Tentative fish stocking list

[fishytime]

Originally Posted by Titus99

I have a yellow assesor which has never shown aggression.

+1....Ive had three assessors now and not one has even been the least bit aggressive....

as long as you are looking at alternatives wrasses to the sixline, look at the halichoeres family of wrasses.....beautiful group of fishes that have the added bonus of being great for pest control (flatworms/ pyramid snails)....I have a melanarus (Hovens) and love him.....

one thing to note about the cardinals......these are great community fish, very pretty and reef safe, but they are not a fish that will be all over your tank swimming around....they tend to find a cave or overhang and just chill....Ive had a few people want to bring theirs back to the store because they thought that they would be more active.....

[gregzz4]

There won't be any tang police coming to our house
As for the assessors, don't think we'll be getting. For color a canary and a gramma will do nicely
I like the look of the firefish, but I don't want any more sedentary fish
And, ya, I know cardinals can be boring, but I have to let the wife decide on some of the critters and she likes the look of the pajamas
I like the look of the bicolor but am looking for a blenny with a more docile disposition
With the addition of wrasses, we may not get a blenny anyway
So, here's our new list

1 - Bangaii
2 - Pajama
1 - Black clown
1 - Orange spotted goby
1 - Royal Gramma
1 - Highfin perchlet *
1 - Canary wrasse
1 - Carpenter's flasher wrasse
1 - Cleaner shrimp
And one of either;
Whitetail bristletooth tang or
Gold eye Kole tang

* I'm thinking once we have the flasher she may agree that we don't need the perchlet

Once we start stocking I'm sure there will be a change or 2

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Usually Mandarins don't do well in tanks with a 6 line which is faster and may eat all the food up too quickly (can dart in and grab up the live pods & mysid shrimp). Preferably only buy a Mandarin from someone's tank or one at the LFS that is already eating frozen foods or even pellets. Mine are doing so but most Mandarins have a hard time adapting to captivity & feeding on frzn or pellet foods.

[gregzz4]

Thanks Anthony

Someone else has suggested I stay away from a 6 line ...
Any reasons why ?

Sorry, should have been clearer ...

Besides the Mandarin issue ?

[Madmak]

My six line is one of my favorites, always active, and mine is quite neutral. He was my first fish I believe.

A Kole tang is a nice small tang as well, typically friendly, and a great algae grazer (they have slightly bigger lips than most tangs). Mine is a real goof-ball.

A stocking list is tough. I have far too many fish at times, but re-home some when needed and adopt others when needed. With this theory I'm not near as concerned with compatibility as I can make changes after observing each individual fish rather than trust the stereotypes.

[gregzz4]

Excellent info everyone ... thanks much

Sure I realise every fish is different, but the reason for this post was to get info on things I hadn't thought about or learned. The six line eating pods is a prime example so this post has already helped me

Looks like I've talked the wife into a flasher instead of the six line

I like Kole tangs - good option. Donna hadn't picked one as the pic I showed her maybe doesn't do them justice

A mandarin would definately only be added way down the road, and only if I see enough food for it and would supplement. Maybe I'll be able to find the wife something as a substitute

[Reef Pilot]

I have a Kole tang in one of my tanks. He is a real workhorse, grazing rocks, glass, everything, including occasionally my Lawnmower Blenny's back, who doesn't seem to mind and just sits there. Eats any kind of food, and doesn't have a mean bone in him towards other fish.

[Delphinus]

Sixline wrasses start off being model citizens as juveniles. As they age they get ornery, grumpy, and territorial. You wouldn't believe the amount of damage they can inflict if they feel like it. You may think this be true of all fishes and maybe it is but it's very much a question of "when" a sixline will turn rather than "if." You wouldn't believe how many times I've seen "oh, but not MY sixline, it must be an individual thing" but the problem is they do almost always start off as sweethearts and end up as complete terrors. I lost several fish to my sixline - all of a sudden he'd decide he didn't like them anymore and poof I'd find the poor things without any fins left and left to die, unable to swim or move and stuck on the sandbed. I ended hating mine because of this and was not sorry when he died. With that said he was one of the longer lived fish I had and lived for close to ten years so it was a lonnnnng time I had to wait it out (oh yeah did I mention he was impossible to catch too?). I'll *never* try another and would caution against anyone trying one unless they plan on it being with reasonably assertive fish who can defend themselves against that kind of attack. Unfortunately, like with the case with most bullies, the only defense is actually more of an offensive return attack. I.e., there is no "live and let live" - they have to prove "I'm capable of killing you back if you don't leave me alone". He would viciously attack any new fish I'd get and it would only stop once they attacked back and did serious damage. It's so awesome seeing injured fish in your tank (not). Did I mention I grew to totally hate mine? Classic textbook bully.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Sixline wrasses start off being model citizens as juveniles. As they age they get ornery, grumpy, and territorial. You wouldn't believe the amount of damage they can inflict if they feel like it. You may think this be true of all fishes and maybe it is but it's very much a question of "when" a sixline will turn rather than "if." You wouldn't believe how many times I've seen "oh, but not MY sixline, it must be an individual thing" but the problem is they do almost always start off as sweethearts and end up as complete terrors. I lost several fish to my sixline - all of a sudden he'd decide he didn't like them anymore and poof I'd find the poor things without any fins left and left to die, unable to swim or move and stuck on the sandbed. I ended hating mine because of this and was not sorry when he died. With that said he was one of the longer lived fish I had and lived for close to ten years so it was a lonnnnng time I had to wait it out (oh yeah did I mention he was impossible to catch too?). I'll *never* try another and would caution against anyone trying one unless they plan on it being with reasonably assertive fish who can defend themselves against that kind of attack. Unfortunately, like with the case with most bullies, the only defense is actually more of an offensive return attack. I.e., there is no "live and let live" - they have to prove "I'm capable of killing you back if you don't leave me alone". He would viciously attack any new fish I'd get and it would only stop once they attacked back and did serious damage. It's so awesome seeing injured fish in your tank (not). Did I mention I grew to totally hate mine? Classic textbook bully.

describes mine to a tee and you said it impossible to catch