Tank just Cycled what should livestock should i get?

[solidsnakejv]

My tank just cycled. And i need some help on what fish to get.
I have a 90 gallon tank with 100 pounds of live rock. I will eventually make it a reef tank, but the reefs are kind of expensive and i want to recover financially from the intial expenses of the tank setup. Therefore, i want to start gearing my livestock towards a reef tank eventhough it will be a FOWLR for a few months.

Here's what I am thinking of adding i just don't know when to add them.

1) Flame Angel
2) Coral Beauty Angerl or a Potter's Angel
3) A Red or Blue Manderine (can i put two of them?)
4) A Royal Gamma Basslet (or two)
5) A Firefish (or Two)
6) Horned Blenny or an Ember Blenny
7) Orange Stripe Prawn Goby
8) A few clown fish ( i was told i can get a mix of them without them having a problem. But no more than 3)
9) Splendid or Bicolor Pseudochromi
10) and my Wife typically wants a Yellow and Blue Tank (Dori).


Obviously i won't put all of this fish in the tank, and i will only add three at a time in two week intervals. The goal would be to get as many as possible.
I went to the LFS and i was told the following.

Don't get Mandarines now.
Clowns i get get the mixed, but not until i get anenomes.
The tangs will get too big for the tank.

When should i get a cleaning crew? and what should i get?
Do i definately need corals in there before i add any of the above fish?
and in what order should i get the above fish?

 

[jessicasmarine]

In my experience the flame angel and the coral beauty will not get along, mandarins are a little more towards experienced keepers due to their eating habits. They need an established tank with a good copepod population. Clowns dont neccesarily need anemones.
The yellow tang should be fine, it does not get enormous
Corals are not neccesary for most fish(hince FOWLR) but IMO LR is important
This is all my personal opinion and a little off my experience. One of the highly qualified moderators will be checking in soon enough to go more in depth, and Welcome to AA

 

[melosu58]

In my experience the flame angel and the coral beauty will not get along,

And not only will they not get along but when it comes time for corals you`ll have to break down your tank to get them out.You wont be able to catch them with alot of LR in the tank. IME if you are going to have corals I would not add them. JMO

 

[thincat]

I have a Bicolor Pseudochromis and he rules the tank. My gobies hang out on the PH's during the day or the Bicolor would kill them. If you want one add them last. I would advise against the manderin and the coral beauty is hit or miss if you are going to have a reef setup later. Your tank is big enough for a yellow tang.

 

[severum mama]

The tank is too small for a blue tang IMO. A yellow would be fine. I'd suggest skipping the Mandarins, at least until the tank is very established with a refugium and a ton of pods. Different species of centropyge angels will not get along, and IMO it's doubtful that different species of clowns will either. It would be easier to go with one species of clown, and add a couple of them at the same time and hope for a pair.

 

[solidsnakejv]

I can settle for just one angel. I would prefer the Flame Angel. Would they definately not do well in the reef setup? are they definately going to go after corals or interbrates?

I will definately hold off on the Mandarin.

I still contemplating on not getting the blue hippo tang.

The guy at my LFS said that i can get a foxface because he will not get big enough in captivity so he'll be fine.

Should i go with a Blenny or a Goby, or can i do both.

I'm gonna go with the following so far unless you guys think it won't work.

1 Yellow tang
2 Royal Gammas
1 Firefish (can i get two)
A pair of Clowns. What kind would likely get along better together (no Anemone Yet)
1 Goby or 1 Blenny or one of each.
hopefully the flame angel

is that too much or can i add some more, and if so what?
is the blue tang definately not a good idea?

 

[mdaniel2882]

I can settle for just one angel. I would prefer the Flame Angel. Would they definately not do well in the reef setup? are they definately going to go after corals or interbrates?

Best answer is maybe. potter's angel is more consistantly reef safe than the flame.

I will definately hold off on the Mandarin.

Mandarin only after you have a refugium to breed copepods

I still contemplating on not getting the blue hippo tang.

I think the hippo should be ok in a 100 but not with as many fish as you want.

A pair of Clowns. What kind would likely get along better together (no Anemone Yet).

try to find a mated pair

 

[thincat]

If you can't get a mated pair of clowns, get one large one and one small one. The large would be the female and the small would end up the male.

 

[severum mama]

Best answer is maybe. potter's angel is more consistantly reef safe than the flame.



Mandarin only after you have a refugium to breed copepods



I think the hippo should be ok in a 100 but not with as many fish as you want.



try to find a mated pair

I disagree. A standard 90 gallon is still only a 4 foot tank. When properly kept, this is a fish that grows quite large and needs a 6 foot tank minimum IMO.

 

[mdaniel2882]

I disagree. A standard 90 gallon is still only a 4 foot tank. When properly kept, this is a fish that grows quite large and needs a 6 foot tank minimum IMO.

yep misread the tank size. I thought he had a 100 gal which is usually 6 ft.

 

[solidsnakejv]

by the way this is the tank so far.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/24565-albums646-picture4532.jpg

 

[jessicasmarine]

that looks really good

 

[thincat]

Nice rockwork.

 

[solidsnakejv]

thanks, now that we are on the right thread.

What should i get as my cleaning crew.
The guy at the LFS told me that for that size tank (90), i should have 25 nassarus, 25 hermit crabs, 3 emerald crabs, and i think he said 25 turbos.

I think he's pulling my legs.

what do you guys think should be a good clean up crew?

 

[jessicasmarine]

thats about what I have in my 120

 

[solidsnakejv]

so maybe i'll settle for 15 turbos, 15 nassarus, 15 hermit crabs and 2 emerald crabs.

When should i add them before the fish or can i wait on it a little longer? and how much of the cuc should i add at a time?
thanks

 

[thincat]

I would cut down on the hermit crabs. They tend to kill your snails for their shells. and you don't really need 15 hermits anyway.

 

[roka64]

I agree....cut down on the hermits or buy plenty of extra empty shells.

 

[solidsnakejv]

cut down on the hermits to 10 or 5. should i introduce the entire cuc at once? or how many at a time.

 

[Etunes]

Tagging along.