Stocking suggestions

[Eric23]

75 gallon mixed Reef
Current live stock is
Small hippo Tang
Japanese swallowtail angel
Adult percula clownfish
Starry blenny
Small female leopard wrasse
Serpent star
Cleaner shrimp
6 inc snowflake eel (being moved to a different tank as soon as I can get him)

Some of my thoughts are a male leopard wrasse, orange back Wrasse or other similar type Wrasse, male swallowtail angel, flasher wrasse, Midas blenny, small blue jaw trigger, yellow tang...

What do you guys think is there anything else I should be thinking of I don't want to add too many fish maybe one of the above possibly two

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I think you need to find a bigger tank first for that tang, 75 gallons is too small.

If you want any of those other fish, you're also probably gonna need a bigger tank, especially for that triggerfish.

The midas blenny would probably be okay without the eel. It has a tendency to want to hide in the same places the eel may already be in.

 

[Eric23]

I agree with you 100% about the size of the tank. I have a few tanks in my house and once these fish get bigger they'll go into a larger Aquarium but right now that hippo Tang is just bigger than a quarter. If I put him in a 200 with larger fish I'll likely never see him. I always agree that fish like tangs and triggers and larger angelfish need to be in bigger tanks but I've never seen a problem in growing them out and smaller tanks but I've never seen a problem with growing them out and smaller tanks especially when you get them at extra small size

 

[eatbreakfast]

I would advise against a second swallowtail angel in that size tank.

I also wouldn't add a male leopard to an established female. When they transition their attitude changes before their colors and can be very aggressive to other males.

I would also recommend against a trigger in that size tank.

 

[Eric23]

Okay good advice so far from all ....... Do you guys think I should just leave the tank as is for now or is there something you think I could add..

Again as far as the trigger goes I have a 50 gallon Cube that I put a 2 inch blue jaw trigger in for about a year until I moved him into my cousin 120 where he's been doing great for the past 2 years. There's a lot of fish see at the local stores that get way too big to be kept in most medium sized tanks. These fish are not going back to the ocean they're getting bought regardless of what anybody says they're size requirements are. I see no problem with buying a fish at 1 to 2 in and putting it in a medium sized tank until it's time to move them to a bigger tank. At that point you can give it away on the forums to somebody with an appropriately-sized home or bring it back to the store you got it from which I've done many times in exchange for another small fish of the same species or upgrade your tank. That being said aggression in an overcrowded tank with fish that need a lot of space as a whole different subject.

I could be a hundred percent wrong with my thinking and I definitely appreciate having someone explain it to me if I am because I am not a professional but my thinking has always been a 75 gallon tank with a quarter-sized hippo Tang is in the same proportions of an adult hippo tang and 180 gallon tank

 

[eatbreakfast]

Okay good advice so far from all ....... Do you guys think I should just leave the tank as is for now or is there something you think I could add..

Again as far as the trigger goes I have a 50 gallon Cube that I put a 2 inch blue jaw trigger in for about a year until I moved him into my cousin 120 where he's been doing great for the past 2 years. There's a lot of fish see at the local stores that get way too big to be kept in most medium sized tanks. These fish are not going back to the ocean they're getting bought regardless of what anybody says they're size requirements are. I see no problem with buying a fish at 1 to 2 in and putting it in a medium sized tank until it's time to move them to a bigger tank. At that point you can give it away on the forums to somebody with an appropriately-sized home or bring it back to the store you got it from which I've done many times in exchange for another small fish of the same species or upgrade your tank. That being said aggression in an overcrowded tank with fish that need a lot of space as a whole different subject.

I could be a hundred percent wrong with my thinking and I definitely appreciate having someone explain it to me if I am because I am not a professional but my thinking has always been a 75 gallon tank with a quarter-sized hippo Tang is in the same proportions of an adult hippo tang and 180 gallon tank

There is a stark difference in doing something out of ignorance and doing something willful.

And quite frankly you don't know who is going to purchase that fish after you. If indeed it is someone with an adequately sized tank, now you are the one that confined it in too small of a tank when it would be happier elsewhere.

And even if someone with a bigger tank isn't coming along, we all vote with our dollars, so you voted 'yes, bring more inappropriate fish in'.

