45G FOWLR Stocking

[wsboyette]

What would be the maximum number of fish (medium - sized, say avg. 2") for a 45 gallon (high) FOWLR setup ? I would guess about six, does that seem right ? I'm thinking in terms of clowns and damsels and maybe a wrasse.

 

[Peppie]

Lots of debate there. What kind of filtration are you looking to provide? How are you at maintenance? Will you feed once,twice,three times a day?
Will you have a large sump? What size skimmer are you planning?
UV??
Ozone?
Reactors?
Need more info on your system please

 

[wsboyette]

Tank has been established 8 months, using skimmer, carbon reactor and 50 lbs LR, 10G sump. No ozone. Three small fish, Sally Lightfoot, six snails & four hermits in tank now.

 

[TJL]

Wellllllll.... if you have ever watched the series 'Tanked' and then by extrapolating for the size difference of aquariums you should at least be able to keep 20-25 fish in there.... JK

Like Dave stated above alot depends on nutrient removal/maintenance and feeding schedule above and beyond basic fish compatibility scenarios. I've always kept rather crowded/high bio-load systems fed heavily and aggressively maintaned (WC's and/or skimming) If done similarly I'd could see having a pr of Clowns with a shoal of Damsels (5-7) and a small Wrasse like a Six-Line or Yellow Coris. Even a Mandarin if established well enough to have a sufficent pod population.
What model of Skimmer do you have and what is your WC schedule like? Do you test regulary and what are the #'s for Nitrates? Sounds like it will be/could be a fun tank so keep us posted and let us know what direction you go.

Cheers, Todd

 

[wsboyette]

I have the Aqua-C Urchin skimmer. I make a 15% water change monthly, but use a good Instant Ocean replenisher in between. My ammonia and nitrates are zero; I don't test all that frequently unless I am making changes such as the addition of livestock. I would love to have a mandarin, and so had tried to establish a population of pods, but I think the clown & damsel might have wiped it out. And having to replenish pods to support a mandarin is too costly, breeding pods is too much time and trouble. I wonder if I have any pods alive in my LSB & LR; I don't see anything though. I was guessing at 6-8 fish; and exactly what you mentioned in a shoal of damselfish.

 

[Crack31]

Damsels can get very aggressive.
I would not do dominos or 3/4 stripe damsels.
I've had good luck with chromis.

 

[Jeramy]

I would step up the amount of water you change or the frquency if you are planning on stocking heavily. Also if you want to keep a happy healthy pod population establishing a reefugium in your system will give them a place to grow and reproduce with out predation =)

 

[Derbird]

Mandarins are one of my favorite fish. I would add a refugium before getting one though. Even ones that eat frozen food benifit greatly from natural foods.

With out a refugium I think six fish might be pushing it a bit but as others have said alot depends on your system. No one can give you the acutal number that would work. Just go slow and let you tank tell you when its full

 

[wsboyette]

OK, I've decided to work up to 1 blue damsel, 3 blue velvet damsels, 2 oscellaris clowns, and possibly a mandarin (if I can get a pod pile to self-replenish well enough). I would not want to go over 7 fish; gotta consider bioload as well as swimming space (Considering the space taken up by the LR). My nitrates range from 0-0.25, and I want to try to keep them that low. I wanted a maroon clown but must settle for another oscellaris for compatibility's sake, as a maroon would be an awful bully.

 

[Chichas01]

Thing you need to consider here is how big will these fish be at full size. The clowns can easily hit 3" in length. 7 fish with 50lbs of rock in a 45 does not leave much room for open swim space. Also, you essentially stocking the tank with all damsels with many of the same aggressive tendencies as they mature. You could mix it up a little. Maybe 2 clowns, a tail spot blenny to clean up algae, a firefish and maybe some other goby or 2 that stays on the smallish side.
I had a 40 breeder with 40lbs of rock and 4 fish and things got crowded really fast. I ended up removing at least 10 lbs of rock and 3 fish when all was said and done.