Thinking of entering the SW obsession

[Starryblenny]

I am new to this and hope to start by purchasing a 75g tank soon. Been reading, reading, reading. I want to have a FOWLR tank with live sand.

My first question.

This is my list of fish I have interest in. Can anyone look over it and let me know what can work together and which ones can fit into a 75g tank without being overcrowded? *= most interested

1. 1 BLUE SPOTTED PUFFER OR SADDLE VALENTINI PUFFER*
2. 1 SQUARETAIL BRISTLETOOTH TANG*
3. 1 ONE SPOT FOXFACE *
4. 2 OCELLARIS CLOWNFISH*
5. 1 KAUDERN’S CARDINALFISH
6. 1 PURPLE FIREFISH
7. 8 ZEBRA BARRED DARTFISH*
8. 1 STARRY BLENNY*
9. 1 CARPENTER’S FLASHER WRASSE
10. 1 RED STRIPE ANGELFISH

I know it will be awhile before fish are ready to go into tank.

I have selected tank, stand, filter, protein skimmer, and heaters that I plan on buying. Anybody know of anything else I should be thinking about or looking to purchase?

 

[jay0705]

You did your homework lol. 8 zebras could be a tad much. Puffers will depend on types if any inverts u want to keep. I have both types , both are fine w fish. Shrimp would be iffy. Your highlighted fish are all good choices. The one spot is the smaller of the foxes.

 

[lmforbis]

you'll need lights.

 

[Starryblenny]

you'll need lights.

Any suggestions?
I do not have any interest in coral for now.

 

[Starryblenny]

You did your homework lol. 8 zebras could be a tad much. Puffers will depend on types if any inverts u want to keep. I have both types , both are fine w fish. Shrimp would be iffy. Your highlighted fish are all good choices. The one spot is the smaller of the foxes.

I would like to have at least one shrimp, so would that be a no go for the puffers. If I dropped the puffer and the zebras to 6 could all the rest of the fish go into a 75g?

Although I really like the puffers. Any suggestions? Similar fish?

 

[jay0705]

I'am not saying it wouldn't wrk. Its just iffy. I would definitely add the shrimp first. When I first added my puffer he immediately pecked at my hermits. Hasn't since tho. The zebras idk much about so I don't wana say yes or no.

 

[Starryblenny]

I'am not saying it wouldn't wrk. Its just iffy. I would definitely add the shrimp first. When I first added my puffer he immediately pecked at my hermits. Hasn't since tho. The zebras idk much about so I don't wana say yes or no.

I have read that 6-8 zebras seem to work best. So shrimp would have to go first, thanks. Are your puffers aggressive towards anything?

 

[Starryblenny]

What about a Royal Gramma Basslet?

 

[jay0705]

I thought zebras where a schooling fish so that makes sense. No my puffer is not aggressive. I have suspicion he took a nip out of my maroon clowns tail shortly after being added but since no issue. He and my tang share clams lol
royal gramma great fish. I love mine.peaceful w nice color

 

[Starryblenny]

I thought zebras where a schooling fish so that makes sense. No my puffer is not aggressive. I have suspicion he took a nip out of my maroon clowns tail shortly after being added but since no issue. He and my tang share clams lol
royal gramma great fish. I love mine.peaceful w nice color

In your post above you said you have both types of puffers I have listed. Are they in the same tank?

 

[jay0705]

No lol. The spotted is still in qt he's only a few wks in. The val is w the maroon. Could u mix them? Maybe in a big tank but I wouldn't. I watched a val dominate 3 others in a 75 at a lfs. The blue doesn't bother the dwarf angel in qt w it. Nor did he the blue throat triggers he was w at the lfs

 

[Starryblenny]

No lol. The spotted is still in qt he's only a few wks in. The val is w the maroon. Could u mix them? Maybe in a big tank but I wouldn't. I watched a val dominate 3 others in a 75 at a lfs. The blue doesn't bother the dwarf angel in qt w it. Nor did he the blue throat triggers he was w at the lfs

Would you consider the val or the spotted more aggressive if you could pick one?

 

[jay0705]

I've not seen aggression from either.other than a val w another val. The blue get slightly bigger, but temperament I would say are about the same

 

[beaslbob]

yep you will need lights.


FWIW I would start the tank with macro algae (in a refugium) then do the rest. IMHO the simplest refugium is just using 1/4" sq plastic grid lighting diffusers (egg crate) to form a partition to separate the macros from the display area. I put one 3" in front of my back glass on an old 55g and added a couple of cheapie 2 tube shop lights behind the tank pointing forward. Nitrates dropped to unmeasureable levels in 3 weeks with phosphates following a couple of months later.

my .02

 

[Starryblenny]

Here is the list I have for my tank setup along with fish, invertebrates, and corals(future,maybe).

