I like this list you need to say in minimum tank size for the tangs. The halichoeres wrasses will eat your cuc so people need to be aware. I as well love the 6line wrasse can be a mean girl/boy
I don't even intend to get into saltwater, I just think this channel is so unbelievably high-quality and consistently good that I can't stop watching, even though I only have a shelf of freshwater ;D
I have to say, I love the guide., with the exception of this video. I feel like there should be more information on the order they should be added and compatibility issues that can arise from these fish together. I have followed this guide to a Tee. I am about 2 months in. I have 2 clown fish, and a lawnmower blenny in a 75g DT with a 20g sump. I added the blenny next because a fish store told me the tang should be the last fish I add. They are aggressive. I have no Algae in the tank. I have been feeding the blenny Nori. I recently added a six-line Wrasse. He was in QT for a few weeks. He has been beating up my blenny really badly. I came in last night and he had the blenny in his mouth and was swimming around my tank. I could not catch the wrasse. I was able to catch the blenny and put him in my QT. But not sure how I am doing to deal with the very aggressive Wrasse, or how I am going to reintroduce my blenny. I tried mirrors, but they did not help the aggression.
I'm doing research for my first reef tank. on top of the reasons for clownfishes you have mentioned, the fact that there are many captive-bred and inexpensive clownfish options is also looking like a big plus for me
Recently started doing reaserch for saltwater tanks after keeping freshwater for several years. I always thought it was unattainable or just not for me but I recently saw a massive 900 gallon tank with a sump and all original gear along with a stand for only 900$. I’m now thinking of starting my first reef Aquarian and hopefully one that will last me many years to come
Would just 1 tang be enough for the e-170? Tank is a little short length-wise and I want to avoid the tang aggression; also since the yellow tang is quite expensive. (I also have all of the other utilitarian fish including the aptasia eating filefish you mention later in the series!) Thanks
I don't think this is the "best" list of fish for all beginner tanks. Plenty of reasons for that right here in the comments, and my biggest issue is with the yellow tang. They aren't good in small tanks, due to size, not to mention the aggression and the cost. Tangs, in general, are going to be too big for a small tank, and a lot of them are aggressive. Then there's the wrasse, which is fine with size, but apparently also aggressive. Starting with fish that are beneficial to the aquarium is great, but you should specify the tank size requirements, and perhaps temperament.
Lawnmower Blenny - - a no for me. Tried 3, all 3 eventually became thin and died out. All 3 even ate mysis/brine and algae but I think due to other more aggressive fish, they would become timid and eat less as time went on. I have mostly tangs and wrasses.
Would you add these fish to the tank in this order? Also it would be good to know what kind of aggressiveness issues you might run into with these fish down the line.
something I think would be really cool is maybe a video dedicated to keeping Anthias successfully long term. I've tried so many times and always failed. Lots of flow, lots of feeding, but the pecking order was always what seemed to kill them off. The 2nd largest female would always bully the smallest female to death and so on. I always see a lot of Anthias in the BRS tanks and I'd love to see the tips and tricks to keeping a healthy harem long term!
I guess I have made the mistakes too many times to ever put clownfish, a lawnmower blenny or a sixline wrasse in my tanks again. Clownfish are rude and will bite you every time you put your hand in the tank. Not a matter of if but when and you will knock rocks over or cut yourself on a nice SPS piece. Been there way too many times to make that mistake. Most lawnmower blennies will become massive meat eaters as they age and stop picking at the rocks. Let's not get started on six lines either. One of the biggest PITA fish you will EVER keep. Rude and will bully any other fish no matter the size. There are a plethora of wrasses that will eat pests and not be an @$$hole while doing so. Most coris wrasse are okay, flashers and fairies are great as well. A scooter blenny or mandarin will also eat pests. Just make sure you have a good pod population. The first fish in any tank should be a firefish IMO. Red, Purple or Helfrichi for the advanced reefer. I say advanced because they are not cheap and are a bad choice for someone brand new. Spend your money elsewhere.
