Thoughts on this 75 gallon stocking plan

[Raplapla Ananas]

I'm upgrading from a 40 gallon to a 75 gallon tank. These are some of the fish that I'd like to stock my tank with. Is this list too many fish and are there any poor compatibility choices here? I had to make some concessions on the butterflies and angels. There are so many species I'd love to own, but a 75 is the biggest tank I can maintain for a while, so I picked the 2 smallest butterflies I could find and dwarf angels

1 royal gramma basslet
1 yellow watchman goby
1 madagascar spotted goby
1 pistol shrimp
1 flame hawkfish
1 anthias (blotched or fathead sunburst)
2 clownfish
2 butterflies (1 red pearscale and 1 mertensii)
2 puffers (1 saddle valentini and 1 papuan toby)
3 angels (1 bicolor, 1 coral beauty, and 1 flameback or pygmy cherub)
1 pajama cardinalfish

In my 40 gallon tank I have 2 clownfish, 1 royal gramma, 1 pistol shrimp, 1 yellow watchman goby, and 3 pajama cardinalfish

 

[fishski13]

Honestly, 15 fish is a lot for a 75 gallon especially when adding butterflies and dwarf angels which still can grow big. A lot of hiding places and rocks will be need as well as a lot of maintenance or a very large protein skimmer will be needed.

 

[Raplapla Ananas]

Honestly, 15 fish is a lot for a 75 gallon especially when adding butterflies and dwarf angels which still can grow big. A lot of hiding places and rocks will be need as well as a lot of maintenance or a very large protein skimmer will be needed.

Thank you. I appreciate your input. What about 8 fish (from my list above), no butterflyfish, and only one dwarf angel? Would that still be too many?

 

[fishski13]

Thank you. I appreciate your input. What about 8 fish (from my list above), no butterflyfish, and only one dwarf angel? Would that still be too many?

I would say 8-9 fish is a good goal for a 75. From the list I wouldnt do anthias, but other than that the rest are pretty peaceful and good fish. I also wouldnt keep just a single pajama cardinalfish, those are best kept in a school. I always like to say make sure you have fish with a utility or use. Try to maybe replace one of the gobies on your list with a sand shifting goby that will actually clean your sand once you begin to have an established tank.

That being said if you do really want a dwarf angel and a butterfly from your list in your tank, like I would in your shoes, I think it would be possible as long as you pick 1 angel and 1 butterfly and thats it. No more fish after that. With a new angel and butterfly you would have 9 fish in total. No more fish after that. Just have to remember these bigger fish have bigger bioload than a clown or cardinal in your current set up. This means more maintenance and checking if parameters are in check.

Also are you planning on doing coral?

Make sure you add your current livestock first, let them settle in, and than add new fish slowly, never double your bioload at once.

 

[Spare time]

Thank you. I appreciate your input. What about 8 fish (from my list above), no butterflyfish, and only one dwarf angel? Would that still be too many?

In my 75 gallon I have a wantanabei angel, tomini tang, melanarus wrasse, a medium sized marine beta, 2 clarkii clowns, 2 not fully grown gold head sleeper gobies, a damsel, and a starry blenny.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I'm upgrading from a 40 gallon to a 75 gallon tank. These are some of the fish that I'd like to stock my tank with. Is this list too many fish and are there any poor compatibility choices here? I had to make some concessions on the butterflies and angels. There are so many species I'd love to own, but a 75 is the biggest tank I can maintain for a while, so I picked the 2 smallest butterflies I could find and dwarf angels

1 royal gramma basslet
1 yellow watchman goby
1 madagascar spotted goby
1 pistol shrimp
1 flame hawkfish
1 anthias (blotched or fathead sunburst)
2 clownfish
2 butterflies (1 red pearscale and 1 mertensii)
2 puffers (1 saddle valentini and 1 papuan toby)
3 angels (1 bicolor, 1 coral beauty, and 1 flameback or pygmy cherub)
1 pajama cardinalfish

In my 40 gallon tank I have 2 clownfish, 1 royal gramma, 1 pistol shrimp, 1 yellow watchman goby, and 3 pajama cardinalfish

Pick 2 dwarf angels and add them at the same time. 3 is too many for a tank this size. Bicolor and coral beauty tend to be less aggressive than the pygmies, but do get larger and the bicolor tends to eat corals.

As for the butterflies, the mertensii and xanthurus will fight. If you are going to do 2, get 2 that look dissimilar. Just remember most butterflies eat coral. Lemon/Milletseed, Decussatus, Dot-Dash, and Melanotus all stay a little smaller than racoons, threadfins, and falcula, and are just about as hardy. They all will eat various corals though.

I would go with the fathead over the blotchy anthias in a 75, stays smaller. I would also stick with just 1 toby.

Flame hawk and toby might both try eating your Pistol shrimp, they're both hit or miss with crustaceans.

FWIW, I have 39 fish in my 75 gallon (VERY heavily stocked) but I went with smaller fish. Heavily stocking can be done, but expect to do much more frequent water changes, go through WAY more food (heavy feeding helpd cut any aggression) and have much stronger filtration to handle excess waste.

