I am going to be getting ready to start setting up my first tank hopefully within the next week or so, waiting for some equipment which should be getting here any day now and I need to arrange a few things in the living room to be able to place the tank in its place. It is still going to be sometime before anything can be added to the tank, expecting a long cycle since using rock that has been dried but will give me plenty of time to research my fish. Which brings me to my first predraft of my stocking list. I have a couple of fish that I am wanting to keep for sure which is a pair of either percula or ocellaris clowns, and also a royal gramma. I am thinking about adding a few different wrasses still researching different ones. Another fish that I am thinking about which I am wondering if my tank is large enough for is a foxface, was thinking either a siganus vulpinus or a siganus unimaculatus. According to live aquaria both fish need a minimum of 70 gallons although I do see that the max size for the vulpinus is 9 inches and for the unimaculatus is 7 inches. Would appreciate input if either fish would work with my setup and also if you have had any experience with either of these fish if you would share. Also with the tank it is going to be set up as a fowlr at first and might eventually add corals, because of this I am trhing to make sure that the fish that I decide on are reef safe. I know that I will have more questions about fish and stocking, so as they come up look forward to picking your brains and learning from your experiences.
Working on Stocking List
- Thread starter BarbH
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Also is there any good reference books for different fish that you would recommend, I do have the Concentious Marine Aquarist already which does have some info on different fish. But I am looking for something with a little more detail that would be a good reference guide to add along with looking things up online. Looking for a book that will give general guide to size of fish and size requirement of aquarium, feeding habits, temperments, reef compatibility, any special needs and such. Thanks 
skinz78
10K Club member
It sounds like you have a good batch of fish on your list already. Just be aware that Wrasses need a cover on the tank as they are jumpers. You should be fine with the Foxface too just get a smaller one to begin with.
I would suggest a Tomini Tang, Scooter Blennie, and maybe a few Green Chromis's?
I would suggest a Tomini Tang, Scooter Blennie, and maybe a few Green Chromis's?
Russellaqua
Coral Junkie
You shouldn't haven't any problems keeping those fish together. I might go with the smaller foxface, Siganus unimaculatus, just so there's a little more room. Keep in mind that this fish has venomous dorsal spines, so be careful if you ever have your hands in the tank. Also, if you're thinking about corals, both of the foxfaces you mentioned are hit-and-miss as to whether they are reef-safe. Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. You might have one that doesn't bother any corals for a long time and one night it decides they're all delicious. Your lighting needs will be different for a reef than a FOWLR too, so if you haven't already bought a light fixture try and decide which route you'll go. That way you don't wind up buying two fixtures and having one you don't need after if you go from FOWLR to reef. Hope this helps.
Russellaqua
Coral Junkie
I should add that both the Falco's and longnose hawkfish are great reef-safe compatible fish too. Tons of personality. They like to perch on rocks as they hunt, but because they stay pretty small they don't pose much of a threat unless you have some very small fish or shrimp. They're semi-aggressive, but most fish will put them in their place.
Thanks for the suggestions, was thinking about a tang possibly will do more research on the Tomini, also have seen depending on where you look that a Kole Tang is also a possiblity. If I do a Chromis I think I would probably only do one, from what I have seen even though it is said that several can be kept in a tank it seems that eventually end up with one.
I do have a glass top for the tank right now, I know that it is not the best option but with having a young cat that is very interested in my freshwater tanks and likes to get on top of them a screen top is not an option until I know that he will not get on top of the tank. I am hoping that with placing this tank in an area where there is nothing near it for him to use as a way to get on top of the tank that I may be able to change the setup on the top of my tank.
Thank you for your input, I am still deciding on my lighting, thinking about going the led route and if I do will go the dyi route probably. Until than I am going to be using extra T8 fixtures that I have to provide lighting for the tank while it is set up as a fowlr and once I am able to upgrade my lighting to something that will support corals I will hopefully hopefully have more research under my belt on corals and have an idea of what I would like to do.
With the scooter blenny how difficult are they for feeding? Do they usually accept prepared foods easily or do they need live food. I had been thinking about a dragonet but at this time decided against it because of difficulties of sometimes feeding this fish. I want to make sure that any fish that I do get that I am able to provide the care that they do need.