Provided the tank is large enough you could certainly add all five. If you're working with a smaller tank, you may want to skip one or both of the tangs and replace them with another, smaller algae eating fish
20 years ago reef tanks didn't cost this much. Im still doing it that way. No were bwar the money your talking. Kinda sounds like your trying to sell shit
My understanding is you want to add least aggressive fish first and most aggressive last. If a six line wrasse is the most aggressive and I want to have more fish than the ones listed above, would I add other fish before the six line wrasse?
Any good alternatives to yellow tangs as they are unaffordable for beginners??? Have my clowns and bristletooth tang so far. Bel my and wrasse ordered at my LFS.
Check out some of the Acanthurus or Zebrasoma tang options. Like convict tangs or scopas tangs. If you're using them for algae control, you might also find urchins useful. Pincushion and tuxedo urchins specifically.
SirSnipesAlot 71 he’s saying that there is 5 different possible options of saltwater fish that were explained in this video for aquarium purposes. after viewing and seeing all 5 of the options of salt water fish, he is implying that 3 of the salt water fish, (out of the original selection of 5 salt water fish) are not “bad.” bad would mean a word explaining lesser value in this case. so in this current situation, 3 of the salt water fish are being referenced as, rather good or of value.
I have a new 32.5 gallon that i will be picking up later this month and will wait a few months before getting fish but I may have a planned stocking list? I made sure these guys were all okay together but wanted an opinion from an expert. 2 wyoming white clownfish, 1 tailspot blennie, 2 neon blue gobie (if 2 would cause a rivalry i can drop it down to 1), 2 purple firefish and 1 blue/green chromis. But I dont have a cleanup crew, and I am wondering what I could put in with these guys? I am a beginner in the saltwater hobby, but have been in the freshwater for 3 years. Big jump but this side of the fish keeping world has always has always fascinated me so I wanted to give it a try, cheers!
best to only keep 1 neon goby. Try to get one on the larger side as they can easily get lost in a system like the one you're planning. As far as clean up crew goes, don't go too crazy. One of the biggest clean up crew mistakes that we see new reefers make is overstocking a tank with clean up crew, which causes them to starve and dye out. A couple of trochus snails, couple of nassarius snails, and maybe a small urchin like a blue tuxedo will be a great place to start.
@@BRStv i cant describe how helpful this was, thank you so much and I will keep that in mind, get a large blue goby and keep the CC to a minimum. Thank you again
Ultimately, it comes down to the type of fish you'll be keeping. For a 16 gallon, a pair of clownfish and maybe one other small fish like a six line wrasse would work well. You'll want to skip the tang in a nano system like this.
blue/green chromis! They're awesome little fish that add a ton of movement to the tank. They do best with multiple small feedings per day. Since they're always swimming, they're constantly burning energy, so malnutrition is unfortunately a common issue we see.
I love my diamond goby, hes a goddamn work horse and eats like a pig lol made the mistake of getting 3 Lyretail anthias ( hardy fish) because they need to be fed more then 1 time a day.
If my tank is only 73 gallons display would you still recommend a Yellow Tang? I was worried that was too small for one. I'm anxious to setup a new tank. I'm impatient enough im setting up a frag tank until I get the new reef tank since my jbj cracked. You guys are amazing for information and I love the videos. I didnt see a frag tank setup video, do yall have one?
73 gallons is likely going to be too small for a yellow tang's "forever home" but would certainly be just fine for a few years if you started with a smaller one. We don't have a large frag system at the BRS offices, but some of us do have smaller personal frag tanks :)
@@BRStv I was crushed when the jbj cracked. Im happy to see the bristletooth on there. I had a yellow eyed Kole Tang and loved watching that guy dart around the tank and peck at the rocks.
okay I am starting my tank soon BUT what size would you rec? I plan on the fish you mentioned so I would like to see what is best or any rec links to any.
If it's within your budget, a larger tank like a 75 or 120 gallon would give you more fish options than the 40 gallon tanks featured in this video series. That said, they're also a bit more work and are more expensive.
