A nice list of fish per tank set up. Having the proper filtration and flow is key to how many fish you can stock comfortably as you mentioned. Great video Matthew and keep the content coming. 👏
I like your specific stocking suggestions! I recall your doing a similar one with Marine Depot a while back for several tank sizes, which I followed exactly for my first setup, and it's working out well! Keep the good content coming!
Ooh, I love to hear when something works out well. Wow, Marine Depot! That feels like a long time ago! Fond memories of where I got my first real gig in this hobby! And more content on the way! Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a comment! So glad your build is working out well! :-). -Matthew
You know, I had the exact same question. It acts as both a second filter to catch anything that makes it past the filter sock, and as a great media for beneficial bacteria to colonize.
Any suggestions for a 4ft 75g with sump? Ive got 2x oscellaris clowns, 1 green chromis, 1 algae blenny, 1 bangaii cardinal, 1 royal gramma, 1 midas blenny, 1 firefish and a cleaner shrimp, urchins, coral and anemones
Great question. Sounds like you are off to a great start. I always find 40-80 gallons to be a frustrating size tank when you get the itch to add some cool fish. There are just some amazing fish, like tangs, that are still too big. So what else could you add, it will depend on how much filtration you have and what the potential is for adding more. If you can avoid aggression and territorial issues, than really the only limit is filtration. Fish wise you could add a sand sifting goby, some other gobies like clown goby, maybe a small wrasse like a six line. Because you have coral and shrimp, certain fish are risky. Jawfish, hawkfish, and many wrasses just won't be a good fit because they may go after your shrimp and coral. Once your tank is teeming with copepods you could add a mandarin dragonet. Definitely a pistol shrimp and shrimp goby pair. An algae eating blenny, possible a small filefish, although they may nip at your coral. Maybe check out some options at LiveAquaria for some inspiration. I'm also a big fan of Seahorse Savvy for some more unusual picks. -Matthew
For sure, but you can bet it's going to be pretty close to a 48 gallon lagoon, with the ability to add a few less since the footprint isn't quite as big.
Should I only add fish that are recommended for my tank size or can I stretch to add a fish that has a larger recommended tank size and if so how far can I go?
That is a great question without a simple answer. As a beginner I would stick with tank size recommendations. Once you get more experience, you will discover that there are some fish you will be able to keep, maybe as juveniles, but then have to re-home once they mature. There are many things to consider, namely filtration, habitat, and aggression. And there isn't an exact science to this. You can always filter more, but sometimes aggression issues can only be resolved by having a larger system. Hope that helps a little -Matthew
Love the video gives me an idea of what I could do. Coming from fresh to saltwater have a 300 gallon tank and have always wondered how do you guys figure out a stocking list and order? Keep running into things saying one fish can’t be with another but your list shows fish that I have seen people say you can only have one.
Great question, and there are so many factors and I will fully admit I'm not the best at this. The best people are ones with established systems who have tried various combos. But to simplify things a bit, here are a few things you would need to consider when building your stocklist. As you gain more experience in this hobby, a lot of this will just come intuitively to you. The size of the fish, how aggressive the fish is, where the fish lives, what the fish eats, how often the fish eats, special diet of fish, how the fish plays with other members of same species, how about other species, what about fish of similar body type? Habitat, what is the habitat, sandbed, rockwork, caves. Does your fish have a specialized habitat, are there enough caves? Size of tank, how long is the tank, is there enough space for your fish to spread out, can you put semi aggressive fish in because the tank is long enough? Where does your fish live? Free swimming, sandbed, rockwork? Just a few things to think about, and of course there are exceptions to every rule depending on your setup. -Matthew
Not an easy answer unfortunately. It depends on the size of the fish, the aggressivity of the fish, where in the tank they occupy, how nicely they play with members of their own species and other species. But I will say this, if chosen wisely, a 100 gallon tank could easily fit 25 or more fish, but that would entail a lot of small, peaceful fish.
That's a great question.. Basically yo could just add more. Once you reach that 200 gallon threshhold, there are some larger fish you can add that you just couldn't add in a smaller system. I will admit that most of my fish stocking list are reef safe and largely invertebrate safe (except for the hawkfish), but if you really want your fish stocklist to shine, then doing a FOWLR tank is the way to go. That would open up so many more great options in the Angelfish and Butterflyfish categories. And if you don't need to have fancy shrimp, then you can add a lot of wrasses, jawfish, and who knows what else. The Trick with big tanks is to not only add the right fish, but to add them in the right order. A tang added early may stake out it's claim and be over aggressive, but if added later might interact with the others just fine. Also, with large systems, mistakes with stocking will be made, so watching your fish, knowing what you have inside, and being willing to set a trap and remove and rehome are crucial.