Tank-Marineland 75gal Aquarium majesty Ensemble
Powerheads- Hagen AquaClear
Heater-Titanium
Protein skimmer- Suggestions, prefer hob
Lights-???, suggestions for corals in future
Refugium- CPR AquaFuge2 Hang-On Refugium -
Live Rock- 100-125lbs
Live sand- 75 lbs


FISH *= biggest interest

1. 1 BLUE SPOTTED PUFFER
2. 1 SQUARETAIL BRISTLETOOTH TANG
3. 2 OCELLARIS CLOWNFISH
4. 2 KAUDERN’S CARDINALFISH
5. 1 HELFRICHI FIREFISH
6. 5 ZEBRA BARRED DARTFISH
7. 1 STARRY BLENNY
8. 1 CARPENTER’S FLASHER WRASSE
9. 1 RED STRIPE ANGELFISH
10. 1 ROYAL GRAMMA BASSLET
11. 1 HI FIN RED BANDED GOBY
12. 1 WHITE BLENNY
13. 1 ORCHID DOTTYBACK
14. 3 BLUE REEF CHROMIS
15. 2 BLUE GUDGEON DARTFISH

INVERTEBRATES

1. 1 BULB ANEMONE
2. 1 TIGER SNAPPING SHRIMP
3. 1 PINCUSHION URCHIN
4. 2 SCARLET SKUNK CLEANER SHRIMP
5. 35 BLUE LEG HERMIT CRAB
6. 20 ASTREA SNAILS
7. 2 TIGER TAIL CUCUMBERS
8. 2 BRITTLE STARS
9. 2 PEPPERMINT SHRIMP

CORALS

1. PINK THICK BRANCH BIRDSNEST CORAL
2. TAYLOR’S PURPLE TREE CORAL
3. LEMON TREE CORAL
4. BRANCHING HAMMER CORAL
5. GREEN APPLE CAP CORAL
6. HETEROXENIA POLYP
7. KENYA TREE CORAL
8. TARO TREE CORAL
9. FROGSPAWN CORAL, THIN BRANCHED
10. AUSTRALIAN BIG POLYP BLASTOMUSSA

I know some of this will change and that not all of these things can fit into a 75gal together.
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
Can you have two blennies in one tank?
What about all five shrimp?
I am doing this for me and my four year old daughter, which fish would intrigue her?

 

[lmforbis]

Because you want coral and an anemone I'd look at either a 6 bulb high output T5 fixture or a high quality LED fixtures. The T5 would cost less. You can get them fairly cheap on eBay or Amazon you just need to be sure they are HO (high output). They come with crappy bulbs which you can change out when you get close to adding coral. With fluorescent you do need to change the bulbs every 9months to a year and preferably not all at the same time.

Your wont be able to put that many fish in the tank, maybe 8-10 max in a 75 gallon if they are small peaceful fish. Salt water fish are territorial so they will fight to the death. Because you want coral I'd skip the Angel. I'd stick with no more than one of each species except the ocelaris which are fine in pairs as long as they are really small when you get them. The other thing I'd avoid is more than one fish with a specific body type like only one fire/dart fish and either a royal gramma or orchid dotty back (Royal gramma is more peaceful). You also need to look at the niche the fish occupy. A wrasse or tang won't compete with a blenny or goby because they are swimmers and the blennies and gobies live in the rocks. But both tangs and blennies eat algae off the rocks and will compete for food. Best advise is research the animals so You get the best mix and add them very slowly (1 per month) after a proper quarantine period in a separate tank.

Speaking of quarantine. You will also need to add a quarantine tank to your list. A 20 gallon with a bare bottom a hob filter, a small power head, a heater, and some pieces of PVC pipe for the fish to hide in.

 

[Starryblenny]

Getting 90 gallon tank Saturday . Comes with everything. Will keep you updated

Narrowed my wish list down.
BLUE SPOTTED PUFFER
SQUARETAIL BRISTLETOOTH TANG
(2) OSCELLARIS CLOWNFISH
STARRY BLENNY
SIX LINE WRASSE
RED STRIPE ANGELFISH
ROYAL GRAMMA BASSLET
HI FIN RED BANDED BASSLET
WHITE BLENNY
(5) BLUE REEF CHROMIS
ONE SPOT FOXFACE

 

[pegasus]

You'll want to skip on the puffer, unless you want to see your inverts turn into a buffet. If you're planning on having a red stripe angel, you may want to pass on the birdnest coral as well. Most angels won't pass up a meal of SPS polyps. The coral beauty is the least likely of the dwarf angels to bother corals, and there's no guarantee with them... they're just less likely.

 

[Starryblenny]

Anyone have any suggestions on moving aquarium reef already set up so not to lose fish, corals, and inverts before tank is ready at my house? 90 gallon tank has 100 lb live rock and 50 lb live sand along with all of this:

Livestock:
- 2 clownfish
- yellow wrasse
- six line wrasse
- flame angel
- bicolor blenny
- royal gramma
- cleaner shrimp
- hermit crabs
- bubble tip anemone
- maxima clam
- various corals (not very good with names, but I tried to get them all in the pictures) - zoas, LPS, softies, birdsnest, etc.

 

[lmforbis]

Is this live stock already in the tank?

Every time I have moved a tank I have invested is Rubbermaid Totes. I put the rock and corals in them with water from the tank and transport that way. I put a power head in them to keep the water moving if it is going to be more than couple hours. I'd also add a heater if they are going to be someplace where it will be hard to keep the temp around 75 - 80.

I'd get new sand. I learned the hard way old sand is nothing but trouble. It doesn't have to be live, it will become live fast enough.