almost done cycling... what next?

[elan]

I have been cycling for over a month, and i think its time to
start doing some research on which fish i would like to keep
for when the tank is completely cycled.
i would like to get some of the following:
1) anemones and some clown fish.
2) schools of fish that swim together.
3) some nocturnal fish
4) some that will hang out in the middle of the tank
5) some that will hang out in the sand.
Also, the order i should put them into the tank
Any suggestions will be great!
Also, I have the following in the tank already, if you could
let me know how many more of each to get, or get rid of.
3 teakwell snails
3 Emerald Crab Algae Eaters
10 blue leg crabs
10 Atlantic Grazers
2 Horse Shoe Crabs

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

Two ocellaris clowns are a good start - they are hardy and inexpensive and fun to watch. You need to put some fish in that tank to feed the biofilter.
You have a very big tank which gives you losts of options. Start slow - go with the clowns (without anemone) and let them survive for about 2 months.
As far as sand level fish - be careful - your tank should be well established before adding any of these as they eat critters that take about a year to accumulate in a fish tank.
I would try something like henochus for schooling fish (these are beautiful fish that stay about 2-5" and will look good in your tank.
A couple of tangs Sohol and Naso) and an Angel would be really nice.

 

[elan]

thanks for the advice...
another question i thought angels wernt good for a reef tank?
what do you think of Blackfin Dartfish or Scissortail Goby ?

 

[jlem]

Another option that looks really nice in a large tank and is to find out if your LFS will by back damsels. Get some different types of damsels in the tank and get the whole maintenance routine down. A bunch of damsels shooting about the rocks looks wonderful and you won't be killing off expensive fish during the mistake phase that most people go thru. To catch them just wait till you feed them and when they all come out to feed in the corner then slip a clear piece of acrylic down to keep them in the corner and scoop them up.

 

[goldrush]

Are you planning a reef??

 

[elan]

thanks for the compliments and suggestions!!
The rock placement took so damn long, and i still want to move a few things around (mostly due to the horseshoe crabs) but i may get rid of the horseshoe instead of moving the tanks. (anyone ever had horseshoe crab soup?? j/k)
I want to eventually get a reef tank... I first want to get the tank running with some fish as it is not getting a bit boring just staring at rocks. and since the addition of the last batch (85lbs) i cant find any until a good 10-15 minutes searching with a flashlight in the holes.
But i figure some fish would tie me over for a while till my tank establishes itself enough to maintain corals. in 6 months, i will be asking all sorts of questions about corals.. for now, i rather no nothing or else it will feed my impatience on getting stuff in my tank.

 

[newreefers]

once your cycle is complete and the tank params stay stable for about 10 days, I would go for a pair of percs. (try for tank bred and raised, these guys are hardy and less prone to diesese)colorful, playful, always out and about, and they don't need an anemone. they don't do well in tanks tht have not been established for some time. clowns will host in some soft corals, my maroon hosts in a mushroom bunch, and my percs go back and forth from the hammer to the xenia.
ps: tank looks good!!!

 

[elan]

are percs a type of clown fish?

 

[irenicus]

Yeah, there are True and False ones I believe

 

[timo]

Percs= a type of clownfish. Beautiful fish. Also, there are several types of corals that can be put in a newish tank. Try some polyps. Just be sure and research which ones are hardy. If I were to start over, I wouldn't put another Damsel in my tank. Little bullies. Sand sifting fish or fish that are stated to eat micro-organisms shouldn't go into a new tank, as was stated... the community of critters they eat needs to get to a level where the eating of them won't dent their numbers that much. Your tank, as is, looks great. I'm sure you're happy you went with a large one.

 

[demosthenes]

Originally posted by Irenicus
Yeah, there are True and False ones I believe
The False Perc is a common name at most every LFS, but it is simply a Common Clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris, while the so-called True Percula, is simply a Percula, A. percula. It's not like one is a poseur or anything like that.