Hello, I am planning on getting a Red Sea max nano xl (30g) and will get the reefmat nano when released, 20 pounds of caribsea shapes live rocks and a 10 pounds of boulders and 1.5inch of Fiji pink sand of the same brand. I was wondering after seeing your very informative videos if I could have 2 orange storm clown fish, 1 orchid dotyback, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 tail spot blenny, 1 mandarin goby, so 6 fish in total. It would be great to have some feedback from you and thank you so much for your great work. M.
Yeah that could definitely work. With the goby, blenny, and dragonet you have a lot of fish that like the sandbed, so maybe consider something more free swimming. The dottyback will dart in and out of the rockwork, and the clowns will choose an area of the tank and then largely stay there. So take a peek at some free swimmers like cardinalfish. maybe a small wrasse, or a hawkfish. There are drawbacks to all of them, for example, hawkfish may or may not go after shrimp. The best advice I could give is to just add a few fish at a time, water test, and make adjustments to your feeding and filtration as needed until you have a stable system.-Matthew
@@HelloReef I plan to add the clowns and dotyback last for agression too. I like the geometric hawk fish and the Pink-Streaked Wrasse, so you think the system could handle them too?
Probably, but you might be pushing things a bit. I mean you can always up the filtration and water change schedule, but I worry about the lack of real estate, possible aggression, and lack of areas for the wrasse and dottyback to hide. 30 gallons isn't a lot of square footage, so in order to be successful with a lot of fish you need to build distinct areas of the tank where fish can feel safe.
This video comes just in time! I have a IM40 AIO and have 7 all ready. Was wondering if I can add a Bicolor blenny, current stocking 2 clowns, 2 banggai, 1 six line, and a citron goby. What say you? Yay or nay?
Most likely you will be just fine. Blennies are certainly peaceful, and the only possible jerk you have inside the tank is the six line wrasse, but I doubt the wrasse will bother anybody else. Just watch your water parameters for any significant increases in po4 and no3, and then up filtration and water changes as needed.
And here i was worried my two clownfish, 6 lined wrasse, and yasha goby were overstocking my current tank. Maybe I'll add some more additions later down the line.
@@HelloReef mixing some of the genus Cirrhilabrus would be a good start as they are for the most part are a peaceful genus of wrasse and some have some beautiful coloration.
Haha, that is so true! I work for Aperture, the parent company of HelloReef, BRS, Neptune, Ecotech, AI, and a few more, so you'll see me jump around a bit as need be! Regardless, I appreciate you hunting me down and watching! -Matthew
Also do you think this is a good stock list for a 80 gallon custom tank (130x68x35cm) with a 20 gallon sump that has a carbon reactor and a skimmer and maybe a filter roller? 1 Yellow Coris Wrasse 1 Halichoeres cosmetus 1 bangaii cardinal 1 Spotted Mandarin Goby 3 Chinese Zebra Dartfish 1 Linear or Gulf Blenny 1 Randall's Shrimp Goby Thanks
Definitely a good list. You could probably add quite a few more fish given some time. Definitely a pair of clowns, maybe a sand-sifting goby, some smaller schooling fish like the masked goby, but this is a great start
The maximum you can ever put in a tank is 2 clownfish. They are highly territorial, and the only other way to do it is to have a 120 gallon tank or larger and build a clownfish harem with like 30 clowns... but that is definitely not a beginner tank! :-)
@@HelloReef when I started in this hobby two years ago. Your beginner videos really helped me get started. Last couple of months I was thinking damn what happened to Mathew? Good to see u still making videos
I'm so happy that my videos helped. that's the whole reason I started making videos almost a decade ago, because I wish they existed! And I'm definitely still making videos... In fact I've been making so many it's almost time for a vacation! :-)
I have the 15 gal Hello Reef kit and it’s stocked with 2 clownfish, watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair, 2 BTA, 5 BL hermits, 3 turbo snails, sand sifting starfish and some coral.
