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Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Potential Stock List
So while I'm thinking about the who and what I want in my tank, I may as well write it down to start getting a stronger concept of who. I'm planning for the tank to be sps dominated once I work up to it and the skimmer I have it is very easily able to keep up with a strong/heavy bioload but I don't want to overstock it!
I would love some butterfly fish! But alas my tank is obviously too small so that idea has been scratched.

I was thinking about a couple of dwarf angels, which I know are iffy at best in a reef tank but I'm willing to take that risk very carefully and keep them well fed and entertained.
- Coral Beauty
- Flame Angel
- Lemonpeel Angel (@MTG your's is beautiful!)
- Cherub Angel

The next fish list is the one that determines what else can go into the tank. I'll only be adding one of these fellas due to their habits and diets.
- Flame Hawkfish
- Long Nose Hawkfish
- Dwarf Lionfish (Either a fuzzy or fu man chu)


Hawkfish Path:
If I get a hawkfish the other fish I am looking at will be as follows:
Goby/s, one shrimp or clown goby or a pair of twin spots:
- Clown Goby
- Twin Spot (A pair)
- Randall's Shrimp Goby (with shrimp)

Blenny, I will only want one blenny in the tank if I get one:
- Bi-Colour Blenny
- Lawnmower Blenny

A red scooter dragonet/ a pair, way down the line once the tank if fully prepared to accommodate one

Lionfish Path:
Not really sure about anything for this pathway as the display will mainly just be focused on the colours of the angels and the sheer awesomeness of a lionfish lol I would really love to add more fish for a little more diversity like a wrasse or something?


These are all just thoughts and not set into stone but I would love any personal experiences or info and any other suggestions people have as I'm still snowballing at the current moment as to the final stocking list :)
 
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MTG

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Jul 10, 2011
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the angels will fight with each other unless you have a lot of space. i had to separate my lemon peel and flame a few years ago. what is the tank size?
 

Wrangy

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Okay one angel it is then :) I'd hate any fighting or distress. Only question is which one now lol
Yeah I have been leaning towards the hawkfish path, it's just a lionfish is always niggling at the back of my mind I do love them but they might be something I get later on in my reefing career.

What about wrasse? If I were to look at the following stock list would a wrasse be suitable and what are peoples opinions on them (I'd definitely be getting a cover if I got a wrasse):
- 1x Dwarf Angel
- 1x Hawkfish
- 1x Goby
- 1x Blenny
- 1x Dragonet/wrasse (As I wouldn't put these two together in the same tank due to feeding habits and competition)
What other sort of fish do people like/would go well with this combo?
 

aussieant32

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Feb 19, 2012
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Sutherland, Australia
I wanted a lion fish as well, just so limited with what to keep with it I decided not to.

I would look at a wrasse over a mandarin, really in a 2ft cube it will be hard to keep a pod population high enough, unless it is taking prepared foods. I love the 6 line wrasse but not sure on tank requirments
 

Wrangy

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Yeah that's part of the reasoning as to why I'm looking at hawkfish as it allows a little more leeway on what else can inhabit the tank.

If I were to get a mandarin/dragonet I would definitely try for a specimen that was eating prepared food. I think I'll most likely go a wrasse to begin with, I don't want to get in over my head and kill anything as this is my first reef tank and I can do as much research as I want and have done but I still want to ease into it despite what I think I know and can do lol
For a wrasse I was thinking one of the following:
- Pygmy/Possum Wrasse
- Flasher Wrasse
- Sixline Wrasse

Anyone had any experience with any of them??
 

Buddy

Member
Mar 13, 2012
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I've got a carpenters flasher wrasse. Its a nice peaceful fish. You have to have a covered tank as they are jumpers, I quite often hear mine splashing as it leaves the water at feeding time.
 

pummerz

Member
Jul 20, 2013
57
25
Hove
I had a 6 line wrasse but as @Buddy said they are jumpers. I found mine on my floorboards. :(
They are a great fish to watch, and I would definitely have one again.

Cheers,
Ben...
 

Wrangy

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As I get closer to actually being able to add fish :) I was thinking about who to add first or at least save till later.

I was thinking about adding the goby/s and blenny first in no particular order and then the hawkfish and the angel last until I can find a particular wrasse or I feel 100% comfortable to add a dragonet

Any other suggestions? In terms of order or fish suggestions? :)
 

Wrangy

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So with any luck I will definitely be getting my first additions on Wednesday!
I was thinking as a final list:
Flame Hawkfish
Coral Beauty Angel
Twinspot Goby (A pair)
A gramma Royal or black cap
Maybe a blenny but unsure on this.

