What order do you think? (adding fish)

[Greenmaster]

I'm making a huge tank and am looking to add these fish to my tank. Obviously the best way to add fish, if you could would be all at once, but that's not a good idea because of waste management. I would like the list in order of introduction to the tank... and what ones have to be added at the same time for compatibility. Also if you think a fish should not be in the list (I would still appreciate a where in the list you would add it if you had to and why you wouldn't add it at all) So enough of my babble...

Here are the fish in no particular order:

Bartletts Anthias
Yellow Spotted Anthias
Bicolor Psudochromis
Diadema/Purpleback Pseudochromis
Neon Dottyback
Orchid Dottyback
Flame Cardinal
Bangaii Cardinal
Spotted Cardinal
Ochre Striped Cardinal
Sankeyi Dottyback
Australian Black Percula Clownfish
False Percula Clownfish
Sunshine Chromis
Blue Mandarin
Target Mandarin
Flaming Prawn Goby
Orange Firefish Goby
Purple Firefish Goby
Yellow Clown Goby
Long Nose Hawk
Geometric Pygmy Hawk
Blue Hippo Tang
Hawiian Yellow Tang
Six Line Wrasse
Flasher Wrasse

I know this is a long list... This is my long, short-list... I will probably not be getting all of these I just would like to know the order I would introduce them for the best chances of compatibility and if I decide not to get some or they are not available then I would just skip over those and go on to the next one.

 

[SHARPiE]

Best to go from timid to agressive and small to large. If you do have agression between fish, turn off the lights and re-arrange the rockwork. (someone might be able to re-arrange this list for you)

Also with the Mandarin's - you need to ensure the tank has been established for quite some time so there is a sufficient amount of pods (these will only feed off pods, and rarely eat prepared foods)

You are correct in saying you can't add these all at once, as the filter and live rock wouldn't cope with the bio load.

Also have a think about cleanup crew. (I can't see any invert eaters looking over that list).

 

[Greenmaster]

Ya my long list had over 60 fish on it and I took out the more aggressive ones as well as the ones that were not reef/invert safe. Thanks for the post.

 

[Mitchell0605]

The Sixline may cause problems with the Mandarins as they feed similarly. I'm gonna let someone else point out everything else, like Larry. I agree that it should be most timid to least timid. Consider territorial fish also. They should be among the last regardless.

 

[harmy4993]

i think with a 360 gallon tank he should be ok with more then one pod eatter. specially with a sump and if he gives it about 9 months to a year before introducing the pod eatters

 

[Greenmaster]

it's not really a sump... it's more of a 100g refuge... with lots of light. (at least I think it doesn't qualify as a sump).
This is my thoughts and the order I think they should be introduced..
Cardinals (in any order)*
Anthias (in any order)*
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Chromis*
[/FONT]Goby (in any order)*
Wrasse (in any order)*
Clownfish (in any order... maybe at same time.)
Mandarin (at same time)
Hawk (in any order)
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Psudochromis/Dottyback (in any order)[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Tangs (at same time)[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The first five the ones with the * I think could be added in any order.
[/FONT]

 

[melosu58]

The tangs the same time and last.

 

[reefmandan]

yellow tang, psudochromis and dottybacks last

 

[austinsdad]

On the flasher wrasse, I'd recommend one male and 2-3 females. Gives him a lot more flashing opportunities. And if there was only one female, he'd prolly drive that single one crazy. I'd add the females before adding the male though.

I also believe that the hawkfish will do harm to smaller inverts. Especially the shrimp. What's a reef tank without shrimp??? Read up on those again.

On the anthias, your realize that with them you can't feed every other day or longer like a lot of reefers do, right?? They've got small bellies and fast metabolisms I hear and should be feed twice a day. In my reef tank, I had fish that could nibble on rocks and actually go 6-7 days with me out of town and not feeding them. Of course, and ATO for FW was crucial to my long absence.

I'm interested in the quantities of each of the fish too. How many anthias? They look better in groups IMO. I'm also assuming the chromis, the various types of cardinals, will be more than one. 2 clowns too, right? And as I said. one flasher wrasse isn't as much fun.

I know this is a 320g tank, but I'm still getting the feeling it'll be overstocked if you do all on your list and in groups for some of them. Maybe not. That is a huge tank. But let's see the numbers anyway.

 

[Greenmaster]

This is my long short list... not everyone of these fish are going to be in there I don't have exact numbers for them yet... I plan on getting 3-5 each of the chromis/cardinals. I also have lots of hiding places. I will be watching closely for signs of overcrowding. As soon as I see them I stop adding fish.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Why not cut back on other fish and get 20 Chromis'? They would look amazing shimmering in a big school.

 

[Greenmaster]

That's an idea... but as they get older don't they want to become more solitary? I'm trying to look at the long term as well as the immediate viewing pleasure.

 

[Mitchell0605]

They live in huge schools in the reefs, to protect eachother from predators. They grow to around 2-3inches and a predator would still eat them at that size so I don't think so.

 

[Greenmaster]

Okay I'll give it some thought... but would a school of say 10 be enough to give it that amazing shimmer? As well as leave a bit more room for other fish?

 

[Mitchell0605]

Start with 10 and see what it looks like. Then maybe buy some more if you don't think it's enough.
Also I read an article on keeping fish in mated pairs. For a tank this big it might be something you wanna try, especially with all the fish your planning.
I'll go find it.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Found it!
Caught in the Act - A Guide to Aquarium Pairings.

 

[Greenmaster]

It's all good on the mated pairs... I have looked at it and plan on getting a few... Like the mandarin... and some of the others you just make sure you get them when they are small and then when needed they change sex... some even change back and forth as needed but most start as M or F then switch to become the dominant one but can't switch back.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Such as clowns.

 

[Greenmaster]

Bartletts Anthias is another one

 

[Mitchell0605]

All Anthias do it. It's like Clowns in the ocean. One dominant (male in the Anthias' case, female for clowns) and the rest female. Then if the dominant male dies the most dominant female takes over and becomes a male.

And I prefer Lyretail Anthias'. But that's just me.