Stock my RSM (reef safe fish)

sprintermike

New Member
Howdy all,
I am getting the RSM to replace a jbj 24 that cracked on me. I will be starting anew, with no livestock.
I have plans for corals, but want advice on fish, what would YOU stock with?
I'm certain 3 fish will be comfortable, maybe up to 5 fish if they are smaller, so lets hear it, if you had a well-cycled tank with lots of rock, what fish are you adding to your (empty) RSM?
 

Arreola

Member
sprintermike - :welcomera to RS!!!
What I have.
1 x Sailfin/Algae Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
1 x Sleeper Banded Goby (Amblygobius phalaena)
2 x Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1 x Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)

I will add 1 more fish and I'm already think I'm overstocking the RSM
The fish will be a Flame Angel fish.

Arreola
 

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
sprintermike - Welcome to Reef Sanctuary and the RSM forums! I wasn't sure if you were an RSM owner (or future owner) from your post on the popeye issue. I hate to admit that I'm overstocked, but here's what I have in my tank (all except the Foxface have been in the tank a year or more).

Pair of Ocellaris clowns
Diadema dottyback
Yellowtail damsel
Blackfinned shrimp goby
Pajama cardinal
Foxface

The Foxface will need to be given away when it gets too big. I got it as a last resort in getting rid of a Bryopsis algae problem - nothing else I tried would eat it or get rid of it.

I originally had 2 pajama cardinals, but they constantly fought with each other (probably both males), and after over a year of being battered and torn the submissive one finally died.

I also had an algae blenny that passed away after over a year. I think with no algae to eat it didn't get the nourishment it needed from the other fish foods it would eat. Mine would never take dried algae or other algae based foods. It got thinner & thinner till it must have died behind my rockwork.

The only aggression I've had with this assortment of fish, other than the 2 pajama cardinals, is that my dottyback and damsel will at times chase each other, with the dottyback being the aggressive one. And the big shrimp goby is pretty territorial about his cavern and will come out and "bluff" the other fish if they get near his home. But, other than the situation with the 2 pajamas, there is very little aggression going on, and an occasional "skirmish" between the dottyback and damsel has never resulted in any physical damage to either.

But, all fish, even of the same species, don't always behave the same, and the order that you add them can also affect behavior. They always recommend adding the most potentially aggressive fish last.

I've not seen any of my fish pick at any of my corals, although I'm pretty sure that some of the small peppermint shrimp that I've added have been turned into dinner by my shrimp goby - about 4" long now, and a big mouth! :)

Here's a compatibility chart that I used to refer to:

Fish Compatability

Good luck with your tank, and be sure to keep in touch with us!
 

LPSLuver

New Member
I have a:
Mystery Wrasse
a black sailfin blennie
a white/yellowtail pygmy angel
a long nose hawk
a shrimp goby
a mated pair of Clarkii Clowns in a RBTA

Prolly overstocked but I have a 19 gallon fuge and the water parameters are spot on:thumbup:
 
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