Basic salt experience setting up 75gal tank with wife...getting young kids into salt...any ideas on odd/rare non-aggressive fish!

natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member
Hello all, the wife and I have some salt water experience and we just got our 75gal tank fired up and spiked and settled and all that. We currenlty have a mono argentus (brackish) and a green chromis in the tank now. We have had just about anything and everything fishwise from hatching a Coral Banded shark to a Orb. Bat fish. Anyone have any ideas for something odd or interesting fish that normally stays small and non-aggressive is a must! We have 2 young children and want are trying to educate them and ease them into the world that is everything SALT. We are just hobbyists and are not out to spend a whole lot of $$ on fish but within reason it is understandable. We've been online and have looked but I was curious if anyone out there had any suggestions or ideas!!! Thank you and have a great day!
 
natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member
We have looked at a Red Spotted Hawkfish, I believe those stay a little smaller, but of course, I am just the M&M to this tank (Muscle and Money), the wife and kids make all the choices on what to go in! Thanks for your idea I will forward that to the "Tank Manager". LOL
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
I know that you are asking for a fish or two... But I think that for kids a reef tank loaded with fish, coral, and invertebrates would be a great way to introduce young minds into saltwater.
I feel that the great thing about reef tanks is that they for the most part are a closed ecosystem. They want to stay balanced. They fish will eat the food you feed them, then make their waste; which is great coral food. The Clean Up Crew will eat the left over food and also feed on the fish waste. If something dies in the tank the CUC will make short work of the body. There is always movement to a reef tank, so many critters going about their business all day and night long.
It is also great for education...
You can show the little ones how the system stays in balance through your maintenance. They can learn about the nitrogen cycle, and nutrient exportation. You could show them how corals thrive when you have proper lighting and good husbandry techniques ( sure you could put a big light on the tank and run it 24/7 but the corals won't grow as well as they would if you have a controllable light fixture and can try to match the sun's light cycle). Inverts will spawn and lay eggs (nassarius snails and such), Clown fish could lay eggs and you could try to raise the fry. There is a ton kids (and adults) can learn from attempting to keep a thriving reef tank!!! And it just does not get any more beautiful than mature reef tank!!!
 
natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member

sweatervest~~
I couldn't agree with you more!!! My wife had been raised with salt tanks her entire life and then we we got married she introduced me into it all. We ran 2 tanks for nearly 6 years together and took them both down to make room for the kids being born. Since then we have moved into a larger house and our oldest is now 4 years old almost 5 and he LOVES to watch the fish at the zoo. So we decided to bring a little bit of the zoo home to him! We couldn't believe the amount of information that we had forgotten! It was almost like starting all over again! We only have 2 small fish in our 75 gal tank now, and are going to let him pick which ones to go in, obviously within reason, and he still asks to feed them 3-4 times a day because he loves the entire process. We haven't had great luck with a lot of coral before, we tried a few small pieces but we weren't always the types to run extensive setups. We always seem to have more luck with fish, but I am sure that I will be setting up some smaller 10-20 gal tanks in at least 1 bedroom within the next few years and may I could go all out and go for a nice reef tank!! Thanks for your post and enjoy your day!
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
I love the idea of a reef tank. Yet I run a fowlr lol in most cases take on what you will take care of. Reefs are awesome but they are more labor-intensive.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Soft coral tanks can be cheap and easy, There are a lot of leathers, mushrooms, xenia, anthellia, and others that do well under low light conditions - two T5 bulbs could keep most corals alive - and would cost about $100 for a fixture.
It's awesome that you are willing to do this with your family - and have even gone so far as to get advice on the whole process on the internet.
Some really pretty reef safe saltwater fish are fairy wrasses. There are some oddball looking wrasse as well called opossum wrasses.
 
natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member
Snakeblitz~
The one thing I have always tried to practice in everything I do is this: There is always someone better/more knowledgable about whatever you do. So I try not to be afraid to ask a question or two. I did show the "Tank Managers" and they really did like him. So far I think we will be trying a few soft corals in a few months, just want to give the tank a few more solid weeks of holding levels and steady water changes and I will branch out into them. We did have a sea hare at one point and I'd love to have one of those again, but we are a while away from that. Tank really doesn't provide enough food for one of those just yet. Thanks for your post!!
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
I find symbiotic relationships to be interesting. Something like a Pistol Shrimp/Shrimp Goby pair can be very rewarding. These can be kept in a reef as well.
 
natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member
Bang Guy~
That is an interesting point of view. I certainly agree with your example, it is sometimes difficult to explain an ecosystem due to the lack of actual visual examples, until you use your idea or even a clown and anemones. Which I guess we are getting a clown of some type (I was informed last night) and I almost refuse to get one unless we give him a genuine home to show them how it all really works. Great idea and thanks!!!
 
natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member
Jay0705~
We actually took your advice and got ourselves a single firefish. The store didn't have any purples so we went with just a basic fire fish. I am actually very surprised with how fun they are to observe. The kids absolutely love him. We also added a Lawnmower Blenny, the wife loves blennies, and a Sailfin Tang. These were all added several days apart and are all under our 3" in length/tall rule. I know some of them will grow out of the tank eventually, and have her parents with a 125 gallon tank and we have a great relationship with several fish stores that we frequent so when they get to that point we have an exit strategy for them. Also I caught wind of a friend that is trying to unload his 150 gallon tank and I find it funny how most salt water people usually end up running multiple tanks at the same time, whether it be a nano tank and a 55-75 gallon or some people I've met at the stores run a 90 and a 125/150.
Thank you to all of you for your suggestions and ideas!!
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
I've maintained quite a few large tanks with Sailfins in them. I'm having a tough time envisioning one in a 4 foot tank for any extended period of time. I think it's going to go stir crazy. Is there any chance you could swap it for a Kole Tang or a pygmy Angelfish?
 
natethenizzle

natethenizzle

New Member
Bang Guy~
The sailfin we purchased is incredibly tiny (approx 1") and we have kept a close eye on him. He has partook of both some brine and the veggie that we used to feed them with. He is small enough that he has plenty of room to roam back and forth from edge to edge and we do not have rock stacked very high at all on our tank just yet. I have waited to see how the tank goes and what fish we end up adding before I decide if I want to stack dead rock higher to allow for swimming room.I did post a picture earlier of our tank in its current rock state and until he gets oversized I am generally not concerned with the size of our tank. Besides, once he reaches that point I may have enough evidence to convince the wife to let me set up a 125 gallon system. :)
Thanks for looking out for us!!!!!
 
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