240 FOWLR Stocking List

edjco

New member
I'm putting together a 240 gallon FOWLR with a 75 gallon sump. Below is my very rough first draft of some fish I would like. (I'm starting on the stocking list early so I can do as much research as possible.) I would like any input as to compatability or any other problems you see here, such as would this tank be overstocked, sump too small, etc. Any help would be appreciated!

Picasso Trigger
Blue line Angel
Auriga Butterfly
Latticed Butterfly
Snowflake Eel
Spotted Grouper
Volitan Lionfish
Puffer?
Cat Shark
Blue Tang
Yellow Tang
Naso Tang
Blonde Tang

I'm not set on these particular fish, they are just some of my favorites.
 
I'm putting together a 240 gallon FOWLR with a 75 gallon sump. Below is my very rough first draft of some fish I would like. (I'm starting on the stocking list early so I can do as much research as possible.) I would like any input as to compatability or any other problems you see here, such as would this tank be overstocked, sump too small, etc. Any help would be appreciated!

Picasso Trigger
Blue line Angel
Auriga Butterfly
Latticed Butterfly
Snowflake Eel
Spotted Grouper
Volitan Lionfish
Puffer?
Cat Shark
Blue Tang
Yellow Tang
Naso Tang
Blonde Tang

I'm not set on these particular fish, they are just some of my favorites.

My first reaction is this tank is overstocked, way overstocked. Half that list would be ok IMO.

It is not a good idea to keep Angels, Butterflies, Puffers, or Triggers with sharks as they are know to pick at the eyes. I would skip the shark anyway if you want all these other fish because they are big fish that create quite a bioload.

Naso and Blonde tang is the same fish with just slightly different markings. So should only do 1 of those.

Eels are big dirty creatures too, and they are quite the escape artists, so your tank would have to be fully covered if you had one.

I think you should go either one of 2 ways with this tank.

1. Shark, Eel, Grouper, and the tangs.
or
2.Angel, Butterflies, Trigger, Puffer or Lion, and Tangs.
 
That's very helpful, because if I had to pick only one fish from the list, it would be a Trigger.
Since I prefer the Lionfish to the Puffer, I guess my revised list would look like this:

Picasso Trigger
Blue line Angel
Auriga Butterfly
Latticed Butterfly
Volitan Lionfish
Blue Tang
Yellow Tang
Blonde Tang

I only wanted the shark because you know kids love sharks, but mine are a bit older, so that's not an issue. Same goes with the eel. I could also toss the Lion if anyone thinks its a bad idea.

Does the above list seem ok? Is this pushing it for a 240? How about opinions on a stocking order, least aggressive to most aggressive?

Thank you all!
 
I had read that too, that's why I'm not sold on the lion so much. What about the blonde tang? Is that pushing it?
 
Like mentioned......

If you want a trigger no to the lion & shark

Multiple naso's do work together however they also get quite large, over a foot long. You would just want to add them together

Eel's are cool but like mentioned they are escape artists & they also just lay around 99% of the time.

I prefer puffers to lions, especially the ugly/cool puffers like the spiny box & porcupine. AWESOME personalities.... lions look neat but lay around a lot more & aren't nearly as entertaining at dinner time. I hope to put a porcupine & spinybox in my tank, just worried the angels will bug them to much. Some tangs also like picking on the puffers......

Is that a blue hep tang or a Atl. blue tang? The Atl. blue tangs also get quite large & they can have a bigger attitude then a sohal tang. I had one who grew to maybe 8-10in long & killed a fuscus/blue line trigger who was also similar size. The blue tang was new to the tank........ Hep tangs are great.... just some like getting ich :(
 
Your list looks Ok. I would start with the Blue tang, the angels and the butterflies. After that I found the others were kind of hit and miss. At least the first ones will have more of a chance to get established.
 
Yep, I think I'll scratch the lion. The puffer may be interesting.
My tank is 8x2x2.
The Tang I saw on Fosters and Smith was a hep tang.

To compile this list I just searched for things I liked and which (according to them) would fit in the tank. So I guess the current list would be:

Picasso Trigger
Blue line Angel
Auriga Butterfly
Latticed Butterfly
Puffer (box or spiny?)
Blue Tang
Yellow Tang
Blonde Tang

Also, I don't want to push the envelope as far as stocking density goes, so keep that in mind.

Interesting what a couple of you said about the escape artist snowflake eels. Almost 30 years ago I caught one diving in Florida with the intention of bringing it home to my tank. I had it stored in a large ice chest with sea water and a bubblestone. The ice chest was on the back porch of the condo which was over the water (an inlet canal). During the night the eel made his way out of the ice chest, onto the deck and plopped right back into the water. Probably for the best, because back then I had a 75 and of course the filtration and knowledge were nowhere near what they are now.

I've been out of the hobby that long now, and have just gotten back in over the last 6 months, so my knowledge, especially of fish compatibality is very fuzzy.

Looking forward to more thoughts on this new revised stocking list!
 
I know nothing about butterfly fish......

The others are fine.... if you want a more active trigger that looks great & has less attitude I would suggest the hawian/black durgeon. Mine is 8ish inches & is a total whimp, swims all the time & has really cool colors.... quite a bit darker then the picasso's. Other non agressive triggers I would suggest are the sargasum, bluejaw/bluethroat, some claim pinktail aren't mean & I can't remember any more. O yea... crosshatch, I would do a mated pair of them since they are so cheap :)

you could probably have both the spiny & box in there, I did in a old 150g. They would sleep on each other about every night....
 
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