Stocking recommendations

Leyth · Aug 23, 2017

Hey guys, a few months ago I upgraded my 17 gallon to a Red sea reefer 350. Everything is going great. My tank is stable with 8.3 alk, 430 cal, 1230 mag, 8.3 ph, < 5 ppm nitrate, and 8.3 ph. I have a lot of different corals(SPS and LPS) and one anemone. My current stocking is 2 clownfish, 1 lawn mower blenny, 1 pistol shrimp, and 1 small urchin. I love many different types of fish, but I don't really know what would be best suited for my tank. It's around 75 gallons or 90 something if you count the sump.

I really want to add some colorful fish with personalities to the tank. I really like kole tangs, ruby dragonet, coral beauty's, and other various angelfish. Unfortunately, I fear that a kole tang would bully my lawn mower blenny. I also fear that any angelfish will take on my corals. Does anyone have any recommendations? Do you think I should just try out an angelfish or tang and watch them carefully?

I love this hobby, but I have a really hard time with the idea of putting an animal in a box and have them suffer to death. I like to be as careful as possible which is probably why I have 3 small fish in a big tank and can't seem to put a dent in the nitrates lol.

Maritimer · Aug 23, 2017

My own coral beauty offers no more than an exploratory nip here and there to any coral - but there's always that risk.

My kole, on the other hand, _was_ a holy terror to my starry blenny. More recently, they seem to have reached an uneasy truce. It often has a lot to do with who's established first, and how much room they have to maneuver.

~Bruce

Leyth · Aug 23, 2017

Cool thanks, that sounds like a good coral beauty. Maybe I just hear more of the bad than the good.

Maritimer · Aug 24, 2017

People always seem to make more noise about the bad ... sample any episode of the evening news for evidence.

I will say that my flame angel is not _as_ reef-safe as the coral beauty - he's got a vengeful streak when it comes to a certain favia, though otherwise he's not too bad.

~Bruce

eatbreakfast · Aug 24, 2017

Is a top a possibility for the tank? There are quite a few wrasses that would work, but they are all prone to jumping. A purple tilefish is also cool, and a flame or longnose hawk have great personalities, but also are jumpers.

BenitaSolo · Aug 24, 2017

I added a Yellow Candy Hogfish to my tank a few months ago. It's an attractive peaceful fish. It's like a wrasse that's a little bit more relaxed. I highly recommend and think it would be a great addition that keeps the stocking potential flexible down the road.

Maybe consider a geometric pygmy hawkfish... lots of personality!

EDIT and NOTE: Just read a thread on RC, the first one that pops up when you google the fish, and apparently some people have problems with aggression... He's the smallest and latest addition so he won't be pushing anyone around... I would also like to note that I don't have any shrimp.

eatbreakfast · Aug 24, 2017

BenitaSolo said:
I added a Yellow Candy Hogfish to my tank a few months ago. It's an attractive peaceful fish. It's like a wrasse that's a little bit more relaxed. I highly recommend and think it would be a great addition that keeps the stocking potential flexible down the road.

All to often this species develops a real attitude to peaceful fish and fish added after it.

The Reef Dork · Aug 24, 2017

I wouldn't say a Coral Beauty has character as such. For personality, i'd go for a hawkfish (flames are brightly coloured and better with inverst), blenny (although you already have one) or a shrimp goby with pistol shrimp. Wrasses are very inquisitive too which is entertaining.

Leyth · Aug 24, 2017

Thanks for all your replies. Yes, I can add a top to the tank as I'm not against the idea. The hawkfish is one that I looked at as well, but I read that they pick on inverts so it made me nervous since I have a pistol shrimp.

BenitaSolo · Aug 24, 2017

I had a geometric pygmy hawk in my 40 gallon cube with a cleaner a a peppermint shrimp with no problems. You never know what's going to happen though...