleaning well basically just took the top layer of sand about 1/2in or less off bc thats what we were told to do.. the tank came with fish and a few things but we have had it a month with good levels and no problems

Not sure what to stock or how many I keep getting told different things by everyone so I wanna start from scratch here

Current stock: Valentini puffer, Dwarf Flame Angel, Black Clownfish pair and a long tentacle anemone along with some hermits and snails

Possible stock to add:
Purple firefish (2 if possible)
Scooter / Lawn mower Blenny
Watchman Goby (she wants a tiger if we can find it)
Long nose hawk fish
Six line wrasse (maybe still undecided)
Either some cardinals or chromis
Feather duster
Coral banded shrimp (gonna try it with the puffer we know it may end up lunch eventually)

 

[nstarcoral]

From what I know about Valenti puffers, you're limiting your other wants by having that guy. I would worry about the inverts around your puffer. I think purchasing them would be like buying your puffer some treats. So, I would stray from the feather duster and shrimp. You're also going to need to keep restocking those hermits and snails like crazy. I have a small Puapan puffer in the work tank, which is all softies basically, and I restock the crabs and snails every two weeks. On a side note, I don't need to feed my puffer.

For your wrasse, I think a Melanarus Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) is a better choice than a six line. More colorful and better pest assassins, in my opinion.

Maybe some others have more insight to the valenti.

 

[KnJAquatics]

Puff hasnt messed with the crabs or snails as of yet he came with the tank and is about 10mths old from what we have been told .. but the difference could be bc we feed him ramshorn baby snails from my freshwater tank once a week and drop in ghost shrimp as well from time to time along with the frozen food selections..of course we do realize it is a possibility that inverts will be eaten ..he is my moms fav tbough so the tank will be stocked around him.

we also were told to buy co pods im just not sure for what exactly ....

The six line wrasse is my moms favorite color wise but ill let her know and see about the other one.. shes already leaning towards not getting one ..

 

[nstarcoral]

Awesome, you have a reef-safe puffer Lucky! Sixlines are cool, and if you add it near the end, I think it would help curb the aggression. In my opinion, sixlines do best with a fish to keep them in check.

 

[Eienna]

You should know that scooter "blennies" are not blennies at all. They're dragonets, and they require copepods.

 

[KnJAquatics]

Yea we know that to. Mom just likes the way they swim.. i personally prefer the bicolor blenny...
We are going to try and grab some fish tomorrow after I get off work shes wanting to add the watchman goby, blenny, and firefish tomorrow .. mayb a coral banded shrimp

I really dont like the wrasse at all i plan to try and change her mind . We definately have different taste

I feel like im leaving something out :/ oh yea mom said she read that having a sand sifting goby would remove the good algae in her tank and cause more harm then good so now she is worried bc thats why she wants the goby bc she likes watching it sift. I dont think it would be a problem though

 

[KnJAquatics]

I know what i forgot.. we have been told different things on hiw my fish to add so i need to know about how many but be stocked safely we have been told 5-15 thats a big differences and 5 fish in a 90g sounds to low to me. We have atleast a 40g sump and a reef octopus 150 skimmer
All her fish she wants stay around 3-6inch

 

[Eienna]

Well, you don't want the scooter and the sifter at the same time; the sifter will deplete the microfauna that the scooter requires for survival. There is a chance you could get a scooter that eats frozens (request to watch it eat), though. Sifting gobies (and sand-sifter starfish) will quite quickly render your sandbed devoid of life.

The best advice is to stock slowly, and keep in mind that it is unlikely for the fish you buy to already be at their full adult size. Watch your parameters and the fishes' behavior to help you tell when you've hit the limit for your tank.

Can you post a proposed stocking list? That would help us a lot in terms of determining good numbers and compatibility.

 

[KnJAquatics]

Current stock: Valentini puffer, Dwarf Flame Angel, Black Clownfish pair and a long tentacle anemone along with some hermits and snails

Possible stock to add:
Purple firefish (2 if possible)
Scooter / Lawn mower Blenny
Watchman Goby (she wants a tiger if we can find it)
Long nose hawk fish
Six line wrasse (maybe still undecided)
Either some cardinals or chromis
Feather duster
Coral banded shrimp (gonna try it with the puffer we know it may end up lunch eventually)

Prolly gonna skip the wrasse

 

[Eienna]

Current stock: Valentini puffer, Dwarf Flame Angel, Black Clownfish pair and a long tentacle anemone along with some hermits and snails

Possible stock to add:
Purple firefish (2 if possible)
Scooter / Lawn mower Blenny
Watchman Goby (she wants a tiger if we can find it)
Long nose hawk fish
Six line wrasse (maybe still undecided)
Either some cardinals or chromis
Feather duster
Coral banded shrimp (gonna try it with the puffer we know it may end up lunch eventually)

Prolly gonna skip the wrasse

Sixlines can be incredibly aggressive. Why not check out the fairy wrasses?

I don't know too much about hawkfish...hmmm.

 

[KnJAquatics]

My mom just simply dont like the others the six line was whatvshe wanted but we have removed him from the list.

The long nose hawk fish is supposed to be mild mannered and not really a bother from what the lfs told us and what we read has kinda supported what he said.