@@HelloReef I want to add some Nassarius Snails but other then that I will probably just add coral as the tank matures. It seems to be a good balance and a 2-3 gallon water change each week keeps it in check.
The size of the fish does matter and the more fish mass you have in your tank, the more water you will need to change. You will find out if your water change to fish stock ratio is not right when your nitrates get very high. So you will have to pick one. Remove some fish or change more water or change filter socks more often, but you get the idea.
Matthew here, and I actually work for Aperture, the parent company of BRS and HelloReef. So you will see me jump between various brands such as AquaReady, Ecotech, BRS, Neptune, and AI. I love working for Aperture, and I have the absolute best job in the entire world! I'm going nowhere until they force me out at retirement! :-) Thanks for finding me on this new channel and taking time to leave a comment! -Matthew
@@HelloReef Matthew, you're enthousiasm is very contagious and I really appreciate you're style of presenting. While I'm a little bit ahead of the target audience of the videos you produce I always watch a couple and go clean my tank.
Across multiple brands, your videos are easily the most entertaining and informative. It's like you are reading my mind.
That is super kind of you, and thanks for watching all the brands! :-) -Matthew
A nice list of fish per tank set up. Having the proper filtration and flow is key to how many fish you can stock comfortably as you mentioned. Great video Matthew and keep the content coming. 👏
Well thanks for the help Darren! :-)
I like your specific stocking suggestions! I recall your doing a similar one with Marine Depot a while back for several tank sizes, which I followed exactly for my first setup, and it's working out well! Keep the good content coming!
Ooh, I love to hear when something works out well. Wow, Marine Depot! That feels like a long time ago! Fond memories of where I got my first real gig in this hobby! And more content on the way! Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a comment! So glad your build is working out well! :-). -Matthew
What’s the purpose of the sponge in the back filter chamber of the 15 gallon aio? Does it need to be changed? How often?
You know, I had the exact same question. It acts as both a second filter to catch anything that makes it past the filter sock, and as a great media for beneficial bacteria to colonize.
Great video! I was wondering this. As I’m just building my second tank.
that is perfect timing for sure! :-)
Any suggestions for a 4ft 75g with sump? Ive got 2x oscellaris clowns, 1 green chromis, 1 algae blenny, 1 bangaii cardinal, 1 royal gramma, 1 midas blenny, 1 firefish and a cleaner shrimp, urchins, coral and anemones
Great question. Sounds like you are off to a great start. I always find 40-80 gallons to be a frustrating size tank when you get the itch to add some cool fish. There are just some amazing fish, like tangs, that are still too big. So what else could you add, it will depend on how much filtration you have and what the potential is for adding more. If you can avoid aggression and territorial issues, than really the only limit is filtration. Fish wise you could add a sand sifting goby, some other gobies like clown goby, maybe a small wrasse like a six line. Because you have coral and shrimp, certain fish are risky. Jawfish, hawkfish, and many wrasses just won't be a good fit because they may go after your shrimp and coral. Once your tank is teeming with copepods you could add a mandarin dragonet. Definitely a pistol shrimp and shrimp goby pair. An algae eating blenny, possible a small filefish, although they may nip at your coral. Maybe check out some options at LiveAquaria for some inspiration. I'm also a big fan of Seahorse Savvy for some more unusual picks. -Matthew
Would loved to have seen your opinion on a very common 48" tank!
For sure, but you can bet it's going to be pretty close to a 48 gallon lagoon, with the ability to add a few less since the footprint isn't quite as big.
Should I only add fish that are recommended for my tank size or can I stretch to add a fish that has a larger recommended tank size and if so how far can I go?
That is a great question without a simple answer. As a beginner I would stick with tank size recommendations. Once you get more experience, you will discover that there are some fish you will be able to keep, maybe as juveniles, but then have to re-home once they mature. There are many things to consider, namely filtration, habitat, and aggression. And there isn't an exact science to this. You can always filter more, but sometimes aggression issues can only be resolved by having a larger system. Hope that helps a little -Matthew
@ thanks!
Love the video gives me an idea of what I could do. Coming from fresh to saltwater have a 300 gallon tank and have always wondered how do you guys figure out a stocking list and order? Keep running into things saying one fish can’t be with another but your list shows fish that I have seen people say you can only have one.
