Is there a safe package of fish? I'm befuddled....

[Rhetoric]

I'm so confused.

New 75g soon to be reef
4 Green Chromis
Dozens of snails
10 hermits
3 emerald crabs

I have been trying to decide what fish to add to the tank over the next few months. I intend to take it slowly. I have been reading about different fish on the forums here, and each time I decide on some fish I would like to include, someone talks me out of it.

It is obvious that there is no perfect group of fish that you will be 100% safe with. But I would like to know of a group of fish that would likely do well together in my setup.

One Example of a typical thread here: (Substitute any fish species for the one mentioned here)
Member A: Get a Sixline wrasse, they're peaceful, but watch out for the jumping
Member B: Sixline will kill everything!
Member C: Add them before XX fish but after YY fish, watch out for BBB coral with them
Member D: Sixlines are great as long as they are not kept with other fish
Member E: I have never had a problem keeping them
Member F: I had one jump out trying to attack me
etc.

I don't understand! Isn't there any fish everyone agrees on?!

3 species that are a must are:
Clownfish (any species)
Diamond Watchmen Goby (I just really like it for some reason)
Some kind of shrimp

Can anyone recommend other species that would be interesting to look at and would most likely live in harmony with the other life in my tank? Also, in what order should I add them to the tank?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Meloco14]

Haha I know what you mean, but unfortunately that is often how things are in this hobby. Every fish is different and has a different temperament. One person may have, say, a sixline wrasse, that is the perfect peaceful fish. The next person might have a sixline wrasse that is a true terror. This can be said about any species. There are no guarantees. The best you can do is research as much as you can stand, plan well, and hope for the best. The first rule you should be aware of is you should always start with peaceful fish first, and add more aggressive fish last. Other factors to consider would be corals and inverts. Some fish are compatible with these, some aren't. Covering the tank is also a point to consider. All wrasses are potential jumpers, as well as firefish, jawfish, and eels. Your initial fish list looks great. Clownfish are typically hardy and peaceful. Even the more territorial species like maroons will do well in a tank your size. They will establish their territory and protect it, but 75 gallons is plenty of room for other fish to get away. Watchmen gobies are great little fish and very peaceful. Any type of cleaner shrimp is fine and compatible with any fish that don't eat shrimp. In your size tank you might want to consider one small peaceful tang like one of the bristletooth tangs. Fairy and flasher wrasse are safe, peaceful, and colorful, but you need a top on the tank. Neon gobies or other small shrimp gobies would be fine. A mandarin would be fine in that tank once it has been established for 6 months to a year and has plenty of live natural food. Basslets or hawkfishes would be good if you don't have any small shrimp. Firefish would do well if the rest of the fish are peaceful, and if your tank has a lid. A pygmy angel would be a great addition if you don't have any clams or many corals. Those are what I'd suggest off the top of my head. If you have any specific questions about any of the species I listed just ask.

 

[aljndrno]

I agree with Meloco about this hobby. The information you gather depends on who's giving it and their experience with the livestock. I for one will avoid any wrasse in my tank, just for the fact that they can disturb the substrate and their temperament is unpredictable. :lol:

But that's beside the point. The point I'm trying to make is that I always take the information I receive from anyone and decide which way I want to go with it. Like Meloco, add the non agressive livestock first, let them establish their territory, then add the aggressive livestock later.

I for one choose my livestock to take advantage of the whole tank. I decided to have swimmers and non swimmers. What I mean is that I have fish that skim the bottom of the tank like gobies, mandarin fish, hermit crabs, etc as the "non swimmers" and a juvenile emperor, blue hippo tang, a sailfin tang, green chromis etc as the "swimmers". I've also added feather dusters, majanos, an arrow crab, porcelin crab, some harlequin shrimp and a starfish for their diet in the tank. I also have a growing collection of corals that are easy to care for. And yes I know that some of the fish might pick on the dusters, but that's life in the ocean.

Now I know that some people will have an opinion about what I've put in my tank. Some will agree and some will be surprised I have majano on the list. But it's my tank and I will do what I want to it. I'm prepared to care for what I've decided to put in it. If majano over runs my tank, I know to pinch them off the rocks when the time comes.

I hope that I've somehow swayed you to decide on your own. You're the one spending the time sitting in front of your tank, enjoy it the way you like it.

Lastly, I only add fish that I researched to make sure that they can coexist and have a somewhat similar diet for easy feeding.

Then again, that's my 2 cents. Good luck. :evil: 8O