Live Stock Strategy Question

BTW -- Here is what I am currently thinking for fish live stock. Comments appreciated.

1) Six Line Wrasse : Blue with Orange Stripes
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Six Line Wrasse - Reef Safe Wrasses

2) Bicolor Pseudochromis : Purple/Fusia and Yellow
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Bicolor Pseudochromis

3) Flame Angelfish : Bright Orange with Blue Stripes
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Flame Angelfish


4) Hi Fin Red Banded Goby: White with brown stripes, slight yellow
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Hi Fin Red Banded Goby
AND
Pistol Shrimp

5) Yellowstripe Maroon Clownfish: Orange with Yellow Stripes, slight white
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Yellowstripe Maroon Clownfish

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Mark

 

OR 4B) Yellow Watchman Goby : yellow
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Yellow Watchman Goby
AND Pistol Shrimp

OR 4C) Mandarin Goby
AND Pistol Shrimp

 

My stock list for my 55 with no sump is
2 false perculas
2 pj cardinals
1 sixline wrasse
1 scooter blennie
1 firefish

none are going to get too large. I've had no problems with this many fish.. Just keep up with water changes

 

I love my Sixline, its the most entertaining fish in the tank.

I also have a purple pseudochromis which I inherited from a friend. i wouldn't have purchased it myself but it has turned out to be a good tankmate but hides a lot.

Flame angels are beautiful fish but their long term survival rate is not very good. They can also be coral nippers.

I have no experience with that goby but my Yellow Watchman is an entertaining fish when he is out and about. They spend a lot of time hiding down in the sand and rockwork and you rarely see them so its sort of a treat when they pop out. Mandarins are specialized eaters and almost always die in captivity, its too bad because they are the prettiest fish around.

Maroon clowns get downright mean and can be bullies. I have a yellowstripe maroon that will probably be sold one day soon as he is just too agressive towards every other fish in the tank.

Others I might suggest would be a foxface rabbitfish or percula clowns

 

dude asap get those damsels out of your tank, please trust us on this one! They will aggravate future fish...

 

Damsels will definitely be going. Maroon clown and Flame are off the list as well now.

Revised List
1) Six Line Wrasse : Blue with Orange Stripes
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Six Line Wrasse - Reef Safe Wrasses

2) Bicolor Pseudochromis : Purple/Fusia and Yellow
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Bicolor Pseudochromis

3) Yellow Watchman Goby : yellow
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Yellow Watchman Goby
AND Pistol Shrimp
Saltwater Aquarium Inverts for Marine Reef Aquariums: Pistol Shrimp

4) True Percula Clownfish: Orange with White Stripes, slight black
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: True Percula Clownfish

5) Green Mandarin
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Green Mandarin

Appreciate the feedback as I learn.

Mark

 

A few things... don't ever put anthelia in your tank. You will have a horrible headache and a ton of stress trying to get rid of it (which you will want to do). Been there done that.


Also, if you are planning on a mandarin, plan on it being far out (like a year). I tried one in my 55 - with a pod farm even - and it's going to die any day now... I waited over a year before I added it... my particular specimen doesn't know how to hunt. I see swarms of copepods at night, yet it is starving.


You need to make sure your fish stocking list is on the same level of aggressiveness. The psuedochromi is aggressive. My perc clowns are extremely aggressive. Maroon clowns are notoriously aggressive. As are damsels...

My point is, everyone is screaming to remove the damsels, but I don't see any reason too if you're keeping psuedochromi's and maroon clowns anyway...

I don't really care to mix clown types... (maroon and a perc for example).

 

I probably wasn't clear enough.

I took the Flame Angelfish off the list based on advice and concerns over life span.
I took the Yellow Stripe Maroon Clownfish off since it was so agressive. Replaced it with a True Perc.

Still debating between the Hi Fin Red Banded Goby and the Yellow Watchman Goby.

Mandrin would be a long term goal. Your post concerns me.

Thus, my current plan is as follows.

Fish Stocking
January 2010 Add the following
1) Six Line Wrasse : Blue with Orange Stripes
2) Bicolor Pseudochromis : Purple/Fusia and Yellow
3) Yellow Watchman Goby : yellow OR Hi Fin Red Banded Goby
AND Pistol Shrimp
4) True Percula Clownfish: Orange with White Stripes, slight black


Fish #5 To Be Resolved... FUTURE, No Sooner than late 2010
Candidate) Green Mandarin
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Green Mandarin

Corals
4 pack of Ricordea - various colors
St. Thomas Mushroom - Discosoma sanctithomae
Red and white variegated Discosoma sp. (Origin: Indo-Pacific)

All corals ordered from Coral Morphologic


Haven't decided on any other corals yet.

I figured I'd start with these 4 fish and 6 corals and spend the next six months just getting used to it and verifying I know what I am doing and learning more. At that point, I would reassess Fish #5 and what additional corals to pursue.

Mark

 

okay just a quick question, and didn't want to start a thread for this. why would you not want to cycle with damsels.

 

future territorial issues is one good reason
some species like the Yellow tailed blue for example are OK
But species like the Humbug and the Three spot for example can make the life of subsequent additions very unpleasant

Steve