Stocking Advice

[Reefdude99]

Well,i have a tank that's 3x2x2(feet) and was wondering what fishes can be kept in it.My design is more open like a patch of outer reef so there is quite a bit of swimming space.These are a few of the fishes i was thinking of keeping.

Pair of Ocellaris/Percula Clownfish
Elegant Dottyback
Pyramid Butterflyfish
1 or pair of Bellus Angelfish
Yellow Tang
Joculator Angelfish(Probably gonna be my final fish once everything has settled and the tank is running smoothly for more than 8 months)
A fairy wrasse(undecided)
A Flasher wrasse(undecided)
A school of cardinals(undecided)

Any thoughts?

 

[that fish guy]

That is a lot of fish to put in that tank. Also you can not keep all of those wrasses, they will kill each other. It is only wrasse per tank usually. Also, you can't put a pair of bellus angels with a joculator angel, they too will kill each other. It is the same for angels as it is for wrasses one per tank (there are exceptions if the tank is large). Third, if you don't get a mated pair of clownfish you can not keep 2 in a tank. Clownfish when they mature actually get to choose their gender. If you get 2 males or 2 females they will kill each other (that is why if you go a store and see a mated pair of clowns they usually sell of 100-150 bucks). Lastly, a yellow tang is too big for a tank that small. Even though the tank is 90 gallons, it is only 3 feet long and a tang really should be in a 4 ft long tank minimum. He will become a bully and beat the crap out of all you fish. If you put all of those fish in your tank, I will give your tank 6 months before everything either dies from a disease or die from fighting (not trying to be rude). If that was my tank, I would put a dwarf angel, a maroon clown, a nice sand sifting goby like a pair of gold head sleepers, a nice school of cardinals or chromis, and a nice fairy wrasse. And again the reason for the small fish and the small amount of fish is because the tank is only 3 ft long and fish need the length to swim, fish HATE height and depth, they would rather have a 6 ft long tank that is 13 inch deep and 13 inch high than a 3ft long tank that is 3 ft high and 4 ft in depth.

Sorry for the bad news, if you have any more questions feel free to PM me or post a reply.

 

[Reefdude99]

Thanks for being the only person to reply.I always thought this place was to help beginners and all i got was one reponse from one kind soul.Seriously,what is wrong with you people,haha.

Anyway,i did think that that'd be alot,lol.On another forum i was told that maybe i should try a tomini tang instead or buy the tangs when they're small and allow them to grow slowly before i transfer to a bigger tank.And about the clownfish,i do know that they should be a pair and they're fairly easy to get and relatively cheaper in these parts.Will probably cut out the dual wrasse idea and the joculator as well.

So my new idea is to stock:
Pair of clownfish
Elegant Dottyback
School of Copper Cardinals
Pair of Bellus Angels
A Fairy/Flasher Wrasse
A tang if possible

So that cuts the number of fish down from 17 to 13

 

[NYreefNoob]

let me start with saying love the tank dimensions, i have a 3x2x22" myself.most of the info you was just given is incorrect, you can keep several different species of wrasse's in the tank, you can also keep more then one clown even if they arent a pair from the start, but 1 needs to be bigger then the other. also not true with the yellow tang, let me start with what all i have in my tank, alot of it has to do with how the rock work is and how open of area the fish have to swim. and how good of a filtration systm you have. i currently have and have had in my system and i do have sps, lps, zoa's and 8 aneneome's. some of the fairy wrasse's are more agressive then other's but do best if added same time, only nasty wrasse i ever owned was my pylie. i do not have aggression with any fish in my tank, no chasing or biting, a well fed tank has less issues, this is my opinion and what has worked for me
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/62814-73-gallon-set-up-7-17-09-a-5.html
4 clowns
2 flame wrasse's
1 mkcosters wrasse
1 pepperment hogfish
1 twinspot candy cane hogfish
3.5" purple tang
2" hippo had since was barely an inch { he will go before long though }
1 cleaner wrasse had 4 months eats everything frozen
1 red scooter blenny
1 gunnel

 

[albano]

most of the info you was just given is incorrect,

+1...have been doing saltwater and reef tanks for a LONG time. Current tanks are over 5 years old, with multiple wrasses, multiple angels, multiple tangs, and multiple clowns. Also, IMO, shoals of chromis don't last long, maroon clowns get too aggressive, and gold/yellow head sleeper gobies, have a poor survival rate.

