New 90 gallon reef setup

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whaddisfish

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Dec 25, 2011
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This is going to be a 90 g reef tank with mostly sps corals. i am now planning on my livestock for the new tank which is gnna be put up soon.
I need on whether i should take any out or is it fine. IMO i think its fine but i jus want to add one more fish with a yellowish colour.

Livestock:

1 Purple tang
1 Flame angel
1 yellow tail damsel
2 ocellaris clowns
1 sixline wrassee
1 orchid dottyback
2 neon gobies
2 green banded gobies
and maybe
1 lyretail anthias
or
1 yellow wrasse

SO plz giv me ur opinions on this livestock and help me decide my last fish which doesnt hav to be the anthias or yllwtail wrasse (i want a yellow fish) but if its overstocked then plz tellme
 

fsn77

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Feb 22, 2006
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I would be cautious adding a sixline wrasse, as the couple that I've had were very aggressive / territorial. Your best bet if you decide to add one would be to add it as one of your last fish (if not as your last fish), once everyone else is settled in the tank. The first sixline wrasse I had was a bully to any fish I added after him.

I'd also skip the damsel, as they tend to grow aggressive over time, too.

A purple tang is probably not a good choice in a standard 90g tank. It will grow large and outgrow the tank. And, it can happen much more quickly than you might expect.

I really like yellow wrasses... Although they do like to jump, so be prepared to have some way to contain it if you add one.
 

whaddisfish

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Dec 25, 2011
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yes im going to add the 6 line wrasse last. Im definitely not taking the purple tang out of the list because it can thrive in a 90 gallon because ive seen it many times- e.g. mrsaltwaterfishtank. And yeh its a true yellowtail damsel so its one of the most peaceful damsels. But will the neon gobies n gb gobies survive the 6line and damsel?
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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The neons would be my concern with several of your fish. Any chance you can swap the sixline for one of the flasher or fairy wrasses? Maybe even a leopard if you felt confident in your supplier?
 

whaddisfish

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Dec 25, 2011
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mayb i mite jus add a cleaning wrasse instead of 2 neon gobies? cuz i love the sixline wrasse. will adding it as a last fish decrease its agressiveness towards a neon goby which would be added first?
 

greech

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Cleaner wrasse do not have much long term sucess in our tanks. Don't suggest one for a 90g. Of the fish you mentioned, the dottyback, the damsel, the purple tang and the 6-line should be added last (maybe not quite in that order).
 

whaddisfish

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Dec 25, 2011
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okay. so mayb i add the clowns and the gobies first, then after reaching full maturity i will add the rest with the damsel and the wrasse last? and also are 6line wrasses good jumpers? cuz this tank wont have a lid.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Yes they are (all wrasse are). Having compatible tank mates is probably the best thing you can do to prevent fish from jumping but even something as simple as car lights passing through windows of a dark room could spook a fish. I don't think you have to wait for your other fish to grow to maturity before adding more fish. You have plenty of time and should probably give a good 2 weeks to a month between additions anyway. While general descriptions of fish behavior can be helpful, there are always exceptions. The 6-line is a very good example. Some say their 6-line is a model citizen while others claim that theirs is a serial killer. Clowns are another, especially when it comes to pairs. My pair is as docile as can be but others say that they have no luck adding new fish because their clown pair tears them up. Point is you have plenty of time to judge/research your additions once you get started and addyour first few fish. BTW, clowns can fend for themselves. They are damsels after all, they just have racing stripes :).
 

whaddisfish

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Dec 25, 2011
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okat ty. Right now it would be around a month or more be4 i go buy the 90g coz im rlly busy right now. Im goin to start it wen im free (after my igcse). Right now i am going to convert my 20g fw tank into sw coz i dont wnna spend alot of money on this one coz it will probly be jus a temporary tank be4 i get my 90. It will have a few cheap beginner corals. The questions are that how many fish can i add in it? (ive seen tanks with only a pair of clowns and some with like 4 or more fish which makes me confused) and also what is the minimal lighting for the beginner polyps and mushrooms? and do i need a protein skimmer for a tank this size? cuz my tank's filtration all happens in the lid meaning that the filtration system mite be too small for the skimmer or it might look fuggly with a skimmer at the top. right now the lighting are two 20 watt fluorescent tubes (i guess they are needed to be changed?) and any other suggestions are needed ASAP
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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My suggestions would be (1) wait to get the 90 or (2) just do a FOWLR in the 20. To keep it simple/cheap, get some good LR, sand (if you want it), a couple of good powerheads and a heater. Lighting is expensive and if your goal is a 90, any lighting you get for the 20 would be a waste (can't just change bulbs and expect corals to grow). In that simple of a system, I would cap the fishload at 2 to 3 and be sure to do weekly 10-15% water changes with RO/DI water (might get by wiuth RO on due to it being a FOWLR).
 
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