Proactive Stock list for 65G Reef Build

[NickRummy]

I'm working on setting up my 65G Reef setup and feel like I have so many unanswered questions and unplanned things ahead of me! I'm just trying to get a better idea on a stock list. I know it will be months in the making. I just want to start a list to get everyone's input and recommendations on when to add certain live stock to the tank. This will give me some time to read up on recommendations before making any rash decisions.

I'm COMPLETELY new to all this and even researching fish profiles is a bit confusing, especially when it comes to fish that won't bother corals and other things in the tank.

I plan to update this original post with the current stock list I'd like to use. Then when it's finally time to start adding live stock to the tank I'll have a great list with dates to work from!

The only thing I know I'd really like to have is a clown fish or two. Mainly for my wife and son since they like them so much. I'd like to have a clean up crew as well. Snails, shrimp, crabs etc etc.

1st Group (added after new tank has cycled)
4 - Dwarf Hermit Crabs
2 - Clownfish

2nd Group (3 weeks after 1st group?)
2 - Skunk Cleaner shrimp
3 - Spotted Cardinal fish
2 - Zebra turbo snails

3rd Group (Depends on tank stability)
Looking for recommendations on something for beginners.

 

[ryshark]

I'm working on setting up my 65G Reef setup and feel like I have so many unanswered questions and unplanned things ahead of me! I'm just trying to get a better idea on a stock list. I know it will be months in the making. I just want to start a list to get everyone's input and recommendations on when to add certain live stock to the tank. This will give me some time to read up on recommendations before making any rash decisions.

I'm COMPLETELY new to all this and even researching fish profiles is a bit confusing, especially when it comes to fish that won't bother corals and other things in the tank.

I plan to update this original post with the current stock list I'd like to use. Then when it's finally time to start adding live stock to the tank I'll have a great list with dates to work from!

The only thing I know I'd really like to have is a clown fish or two. Mainly for my wife and son since they like them so much. I'd like to have a clean up crew as well. Snails, shrimp, crabs etc etc.

1st Group (added after new tank has cycled)
2 - Hermit Crabs (looks like certain species are reef safe)
2 - Peppermint shrimp (completely clueless here)
1 - Skunk Cleaner shrimp (can he go in a new tank?)

2nd Group (3 weeks after 1st group?)
2 - Clownfish

3rd Group (3 weeks after 2nd group?)
1 - Tang (not sure which type, clowns look awesome)
1 - Recommendations on other smaller fish? Gobys?

4th Group (now safe to start with corals?)
Looking for recommendations on something for beginners.

I think you can combine your 1st group and 2nd group all together in the 1st group as long as the tank is definitely cycled properly.
For the 3rd group..Absolutely NO Clown Tang. With a 65-gallon you argueably shouldn't have any Tang, but if you are to pick ONE go with a type of "Ctenochaetus" Tang. Look here Surgeonfish: Tang Fish, Yellow Tangs and other Surgeons
I agree Clown Tangs look awesome, but I wouldn't even put one in my 180-gallon, they get huge and are mean.
3rd Group Recommendations, how about...off the top of my head, Royal Gramma, Goby, Cardinal Fish, Firefish, Chromis, Midas Blenny.

4th- It's hard to say when you are safe to start with corals. It will depend on the stability of your tanks parameters. Once stable and looking good, I don't see a problem with trying out an easy coral like a torch, hammer, zoanthids, frogspawn, leather

 

[cmor1701d]

I agree. The clean up crew can be combined with the addition of fish. The CUC has such a small bioload that it's not usually counted.

Also, ALL tangs really belong in a 6' or longer tank. They are very fast swimmers, grow rather large, and needs lots of room.

The mushrooms, softies and LPS should be ok in a few months, but you really want to have very stable water conditions for SPS, hence the recommendations to wait 6 - 8 months before adding those.

 

[NickRummy]

How are red mandarins? Seems like they don't get a long with like kinds but what about 1 of them for maybe a second group?

Also how about Mertensii butterflies? I'd like to have one larger fish as maybe a main center piece? I understand the tank isn't that big so my choices will definitely be limited. It does say in it's profile to have caution with reefs?

I do like the cardinals and had the spotted one on my list of favorites. They do best in small schools? would that be 3 or so?

Updated my OP, I also added in a sea start and another shrimp into the 1st group. Should that be ok?

