Stocking Help

Trying to get a list together still to stock a 46gallon bowfront. Coming from FW I love to stock heavy and always used chemical filtration and live plant to keep water parameters in check but am unsure of what I am able to do in a SW tank. Only must have is a regualr "Nemo" clownfish for my wife and a drawf angelfish such as a coral beauty or a potters. After that I am not sure what I can do I love all those reef safe wrasses and would love to have 3 or 4 different species of them. Also would love to have a jawfish or a couple gobies and mandarin but I feel like that would be way too many fish for both bioload and also all wanting to occupy the same area of the tank and hunt for the same food. I do have very pourous Pukani rock including some large pieces to hopefully allow pods to reproduce safely without being eaten.

For a list how would this sound,

1 or 2 clowns
1 dwarf angel
1 or 2 different but comptable gobies (or a mandarin)
2 or 3 wrasse
Not sure what else I could add so any suggestions are welcomed, does having it set up as a FWLRO tank or an LPS/softie tank have any impact on how many fish I can keep?

 

bump

 

I think you're close to be cool!
if 2 clowns introduce at the same time, prob first, then wait a month
then do a goby or your wrasse's (read evolved's thread before doing a wrasse so you get suitable ones for your tank http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-122261.html)
then wait a month or so
about the 4 month mark, i'd add your dwarf angel!
then at about a year, your mandarin, buy some different kinds of pods to seed your tank with

I'd prob stick with 1 or 2 wrasse, like i said read that thread, it will help ya determine how many, but I'd stay safe and stick with 1, get a cover!

EDIT, good point 1.0, make sure ya get some experience and research wrasse's, they're not exactly a drop some food in once a day type fish, they req 3 feedings a day.

So maybe get the angel after the clowns, and def give some space between all new adds

 

2 clownfish(small species)
1 dwarf angelfish
1-2 gobies
1-2 small wrasse
As a beginner at SW I wouldn't get a fish that are hard to keep alive, like mandarin dragonets. You could keep a potters, just get a healthy specimen and wait until the tank is established. HTH;D

 

Thanks guys I am glad to see my stocking list isnt something that is going to be an issue. I do plan on introducing a pair of tank-bred clowns first either Ocellaris Clownfish or Percula not sure which would be better for my tank or if it matter. These will be the only fish for a month or two, the only thing I plan on adding in the meantime would be a CUC and pods. After that is where I get unsure of what I could/ should do. Im thinking a sandsifting goby and then a drawf angel? I would lvoe 2 angels but from what I read in a 46gallon that may be pushing it. As for the wrasses I am hoping WrasseFreak will chime in with some advice I love the Leapords, Flashers, and Fairy.

 

no 2 angels IMO, they don't play well together
CUC from reef cleaners ASAP
prob no on the leopard
flasher and a fairy should be ok, but post a question on evolved's thread, he is the wrasse guru
http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-122261.html

 

IMO I would just start out with the 2 clowns. Just get two clowns from your LFS that are between 1 - 1.5" in size and you shouldn't run into any problems. I would just see how you like them and get some experience with them as well. I would stay open minded on what other fish to add as well. There will always be that one fish that you want, but if your tank is already at its max on bio-load, then you won't be able to add it.

Also keep in mind that SW doesn't hold the same amount of dissolved oxygen as FW does, so you wont be able to stock as heavily as you are probably used to.

 

For oxygenation do Reef keepers do anything special to increase oxygenation of the water than just have really good flow with powerheads and filters?

 

If you want two angelfish get two very peaceful species and acclimate them together(but separated) or get a pair and see how it works out.

 

What we tend to do is point a powerhead towards the surface to agitate it. This helps with gas exchange. Also, My skimmer return is about half way out of the water.