Stocking list suggestion for 50 gallon tank

bondno9 · Apr 3, 2024

I’m planning on picking up a IM 50 gallon AIO lagoon in the near future and I wanted to small to medium fish so the tank looks bigger. Preferably smaller fish but I definitely plan to get a pair of clown fish and the rest I’m open to suggestion. I do plan on having mixed corals as well but I’ll make sure to have caves and open spaces between the rocks for the fishes to swim. Looking forward to hearing your suggestion!

SudzFD · Apr 3, 2024

A wrasse like a six line rash would be good. Royal dotty back is a cool fish and a sand goby if you have deep enough sand.

Afkomjorgen · Apr 3, 2024

Lots of options!
Small hawkish like geometric hawkish are cool - but will bother small inverts.
Flasher and possum wrasses are great for a smaller tank.
Bar gobies are neat if you get a couple to school and are a little bigger but very peaceful.
Neon dottybacks are cool too, but orchids are supposed to be the nicer ones.
Blennies of all kinds. Starry, Klautzwitz, Ruby scooter, flame tail, all such characters.
I love my yellow watchman goby but she’s quite territorial. Sometimes Hi fin gobies share a burrow and a pistol shrimp companion in groups of 2 (even 3). Other cool gobies : Hector, pink spotted watchman, wheeler, tangora.
Other other cool fish: pearly jawfish are hilarious burrow makers.

JoJosReef · Apr 3, 2024

Wrasses!

Will you have a sand bed? If so:
Yellow wrasse - Halichoeres chrysus
or Silver belly wrasse - Halichoeres leucoxanthus
or Radiant wrasse (**) - Halichoeres iridis
or Xmas wrasse - Halichoeres claudia
or Red line wrasse - Halichoeres biocellatus
or Babi wrasse (***) - Halichoeres pallidus
+
Blue Star leopard wrasse - Macropharyngodon bipartitis
or Leopard wrasse - Macropharyngodon meleagris
or Ornate leopard wrasse - Macropharyngodon ornatus
or Choat's leopard wrasse (***) - Macropharyngodon choati
or Jewelled wrasse (****) - Halichoeres lapillus

** - really excellent addition
*** - amaaazing if you can get one (and keep it alive)
**** - holy grail (at least in my opinion) -- note I keep the Jeweled in the leopard category even though it is classified as a Halichoeres, but that's because they're so similar to leopards. In a 50 I'd go for one Halichoeres and one Macropharyngodon, but that's just me

Also:
2x Pink streak wrasses - Pseudocheilinops ataenia (adorable)
+
Yellow banded possum wrasse - Wetmorella nigropinnata
+
Yasha shrimp goby - Stonogobiops yasha (perfect size for a 50)
+
Candy cane pistol shrimp - Alpheus randalli (perfect size for a yasha)

All of the above might do fine with a pair of clowns. Maybe. I dunno.

If it were me, I would stray away from most flashers since the IM 50 lagoon isn't lengthy, and flashers like length. Fairies similarly, but some that might be less bothered by the tank size:

Splendid pintail fairy wrasse - Cirrhilabrus isosceles
Dusky fairy wrasse - Cirrhilabrus brunneus
Lubbock fairy wrasse - Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
Exquisite fairy wrasse - Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
Ruby longfin fairy wrasse - Cirrhilabrus rubeus

thewrasseguy has a good chart for mixing fairies:

My ocellaris female clown hated my C. brunneus, though. Not sure if she disliked fairies in general or just the brunneus. She left the leopard and the H. chrysus alone, as well as the tailspot blenny (also a delightful fish, but can be a bit nippy with some corals).

Lots of great options!