Rob FishUK
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I am in the process of setting up my first reef aquarium.
My tank and sump are plumbed in and the tank is now filled with saltwater. Once I return from holiday I will be purchasing live rock and will then start on a fishless cycling program. Volume of water in the tank is 465 litres (US Gallons 123) and in the sump 120 litres (US Gallons – 32). I plan on keeping soft and LPS corals with SPS to follow in a year or so.
I have decided most of the fish that I am looking to add to my reef aquarium but would appreciate your views on:
(i) The order these fish should be added;
(ii) Whether these fish are compatible;
(iii) Issues with any of these fish being reef safe (I am aware of the risks of flame angels);
(iv) Any great fish I am not including (my tank does not have a lid so I am avoiding any jumpers and I am trying to avoid copepod eating fish to give the mandarin a chance).
I was thinking of adding the following fish in this order:
2 x True percula clown fish
1 x royal gramma
1 x copperbanded butterflyfish
1 x yellow tang
1 x powder blue tang
1 x schooling bannerfish (possibly two)
1 x flame angel
1 x mandarin dragonet (I will probably wait one year to give copepods a chance to establish themselves)
1 x orchid dottyback (I will add this fish last as due to its aggressiveness – this fish was chosen by my wife so I have to include it)
Fish I have considered but am not planning on including
6 line wrasse – jumper and I have heard they are evil
Cardinal – have seen them in my LFS and they don’t appear to do anything (I am prepared to be corrected on this one)
Gobys – eat copepods – although I would really like one paired with a pistol shrimp.
Thanks in advance for your help
My tank and sump are plumbed in and the tank is now filled with saltwater. Once I return from holiday I will be purchasing live rock and will then start on a fishless cycling program. Volume of water in the tank is 465 litres (US Gallons 123) and in the sump 120 litres (US Gallons – 32). I plan on keeping soft and LPS corals with SPS to follow in a year or so.
I have decided most of the fish that I am looking to add to my reef aquarium but would appreciate your views on:
(i) The order these fish should be added;
(ii) Whether these fish are compatible;
(iii) Issues with any of these fish being reef safe (I am aware of the risks of flame angels);
(iv) Any great fish I am not including (my tank does not have a lid so I am avoiding any jumpers and I am trying to avoid copepod eating fish to give the mandarin a chance).
I was thinking of adding the following fish in this order:
2 x True percula clown fish
1 x royal gramma
1 x copperbanded butterflyfish
1 x yellow tang
1 x powder blue tang
1 x schooling bannerfish (possibly two)
1 x flame angel
1 x mandarin dragonet (I will probably wait one year to give copepods a chance to establish themselves)
1 x orchid dottyback (I will add this fish last as due to its aggressiveness – this fish was chosen by my wife so I have to include it)
Fish I have considered but am not planning on including
6 line wrasse – jumper and I have heard they are evil
Cardinal – have seen them in my LFS and they don’t appear to do anything (I am prepared to be corrected on this one)
Gobys – eat copepods – although I would really like one paired with a pistol shrimp.
Thanks in advance for your help
