360L Stock Plan Check...

[drsquirrel]

Tank is cycling, and I have a rough idea that I just want to pass by everyone here...

Tank is 40x24x24 (378L), sump to match , 42kg and top is covered.

I might get some corals, mainly polyps etc, but im not too worried if a fish might possibly nip at them.



Turbo Snail and/or Nassarius Snail (numbers?)
Red & Blue Hermit Crabs (numbers?, can keep mixed group?)
Cleaner Shrimp
Banded Coral Shrimp (realistic issues with other shrimp+snails?)


Black and White or Common or Percula Clowns (Pair)
Regal Tang (tank size okay? - websites vary in "minimum" from 75UG to 125UG...)
Yellow Tang
Bicolor Angelfish
Royal Gramma
TriColour Damsel
Blue Chromis (numbers?)
Flame Firefish/Dartfish
Midas or Bicolour Blenny
Yellow Watchman Goby

Copperband Butterfly I'd love one - but not sure about their feeding issues


Thoughts? The list isn't exhaustive or exact... though if I were to have everything on the list, would that be pushing over a good stocking level?

 

[seffieuk]

Turbo Snail get three large mexicans

Nassarius Snail x 20
Red & Blue Hermit Crabs x 6 I would buy halloweens, I wouln't mix unless i know the species
Cleaner Shrimp - I wouldn't buy any of these, they upset corals, but if you don't mind - get what you like the look of. Flames are shy, peppermints are also shy but the common cleaner shrimp will be out and about all teh time, is even happy to clean you hand Banded Coral Shrimp (realistic issues with other shrimp+snails?) Shouldnt be any issues with shrimps and snails

Black and White or Common or Percula Clowns (Pair) Got to be done
Regal Tang - minimum tank size is 75 gallons, buy the smallest one you can find. Both Ben and I have had you good luck with buying them as small as a 20p
Yellow Tang - as above
Bicolor Angelfish - pretty but can nip at corals
Royal Gramma - people seem to be having problems with these little fellows lately
TriColour Damsel - I wouldn't keep one with the clowns, you are storing up problems
Blue Chromis - I wouln't keep these, they have to be fed several times a day to stop aggression and you need to have at least five - that would be a lot of your bio load!!Flame Firefish/Dartfish - pretty things and fine
Midas or Bicolour Blenny - excellent choice, the bicolour is one of Ben's favourite fish. The Mias gets quite big, about five inches but lovely
Yellow Watchman Goby - don't see why not

Copperband Butterfly I'd love one - but not sure about their feeding issues They need a mature tank and can be fussy eaters. The only way to buy one of these imo is to get off a salty selling from their tank, someone who you can trust when they say it is eating frozen!


Thoughts? The list isn't exhaustive or exact... though if I were to have everything on the list, would that be pushing over a good stocking level?

If you bought everything on the list you would be overstocked

I would forget the damsel and the chromos and leave the copperband for a year

Seffie x

 

[Morri]

Turbo Snail and/or Nassarius Snail (numbers?) I would start with maybe 6 then add slowly over time if you have to much algae
Red & Blue Hermit Crabs (numbers?, can keep mixed group?) Again start with and add over time
Cleaner Shrimp Cleaner shrimps are fine all be it a PITA sometimes climbing over corals
Banded Coral Shrimp (realistic issues with other shrimp+snails?) Not sure I would add one as these can eat corals on occasion


Black and White or Common or Percula Clowns (Pair) Fine
Regal Tang (tank size okay? - websites vary in "minimum" from 75UG to 125UG...) I would not add a Regal Tang these grow to about 12" and the tank would be to small for them fully grown and are very likely to catch white spot
Yellow Tang Much better option than the Regal Tang but still a heavy bioload on any system
Bicolor Angelfish Should be fine but some can nip coral
Royal Gramma Should be fine
TriColour Damsel I would skip these they can be nasty but if added last you might be ok
Blue Chromis (numbers?) Meh hate these fish these get big and grumpy but should be ok if added last Anthias are a far better choice
Flame Firefish/Dartfish Should be fine not sure how much you will see them as you are adding some aggresive fish
Midas or Bicolour Blenny Good choice Blennies do well
Yellow Watchman Goby Should be fine

If you are looking at Tangs I would recomend one of the bristletooth`s Tomini,Kole etc. These are less aggressive stay smaller and are less prone to whitespot
Chromis are a cheap fish and look ok in a shoal but I have seen these turn real nasty especialy if spawning Anthias look much nicer and as long as you stock 5 - 6 small ones aggression should be no issue.

