Help: Ready 2 add fish to 70g

[Doglover_50]

Hi all,

I'm looking for input on adding fish to my 70g, and in what order. Tank is 70 gallons--prior owner had it established 3-4 years. Moved the live system to my house 2 months ago. > 6" deep sand bed, over 90 pounds live rock, Coralife Super Skimmer 125 (carbon in discharge box), load of pretty basic corals and cleaning crew. No algae problems, a little red and green hair algae for tang to nibble on. I set up a "rock garden" in a strawberry container in the corner for pods to multiply in. See bugs crawling everywhere at night.

Set up 2 months, waiting patiently to add fish--and my patience is up! With no sump and no refugeum (and not in the near future) I know I need to be careful in not overdoing it with fish.

Here's what I'd like. Thoughts?

1) Purple tang (I'd rather get a blue tang for price reasons, but in reading it looks like the damn blues are sooo prone to disease, I'm thinking just pay the extra 40 bucks difference and get a hardier purple who'll be more likely to thrive).

2) One pygmy angel--I'd like a flame.

3) Mandarin--I'm hoping the tank's age, size, rock garden, plus the 100+ pounds of live rock of this tank would provide more than enough live food to keep a mandarin well fed.

4) Finally, I assume with only 70g, other than the 3 fish listed above, maybe I could finish off with 2 small gobies, but that would be about it. Or could I go with more small fish?

FINALLY: Order of introduction--I know the angel should be the last introduced. Should a tang be one of the last introduced? If these fish seem appropriate for my size tank, thoughts on who should be first into the tank, and the order of introduction?

Thanks,
Sumner

[vanmle]

Small angels are great, and I don't know why you would put one of them in last. Personnally, I think your tank is too small for tangs unless you get a very small one. I lost my mandarin in a 60 gallon tank with over 100lbs of live rock but you might be different. Get a wrasse. Terrific reef fish and pretty to boot.

[Philwd]

Rule of thumb for mandarins is 75lbs of LR established for > 6mos. So if you can see copepods on the glass at night you should be ok. Also tangs are usually a good bet to put in last. I have seen a small purple kept in a 75 for a while before. Seemed to do well. No pacing. But most people would tell you it needs a bigger tank.

I also love wrasses. Though be prepared to cover your tank if you get one.

[sir_dudeguy]

Get a sixline wrasse. Very cool fish.

you could do a flame angel too. I also agree that the tang would be last, but i dont think i'd put any tangs in there...maybe a yellow? idk..maybe they get too big so i'll let someone else say something about them.

[blas]

I would steer away from the purple, what about a Kole tang? They seem to be easier kept in a smaller tank and are good algae guys. I have a mandarin in my tank and he's going on 2 years but like it has been said you gotta be sure to have enough pods, I got mine from ATR and he also eats mysis when he gets to it, the other tank mates usually beat him to it. I am considering a flame myself just worried about it eating corals. Wrasses are cool but keep in mind they eat the pods as well. Blas

[vanmle]

Be careful with the sixline because they are very mean. Just talk to James (Wiskey) and Scott (Sidewinder).

[sir_dudeguy]

sixlines are mean? or only to other wrasses? cuz i've got one w/my clown pair and he hangs out w/them

[Doglover_50]

Thanks for all the thoughts so far...hope more come in. As I want the mandarin, I was not considering a wrasse (though I love them) for the reason stated--they will be competition for the mandarin for the pods.

[vanmle]

Not all of the wrasses eat pods. The fairy wrasses probably won't eat pods.