144G Stock List

[idisc]

Going to be setting up my 144G Half-Circle tank soon and trying to figure out a good final stock list + order of placement in tank.

Tank Dimensions:
- 144G Oceanic Half-Circle 60x29x29
- 30 Gallon Sump
- Reef Octopus Classic 202-S 8" Skimmer
- 150Lbs LR - 2" Sand bed

Stock List & Order: Fish

1. Red Fire fish (3)
2. Green Chromis (5)
3. Black Ice Clownfish
4. SnowFlake Clownfish
5. Diamond Goby
6. Midas Blenny
7. Bangaii Cardinal (Pair)
8. One Spot FoxFace
9. Lyretail Anthias (Trio)
10. Green Mandarin Goby (Pair)
11. Flame Fairy Wrasse (2" Sand bed deep enough?)
12. Blue Hippo
13. Bristle tooth Tomini Tang
14. Black or Purple Tang
15. Porcupine Puffer (I know the possible dangers)

Stock List & Order: Inverts

1. 2x Cleaner Shrimp
2. 2x Fire Shrimp
3. 4x Peppermint Shrimp
4. 2x Coral Band Starfish


Thoughts & Concerns?

 

[Dmorty217]

The blue hippo is the only issue I see

 

[Bent]

Going to be setting up my 144G Half-Circle tank soon and trying to figure out a good final stock list + order of placement in tank.

Tank Dimensions:
- 144G Oceanic Half-Circle 60x29x29
- 30 Gallon Sump
- Reef Octopus Classic 202-S 8" Skimmer
- 150Lbs LR - 2" Sand bed

Stock List & Order: Fish

1. Red Fire fish (3)
IME they will go "highlander" on you eventually and you'll be left with only 1. With a tank this size you may get away with darts of a different species, but same species you will eventually be left with only one.
2. Green Chromis (5)

3. Black Ice Clownfish
4. SnowFlake Clownfish
I'm not sure how these two will fare together. Clowns keep huge territories and two different species may end up fighting even in a tank that size

5. Diamond Goby
6. Midas Blenny
7. Bangaii Cardinal (Pair)
8. One Spot FoxFace
may become aggressive depending on the specific fish.
9. Lyretail Anthias (Trio)
I would consider upping this to combat aggression. One male with 3 females is what I would consider minimum, 1 male with 4 females would be ideal and focus the males aggression where it's supposed to be.
10. Green Mandarin Goby (Pair)
depending on total water volume, you may not have enough to sustain a pair. I would wait at least a year before getting the first, and then at least 6 months before adding the other, best case scenario.
11. Flame Fairy Wrasse (2" Sand bed deep enough?)
12. Blue Hippo
nix this all together. With the other fish in that small space it will become the terminator
13. Bristle tooth Tomini Tang
great choice
14. Black or Purple Tang
may bully the tomini, but may not. Roll the dice if you want

15. Porcupine Puffer (I know the possible dangers)
Dont. Too big, and will become ultra aggressive in a tank that "small". I wouldn't put one in anything under 180 gallons singly. With tank mates the size requirements would probably double. Plus they are died in the wool predators no matter how much they look like puppy dogs and any invert will get nabbed, especially shrimp. Ill advised my friend, ill advised. Just my opinion.

Stock List & Order: Inverts

1. 2x Cleaner Shrimp breakfast for porky.
2. 2x Fire ShrimpBrunch for Porky.
3. 4x Peppermint Shrimplunch for porky
4. 2x Coral Band Starfishsupper for porky.


Thoughts & Concerns?

Here's my opinion my friend.

 

[ColinAbi]

Here's my opinion my friend.

I think he wants 1 of each clown.

 

[Bent]

I think he wants 1 of each clown.

That's why I said that. I'm not a clown guy especially when it comes to the designer "labradoodle" clowns so I'm not quite sure how those two specific clowns will do. I'd imagine OK, but just wanted him to be aware.

 

[ColinAbi]

That's why I said that. I'm not a clown guy especially when it comes to the designer "labradoodle" clowns so I'm not quite sure how those two specific clowns will do. I'd imagine OK, but just wanted him to be aware.

Ah I read it wrong, thought you said two pairs wouldn't do well, sorry.

 

[stingeragent]

I'd nix the puffer. The hippo can work depending on how big it is when you get it, but eventually it would be better suited to a larger tank.

 

[idisc]

Thanks for the input guys. Nix the puffer, I thought fire fish got along in groups of 3+.

