120G Fish stocking list

[bnicholson]

Hey,

I'm setting up my standard 120g after a bad tank crash and 2 moves in short order after having the tank for 3 years. I'm down to live rock and equipment.

I'd love some feedback on my plans.

712w 2x250 4x53 Halide/T5 with another 2x53w T5. I find the halides more trouble then they are worth when I have a light coral load.
Extreme 200 SWC Skimmer
Carbon/Prosban reactor
ATO w/ kalk dosing
4 Korila pumps
1 MP40

50 Gallon sump with 3 12g compartments, skimmer, refug, and return pump.

Tank has heavy amounts of rock stacked high with the back clear for swimming room.

I'm looking for a pretty, active, yet low maintenance tank. I'd like to keep dosing at kalk mostly with the occasional 2 part of necessary.

I'm thinking the following fish load. I'm putting in some aggressive fish that may cause problems but I love the look of them so I'll feed live if necessary. I'm planning on using mollies acclimatised to saltwater raised in my sump.

Aggressive:
Dwarf lionfish
Snowflake Moray
Leaf fish

Tangs:
Regal Tang
Bristletooth tang

Other:
Pair Maroon Clownfish
Pair Bengai Cardinal
Flame Angel


Coral:
Mixture of LPS and Softies. I'd love some feedback as the best combination for colors and looks without getting into a high maintenance regiment. I travel frequently and work lots so I don't want a tank that I can't leave for a week or two with a petsitter.

Please keep in mind that I know that I'm pushing it a bit with but I am experienced, 4 years into this hobby with about 300 gallons of water sitting in my house right now. I'd prefer not to get the newbie speech, I know this will be a bit of a tough tank.

Thanks guys, I appreciate any help or feedback!
Bob

 

[rssjsb]

I would skip the regal tang and probably the snowflake. The tang gets too big for a 120 gallon tank. Snowflakes put a big strain on water quality and could eventually (once it's full grown and reaches sexual maturity) pose a threat to your cardinals, clowns, and angel. Maybe a ghost eel or dwarf eel would work better.

You may also want to post over in the fish only/aggressive board about compatibility with regard to the lion and leaf fish. I've never kept either.

Another thing to consider - fish that can use an autofeeder are easier for people to travel a lot. I would hesitate to ask a petsitter to feed frozen unless he or she is also an experienced fishkeeper. It's true that eels and lions don't necessarily need to eat every day, and a week is probably ok. Two weeks or more may be pushing your luck if there are fish in the tank that could make a meal. I know that even my big puffer and rabbit fish would hide when my snowflake started swimming around looking for food.

Good luck.

 

[namxas]

Lionfish are not aggressive in the least, nor are leaf fish. Actually, both are prone to becoming victims as opposed to causing trouble.

I'd actually consider leaving the leaf fish out of that mix, as IME, they're about 50/50 in terms of whether or not they'll convert over to eating non-living foods. Even then, you'll likely be needing to target feed the fish with a "stealth stick".

Which lionfish are you considerng? I know you said "dwarf", but that could mean a fuzzy, a green Hawaiian, a zebra, or a fu manchu (those are the most common Dendrochirus lionfish seen in the trade). If you're unsure, I recommend the fuzzy dwarf...they come in colors, are pretty easy to wean, and are hardy, personable fish in general.

I'd skip the SFE as well...once they reach about 18" or so, they tend to become pretty aggressive and start in on their tankmates.

 

[bnicholson]

I was thinking a fuzzy dwarf but I'm up in Canada so the saltwater stores aren't the greatest and it is a pretty major trip for me to to go the store. I'm likely just going to go with the smallest one I can find at a reasonable price.

I've been debating the moray eel because of the issues I've heard. I'm definitely looking to have a fairly heavily stocked and active tank so I'm concerned it'll really limit my options.

Feeding live isn't really an issue, I was planning on raising feeders in either the sump or a separate tank plumbed into my main. I'm planning on using brackish livebearers and I don't think I'll have the nutritional issues by breeding them myself in saltwater & feeding them saltwater foods. I'll have easy access to a pet sitter where I'm living now.

Any suggestions for replacements for the blue tang and snowflake moray? I'd like at least one more active swimmer that gets largish and one show animal that is different then the standard fish.

Thanks,
Bob