Great question, and there are so many factors and I will fully admit I'm not the best at this. The best people are ones with established systems who have tried various combos. But to simplify things a bit, here are a few things you would need to consider when building your stocklist. As you gain more experience in this hobby, a lot of this will just come intuitively to you. The size of the fish, how aggressive the fish is, where the fish lives, what the fish eats, how often the fish eats, special diet of fish, how the fish plays with other members of same species, how about other species, what about fish of similar body type? Habitat, what is the habitat, sandbed, rockwork, caves. Does your fish have a specialized habitat, are there enough caves? Size of tank, how long is the tank, is there enough space for your fish to spread out, can you put semi aggressive fish in because the tank is long enough? Where does your fish live? Free swimming, sandbed, rockwork? Just a few things to think about, and of course there are exceptions to every rule depending on your setup. -Matthew
i have a 100 gallon 60 inch length x 24 inch width x 18 inch height with an fx6 how many fish could i get?
Not an easy answer unfortunately. It depends on the size of the fish, the aggressivity of the fish, where in the tank they occupy, how nicely they play with members of their own species and other species. But I will say this, if chosen wisely, a 100 gallon tank could easily fit 25 or more fish, but that would entail a lot of small, peaceful fish.
Curious what your suggestion for something like a S1000 would be or would it just mimic the 150 system since there are close in size?
That's a great question.. Basically yo could just add more. Once you reach that 200 gallon threshhold, there are some larger fish you can add that you just couldn't add in a smaller system. I will admit that most of my fish stocking list are reef safe and largely invertebrate safe (except for the hawkfish), but if you really want your fish stocklist to shine, then doing a FOWLR tank is the way to go. That would open up so many more great options in the Angelfish and Butterflyfish categories. And if you don't need to have fancy shrimp, then you can add a lot of wrasses, jawfish, and who knows what else. The Trick with big tanks is to not only add the right fish, but to add them in the right order. A tang added early may stake out it's claim and be over aggressive, but if added later might interact with the others just fine. Also, with large systems, mistakes with stocking will be made, so watching your fish, knowing what you have inside, and being willing to set a trap and remove and rehome are crucial.
Hello, I am planning on getting a Red Sea max nano xl (30g) and will get the reefmat nano when released, 20 pounds of caribsea shapes live rocks and a 10 pounds of boulders and 1.5inch of Fiji pink sand of the same brand. I was wondering after seeing your very informative videos if I could have 2 orange storm clown fish, 1 orchid dotyback, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 tail spot blenny, 1 mandarin goby, so 6 fish in total. It would be great to have some feedback from you and thank you so much for your great work. M.
Yeah that could definitely work. With the goby, blenny, and dragonet you have a lot of fish that like the sandbed, so maybe consider something more free swimming. The dottyback will dart in and out of the rockwork, and the clowns will choose an area of the tank and then largely stay there. So take a peek at some free swimmers like cardinalfish. maybe a small wrasse, or a hawkfish. There are drawbacks to all of them, for example, hawkfish may or may not go after shrimp. The best advice I could give is to just add a few fish at a time, water test, and make adjustments to your feeding and filtration as needed until you have a stable system.-Matthew
@@HelloReef I plan to add the clowns and dotyback last for agression too. I like the geometric hawk fish and the Pink-Streaked Wrasse, so you think the system could handle them too?
Probably, but you might be pushing things a bit. I mean you can always up the filtration and water change schedule, but I worry about the lack of real estate, possible aggression, and lack of areas for the wrasse and dottyback to hide. 30 gallons isn't a lot of square footage, so in order to be successful with a lot of fish you need to build distinct areas of the tank where fish can feel safe.
@@HelloReef thank you very much for your help. I might replace the dotyback with a purple firefish just to be sure to have a peaceful tank.
This video comes just in time! I have a IM40 AIO and have 7 all ready. Was wondering if I can add a Bicolor blenny, current stocking 2 clowns, 2 banggai, 1 six line, and a citron goby. What say you? Yay or nay?
Most likely you will be just fine. Blennies are certainly peaceful, and the only possible jerk you have inside the tank is the six line wrasse, but I doubt the wrasse will bother anybody else. Just watch your water parameters for any significant increases in po4 and no3, and then up filtration and water changes as needed.
@@HelloReef well its either the blenny or a baby bristletooth tang. Also having some hair algae issues
And here i was worried my two clownfish, 6 lined wrasse, and yasha goby were overstocking my current tank. Maybe I'll add some more additions later down the line.
