Stocking Suggestions for 65-Gallon Reeftank

G

Grumpyfish

Premium Member
Hello,I am ready to add more fish, but I’m having trouble deciding what to add, so I’m hoping some of you might have some good suggestions.  I’ve been considering a starry or lawnmower blenny, neon gobies, a court jester goby, and, for something more showy, a flasher wrasse or two.  What else should I consider?  Please note that I like my clam, shrimp, and the other little critters, so I don’t want anything that might eventually look at those as snacks. Here’s my current setup: 
  • Tank: 65 gallons + sump with CaribSea Special Grade sand (probably 2 inches deep)
  • 2 ocellaris clownfish
  • 1 purple firefish
  • 1 emerald crab and a few hermits
  • 1 cleaner shrimp
  • 1 derasa clam
  • 1 open brain coral
  • 1 blastomussa
  • 1 small birdsnest
  • Several rocks covered in zoas and mushrooms
  • Assorted smaller frogspawn, hammer, and torch corals
The tank is not quite 3 years old.  It is covered. Thanks in advance. View attachment 3816
 
You would probably also like a six-line wrasse and a blue streak cleaner wrasse.Hopefully others will throw in some suggestions for you. Tank looks great!
 
Thank you, Chris.  I think it's looking a little overrun.  I need to do some house cleaning. The cleaner wrasse sounds interesting.  I'll start reading up on it.  I'm not sure about the six-line wrasse though.  They seem to have a reputation for turning into jerks, but maybe I'm thinking of a different wrasse.  
 
Nothing wrong with doing a little fragging ;-)I really like my cleaner wrasse, eats everything I put in the tank, even nori! Always so active and just neat to watch. My six-line is very active too and so far has never bothered anyone, I got mine real small and he is a tough guy, it actually jumped out of my tank once and my cat was playing with it on the floor, then one of the kids found it and threw it back in the tank and is still doing great! Only get it if you have a lid..lol.
 
I had 2× 6 lines die - ordered online from Fosters... I bought one at an LFS - super shy bothers no one in my tank. I have 2 oscellaris, 1 yellow tang, and 1 coral beauty angelfish... but all of those are bigger than he is. may I suggest looking into a hawkfish. I had one it perched, no swim bladder.... It'll eat anything that'll fit in it's mouth but nothing will fit.
 
Thanks for the suggestions.  Hawkfish are pretty cool looking.  I'd love a coral beauty, but I don't think they're reef safe.  
 
Technically pygmy angels are considered reef safe but some xo eat corals... I had a flame angel and never saw it touch a coral. The coral beauty I have is larger than the flame angel and have never seen it touch a coral (either).
 
I've kept a coral beauty and a pygmy angel in my reef for years and have never seen them nip at anything.  IMO, keep them well fed and you should be fine.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Do you think 65 gallons is big enough for a coral beauty or pygmy angel? It doesn't seem all that big to me.
 
I would recommend a Golden Midas Blenny. Mine has a lot of personality and is always swimming near the top of the tank. Fun to watch. 
 
Thanks for asking.  I got a little carried away and picked up three fish last Sunday: a ruby red dragonet, a red firefish, and a yellow-eyed kole tang. The dragonet went straight into the DT and seems to be doing fine. Plenty of pods for it to eat, but I'll start supplementing soon. The firefish and tang went into my QT.I'm a little worried about the firefish and tang as they are still so skittish that they're not eating, and in trying different foods, I've ended up dumping way too much food in the tank. I'm doing a big water change tonight and will cut back on feeding. I might try live brine shrimp next. Someone else on the forum said the tang might take a week or more to start eating. I also picked up a small tuxedo urchin.  Always wanted one.  Very cool! 
 
 it actually jumped out of my tank once and my cat was playing with it on the floor, The coral beauty I have is larger than the flame angel and have never seen it touch a coral 
 
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