What do people think and would adding the hawkfish and angel first be alright as Reeflections has some in stock at the moment
 

ReeferRob

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Oct 22, 2014
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Bel Air
There are 2 fish that I will NEVER put in a reef tank, Centropyge angels or Pseudochromis. I would make an exception for a Resplendent angel though. I brought back a flavivertex pseudochromis right after the first Gulf war and what a miserable little bastard he was, lol. He could put my Emperor angel to flight if she got close to his lair. And FWIW, I've had less issues with large angels then I did with the dwarf ones. I had a Coral Beauty that would randomly take a bite out of bubble corals for the hell of it.If I kept the Emperor fed she would leave things alone, but if I didn't she would mow through my sponges in nothing flat.
 

Wrangy

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There are 2 fish that I will NEVER put in a reef tank, Centropyge angels or Pseudochromis. I would make an exception for a Resplendent angel though. I brought back a flavivertex pseudochromis right after the first Gulf war and what a miserable little bastard he was, lol. He could put my Emperor angel to flight if she got close to his lair. And FWIW, I've had less issues with large angels then I did with the dwarf ones. I had a Coral Beauty that would randomly take a bite out of bubble corals for the hell of it.If I kept the Emperor fed she would leave things alone, but if I didn't she would mow through my sponges in nothing flat.
My little centropyge angel has been nothing but a gem :) Doesn't touch corals, sponges or anything, even gets along well enough with my bellus angelfish :) Who is even more of a gem!! Chromis, pseudochromis and damsels are a few that I probably won't be adding to any tanks I get. Angelfish and butterflyfish are my two absolute favourites so when upgrades come around it's pretty much always going to be about them! :)
 

ReeferRob

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Oct 22, 2014
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Bel Air
I hear you on the damsels, they're hit or miss. I had 2 Talbot's in my 57 rimless, both caught with cyanide. They made it 6 months, then succumbed to the lasting effects of it. They never bothered anyone and kept to themselves. I've been through 10 or so green chromis, I have 1 now. Blennies can be little bastards towards one another unless it's a mated pair and the Atlantic Red Lip blenny is evil incarnate.

Those Coriadon butterflys are relatively reef safe, there's a collector that I chat with over on your east coast that says that he's only ever seen them eat algae and plankton.
 
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Agent M

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Oct 21, 2011
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Melbourne
I'm looking into adding a Bellus to my tank this year - it is squarely your fault as I had never heard of them until I saw your posts!
 

Wrangy

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I'm looking into adding a Bellus to my tank this year - it is squarely your fault as I had never heard of them until I saw your posts!
I will happily take that blame :D you won't regret it, I'd never heard of them either till I saw her in store and well I had to have her :)
 

suta42

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Aug 13, 2011
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sydney
Hi wrangy,

Don't want to burst your bubble but if your twin spot gobies are S. Biocellatus, I think they'll stareve a few months after you add them. For such small fish they eat a lot of worms and micro inverts in the sand bed. Doubt there are any real long term success stories except maybe in huge tanks without sand bed competitors. :( what's worse, they're like mandarins in so far as they eat small amounts continually throughout the day.

What about a tiger blenny? Or maybe Wetmorella or white tiger goby, if you find one that's eating well and get it into the tank early. Both are great little fish but can become shy if you have any bullies. Otherwise always out and about. Just something to think about. :)

HTH and GL !
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Hi wrangy,

Don't want to burst your bubble but if your twin spot gobies are S. Biocellatus, I think they'll stareve a few months after you add them. For such small fish they eat a lot of worms and micro inverts in the sand bed. Doubt there are any real long term success stories except maybe in huge tanks without sand bed competitors. :( what's worse, they're like mandarins in so far as they eat small amounts continually throughout the day.

What about a tiger blenny? Or maybe Wetmorella or white tiger goby, if you find one that's eating well and get it into the tank early. Both are great little fish but can become shy if you have any bullies. Otherwise always out and about. Just something to think about. :)

HTH and GL !
Thanks for the post, this thread is nearly two years old though :p my tastes and stocking has changed a little in that time :)

I currently have a flame hawkfish, a yellow tail dwarf angelfish and a bellus angelfish :) All are happy and healthy, the bellus is still a small juvi so plenty of time and room still :) I'm thinking about adding a mystery wrasse and maybe one or two more small fish but probably not blennies or gobies unless I can find the right size one as my hawk HATES smaller ones!