Clowns will be a single pair. Hippo will be small when I get it. Mandarins will be added once sufficient pod population is there.

I could switch out 2 of the fires n get a royal grama n a purple fire fish.

And yes I could add 2 more anthias.

Thoughts?

 

[Bent]

Thanks for the input guys. Nix the puffer, I thought fire fish got along in groups of 3+.

Clowns will be a single pair. Hippo will be small when I get it. Mandarins will be added once sufficient pod population is there.

I could switch out 2 of the fires n get a royal grama n a purple fire fish.

And yes I could add 2 more anthias.

Thoughts?

Sounds better. I think the two species of dart can find their own paths away from one another in that amount of space, and the royal gramma would be a great colorful substitute. I still think as the hippo gets bigger you will have some aggression issues, though if he is small it may be a few years before you get to that point. It's such a shame that the porky won't work out well in this situation. They are some of my favorite fish and if I ever have the room for one I'm totally getting one.


Have you thought about a few engineer gobies? I love them and as long as your rock work isn't stacked on the sand and secured properly, they would be fine. They also get about a foot long and are very eel like and may satiate some weird desire to have an eel (if such a desire even exists in you). Just do a google image search for "huge engineer goby" and check out the pics. Speaking of which, I don't know if you want to Risk it, but I've heard of people having some success with zebra eels, snowflakes and a few others. Something to think about in a tank that big.

Good luck. I'm totally jealous!!

 

[stingeragent]

I had a small hippo for about 9 months in a 40B. He didn't grow much even with heavy feeding. As long as you get it small (less than an inch), you'll have 2-3 years before you gotta worry about a bigger tank.

 

[idisc]

Thanks Guys!

I have always had an itch for an eel. I don't really like the overall look of the engineer goby, but contemplated a black or blue ribbon eel or a golden drawf or snowflake.

Only fear is that I don't want my shrimps to become dinner lol - If I found a non shrimp eating eel...I would be game!!

 

[Bent]

Thanks Guys!

I have always had an itch for an eel. I don't really like the overall look of the engineer goby, but contemplated a black or blue ribbon eel or a golden drawf or snowflake.

Only fear is that I don't want my shrimps to become dinner lol - If I found a non shrimp eating eel...I would be game!!

I tried my hand at the ribbon eel and I never could get any specimen to eat. I went through 4 before I gave up. All 4 starved. If you want to try it, I would suggest really reading up on how some people have gotten theirs to eat. It's a ton of work, but really rewarding if your successful. I read some where years ago that the odds that a ribbon eel specimen will eat is 1 in 15. That's pretty abysmal if you ask me and at that rate if true, I would consider the ribbon eel unsuitable for aquaria. They are cool though and one of my favorite eels.

Divers den just had a golden dwarf moray the other day, I came close to buying it. That's an excellent choice.

Many people, including myself have had good luck keeping certain species of eels in a reef setting with small inverts and crustaceans with no problems. If I had to list the most reef safe eels it would go something like this:

1: snowflake
2: zebra
3: Golden dwarf
4: other snake eels.

I once had a leopard snake eel (myrichthys tigrinus) in a reef and it was a model citizen and I've heard others have the same experience. I kept mine with many different inverts and small fish and he didn't bother any of them. Though they aren't as common as they used to be, you may ask around to see if you can get one ordered.

https://www.coralimports.com/fish/eels/leopard-snake-eel-echidna-sp/

 

[idisc]

If I did end up with an eel it would def be last in the tank and it would be a baby. hopefully growing up in a tank full of fish / inverts and fed regularly would keep him in check...

There is just something nice about seeing an eel wrapped in rock with his head sticking out ahha.

 

[Bent]

I know man, I've had to really suppress the urge.

 

[DopeCantWin]

I had a small hippo for about 9 months in a 40B. He didn't grow much even with heavy feeding. As long as you get it small (less than an inch), you'll have 2-3 years before you gotta worry about a bigger tank.

He didn't grow much because he was in the wrong environment. The recommended tank size is 240 gallons and 8ft. You'd be amazed how quickly they grow under the right conditions. Also the Chromis will likely end up as 1.

 

[Bent]

I thought chromis were naturally schooling and social fish?

 

[idisc]

Chromis are hit or miss or buy till you are fine. I have done chromis in all my tanks and I usually purchase 5, 3 live - or a buy 3 and 1 dies and I replace till they accept it..not the best method, but for $6 a fish..not a big deal...they look great schooling.

 

[hkgar]

Eventually you will also have only one Green Chromis.