Stocking a 90 Predator Reef

[Gizmoh]

Hello Everyone,

So I just joined the community today so I figured I would jump right into things! I started my first mixed reef just about a year ago now and I have been having lots of luck with it. So, when my buddy told me he was moving and needed to get rid of his tank i jumped all over it. So I am gettting a 90G (48x18x16) and a standard 35G. I will transforming the 35G into a sump and I have 6x T5 HO for the system as well as a 220G Coralife PSkimmer. My questions are, if I have my heart set on a Dwarf Lion what other stocking options should I be looking at, I am open to any and all suggestions. Also do I need to go to maybe 8x T5? I dont think it is needed as the tank is so shallow and I suppose it really depends on what I want to grow. From previous experience it is a little bit of everything. Except I have had no luck in the acroporah(sp?) family.

Thanks everyone! and I am looking forward to picking everyones brain!!:^:

 

[ErinCahir]

Hello and welcome to the site!

You will need to be careful with the lionfish... they will eat anything they can fit in their mouths. That being said... I think one of the smaller tangs would be okay. A yellow... or a tomini. I'm also pretty sure lionfish eat inverts... but I don't remember right now.

 

[Sharkie]

Be really careful with that lion... anything they can fit in their mouths-they WILL eat. also be sure to make that 2x what you can see of his mouth because they expand when they open up.. Dwarfs are relatively nice IMO (mine was given to me by a friend, cute lil guy) but always tend to eat their tankmates... You could try going with a trigger or various groupers... I know my dwarf came from a tank with a hippo tang, baby panther grouper, and a few eels and they all did great together... If you are wanting to go with strictly preadtors i'd suggest an eel or two :)

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the site...if you do get a lionfish, you can add some sort of trigger, grouper, eel, larger species of clownfish, foxface, etc.

 

[little_fish]

Hello and Welcome!

I would not recommend a trigger or grouper for a 90 gal tank, they both get way too big. But maroon clowns, eels, lion fish and yellow tang would all do well in there

 

[Gizmoh]

Wow, awesome community, thanks for the quick replys. I am intrigued by the eels idea, what are the rules on stocking multiple eels in a tank? I have never looked into keeping them before. Also, would a powder Brown grow to large? I have always wanted one! and finally, my lfs sells me damsels at an insanley low cost would these be good as a feeder fish? I think they would be an attractive feeder from my days of keeping fresh predators and having those 2 lonely Goldfish that never got eaten.

Damsels arn't good for much more then that anyways.

Thanks again everyone, still trying to decide on a final stock list.

 

[little_fish]

I would say your tank is too small for any tang besides the yellow, they need 6 feet of swimming length to be happy. The powder browns are especially problematic in shorter tanks, they stress out so easily, get ich and then die.

And i think you can have mulitple eels as long as you introduce them together. Just be sure you have super tight fitting lid if you do get any eels - they are escape artists!!!!

Also, if you are going to want to keep anything besides the eels in there, i would not feed them live fish. They wont know which fish you want to look at which one is ok for them to eat. Plus they should be fed a variety of frozen foods, not just damsels. I would feed them silversides, table shrimp (uncooked), squid, clams, etc. Variety is key to having healthy fish.

 

[Bifferwine]

Hello and welcome to the site!

 

[Graffiti Reef]

I had an aggressive tank with some lionfish, a panther grouper, snowflake moray, a maroon clown, a flame angel, and got away with some small hermit crabs and snails. Everybody did fine.

 

[sen5241b]

Morary eel!!!!!