 

[Raplapla Ananas]

I would say 8-9 fish is a good goal for a 75. From the list I wouldnt do anthias, but other than that the rest are pretty peaceful and good fish. I also wouldnt keep just a single pajama cardinalfish, those are best kept in a school. I always like to say make sure you have fish with a utility or use. Try to maybe replace one of the gobies on your list with a sand shifting goby that will actually clean your sand once you begin to have an established tank.

That being said if you do really want a dwarf angel and a butterfly from your list in your tank, like I would in your shoes, I think it would be possible as long as you pick 1 angel and 1 butterfly and thats it. No more fish after that. With a new angel and butterfly you would have 9 fish in total. No more fish after that. Just have to remember these bigger fish have bigger bioload than a clown or cardinal in your current set up. This means more maintenance and checking if parameters are in check.

Also are you planning on doing coral?

Make sure you add your current livestock first, let them settle in, and than add new fish slowly, never double your bioload at once.

Do the anthias have a reputation for being aggressive? I really had my heart set on getting one, but I won't risk killing an angel or a butterfly (or my watchman! I'm very attached to him). The sandshifting gobies look really cool! I watched a few videos with your recommendation. Would he get along with my watchman ok?

Btw, I'm not doing coral. Just fish with live rock. I'm not quite ready for that. But one day...

 

[Raplapla Ananas]

In my 75 gallon I have a wantanabei angel, tomini tang, melanarus wrasse, a medium sized marine beta, 2 clarkii clowns, 2 not fully grown gold head sleeper gobies, a damsel, and a starry blenny.

What do you think of your wantanabei angel?

 

[Andresnyc93]

I don’t recommend that many angels/butterflies in a 75. Most of them are semi-aggressive so unless you introduce them together which will be a lot of fish at once your fish are bound to get aggressive with eachother. +1 also about not having a single cardinal, they do better in schooling.
If it was me IMO I’d do one angel and one butterfly. No anthias as they also need ample of swimming space

 

[Raplapla Ananas]

Pick 2 dwarf angels and add them at the same time. 3 is too many for a tank this size. Bicolor and coral beauty tend to be less aggressive than the pygmies, but do get larger and the bicolor tends to eat corals.

As for the butterflies, the mertensii and xanthurus will fight. If you are going to do 2, get 2 that look dissimilar. Just remember most butterflies eat coral. Lemon/Milletseed, Decussatus, Dot-Dash, and Melanotus all stay a little smaller than racoons, threadfins, and falcula, and are just about as hardy. They all will eat various corals though.

I would go with the fathead over the blotchy anthias in a 75, stays smaller. I would also stick with just 1 toby.

Flame hawk and toby might both try eating your Pistol shrimp, they're both hit or miss with crustaceans.

FWIW, I have 39 fish in my 75 gallon (VERY heavily stocked) but I went with smaller fish. Heavily stocking can be done, but expect to do much more frequent water changes, go through WAY more food (heavy feeding helpd cut any aggression) and have much stronger filtration to handle excess waste.

Think I'm gonna go with a bicolor or coral beauty. I did some more research and most people, like you, are saying that the pygmies can be aggressive. I'm very risk-aversive!

Also, I decided to start with only one butterfly. Any thoughts on either the mertensii or pearlscale? I'm drawn to the whitish bodied ones with the chevron style scales and a splash of clolor...I just think they look cool i am not putting corals in this tank, btw

Also, which toby? I can't decide between the saddle v. And the papuan

What fish do you have in your current tank? I would love to see pictures.

 

[Raplapla Ananas]

I don’t recommend that many angels/butterflies in a 75. Most of them are semi-aggressive so unless you introduce them together which will be a lot of fish at once your fish are bound to get aggressive with eachother. +1 also about not having a single cardinal, they do better in schooling.
If it was me IMO I’d do one angel and one butterfly. No anthias as they also need ample of swimming space

Thanks for your input! Do the anthias also prefer to be in multiples? Just curious. They are beautiful, but enough people have now steered me away from them so I won't be putting them in this tank

Which angel? Bi-color or coral beauty? And which butterfly? Mertensii or pearlscale? (Just like to see what other people like )

 

[Andresnyc93]

Yes anthias also prefer to be in a school since they’re a open water swimming fish. If it was up to me I’d do the coral beauty but I would try to get a captive bred one. For the butterfly the pearlscale would be a better choice.

