45g stocking list questions

prismmoon

Registered Member
May 4, 2008
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Hello! I'm new, I've been lurking doing research for a couple weeks. :)
I'm converting a 45 gallon freshwater tank to saltwater soon, and I've been reading until my eyeballs have nearly fallen out! I just want some input on my planned stock list, and have a couple of questions I haven't found definitive answers on.

2 ocellaris clowns (Have not decided on orange or black. I love both! Is one of each possible, or are they racist fish? :) )
1 royal gramma
2 yellow clown gobies (Do these guys do okay in multiples?)
1 sixline wrasse
1 pygmy angel- flame, cherub, or flameback

Listed in approximate order of adding.
Is this an ok amount of fish? Could I sneak in a couple more even?
And should I decide down the road to turn this into a reef, all should be cool with the possible exception of the angel, yes?
Aaand what is a recommended cleanup crew and shrimp? I see some people say hermits are great, others say don't add any crabs because they'll eat your fish, what's the deal?

... I think that's it, for now. Ahem.
 
hello and welcome!
the stock lists looks ok but a little heavy for my tastes, i'd leave off the angel if you are going to go reef or if you really want the angel don't add the 6-line and maybe one of the gobies (this is my opinion of course)
the clowns would be fine to mix a blk and orange if you do it at the same time, they will fight at first especially if they are close to the same size to decide who will be the woman and then all will be fine :) i would def not recomend adding any more fish but i err on the side of understocking. how much LR do you have? do you have a refugium or sump?
as far as cleanup crew goes i usually recommend getting that as you go. you don't really need to much at first. a handful of snails (mix of astrea, cerith, and nassarius- for the sand bed) and a half dozen or so of hermits (im pro-hermit) should be fine. just make sure to have a few extra shells for the crabs to deter them from munching on the snails :) i also like skunk cleaner shrimp a lot. they hang out in the open a lot and if your fish are game they will clean them. fire shrimp seem to be a bit more timid as well as peppermint shrimp. coral banded's can be quite aggressive and get very large. hth...
 
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