Stocking recommendations for 60g cube - mixed reef

WiscoFishNut · Nov 4, 2019

Hey folks, I could use some suggestions on stocking(fish) my 60g cube. For corals I'm starting with LPS and softies, but may eventually try some SPS way down the road if I manage to do a decent job keeping things alive. I've got 4 fish in QT at the moment as well as a handful of corals(torch, hammer, random zoas, gonipora). Nems are on the list for down the road, likely in March 2020. I've got my stepdaughter's destination wedding to pay for, plus the travel associated with that lol.

Here's the first batch that'll go to the DT once they clear QT
1 snowflake clown
1 storm clown
1 6-line wrasse
1 coral beauty angelfish (I'm a gambling man, and love the colors..)
1 fire shrimp
peppermint shrimp (may keep em in the coral QT to battle random aiptasia)
random snails

I'm drawing blanks on what other fish to add. I'd like everything to be reasonably reef safe and not crazy aggressive.

The only other fish I've come up with are
bicolor blenny
Dwarf Zebra Lionfish (yeah so much for non-aggressive lol)

Jesterrace · Nov 4, 2019

You definitely are a gambling man with a 6 line wrasse. They often turn nasty when they mature. Definitely skip the Dwarf Lion as it will eat anything that it can fit into it's mouth. The rest of the list looks good although the CB generally prefers a 4 foot long or longer tank for horizontal swimming room.

Dempsey941 · Nov 4, 2019

Swap the sixline for 1-3 flasher wrasses, add in a goby/shrimp pair, maybe a hawkfish, maybe some bangaii or pajama cardinals then call it a tank.

Midrats · Nov 4, 2019

I'd 86 the peppermint. I must have bad luck but in 30 years I've never had luck with them. They always end up picking at LPS corals in particular.

Dragon52 · Nov 4, 2019

As Stated already I would not get the 6-line, Mean

WiscoFishNut · Nov 5, 2019

Dang, that little diminutive 6-line is a bully waiting to happen? He's so tiny right now lol. Will it bully fish bigger than him or just ones the same size or smaller. He's still in QT at the moment, so all options are on the table..

WiscoFishNut · Nov 5, 2019

I should also mention that the tank is bare bottom.

Gareth elliott · Nov 5, 2019

WiscoFishNut said:
Dang, that little diminutive 6-line is a bully waiting to happen? He's so tiny right now lol. Will it bully fish bigger than him or just ones the same size or smaller. He's still in QT at the moment, so all options are on the table..

They can bully just about anything that doesnt fight back and it thinks is invading it territory. Bare bottom if want a pest eater look at a pink streaked wrasse. Small, peaceful and will help to an extent with coral pests. Available in limited numbers from most vendors every month or 2.

Jesterrace · Nov 5, 2019

WiscoFishNut said:
Dang, that little diminutive 6-line is a bully waiting to happen? He's so tiny right now lol. Will it bully fish bigger than him or just ones the same size or smaller. He's still in QT at the moment, so all options are on the table..

There are examples of them going after Blue Tangs 3x their size (usually ends up in a lopsided victory for the Tang and the death of the 6 line in those cases). The point is they will go after anything they feel they can bully even fish much larger than themselves (think aggressive damsel and dottyback type behavior). The problem is that 6 lines can do okay for a bit and then snap one day as they mature and even worse they are a pain to try and catch due to their quick speed and small size.

#1Fellowreefer · Nov 5, 2019

The Royal Gramma, Pyramid Butterfly and the Divided Leopard Wrasse are the ones I have and are very peaceful in the tank with one an other.

WiscoFishNut · Nov 5, 2019

Jesterrace said:
There are examples of them going after Blue Tangs 3x their size (usually ends up in a lopsided victory for the Tang and the death of the 6 line in those cases). The point is they will go after anything they feel they can bully even fish much larger than themselves (think aggressive damsel and dottyback type behavior). The problem is that 6 lines can do okay for a bit and then snap one day as they mature and even worse they are a pain to try and catch due to their quick speed and small size.

Holy crap, that's nuts lol! So far the only SW fish I've had that needed an attitude adjustment was a purple dottyback. I'm glad I asked for some feedback before this batch is ready for the DT. I was able to catch the dottyback with a 2 liter coke bottle trap, but it was still a PITA I'd prefer to avoid lol.

Back when I used to keep freshwater tanks any fish that decided to go rogue in one of my community tanks usually found themselves moved to the tank with a pretty large Green Terror in it.. I really miss that fish and may end up starting up a FW tank to house one down the road. Sucker had a ton of personality and was really interactive when people where near the tank.

Bluecbs · Nov 14, 2019

Possum wrasse and clown goby,...

Katrina71 · Nov 14, 2019

The six line. Uh. He'd be a great sump master.

Radman73 · Nov 14, 2019

Love the 60 cube profile. I keep mine up and running just in case I want to throw something in there. Until then, it's a great long term observation tank.

Bare bottom makes it tougher.
Orange back fairy wrasse
McCosker's flasher wrasse
Firefish of your choice
2 clowns
Royal Gramma
Tail spot blenny
Fathead sunburst anthia
Potter's angel

If was going to stock my 60 up again, and went bare bottom, that's likely what I would go with.