 

[mr_X]

all butterflies are potential coral nippers/eaters.
i would not add the coral banded shrimp. i haven't, but many have had issues with them killing the other shrimp. in that size tank, it might be more likely. i would add a pair or trio of skunk cleaners instead. they seem to be quite social, and show it more in groups.
why get the peppermint shrimp at all? aptasia control? they hide most of the time.

i do not understand what people see in cardinals...LOL. they remind me of fresh water angels. to each his own i guess.

if you don't mind removing a fish after a year or so, a small scopus or yellow tang could be the "big fish" for a while.
i agree with the pajama tang advice.

a mandarin is a good fish for the tank, but consider that they generally eat nothing but copepods, and you'll have to be sure not to add anything that competes with it for food, like wrasses.

no sand sifting stars! they starve to death in our severely limited sand beds.

 

[NickRummy]

No particular reason on the peppermints. I thought they looked neat and helped clean. If I never see them then it's a bit pointless

A pair of skunks would be awesome!

I like the cardinals but they are by no means my favorite. I agree they remind me of a fresh water fish as do a lot of the other fish that have been mentioned already. I think that's why I liked the Tangs and Butterflies. They have that "saltwater" look to them.

I think I'd rather stick with fish that can stay in my tank for a while. I don't really want to take the chance on not being able to find them a good home and outgrowing my tank in the future.

Any recommendations on a star fish then? My wife REALLY wants one. haha!

 

[mr_X]

hmm..a black or red (not green) brittle star would be the only starfish i think would do well for you. those can be hand fed. they eat uneaten food on the sand bed, and are quite hardy. you can put the serpent stars in that boat too. i do like the look of the harlequin serpent-

the others...fromia and linckia, are hard to keep alive, especially in new systems, and the sand sifters render the sand bed "dead" then run out of food and slowly starve. it's quite sad really.

 

[NickRummy]

Oh ok. I think she would want a more "normal" looking star fish but it is what it is! Those serpents are cool but creepy looking.

 

[cmor1701d]

Everyone tells me my serpents are creepy! But I love when they come scurrying out from the rocks at feeding time.

 

[NickRummy]

They remind of those things that ran around in the movie "Aliens" and latched on to people.

 

[mr_X]

Oh ok. I think she would want a more "normal" looking star fish

lol..tell her..these are normal looking starfish.

 

[NickRummy]

lol..tell her..these are normal looking starfish.

I'll give you her email address and you can tell her

 

[mr_X]

I'll give you her email address and you can tell her

 

[Deep Seven]

I find information often leads to acceptance. I used this trick to cure my baby sisters' fear of spiders. Learning more about a creature, why it's shaped and behaves the way it does can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of the creature.

Movies often use a visually "strange" creature, and add a bunch of misinformation to make it scary. The result is culturally we have become repulsed and scared by a lot of very interesting and facinating creatures.

 

[ryshark]

I find information often leads to acceptance. I used this trick to cure my baby sisters' fear of spiders. Learning more about a creature, why it's shaped and behaves the way it does can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of the creature.

Movies often use a visually "strange" creature, and add a bunch of misinformation to make it scary. The result is culturally we have become repulsed and scared by a lot of very interesting and facinating creatures.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but something that can crawl up my leg and bite me and possibly put me in the hospital, scares me. Mainly Black Widows and Brown Violin Recluse spiders.

 

[mr_X]

cereal killers scare me!

 

[Wy Renegade]

Depending on sandbed depth, the yellow watchman or shrimp goby is a great and hardy fish, but it requires a DSB. Avoid the diamond watchman in this size of tank.

Depending on coral choice, you also may want to consider a yellow coral goby - the yellows are pretty hardy (if they eat), the greens and other colors not so much. However, if you plan on going SPS, you may want to skip these, as they will nip at SPS corals.

The firefish gobies are also nice top swimmers, but require a cover as they tend to go carpet surfing.

Some species of flasher wrasses are a good choice once the tank is established and has a nice pod population.

 

[NickRummy]

cereal killers scare me!

That's not something I want to see first thing in the morning!

I'm liking the Gobies more and more. What do you guys think of the Catalina? I read something about it liking cooler waters though? Between 60-70. That seems really low!

How many Gobies should be safe in the 65g? The pink bar Goby is great looking too. When you guys say something to keep them from jumping the tank would a canopy be ok or are you thinking glass lids?

 

[cmor1701d]

Catalina Island is off the coast of California and is surrounded by cool ocean water. The water temperature around the island ranges frm ~64 to ~73 degrees, so unless you are doing a cool water tank, you should forget about this goby.

 

[NickRummy]

Jeeesh, any fish I find that's interesting looking has something bad along with it!