If It Was You Stocking My Tank...

[tmreynolds]

Valentini Puffers, if I remember correctly, can be an absolute terror in a community tank, since they like to bite things.


-Lynden

Really? Most articles I've read say its relatively peaceful.

Has anybody got any experience of keeping Valentini Puffers in a community, because I really like the look of it but don't want alot of aggro for the other fish?

Cheers,

 

[MoonTang]

Like Lynden said. Not peaceful at all.


You read up on them here. http/www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cl...;articleid=1851.


Not a good choice for a reef tank.

 

[tmreynolds]

Like Lynden said. Not peaceful at all.


You read up on them here. http/www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cl...;articleid=1851.


Not a good choice for a reef tank.

hmm, its amazing the comflicting information you can get on this fish from different sources, however I don't want an agressive tank so maybe I will look elsewhere Shame, its a beautiful fish.

More suitable angels for a reef tank are those in the C. argi complex.

If it's going to be a fish only tank, then Filefish would be a really cool addition. Docile, colourful, and intelligent.

-Lynden

Can I have some recommendations on nice interesting filefish?

I am now thinking

2 clown fish
1 coral beauty or similar dwarf angel
1 watchman goby/ with shrimp
1 wrasse of some kind, whether it be 6 line or 8line
1 filefish of some description TBD.....
Cleaner crew

Thanks guys

 

[Redstratplayer1]

I say get 2 clown fish
1 flame angel
1 watchman goby/ with shrimp
1 6 line wrasse
1 fire fish
Cleaner crew

 

[Lynden]

I say get 2 clown fish
1 flame angel
1 watchman goby/ with shrimp
1 6 line wrasse
1 fire fish
Cleaner crew

The key to a great reef tank is to go beyond the everyday. Explains what I tried to do (and I'm not done yet) - I've broken every Triggerfish "compatability rule" there is! No problem.

I say,
1x Pygmy Filefish ( these may be temperate - I can't quite remember ) ( too small to prey on any crustacean past around 1 - 2'' in length )
1x Two-Spot Goby (get a mated pair if possible)
1x Clingfish of some kind
1x Clown Goby (tiny and cute but may nip at SPS)
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby / Pistol Shrimp Pair
Orange Stripe Shrimp Goby / Pistol Shrimp Pair
Tangaroa Goby / Pistol Shrimp Pair
( the gobies are of three different genera, and so will not fight - Stonogobiops, Amblyeleotris, and Ctenogobiops )
1x Centropyge sp.

This may overstock the aquarium, so if you do choose to base your stocking around this list, you may have to omit at least one fish. If the Pygmy Filefish were to be removed, the tank would be safe for all invertebrates ( except for Small Polyped Scleractinian corals (SPS) ). But they are really, really cute....

-Lynden

 

[tmreynolds]

I say get 2 clown fish
1 flame angel
1 watchman goby/ with shrimp
1 6 line wrasse
1 fire fish
Cleaner crew

This I think will be close to what I get

Seems they are all fairly hardy, peaceful, colourful and compatible

I think they are but can you confirm the above are reef safe, in case I have a dabble in the future?

Cheers,

 

[Lynden]

What??! You don't like what I said?

If you want to be really cautious about reef compatabilitly, then the Flame Angel and Sixline Wrasse are questionable. Flame Angels may nip at coral, and Sixline Wrasse are highly aggressive.

-Lynden

 

[tmreynolds]

What??! You don't like what I said?

If you want to be really cautious about reef compatabilitly, then the Flame Angel and Sixline Wrasse are questionable. Flame Angels may nip at coral, and Sixline Wrasse are highly aggressive.

-Lynden

I may go for a lemon peel angel or bi-color or even the pygmy centropyge argi, I assume these are all similar to the flame angel in regards temperament etc.

Is this the case with all smaller wrasse, fairy/6 or 8 line etc? Are they too aggressive for my other fish or is it the potential reef they would not be compatible with?

Thanks fella

 

[SkiFletch]

Not the case with all reef-safe wrasses, only with 6-lines. They can become bullies as they age, and some stay mellow. Unfortunately there's know whay to know when purchasing one . Fair wrasses and flasher wrasses however are really only aggressive towards other same-species wrasse, they wont bother others or other fish. My 8-line and my solorensis live happily together.

 

[callell]

Just to jump in on the Dwarf Angel part of this post

I have in the past kept Coral Beauties, Elibe's, *Lemon Peel, Flames & Potters

Now I found the Lemonpeel & the Flame to have the same temperament ie terrible- both were coral nippers & both tried to rule the roost (in the flames case, even over a Large PBT)

The Elibe, Potters & the Coral Beauties were no problems at all -

Potter was one of my very 1st fish (back when I had hair)
Elibe & Coral Beuaty - I actually have both in 1 320litre tank at the moment

But to flip this over I have a work colleage that has a Coral Beauty that picks at his corals & is a bully to some of his livestock

Also regarding the Butterfly Fish - I have had a lot of success keeping a small shoal of Banner Butterflies in teh past & also have a single one in my 200litre tank at the moment


*The Lemon Peel, Flames & Potters were kept in different tanks over different time

 

[MoonTang]

With Dwarf Angels it's really a 50/50 chance with them nipping at corals.

I have had a Coral beauty that never nipped at any corals. A Bi-color angel that didn't also. And a Flame angel that did.



I have a six-line wrasse that's 2.5 inches and very fat and he's not a bully at all. Just once in awhile he darts at the Yellow watchman goby but the Yellow watchman goby will just dart back in his hole. I don't see any harm in this because if the wrasse goes in the yellow watchman gobies cave then he's gonna get double teamed by the shrimp and the goby.

 

[tmreynolds]

I've decided on (this week anyway....)

2 True Percula Clowns (tank bred)
1 Coral Beauty
1 Royal Gramma
1 Green Clown Goby, (Gobiodon atrangulatus)

+ maybe something else a bit different? TBD

 

[tmreynolds]

Would this be overstocking? 180 litre tank.

2 Percula Clowns (tank bred)
1 Coral Beauty
3 Blue/green Chromis
1 Royal Gramma
1 Blue Neon Goby

Thanks

 

[tmreynolds]

Would this be overstocking? 180 litre tank.

2 Percula Clowns (tank bred)
1 Coral Beauty
3 Blue/green Chromis
1 Royal Gramma
1 Blue Neon Goby

Thanks

Anybody?

Also, what order would you add these fish?

Thanks,

 

[SkiFletch]

Its pushing it, but if you add them really slowly and run a phosphate media to help keep them low since you'll have a high waste load, I'd say you could make it work. You'll also have to be dilligent about gravel vaccuming.

Order:
Clowns
Chromis
Goby
Coral Beauty
Royal Gramma

Really the only difficulty I see with the setup is that you'll have to watch that gramma like a hawk. It might decide that it wants the tank all to itself