Copperbands are a nice fish but if not feeding well they will soon fade away a good LFS should be able to get one for you leave it there a few weeks and pop in and check it feeds a few times.

I would look at a couple of Wrasse as well these are great addtion to any tank something like a Mckoskers or any Flasher / Fairey

 

[seffieuk]

Not often I disagree with Morri but I do on the Nass numbers - I had 12 in my orca 550 and that was a perfect number (126 litres) - if I could have them in my tank, but I can't, then i would have approx 20.

However, instead of all those vibex, consider a conch, a fighting or orange lipped and then maybe 10 Nass. Don't add the conch straight away though, there will not be enough food for him.

My CUC: a sifting star fish, again cant be put in from the start as there will not be enough food. Two conch, three very large mexican turbos the size of a golf ball, six halloweens hermits and one blue leg, a tuxedo urchin, cute little creature, some peppermint shrimps and many bristle worms

I have a 400 litre tank. I only have one fish that will become very large and that is a regal, the rest are small wrasses, a goby, a hawk, a mandy and a pair of clowns. I did start out with chromis, but would never have them again, they bully each other until there is only one left

Seffie x

 

[Morri]

I am only saying start with 6 snails I must have about 40 - 50 in mine but the tank has been running for some time its best to start with a few and add them over time as the tank matures

A conch is 100 Times Better than Vibex for sure but do need the tank to have some algae to eat

At Day one once the tank has stabilised

6 Hermits all are good I have a mix nowadays not seen much trouble between them but it can happen
6 Turbos or banded Trocheous
6 Tongan Nassarius if you can find them if not 12 Vibex

This will deal with your day one needs I would add a little Nori to the tank just to feed them

 

[drsquirrel]

I knew there might be some possible issues, hence why the list wasn't exhaustive

I generally look around for multiple places regarding info, specially "minimum tank size", although with the Regal Tang there isn't really a common size and it varies a lot 75-125

Will the Regal Tang really get to 12" in aquariums? Varying places suggest this is the wild size and you can expect less (8") for home aquaria... I've not even seen any over 6" myself.

I did read this about the Chromis (though some say 3 min is okay...) granted a few place also say these are peaceful I assume that just means with other species.

I looked at urchins and liked the look of the black long spine, didn't think they would be that easy to keep but apparently they are, I knew they were algae eaters but only realised recently that includes Coraline and now im not so sure, mixed with the possible size they can get (again this varies a lot, opinions?) and possibility of moving rock has put me off, though might consider these smaller tux urchins. How much Coraline are we talking about, the whole lot?

I have a little bit of algae here and there on the rock.




Anyway...

Pair of Clowns, Regal Tang, Yellow Tang, Bicolor Angel, Royal Gramma, Flame Dartfish, a Blenny and a Goby - what sort of stocking % are we talking here (even if its over)?

 

[Morri]

Regal Tangs commonly reach 12" and grow very quickly, in the wild they grow bigger, I would not put one in a tank of less than 5 foot if not more but I have seen these in 130L Tanks

Black spineys are ok I would not add one to a reef tang you are better with Tuxedos or Pincussions Eating Coraline is a good thing as it keeps your LR porous

To add a Real Tang to a tank of that size is not fair on the fish it will soon out grow the tank get stressed and fill the tank with whitespot.

 

[drsquirrel]

Bigger in the wild? Scidentfific measures has the largest at 12.2"

 

[seffieuk]

Yes, they get bigger in the wild. Opinion varies re tank size, ive just been and had a look to check - people say anything from 350 litres up to 500 litres.

I have a five foot tank with 400 litres - he is only small so can't comment on his adult behaviour, but he does use all the tank to swim in. I don't think I would put a regal in anything under five foot, I think they need that swimming room. I also dont have any other large fish in the tank and nor will I

Seffie x

 

[ben1987]

seen regals, large ones...in 4x2x2's and they dont look natural, they just swim up and down the glass. so id say 5 foot length is the minimum.

smaller tangs could be
bristletooth
kole
tomini