 

[i cant think]

I'm upgrading from a 40 gallon to a 75 gallon tank. These are some of the fish that I'd like to stock my tank with. Is this list too many fish and are there any poor compatibility choices here? I had to make some concessions on the butterflies and angels. There are so many species I'd love to own, but a 75 is the biggest tank I can maintain for a while, so I picked the 2 smallest butterflies I could find and dwarf angels

1 royal gramma basslet
1 yellow watchman goby
1 madagascar spotted goby
1 pistol shrimp
1 flame hawkfish
1 anthias (blotched or fathead sunburst)
2 clownfish
2 butterflies (1 red pearscale and 1 mertensii)
2 puffers (1 saddle valentini and 1 papuan toby)
3 angels (1 bicolor, 1 coral beauty, and 1 flameback or pygmy cherub)
1 pajama cardinalfish

In my 40 gallon tank I have 2 clownfish, 1 royal gramma, 1 pistol shrimp, 1 yellow watchman goby, and 3 pajama cardinalfish

Now I see why I was confused with “Madagascar Spotted Goby” this is in fact not a goby and is instead a Scorpionfish.

I would say 8-9 fish is a good goal for a 75. From the list I wouldnt do anthias, but other than that the rest are pretty peaceful and good fish. I also wouldnt keep just a single pajama cardinalfish, those are best kept in a school. I always like to say make sure you have fish with a utility or use. Try to maybe replace one of the gobies on your list with a sand shifting goby that will actually clean your sand once you begin to have an established tank.

That being said if you do really want a dwarf angel and a butterfly from your list in your tank, like I would in your shoes, I think it would be possible as long as you pick 1 angel and 1 butterfly and thats it. No more fish after that. With a new angel and butterfly you would have 9 fish in total. No more fish after that. Just have to remember these bigger fish have bigger bioload than a clown or cardinal in your current set up. This means more maintenance and checking if parameters are in check.

Also are you planning on doing coral?

Make sure you add your current livestock first, let them settle in, and than add new fish slowly, never double your bioload at once.

1. DONT get a fish just because it has a good use, leave that for the CUC, if the fish has a good utilitarian use then that’s just a plus side. Don’t get a fish just because it’s for utility, get it because YOU like it.
2. Sandsifting gobies… the absolute WORST type of goby you can get. If you must have a sand sifter, go for Koumansetta hectori or Koumansetta rainfordi. Avoid valenciennea at all costs, these NEED 4-6’+ tanks along with a 5 year old or older tank to thrive. They get big and can run right through the sand bed of a 3’ tank if it’s not established. I have a whole thread on gobies that explains this, it’s got Gobiidae in the name so try find that. It will explain a lot about each genus and the commonly seen species in the family.
3. Kauderni and Pyjama Cardinals as adults are best kept in pairs, I personally don’t recommend a group of cardinals unless in 6’+ tanks or they actually need to be in groups.

What do you think of your wantanabei angel?

I don’t have a watanabei but in my 4’x2’ I have a beautiful sub-male Melanospilos and I love him. I personally wouldn’t have any Genicanthus in a smaller tank than 4’x2’ though, it’s not because of how much he swims but because of their size.

Think I'm gonna go with a bicolor or coral beauty. I did some more research and most people, like you, are saying that the pygmies can be aggressive. I'm very risk-aversive!

Also, I decided to start with only one butterfly. Any thoughts on either the mertensii or pearlscale? I'm drawn to the whitish bodied ones with the chevron style scales and a splash of clolor...I just think they look cool i am not putting corals in this tank, btw

Also, which toby? I can't decide between the saddle v. And the papuan

What fish do you have in your current tank? I would love to see pictures.

Personally I’d go for the
Pearlscale butterfly, I love their scale pattern with the nice orange anal fin.
As for the tobies, I’d go for the Papuan just for the unusual aspect. It’s not a puffer you see every day unlike the valentini (I mean, let’s be real - There’s a mimic filefish of that guy, clearly they’re common).
As for the Angel, I personally find Bicolors don’t belong in centropyge, they don’t stay small whereas the coral beauty stays a nice size and is a beautiful specimen if you get one with the stripes going all the way down to the tail.

Thanks for your input! Do the anthias also prefer to be in multiples? Just curious. They are beautiful, but enough people have now steered me away from them so I won't be putting them in this tank

Which angel? Bi-color or coral beauty? And which butterfly? Mertensii or pearlscale? (Just like to see what other people like )

I have a feeling anthias are similar to chromis in which they turn against eachother if they don’t have a need to shoal (I find chryspitera damsels are usually a good fish to use).

Now I know this is a long post but I hope this clears some of this stuff up! I’ll bump that gobiidae thread if you need it

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Think I'm gonna go with a bicolor or coral beauty. I did some more research and most people, like you, are saying that the pygmies can be aggressive. I'm very risk-aversive!

Also, I decided to start with only one butterfly. Any thoughts on either the mertensii or pearlscale? I'm drawn to the whitish bodied ones with the chevron style scales and a splash of clolor...I just think they look cool i am not putting corals in this tank, btw

Also, which toby? I can't decide between the saddle v. And the papuan

What fish do you have in your current tank? I would love to see pictures.

Of the 2 butterflies listed, Chaetodon xanthurus (Pearlscale) is the hardier of the 2 IME.

I think the Papuan toby looks better and has better personality. Mine was like a puppy. My valentini toby was much more shy.

As for pics of fish in my current 75 gallon, click the build thread badge next to my name and you'll see plenty of fish and coral pictures