Stocking Ideas for a Shallow 60G

[shawnriv]

Hello Everyone,

 

I currently have a 38G mixed reef and am looking to upgrade to a 60G rimless 31 x 30 x 15. After my first tank (I learned a lot from my first build) I am want a fresh start with new rock, sand, and lights. I'm looking for recommendations stocking some fish. I would love to keep a Tang...and was thinking a small Kole Tang. Any recommendations are welcome.

 

Thanks!

[Odyssey350kc]

I always love the look of a small school of fish, so i would probably do something like 3 anthias if it were me.

[lkoechle]

If you can, I would do a shallow 85 (like mine) 48l 24d 17h. That would allow you to keep a kole tang for its whole life as well as a bunch of other fish. I am still hammering out my plans but my current inhabitants are:

 

2x green mandarins

1x scribbled rabbitfish

2x occy clowns

1x diamond goby

1x yellow clown goby

 

I plan on adding:

1x kole tang

1x flame angel

3x flasher wrasse

1x neon goby

 

And then we will reasses and see how my green mandarins are doing and debate what else to add depending on how the tank is doing at that stage. Definitely go for the 85 if you can. We love the dimensions and look.

[shawnriv]

I always love the look of a small school of fish, so i would probably do something like 3 anthias if it were me.

 

This tank wouldn't be large enough for a school Anthias'. Although, I a Sunburst Anthias is definitely on my wish list.

If you can, I would do a shallow 85 (like mine) 48l 24d 17h. That would allow you to keep a kole tang for its whole life as well as a bunch of other fish. I am still hammering out my plans but my current inhabitants are:

 

2x green mandarins

1x scribbled rabbitfish

2x occy clowns

1x diamond goby

1x yellow clown goby

 

I plan on adding:

1x kole tang

1x flame angel

3x flasher wrasse

1x neon goby

 

And then we will reasses and see how my green mandarins are doing and debate what else to add depending on how the tank is doing at that stage. Definitely go for the 85 if you can. We love the dimensions and look.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. An 85 gallon would be nice, but it's large for me right now. I would like to eventually start a 125G build, but I don't own a home yet and would feel more comfortable when that time comes. But as for the 60G...I am thinking one Kole Tang, Sunburst Anthias, 2 Clowns, and a Royal Gramma.

 

By the way, I have a Flame Angel in my 38G and it's the worst mistake. He's still a juvenile so he fits the tank great, but my SPS corals have suffered: zero polyp extension and poor growth.

[ajmckay]

Sounds like you have a decent grasp of appropriate fish, and it sounds like you want to "step it up" a notch and try something beyond typical beginner or nano fish.

 

IMO a kole tang, sunburst, 2 clowns and a gramma sounds like a decent enough list. Some would probably argue that a 60g is a little on the small side but that's just a general statement, it depends on how you set the tank up. The tank also isn't very wide, but it has excellent depth. Design it with these fish in mind and I'm sure you can make it work.

 

Is this going to be another mixed reef or do you have more progressive plans for corals as well? I'm in the process of setting up a more progressive tank myself and in addition to some cool fish I'm going for "showpiece" corals vs. frags all over.

[shawnriv]

Sounds like you have a decent grasp of appropriate fish, and it sounds like you want to "step it up" a notch and try something beyond typical beginner or nano fish.

 

IMO a kole tang, sunburst, 2 clowns and a gramma sounds like a decent enough list. Some would probably argue that a 60g is a little on the small side but that's just a general statement, it depends on how you set the tank up. The tank also isn't very wide, but it has excellent depth. Design it with these fish in mind and I'm sure you can make it work.

 

Is this going to be another mixed reef or do you have more progressive plans for corals as well? I'm in the process of setting up a more progressive tank myself and in addition to some cool fish I'm going for "showpiece" corals vs. frags all over.

 

Exactly! I've never had experience with a Tang before so I'm looking forward to the challenge. I always quarantine my fish before adding them to by display tank. I'll be going with another mixed reef mainly dominated with SPS...probably a 80-20% split. My current tank has many SPS Acropora frags that I plan on transferring once the new tank is set up. Good luck with your build and feel free to keep me posted!

[lkoechle]

Exactly! I've never had experience with a Tang before so I'm looking forward to the challenge. I always quarantine my fish before adding them to by display tank. I'll be going with another mixed reef mainly dominated with SPS...probably a 80-20% split. My current tank has many SPS Acropora frags that I plan on transferring once the new tank is set up. Good luck with your build and feel free to keep me posted!

 

I would be cautious about qting a tang. I have noticed with my more social fish that qt causes a tremendous amount of stress. Ich is latent in almost any tanks system because a fish can carry it and never present it due to healthy immune systems. As long as a fish looks healthy with no sign of disease, it goes straight into my system. With tangs being so ich prone, i would say qt would do more harm then good.

 

Edit: i mean to each his own, but myself and a lot of others are learning that observational qt seems to be more stressful to the fish then just letting it in the system. I thought my rabbitfish was sick and wouldn't eat. Theb i let her into the big tank (i was just starting to stock so letting it go fallow if I needed to was no big deal) and she was fine and active and eating like a pig.