Russellaqua
Coral Junkie
Once your tank is established it will produce more than enough food by itself to feed the blenny, as long as you don't have a lot of other fish competing for the same food source. Some scooters will take tiny bits of mysis, and as a last resort there are live copepods and rotifers for sale, or you can culture them. In a 72 gallon this really shouldn't be the case though.
Would I be able to have enough copepods without having a sump or a refugium? I would need to add them to the system to start off with since my rock that I am using is dried out. Would I be able to keep a good enough population of them to feed the blenny? This is the reason I decided against a dragonet. I know that I could culture my own copepods, but then I would also have to do a setup for culturing phytoplankton. At this time with just starting and limited space I am wanting to try to keep things simple. I just wonder if I would be able to keep a sufficient food supply in my setup.
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Russellaqua
Coral Junkie
Are you using live sand? If you do this will provide little critters. If you use dry sand you can try and find someone local to you to give you a cup of their sand to seed your tank, or you can get a bottle of live pods and add them to your tank.
The sand is dry, it is from the previous setup of a local reefer who I got the tank and rock from also. In one of the buckets the sand is still damp but I doubt anything is alive in it. The tank had been torn down for awhile. I am expecting that I will have high levels of ammonia and nitrites when I set the tank up and start cycling and will probably have a long cycle but that is okay.
Would adding pods like the ones that reef cleaners sell when I add my cuc after my cycle work?
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Would adding pods like the ones that reef cleaners sell when I add my cuc after my cycle work?
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Rockadile
Well-Known Member
If you have wrasse you wont have a pod population. My tank is a 90 and has bee setup for about 2 years now. With my 6 wrasse I keep in the tank I never see a pod, but I also never see a flatworm or redbug.
Thanks good to know. Looking at some other blennies or possibly some type of goby to add some activity on the bottom of the tank. As I come up with more ideas will run it by everyone to make sure it will work and haven't missed anything.
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Eggs
Well-Known Member
Also is there any good reference books for different fish that you would recommend, I do have the Concentious Marine Aquarist already which does have some info on different fish. But I am looking for something with a little more detail that would be a good reference guide to add along with looking things up online. Looking for a book that will give general guide to size of fish and size requirement of aquarium, feeding habits, temperments, reef compatibility, any special needs and such. Thanks
This is a good reference book for fish:
http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-...7386/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1333228929&sr=8-6
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Thanks Eggs for the link on the book, will look into getting a copy. I know that there are so many books out there some of them good and some not so much.
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Okay getting closer to being able to start getting fish and this is what I am thinking towards a stocking list. Info on beginning of thread but will state again for ease tank size is a 72 gallon bowfront.
Pair of Clowns either Percula or Ocellaris
Firefish either red or purple haven't decided on which
Barnacle Blenny thinking maybe 2 or 3
Royal Gramma
One Spot Foxface
Kole Tang
Mandarian Dragonet (will first establish a pod population, also talked to my lfs and the Mandarians they get are captive breed and accept prepared food)
Green Chromis (thinking about this one but haven't completely decided yet)
A few others I am thinking of is maybe a fairy or flasher wrasse one or two although with doing the dragonet might decide to pass on them so that don't have too many fish competing for pods. Another fish that I keep coming back to is a Coral Beauty Angel, I like the look of the fish but not sure about it being reef compatiable. I am starting this tank as a fish only and when money allows will be getting lighting that will allow me to keep corals, so I am trying to base fish selections on being reef safe. Also in which order would you suggest adding these fish, I want to wait awhile on the Mandarian to allow for the pod population to establish. Thanks
Pair of Clowns either Percula or Ocellaris
Firefish either red or purple haven't decided on which
Barnacle Blenny thinking maybe 2 or 3
Royal Gramma
One Spot Foxface
Kole Tang
Mandarian Dragonet (will first establish a pod population, also talked to my lfs and the Mandarians they get are captive breed and accept prepared food)
Green Chromis (thinking about this one but haven't completely decided yet)
A few others I am thinking of is maybe a fairy or flasher wrasse one or two although with doing the dragonet might decide to pass on them so that don't have too many fish competing for pods. Another fish that I keep coming back to is a Coral Beauty Angel, I like the look of the fish but not sure about it being reef compatiable. I am starting this tank as a fish only and when money allows will be getting lighting that will allow me to keep corals, so I am trying to base fish selections on being reef safe. Also in which order would you suggest adding these fish, I want to wait awhile on the Mandarian to allow for the pod population to establish. Thanks