:-)
I recommend added a variety of reef safe wrasses
Yeah, I think reef safe wrasses are definitely not strong point in my stock lists. Any favorites you would add?
@@HelloReef mixing some of the genus Cirrhilabrus would be a good start as they are for the most part are a peaceful genus of wrasse and some have some beautiful coloration.
I want 2 tangs, 2 clownfish, 2 butterfly, 2 angelfish, and 2 royal gramma. THATS IT NOTHING ELSE. Is it possible? What size?
So with 2 tangs, butterfly, and angelfish, you are looking at a minimum of 120 gallons... maybe larger.
Super informative!
Glad you think so! :-)
Hello reef is this new what happened to brs
Hey Dave. I actually work for Aperture, the parent company of BRS and HelloReef, so you’ll see me jumping around chanel’s a bit!
Cheers Matthew, everytime I see you it's a different channel lol
Haha, that is so true! I work for Aperture, the parent company of HelloReef, BRS, Neptune, Ecotech, AI, and a few more, so you'll see me jump around a bit as need be! Regardless, I appreciate you hunting me down and watching! -Matthew
Also do you think this is a good stock list for a 80 gallon custom tank (130x68x35cm) with a 20 gallon sump that has a carbon reactor and a skimmer and maybe a filter roller?
1 Yellow Coris Wrasse
1 Halichoeres cosmetus
1 bangaii cardinal
1 Spotted Mandarin Goby
3 Chinese Zebra Dartfish
1 Linear or Gulf Blenny
1 Randall's Shrimp Goby
Thanks
Definitely a good list. You could probably add quite a few more fish given some time. Definitely a pair of clowns, maybe a sand-sifting goby, some smaller schooling fish like the masked goby, but this is a great start
:-)
Can I put 2 or more pair of clownfish in a 40 gallon tank?
The maximum you can ever put in a tank is 2 clownfish. They are highly territorial, and the only other way to do it is to have a 120 gallon tank or larger and build a clownfish harem with like 30 clowns... but that is definitely not a beginner tank! :-)
i have a 70 gallon tank with a similar length
:-)
Is this your new channel?
One of many! I actually work for Aperture which is the parent company of HelloReef and BRS, so I move around wherever I can be helpful!
@@HelloReef when I started in this hobby two years ago. Your beginner videos really helped me get started. Last couple of months I was thinking damn what happened to Mathew? Good to see u still making videos
I'm so happy that my videos helped. that's the whole reason I started making videos almost a decade ago, because I wish they existed! And I'm definitely still making videos... In fact I've been making so many it's almost time for a vacation! :-)
My whale shark fits fine in my 30 gallon.
That is a feat of science for sure!
Just curious, why the masked goby?
Great question. I really like them, they school, and they are super small so you can use a ton of them.
@@HelloReef Thanks!
How many fish can I put in my 25 gallon waterbox peninsula
If chosen wisely, taking into account their size and aggressivity, you can fit about 10 fish.
I have the 15 gal Hello Reef kit and it’s stocked with 2 clownfish, watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair, 2 BTA, 5 BL hermits, 3 turbo snails, sand sifting starfish and some coral.
That sounds like a perfect stock list. How do you feel about it? Room for more? Too much so you have to do larger water changes?
@@HelloReef I want to add some Nassarius Snails but other then that I will probably just add coral as the tank matures. It seems to be a good balance and a 2-3 gallon water change each week keeps it in check.
:-)
The size of the fish does matter and the more fish mass you have in your tank, the more water you will need to change. You will find out if your water change to fish stock ratio is not right when your nitrates get very high. So you will have to pick one. Remove some fish or change more water or change filter socks more often, but you get the idea.
That’s exactly right! 😀
Great video thanks.
You are welcome! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
This guy not wirh brs no more ? And also randy leaving...
Matthew here, and I actually work for Aperture, the parent company of BRS and HelloReef. So you will see me jump between various brands such as AquaReady, Ecotech, BRS, Neptune, and AI. I love working for Aperture, and I have the absolute best job in the entire world! I'm going nowhere until they force me out at retirement! :-) Thanks for finding me on this new channel and taking time to leave a comment! -Matthew
@@HelloReef Matthew, you're enthousiasm is very contagious and I really appreciate you're style of presenting. While I'm a little bit ahead of the target audience of the videos you produce I always watch a couple and go clean my tank.
😀