Trying for 100% aquacultured reef tank.

I've always wanted to try a reef tank but was concerned about the fragile state of our reefs. Looks like more and more choices out there now for captive bred animals. The aquarium I'd like to purchase has a 97 gallon display tank and a 13 gallon sump with a refugium section. I plan on using chaeto and marine pure cubes in the refugium and seeding it with pods and phytoplankton from algaebarn. About 75 lbs. of man made reef rock and 60 lbs. of live sand.

This is my fish wish list:
1 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Kaudern's Cardinalfish
1 Rainford's Goby
1 Blackline Blenny
1 Randall's Assessor
1 Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish
1 Blue Mandarin

Just seven pretty small fish I'm hoping will leave available resources for corals and inverts. I would like to try an Orchid Dottyback too but am concerned about aggression and out competing the Mandarin for food. Please let me know your opinions, thank you.

 

no dottyback, and probably no clownfish. other than that looks good. saltwater60

 

I think a clownfish would be fine. I have kept pairs along with several other fish in tanks as small as 26 gallons. I recommend looking up The Reef Farm in Wake Forest NC if you are in the US. They do exclusively aquacultured coral and at least a few years ago when I shopped there also had a good selection of captive-bred fish. The owner is also very knowledgable regarding aquaculture practices in the hobby.

 

no dottyback, and probably no clownfish. other than that looks good. saltwater60

Just wondering, why do you think no Ocellaris Clownfish ?

I think a clownfish would be fine. I have kept pairs along with several other fish in tanks as small as 26 gallons. I recommend looking up The Reef Farm in Wake Forest NC if you are in the US. They do exclusively aquacultured coral and at least a few years ago when I shopped there also had a good selection of captive-bred fish. The owner is also very knowledgable regarding aquaculture practices in the hobby.

Thank you, still researching lol.

 

Just wondering, why do you think no Ocellaris Clownfish ?

because potential competition for food. a really shy fish with something like a clownfish seems like disaster.

 

That is a point, true. Clowns keep a relatively small territory though. I have kept them with a purple firefish, a floppy tail (elongate) dottyback, and a fang blenny, which are all somewhat shy fish. I maybe wouldn't combine them in a smaller tank with like a mandarin or a fairy basslet, but unless they have eggs they don't go out of their way to be aggressive usually. Only if someone comes too close to their "house", which was in my case a rock covered with pink xenia.

ETA: I'm talking about ocellaris and percula clowns... can't speak for maroon, fire, or tomato clowns as I've heard nothing good about them.

 

because potential competition for food. a really shy fish with something like a clownfish seems like disaster.

OK, thank you. I thought that if I had a refugium growing chaetomporha algae with some marine pure cubes seeded with pods in a 110 gallon aquarium with 75 lbs. of live rock and 60 lbs. of live sand there would be enough food for both of them. I guess the research continues! lol Thanks again.

I think a clownfish would be fine. I have kept pairs along with several other fish in tanks as small as 26 gallons. I recommend looking up The Reef Farm in Wake Forest NC if you are in the US. They do exclusively aquacultured coral and at least a few years ago when I shopped there also had a good selection of captive-bred fish. The owner is also very knowledgable regarding aquaculture practices in the hobby.

Looked up the Reef Farm, very nice thank you!

 

OK, thank you. I thought that if I had a refugium growing chaetomporha algae with some marine pure cubes seeded with pods in a 110 gallon aquarium with 75 lbs. of live rock and 60 lbs. of live sand there would be enough food for both of them. I guess the research continues! lol Thanks again.

in an aquarium that size you shouldn't need to worry about your clownfish outcompeting anyone for food. I would caution you possibly against the Rainford's Goby and the Mandarin because they would be in direct competition for food, and are both notorious for starving in aquariums. At any rate, if you go with both, it would be wise to wait six or seven months for the pods to get really well established in the fuge and the live rock before adding either one.

 

in an aquarium that size you shouldn't need to worry about your clownfish outcompeting anyone for food. I would caution you possibly against the Rainford's Goby and the Mandarin because they would be in direct competition for food, and are both notorious for starving in aquariums. At any rate, if you go with both, it would be wise to wait six or seven months for the pods to get really well established in the fuge and the live rock before adding either one.

Thanks I will consider that! I was told by the sellers at ORA and Biota that the Goby and the Mandarin that they have been eating baby brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and frozen cubes in their rearing tanks. I will look into that more, thank you. Last thing I want is a fish starving.

 

Your clowns will be fine I had a similar set up with clowns and no issues. I actually had 4 clowns in a 75 for a while and no issues.
Only thing I would say is wait a while to add the mandarin to make sure you have a healthy reproducing pod population. I also recommend good amount of live rock if you are going to have a mandarin. Say 80-100 lbs. they generally don’t take prepared foods and require almost constant food supply. Some will take prepared foods but need several feedings daily to live off just prepared foods and that’s not conducive to life or a healthy reef tank.
mid avoid the dirty back and get a pair of clowns.