SW stocking (fish) guidelines

[murgus]

In an effort to not jack BD's thread...

Are there guidelines / rules of thumb for fish stocking in the marine world?  I've read stuff about using the tank foot print as a guide, using the gallonage, etc. 

Any real world feedback is appreciated!  BTW, I am specifically wondering about FOWLR but reef guidelines (if different) are welcome too.

Thanks,
Andrew 

[ToX]

It all depends on the kind of fish

it all depends on how much coral you have and what kind, to have the best water parameters etc...

tells us what size tank you have and what will be the stocking and we'll help ya

[murgus]

It all depends on the kind of fish

it all depends on how much coral you have and what kind, to have the best water parameters etc...

tells us what size tank you have and what will be the stocking and we'll help ya

LOL - okay.  The tank is 20 gallon, 26x12x15 (or there abouts).  It will be FOWLR for the beginning.

Here is a list of fish we like (and realize that we cannot have them all!)

• A. ocellaris "common clownfish" (we'd like a pair)
• N . decora "purple firefish"
• P. temmincki "scooter blenny"
• P. hexataenia "6 line wrasse"
• L. laevigata "blue starfish"
• C. tricolor "blue legged hermit crab"
• L. amboinensis "cleaner shrimp"

Of the bunch, we really want the pair of clowns

Thanks,
Andrew

[mseguin]

Personally I'd say with the pair of clowns, either the purple firefish or the scooter blenny, the hermits and shrimp.

[ToX]

yep me too, no starfish and no 6lines wrasse the rest is okay

[az]

i will leave out the scooter blenny, i love 6 line wrasses!

[gvv]

I'm with ToX. 6Line can be  a real bully in the larger tank, not 20G...

Just for future info, you may look for a saltwater fish compatibility on google. Here are two examples:
http://www.tropicalfishstore.com/compatibility.htm
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/SWCompatibility.php

Regards

[Julie]

I'd say the pair of clowns.  They are not too big and they don't really need an anemone.  Also more clean up crew, especially snails.
Adding any more fish will increase load therefore more maintenance will be required in a 20. 
If you decide reef, the corals will add to your load, otherwise 3 fish is fun. 

[murgus]

i will leave out the scooter blenny, i love 6 line wrasses!

az, any technical reason you'd leave out the scooter?  Or do you just not like him

So, if we had a pair of clowns and a purple firefish, what kind (and how many) of clean up crew should I get?

When should the clean up crew be added? 

So many questions, so little time!

Thanks,

[Julie]

You can add the clean up crew once the tank is cycled.
Don't forget the test kits.

I can't remember are you buying cured live rock?

[murgus]

You can add the clean up crew once the tank is cycled.
Don't forget the test kits.

I can't remember are you buying cured live rock?

Yup, I already have the live sand in (lots of interesting critters there, some fan like things and even a hermit!).  I will be getting the LR later this week/weekend from a good source.

Should probably wait a week or so after the LR is in to add the crew?

Thanks for all your patience Julie (both here and in PM)!
Andrew

[Julie]

Ammonia is cloudy water, you want to be at the end of the cycle and eventually at zero nitrate.

I was lucky with my live rock, all my critters survived including the soft corals.  My tank never spiked ammonia.  So bring your rock home right away and get it in the tank.  How many pounds?
What specific gravity are you keeping it at?

You can wait a week to add the crew.  Remember take things slowly because your live rock is your filtration and it needs time to adjust to additional load.

[gvv]

Just for info...
If you will be happy enough you may get stomatella on the LR. Now I prefer them to the snails. I lost more than half of the snails population to hermits, that are looking for new shells. Besides that stomatella is breeding in my tank, so I have a lot of this nice guys that take care of any algae.

[az]

az, any technical reason you'd leave out the scooter?  Or do you just not like him

So, if we had a pair of clowns and a purple firefish, what kind (and how many) of clean up crew should I get?

When should the clean up crew be added? 

So many questions, so little time!

Thanks,

just dont like him as much lol!

when ready, i'd dump in 10 blue leg hermits and 10 astrea snails!
in a month i'd double that number!

i agree with gvv on stomatellas....they do prrty good job and dont die as much, move lot faster than other snails too!

[murgus]

Ammonia is cloudy water, you want to be at the end of the cycle and eventually at zero nitrate.

I was lucky with my live rock, all my critters survived including the soft corals.  My tank never spiked ammonia.  So bring your rock home right away and get it in the tank.  How many pounds?

I am going to get ~20-25lbs.

What specific gravity are you keeping it at?

It is currently 1.025.

You can wait a week to add the crew.  Remember take things slowly because your live rock is your filtration and it needs time to adjust to additional load.

I know but it's sooooooooooooo hard to wait

Thanks,
Andrew

[kennyman]

Overall stocking guidlines for SW is often about 1/4 of that for FW. I agree with Julie's recomendation of one pair of small clowns or similar sized fish in a 20gal. Dont forget how much volume you loose with the rock.

The clowns dont care about LR but blenies or fierfish really need it to hide in.

[nelson]

You should also consider that if you incorporate a sump to your system it will add to your total water volume, permitting you to add more fish than you would without it.

[murgus]

You should also consider that if you incorporate a sump to your system it will add to your total water volume, permitting you to add more fish than you would without it.

Thanks but a sump is definitely not in the future of this tank - too much modification required (it's a Tropiquarium 68).

Andrew

[murgus]

How would this stocking be in a 20 gal FOWLR?  Along with the usual snails and hermits.

• 2 x A. ocellaris "common clownfish"
• 1 x N . decora "purple firefish"
• 1 x Gobiodon sp. "brown clown goby"

Can I also have some shrimp?  What type?  How many?

Thanks,
Andrew

[Julie]

Hi, how is the tank coming?
How big is the goby?