 

[Eric23]

You make a good point I didn't see it that way but definitely food for thought.

 

[Eric23]

And not to start a huge argument here but wouldn't all fish , corals, and inverts, be "happier" in the ocean where they came from ? As Reef Keepers we should all try to act with some sort of ethics. However we are all taking animals out of their natural environment and putting them in boxes in our homes.

 

[Eric23]

Again I do agree with you though and I'm glad you brought up the point because it will likely affect what I do and don't do in the future

 

[eatbreakfast]

And not to start a huge argument here but wouldn't all fish , corals, and inverts, be "happier" in the ocean where they came from ? As Reef Keepers we should all try to act with some sort of ethics. However we are all taking animals out of their natural environment and putting them in boxes in our homes.

For some fish, yes. But there are many species with a natural range that is smaller than a home aquarium. Take for example, many dwarf basslets, gobies, blennies, Cardinals, some wrasses, etc. Also, take into account for many of these smaller species, finding a reliable food source and not getting eaten are concerns multiple times throughout the day.

Learning as much about these animals, and providing the best care for them is our responsibility as their stewards.

 

[Eric23]

Agreed !!! If you were going to stock a 75 what would your dream combination be ? I'm always having a hard time finding smaller fish that are more active in the water column. Most of the reef fish I found appropriately sized seem to spend most of their time hiding or sitting in one spot. If all I had in the tank was the starry blenny and the percula Clown what would you recommend stocking wise to add movement and color

 

[eatbreakfast]

Some of my favorite fish for that size tank include:
Flame or longnose hawkfish
A group of Zebra or scissortail dartfish
Yellow assessor
Royal Gramma
Swales basslets
Watchman goby/ shrimp pr
Tiger jawfish
Purple tilefish
Pink streak wrasse
A few azure, arnazae, springeri or tricincta damsels.

 

[Eric23]

The hawkfish I had (falco and long nose) but got rid of because he ate my snails and shrimp but the rest sound good
I've always loved those scissor tail dart fish but never kept them

 

[PatW]

Three things that I think are problematic.

First, the eel is a predator. It is best to plan the whole tank around a predator.

Second, the hippo tang can get enormous. It needs a large tank with a long running dimension like 8’.

Third, I understand that the leopard wrasse is a dedicated pod eater. They are really something for an expert who is willing to take the time to fool with them.

But, thanks for asking. I would suggest going to live aquaria and looking at fish that are 1 easy, 2 peaceful, 3 reef safe and 4 suitable for tanks of your size or smaller.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Three things that I think are problematic.

First, the eel is a predator. It is best to plan the whole tank around a predator.

Second, the hippo tang can get enormous. It needs a large tank with a long running dimension like 8’.

Third, I understand that the leopard wrasse is a dedicated pod eater. They are really something for an expert who is willing to take the time to fool with them.

But, thanks for asking. I would suggest going to live aquaria and looking at fish that are 1 easy, 2 peaceful, 3 reef safe and 4 suitable for tanks of your size or smaller.

Snowflakes, while an eel, are more of invert eater. They may hunt fish, but usually it is fish added after them.

Once past the first couple of weeks leopards can be quite hardy. And while they hunt pods, most do convert to a prepared diet.

 

[Eric23]

I've had large snowflake eels and with cleaner shrimp and all kinds of other inverts and never had one eat anything. I've also never had one eat a fish but maybe I've just been really lucky. The leopard wrasses I've had great luck with as long as you see them eating frozen food in the store they're almost Bulletproof. Mine eats lrs frozen food like crazy. She will also scour the rock for pods but I have a huge arid cheato reactor hooked up to my system and a near endless supply of pods coming from it

 

[Eric23]

I actually lost a leopard wrasse once when moving from one tank to another. I thought I had accidentally flushed it down the toilet or put it in the garbage withhold Rock that I wasn't using anymore. Hours and hours later when I was digging the sand out with a cup from the old tank I found the leopard wrasse buried and freezing picked it up with my hands and threw it into the new tank and it's still alive and that was 3 years ago

 

[Eric23]

Once you get them eating there almost impossible to kill

 

[Eric23]

I've had a much harder time trying to keep Anthea alive