She wants some of those purple firefish but we have read different things we were told we needed only 1 in the tank and then had saw where it needs a small group added at once and then another spot says a mated pair only together .. so we have been just alittle confused to say the least

 

[Eienna]

I suspect that it has something to do with your tank size. Firefish seem to be generally mild...if you can get a mated pair, I would do that, but if you can't be sure of a pair I would only do a single. I suspect that multiple males may fight, though in some species it's the females with the attitude so I don't know which XD

 

[nstarcoral]

Skip the hawkfish, you already have a fringe fish in there, adding another one is just dangerous. Skip the sand-sifter. Sand sifting gobies shouldn't be in home aquaria anyway, they always die unless you get them eating frozen or have a 400+ gallon tank, and it will not get along with your watchman.

As far as how many--it depends on a lot of things, and that's why you got a large range of 5-15. How much live rock? How much sand? How much water is the sump--I know you said "at least 40 gallons," but that sounds like you don't know. How much do you feed? What type of corals do you want to keep? See where I'm going with this? There are a ton of things that define your bioload capacity. I have a solution:

Add a couple fish at a time (or only one at a time if its a big waste-maker--larger carnivores) and wait a few weeks while testing your water. What this will do is notify you if you go over your bioload by registering Ammonia and/or Nitrite. This will also serve to build your bacteria colony.

 

[KnJAquatics]

I suspect that it has something to do with your tank size. Firefish seem to be generally mild...if you can get a mated pair, I would do that, but if you can't be sure of a pair I would only do a single. I suspect that multiple males may fight, though in some species it's the females with the attitude so I don't know which XD

Figured it out I think... the purple firefish and the firefish have different requirements the purple only needs one or a mated pair where the firefish needs a group.. from what i was told they are different fish I just assumed they were the same just different colors both being firefish...

 

[Eienna]

Figured it out I think... the purple firefish and the firefish have different requirements the purple only needs one or a mated pair where the firefish needs a group.. from what i was told they are different fish I just assumed they were the same just different colors both being firefish...

That would make sense.
Also, bear in mind there's a lot of misinformation and just plain lack of information on pretty much any marine animal you care to name.

 

[KnJAquatics]

Skip the hawkfish, you already have a fringe fish in there, adding another one is just dangerous. Skip the sand-sifter. Sand sifting gobies shouldn't be in home aquaria anyway, they always die unless you get them eating frozen or have a 400+ gallon tank, and it will not get along with your watchman.

As far as how many--it depends on a lot of things, and that's why you got a large range of 5-15. How much live rock? How much sand? How much water is the sump--I know you said "at least 40 gallons," but that sounds like you don't know. How much do you feed? What type of corals do you want to keep? See where I'm going with this? There are a ton of things that define your bioload capacity. I have a solution:

Add a couple fish at a time (or only one at a time if its a big waste-maker--larger carnivores) and wait a few weeks while testing your water. What this will do is notify you if you go over your bioload by registering Ammonia and/or Nitrite. This will also serve to build your bacteria colony.

Ok tank.. well sump no im not sure its atleast a 40g but may be bigger its about the size of my standard 55g just not as tall ill have to try and measure it . All i know is the orgial owner upgraded it from the orginal sump

The live rock right now has 50lbs and we are gradually adding more . Coral well actually we hadnt planned on any coral but my friend wants us to try some low light corals and is sending some.frags of hers.. i dont know how many or of what except some pulsing xenia ..

We actually bought some fish today before I got on here.. my friend said the hawk would be ok so we bought a female falco hawk .. we also grabbed the coral banded shrimp and the puffer hasnt even went around it since we added it which I realize can change. We also got a watchman goby it eats the algae wafers which we got to witness before purchase and lastly a royal gramma

 

[Eienna]

I expect you're quarantining?
That's an awful lot of fish to add at once...

 

[KnJAquatics]

Yea we quartined everything except the shrimp

 

[Eienna]

Yea we quartined everything except the shrimp

Cool

 

[KnJAquatics]

Its been awhile since I got on here.. so here is a update... mom is rehoming the angel bc she/he turned pretty mean over the last couple weeks and actually stressed the royal gramma to death. Which I told mom to keep and eye out she just didnt realize what to look for but she does now and the angel is harrassing the goby now so it has to go.

Priscilla (coral banded shrimp) is doing just fine Puff doesnt even look at her but the angel has got pinched a few times.. Sadie (falco hawk) is great has tons of personality and is easily one of moms favorites of course the angel is trying to push her around to but well it doesnt work..

Mom has someone trying to talk her into a bicolored angel or a christmas wrasse or a leopard wrasse I told her to be cautious with the leo i thought it may try to eat her shrimp and that the angel may get just as aggressive as the one we are rehoming saturday gonna do some more research before I let her bring anything home so any suggestions are welcome. Ooh also getting the package of pulsing xeniaths in and some mushrooms tomorrow considering upgrading lights to do some of the easier corals my dad likes them so change of plans...lol

Also im in the process of changing my 20g into a invert tank eith maybe a goby an pistol shrimp pair or firefish got a friend giving me a protein skimmer for a 90g and some live rock