Bulk Reef Supply I went with a 55g tank long I plan on just fish some dry rock and letting it Cycle for a month as I’ve read some wait a little longer I plan on buying all ocean water from my LFS. Not sure if I plan to have maybe GSP and Xenia something easy along the future. I’ve seen many successful people with HOB. How long would you recommend to wait for fish? Thank you for answering.
Most of these fish will do great in a 20 gallon, minus the tang. Check this video out for our suggestion on stocking a 20 gallon: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2bF-N0EKNI8.html
A single small yellow tang should be fine in a 70 gallon for at least the first couple years. As it grows, you'll likely find that you need to re-home it to a larger system.
Great video, super helpful! I just want to know if there is any order in which these fish should be placed in the tank? ( I know that the clownfish should be first)
All of the fish here (minus the tangs) would work well for a 20 cube. For algae eaters, consider a small urchin. Pincushion or blue tuxedo are great options!
As long as your tank has completed the cycle (no ammonia or nitrite), tangs can be added. Keep in mind that with limited to no algae in a new tank, you'll want to supplement with nori sheets, or another herbivore specific food.
@@BRStv I've restarted my tank after getting a velvet/ich outbreak for a 2nd time. Is it possible my tank is already cycled after a week? Been dosing microbelift bacteria consistently and dump a few shrimps for ammonia growth. Ammonia and nitrite been at zero for a couple of days already. Some nitrate present about 25.
I currently have 2 nano reefs with anemones in them. Both BTA's and rock anemones. A 5g and a 3g, and both are running perfectly right now. I don't dose, but I do change about 60% of the water weekly, and I've never had a problem with algae or nutrient buildup. Note: both takes were operational for 3 months each before I added nems to them.
How do you feel if the anemones do not go where you want them to? How do you feel if they are constantly splitting and taking over? There's a youtuber called Inappropriate Reefer who recently posted a video on how his Rose Bubble Tipped Anemone (RBTA) took over his tank.
I don't think there's a perfect number of specific fish for specific sized tanks, especially when you factor in what size they are when you first get them. The key to adding multiple similar species fish is to create an aquascape that allows for individual territory and add them at the same time. Being cognizant of how large they will grow and having a plan for them when the inevitably outgrow your tank is going to be the best practice. :) Personally, I wouldn't add more than 3-small yellows in that size of tank and down the road as they grow larger, I would either upgrade my tank or send them to a new home. :)
Beginner fish everyone should have... ones you have researched including how large they get. I have a starry blenny rather than lawnmower, although from the look of the video, they are alike.
For fish, we've been using Marine Collectors lately. They fully QT all of their livestock, so it is a little more expensive, but the quality is top notch. If you're looking for more common fish, LiveAquaria may be a better option. For corals, we've worked with World Wide Corals and Top Shelf Aquatics recently and would have to say that they're out go to options.
Not sure where you live, but TSM Aquatics in Sewell, NJ are the best I've experienced. You can check out their website and decide for yourself. But I won't order from anywhere else online.
@@Tetrastructural The fish themselves are hardy fish if that's what you mean by "beginner fish" but all but the lawnmower blenny have issues down the line. Clownfish most likely will want an anemone, and by "will want" I mean the owner wants, and anemone can wander. The tangs are great utility fish but unless the beginner has a very large tank from the start they're a bad idea, sticking them in a 40 gallon breeder tank (great beginner tank) is just too small. Six-Line wrasse I wouldn't wish on anyone, there's a very non-zero chance that it does become a bully and harassess even much larger fish as it becomes quite territorial. And a lawnmower blenny won't do squat for algae problems... but it's a fine fish if you like the look, however you're much better off getting a fish you want to look at and dealing with algae in other ways. And sure someone will have a counter example to how they kept a six-line wrasse successfully or they have clownfish that swim all over the tank (never actually heard anyone claim this). For me I'd say good beginner advice is to look at the price of the fish, if they're SUPER cheap, chances are it's because they were easy to capture because they don't back down, and probably not a good first fish you want in your tank. So damsels, six-line wrasses, and even chromis all can be bullies and are some of the cheapest fish out there. Not saying they all will follow this rule, but at the very least do a little more research on your fish if price is what is swaying you.