I am literalty going to do everything u guys say. I am about to put life in my 80 gallon aquarium. My questins are, what type of clean-up crew should I have, snails crabs ect. And how many of each ones or one. And are there any spacific things I should get life wise in the tank (reef tank) what should I get any what are the ups and downs. Unlike my last tank I want to make this tank really work. These were the fish I had selected 1 yellow tang, 2 clown fish, 1 damsel fish, 1 cleaner wrassie, 1 hawk fish, a school of 5 blue chromises and many one or two more fish. Is this too many, will they all get along. Have I said anything yet that sounds like there might be any problems at all. All help is really appricated. Thanx
all input would be great
- Thread starter Kwater
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
You should pass on the cleaner wrasse and get a cleaner goby instead. Cleaner wrasses rarely live long in captivity (usually only a few weeks) because they starve to death so quickly. They are extremely difficult to keep alive because they eat parasites off of your other fish. Once your fish are clean, they have no parasites to eat and they die. They usually live okay in fish stores, since the store is getting new fish in on a weekly basis, and the wrasse has a constant supply of new food. Cleaner gobies look similar, do the same job, but live much longer and are easier to keep.
You are probably going to have to narrow your fish list down to 8 to 10 fish. I think the number you've picked out is too many. I'd recommend skipping the damsel, as they are super aggressive and may kill all your other fish and inverts. They just don't get along with other fish.
The yellow tang would be a good choice, as would a pair of clowns. Hawkfish are cool, but remember they aren't reef safe and will eat your cleaner crew. Shrimp, crabs and snails won't be safe around a hawkfish. The hawkfish may even eat smaller fish than itself.
Instead of 5 chromis, you could get 3. This would lower your fish number, but you could still keep a small school.
As for a cleaner crew, I'd recommend 2 or 3 emerald crabs. A variety of snails consisting of astraea, mexican turbos, nassarius, cerith, trochus and nerite (depending on what you can find). You should get one or two starfish (either brittle or serpent stars, or one of each). You should also get 4 or 5 peppermint shrimp (to prevent aiptasia outbreaks) and a pair of cleaner shrimp or blood shrimp (because they are super cool).
Hermit crabs would be okay, but they will kill your snails. So if you don't mind replacing snails, you could get a handful of them. Otherwise, skip hermits.
Do not get sand sifting stars or coral banded shrimp.
You are probably going to have to narrow your fish list down to 8 to 10 fish. I think the number you've picked out is too many. I'd recommend skipping the damsel, as they are super aggressive and may kill all your other fish and inverts. They just don't get along with other fish.
The yellow tang would be a good choice, as would a pair of clowns. Hawkfish are cool, but remember they aren't reef safe and will eat your cleaner crew. Shrimp, crabs and snails won't be safe around a hawkfish. The hawkfish may even eat smaller fish than itself.
Instead of 5 chromis, you could get 3. This would lower your fish number, but you could still keep a small school.
As for a cleaner crew, I'd recommend 2 or 3 emerald crabs. A variety of snails consisting of astraea, mexican turbos, nassarius, cerith, trochus and nerite (depending on what you can find). You should get one or two starfish (either brittle or serpent stars, or one of each). You should also get 4 or 5 peppermint shrimp (to prevent aiptasia outbreaks) and a pair of cleaner shrimp or blood shrimp (because they are super cool).
Hermit crabs would be okay, but they will kill your snails. So if you don't mind replacing snails, you could get a handful of them. Otherwise, skip hermits.
Do not get sand sifting stars or coral banded shrimp.
cgoodman381
can i put whtever i want?
:lol:
First thing you should do is look into a local reef club, they are great for beginners. All of them are different, but mine has meeting every month on anything from photography to culturing your own DT's. They can be a great tool.
First CUC:
80g... I would start with about 7-10 Turbos 7-10 nassasarius (sp?) maybe a couple cerith and that should be good starting out. This is assuming you already have your tank cycled. Also a bunch of people on here don't like them, but I love hermits. Yes they will kill your snails, but they make an awesome part of your crew. After a week or so add a few more of each. Anything else other then that is your preference. Maybe a peppermint to prevent aiptasia, or possibly a small emerald crab to prevent bubble algae.
Fish:
-Skip the hawk fish if you want a CUC, it will eat them up
-Many people will say skip the damsel, but many people keep them. They are a cool hardy fish. My advice: add him and the clown last.
-Skip the cleaner wrasse as well. In my experience they only do well with larger fish to clean. ie large tangs angels etc. Instead look into Neon Gobies. They would make a great addition to your tank. They also serve the same purpose as the wrasse, but have a much better survival rate.
cgoodman381
can i put whtever i want?
Ugh, biff strikes again. :p
:lol:
Edit, just read what you put biff... I guess great minds think alike lol
:lol:
Edit, just read what you put biff... I guess great minds think alike lol
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Copycat!!
Also, when you do start adding fish, be sure to add no more than one every 3 weeks (or two, if you are adding a pair of the same species). You must add fish slowly, or else you risk crashing your new tank.
Also, when you do start adding fish, be sure to add no more than one every 3 weeks (or two, if you are adding a pair of the same species). You must add fish slowly, or else you risk crashing your new tank.
yote
In Memoriam
Just listen to Biff and C on the fish.
I'll add,Dont add anything but sand rock untill the tanks completely cycled.
I'll add,Dont add anything but sand rock untill the tanks completely cycled.
hmmm that is quite strange. In my 40 gallon the one I have set up I have had a sucsfull cleaner wrassie for months. I don't thank he has ever eaten off the fish acuatialy. And is it weird that I have hermit crabs and snails together now. It seems like the snails chill on the glass where know one can get them. Ok so the hawk fish is out. And right now I have 5 fish in my 40 gallon yellow tang damsel fish two clowns and a cleaner wrassie. No stress in the tank it looks like. Ps the 80 gallon tank has alot of swim room only half of the tank will have coral and rock. And around the overflow. Any thing I'm missing or doing rong. I'm glad I have people to ask who know what there doing
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Are you planning on moving the fish from your 40 to the 80? If so, that's a good plan, since the tang is too large to live in a 40 gallon tank. If you were not planning on moving the tang to a bigger tank, I'd recommend you take it back to the store or give it away, since they stress easily in tanks that small.
yes sorry I wasn't clear enoughf all the 5 fish in my 40 gallon tank are going into the 80 gallon. I am getting rid of the 40 gallon. So u think I could only put about 10 or 9 fish in the 80 gallon. If so did the ones I have now and a school of only 3 chromises as u said would be better and many one or two more fish. The yellow tang will mostlikly be the biggest fish in the tank. Any fish that u recomend that would get along with these and would make a happy reef tank
cgoodman381
can i put whtever i want?
Get a fairy wrasse, they are aweeesome!
You could do what I do and just leave the tank low on fish so that your able to 'impulse' buy ones you really like. ;)
You could do what I do and just leave the tank low on fish so that your able to 'impulse' buy ones you really like. ;)