.

 

[greenstreet.1]

i have 4 wrasse plus 3 clowns 2 angel 4 tangs in my 75 custom

 

[Dre]

+1...have been doing saltwater and reef tanks for a LONG time. Current tanks are over 5 years old, with multiple wrasses, multiple angels, multiple tangs, and multiple clowns. Also, IMO, shoals of chromis don't last long, maroon clowns get too aggressive, and gold/yellow head sleeper gobies, have a poor survival rate.

.

Disagree on that small part because i'v been keeping them for years but +1 on the others k:.

 

[Master Shake]

no to a yellow tang, they are a open water fish and need lots of room. second you are going to need two males for the clowns to work. All clowns are born males or "undecided", when they start to pair up the more dominant one gets larger and becomes the female, the otehr the male. one wrasse only unless mated pair. a bellus angel pair will run you about $300, and thats a adecent price. if you want a bellus, get the female they are the nicer ones. a butterfly will probably pick on corals or feather dusters if you get any of them and butterflies are usually hard to keep. a Joculator Angelfish is rare and will probably run you about 160 to start(again thats considered a decent price) and if you can afford all three of those angels that would be too many for one tank jus pick one.

 

[DCG1286]

no to a yellow tang, they are a open water fish and need lots of room. second you are going to need two males for the clowns to work. All clowns are born males or "undecided", when they start to pair up the more dominant one gets larger and becomes the female, the otehr the male. one wrasse only unless mated pair. a bellus angel pair will run you about $300, and thats a adecent price. if you want a bellus, get the female they are the nicer ones. a butterfly will probably pick on corals or feather dusters if you get any of them and butterflies are usually hard to keep. a Joculator Angelfish is rare and will probably run you about 160 to start(again thats considered a decent price) and if you can afford all three of those angels that would be too many for one tank jus pick one.

Pyramid Butterflies are reef safe ... owned them ... and put it to the test ... they DON'T pick on corals. Plus the Pyramids have a pretty good survival rate.

If you can find a Joculator for $160 ... congratulations (not going to happen) ... they usually run here in the states for around $600 ... $450 was the CHEAPEST I ever saw.

I have a number of Wrasses ... NONE of them pick on each other.

Your list is very cool ... very cool fish indeed.

 

[NYreefNoob]

you wont ever get a mated pair of wrasse's, maybe a male and female, havent ever found info on them ever breeding in a tank and read alot of stuff on wraase since they are my fav fish and ive owned alot of species, do disagree on pyrmid butterfly even though they are one of the more safe { mine ate xenia } which i wanted it to do

 

[DCG1286]

do disagree on pyrmid butterfly even though they are one of the more safe { mine ate xenia } which i wanted it to do

THAT's WHERE MY XENIA WENT!!! :biglaugh:

 

[Reefdude99]

Thanks for all the responses.Finally,haha.So,i guess there are a variety of opinions out there.Probably gonna,give up on the yellow tang since,it doesn't seem that feasible.And contrary to popular belief bellus and joclator angels are not that expensive out here,the smaller ones can go for around less than a hundred.

So,i think i'll be getting the following fishes,

A Pyramid Butterflyfish
A Tomini/Kole Tang
A Female Bellus Angel
Pair of Occellaris Clownfish
School of Copper cardinals (What's a good number?5?)
Elegant Dottyback or Joculator Angelfish
A Flasher/Fairy wrasse
A Goby

So what are your thoughts?
And how do you think the stocking should take place?I know it'll probably be best to introduce the larger fishes(Tang/Butterflyfish)at the same time.But,not sure if i should add them first or in the end.Same goes for the Bellus and Joculator.