Tired of stocking questions yet?

[pledosophy]

65g tank. 20g sump/refugium

130 lbs ish of LR

Currently have a

bi color blenny
potter's wrasse
Crocea Clam
pair of peppermint shrimp
5 astreas
1 turbo
5 fairly small naussarius

assorted corals mostly LPS and zoo's with a couple softies and a couple of SPS.

Would like to add

Kole Tang
Manderin Goby
5 chromis
Maybe a pair of pipes depending on if the refugium can keep the pod levels up after the other fish.
another clam, possibly a deresa

Would also like sometype of starfish and another few shrimp. Looking for species recommendations.

Sound good? This is a 6 month plan or so, since I only have one QT tank and would like to QT the speciments individually (chromis will be all together). Pod cultures running for some of the fish when they get to the QT stage.

What would you change?

Thanks.

[shrinky]

I don't consider myself a member of any 'tang police' - but from witnessing these fish in the wild, I would never put a tang in aquarium, let alone a 65 gallon - just doesn't seem fair to him. With that being said, you will find lots of people that attest to their success with tangs in smaller aquariums.

From a bio-load standpoint, in my opinion you'd be ok - right at the max. I've kept my 2 ocellaris, bicolor blenny, and yellow watchman in my 29 display (20g sump) successfully for two years now, with excellent water quality, coral/fish growth... so I'd say the bioload is good, aside from my opinions on the tang.

[avp]

If it was me...

I'd do either the mandarin or the pipes, not both since they are going to compete for the 'pods in the tank. I would also drop the chromis idea (has anyone really had good luck keeping a school in a smaller tank?) and look at a freidmani/springeri psuedochromis. I also like hawkfish, pairs of clowns, starki damsels, and more gobies as options for your tank.

Add a cleaner shrimp, cool pistol shrimp if you can find one, a colorful brittle star( NOT the spiny green destroyer of aquariums serpent that everybody at one time considers), maybe the second clam and you're done.

-avp

ps: pygmy angels are nice, but do some research first, and know the risks involved.

[pledosophy]

I'm O.K. with keeping a Kole in a 65g IMO. I know it is 5g's less then the minimium tank size recommended, but I'll be starting with a smaller specient and if I notice stress in the coming years can always trade out, but I'll most likely have a bigger tank by them, seem to be on the new tank every few year plan over here.

AVP thanks for the suggestions on alternative fish types, but for this tank these are the only fish I am looking at keeping. Just plus or mius the amount and aggression issues is my current concern. But thank you. The chromis are the wife's pick, and you know we have to keep the wife's happy. She's wanted them for years but they have never been compatible with my othr tanks.

Not willing to take the risks with the Angels. They play great baseball but aren't really my thing for tanks, I'm more into the corals.

Any more input.

[pledosophy]