The desert fortress of Heatrazor fell due to mismanagement from migrant overload. I decided on a completely different biome, an oceanside marsh appropriately named Oceanmirrors. This was just as new to me as the desert, so I did a bit of prep reading. When I hit my first aquifer layer, I knew exactly what to do, thanks to
Quantum Menace's Aquifer Guide.
Food has been quite different here. Edibles only available via caravans are commonplace in Oceanmirrors. After countless embarks with "there's nothing to catch" messages for hapless fisherdwarves, it's been cool to actually have seafood as an important part of a fort's food supply. Given the marshy interior, I chose different birds from my usual turkey and chicken set-up, too. This time around, it's geese and ducks. Also, I've never done much with hunters, but Oceanmirrors has 2 who have been busy supplying the fortress with albatross, osprey, sea otter, and dingo meat. As a vegetarian IRL, I think friends of mine would be surprised at all the fishing, hunting, and butchering I get up to in DF!
The fort population is currently at 20 after the first two obligatory migrant waves and a few births. The pop cap is set to 7 and baby_cap percentage at 20. I'll raise those in increments as I get more bedrooms and other amenities ready. After the 230+ horde of Heatrazor WAAAAY before I was prepared (one migrant wave had 50 dwarves!!!) , I'm taking things slow with the population of Oceanmirrors.