New 75 gallon reef!

seattle

seattle

Member
Oh and Flame Angels don't always eat,coral,my friends didn't have probs putting in CBB's in there tanks and they had ALOT of coral,and feather dusters.
Pros, you don't have a couple nano fish in a 75-gallon,unless your boring that is.Swallowtail would be cool though,hey wait they get just as big as CBBs
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
Swallowtails get nowhere near as large as a copperband butterfly. You may have not seen the adult size of either. I work with them, that's "where on earth" I got the idea. Not all fish are the same ..true. Notice I said the flame "can" and the "most likely will" part was just my opinion, which I am entitled to..just as you are yours. My opinion comes from experience with these fish, not just something I read.The original poster is still going to do as he wishes, as is evident by his revised fish list. As far as minimum requirements for tank size...the sites where you read this are most likely trying to sell you a fish, or are outdated. Most hobbyists don't have tanks big enough to really accomodate large marine fish. Average size is 55-75 gal., if they told the truth they could'nt sell as many.Some people think fish can "just be replaced when they get too big" or "well, he died so now I need a new one" ..I think it's a shame.
 
emporer angel

emporer angel

Member
updated list
-sunburst anthias
-copperband butterfly
-flame angel
-royal gramma
-yellow watchman
-midas blenny
-mated pair perculas
-mandarin(probably not, unless i find one that accepts prepared food)
-hermit crabs
-emerald crab
-serpent star
-some type of star
-various snails
and eventually when i get better lighting
-corals
-clam
-anemonies
i decided to cut the yellow tang. i want it more than any fish but i dont want it to growup and be unhappy. so i replaced it with a sunburst anthias. Is this a good fish? it is stunningly beautiful and i would like to add it to my tank. Also, i replaced the foxface rabbit because its venomous. i know its not deadly but its not something i want to have to worry about. besides im not a fan of the brown spot it has on it. So, i added a copperband butterfly. i know they can be dificult but im willing to give it a try. from what ive read most people have had great success with these. and yes i also cut the longnose hawkfish out of the picture to decrease the bioload and amount of fish. is this looking ok?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
I agree with almost everything except...
Brittle stars and serpent stars are the same thing. the difference is species, a serpent may be closer in relation to a brittle than it is another serpent. Only in this hobby is the distiction between seprent and brittle made. They are all brittle stars. their spine just lay different ways. most brittles (this includes serpents) are safe for your reef. And I wouldnt consider any to be aggressive except the green. the green while reef safe has a tendancy to prey on fish when hungry.

Thanks!!!
I was going to say this. Brittlestars do not all get huge, and few are predatory. Some are downright tiny.
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
I'm surprised no one mentioned the issue of hardiness related to the butterfly. This is a new tank, and very unstable,. Adding such a delicate fish is almost a sure death sentence. While I agree they do best in larger tanks, I've seen healthy specimens in tanks your size. IMO, it's a poor choice for a captive butterfly, and very few hobbyists have long term success with them. Not a good beginner fish. If you plan this to be a reef tank, then conservative stocking is to your advantage. Take out the butterfly and you're getting there. You can have a great tank with a few smaller fish. If you want something gorgeous, showy and hardy, look at one of the fairy wrasses, or even a pair. I think you'd enjoy these as much as the butterfly.
The rest looks respectable. Angels are a gamble, but you see a lot of flame angels in reefs. Just be aware of the risks.
 
emporer angel

emporer angel

Member
I will be trying a CBB in about 5 months at the VERY least. by then the tank will be more stable. but even then its still a gamble. I love the beauty of this fish and I'm willing to give it a try.
i have heard many great success stories about these fish so i think I'm gonna give it a try. I know its a risk but its one I'm willing to take.
This is probably the best looking fish out there in my opinion. Besides the emperor angel of course lol. which IS the most beautiful fish around by far...again in my opinion.
THANKYOU VERY MUCH
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
How much live rock is in this tank?
I would encourage you to wait longer before attempting this fish.
 
emporer angel

emporer angel

Member
60 lbs but im buying another 50 base rock off this site and curing in another tank with some other already cured live rock. so by then ill have 110 lbs. and It will probably be along time before i get the CBB. It will be the last fish to go into the tank and im only 14 so you know how hard it is to make money at that age so it will be a while. Before then ive got to spend at least $500 on things so it will take a while. is that enough live rock? so yeah and i will also be getting more tonga branch live rock to go in the tank for more diversity thanks....
 
seattle

seattle

Member
Originally Posted by emporer angel
what should i replace the CBB with? i dont want one. i have read they are hard to keep and dont tolerate anything. also the reasons stated above.
i would like to replace it with a foxface but i dont want to be stung. is this some thing to worry about or it doesnt happen often.
also what fish could i replace it with?

Longfin Bannerfish or Yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish both,HARDY!!!!! both 100%REEF SAFE!!!!!!!
 
seattle

seattle

Member
I am obsessed with Butterflyfish and i'd say that within 5 months please try! I am very sad when bigger fish tanks are stuck with Clownfish,Blennies and Small Gobies cause some people say so,It is your experience not yours,Truthfullynyou don't even know if the fish will do well or not.Neither do I.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Nicetry is one of the single most experienced hobbyists on this board when it comes to these type of fish. I would not dismiss his advice.
He is one of the people I trust the most.
 
jerthunter

jerthunter

Active Member
How about a kole tang instead of the butterfly. From what I understand, although they do get big, they are not open water swimmers so one would probably be fine in a 75 gal tank.
I like the other fish you have listed but I will mention a few of my favorates.
How about a bicolor blenny instead of the midas blenny?
A coral beauty instead of the flame angel..
A scooter dragonet instead of the mandrin (same issue with needing live food)
For your hermits, I would recommend against blue legs, they just look blah. I prefer zebra hermits (also called left handed), and the scarlet hermits.
I don't think you can ever go wrong with emerald crabs, they are simply amazing to watch.
Nassarius snails, great at eatting up left over food.
Also, you may want to consider not getting as many fish. Not because you would have too many, but because you mentioned that you might want to have coral later. In my experience, once you start having corals the level of interest in the fish goes way down.
So that was my opinion, maybe it will give you some more ideas, but even if it doesn't, good luck with your tank. This hobby is amazing.
 
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