270 gallon blank slate

[brad]

A power failure recently wiped out my 270 gallon reef. I am going to take the tank down, move it to another room, and set it back up. This tank is 4'x4'x27", has 4 Tunze streams and 600 watts of DIY Led lighting. I am looking for ideas on how to restock.

I had tons of large BTA taking over before, along with 2 tomato clowns. I always wanted to try ocellaris or percula and a rose or carpet anemone, but never could add them as I was unable to get rid of my current clowns.

I had 3 angelfish before (flame, lemonpeel, xanthurus) that all got along and never ate anything but fish food. I am tempted to try a larger Angel (Pomocanthus, etc). I've never experienced aggression between angelfish, but had these 3 for 5 years and only had 1 angel before that.

I want Acropora, which was growing from frags, but I haven't had established as a large colony since 11 years ago. I am not looking for rare/expensive/delicate/challenging SPS, just something with right shape that grows fast. Any coral I do will likely be from cheap frags, so I am not terribly worried about something that might eat 1 coral, but do not want something like a Holacanthus that is almost guaranteed to eat everything I try.

I had 2 tangs (Acanthurus pyroferu, Kole tang). IMO this setup is not as good for large active fish as even a 180, since they can only swim 4' in any direction. I would like to consider larger fish than I could keep in a smaller tank, but almost everything that fits that category eats something else I want.

I had a school of anthias when I started, and am tempted to do that again. My previous experience was the weakest member slowly died from bullying, and I don't want to see that happen again.

I would prefer to keep the tank shallow water and Indo Pacific, but will consider species from other places.

Anything unusual, unique or with personality. Hardiness is a big plus, I've never seen the desire most people have to keep more challenging species as they get more experienced. At the same time, keeping Acropora and anemones will mean my water quality must be at least a certain standard, so ability for fish to survive water those can't isn't required.

 

[gofor100]

The Australian Harlequin Tuskfish would be a great candidate as a large fish for this tank... big, beautiful, and not a swimmer like tangs and the like.

Another suggestion I'd make (if you're looking for something yellow and unique-looking) would be the Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish. Likes to flutter from rock to rock and in my experience, don't munch on corals.

Hope that helps start your stocking list...

-Chad

 

[brad]

Both good suggestions. How likely is it that the tuskfish limits my ability to keep small fish, such as ocellaris?

 

[gofor100]

I just bought a juvenile, so I can't definitively answer from personal experience, but I've read/heard that they are mainly a thread to crustaceans and get along with other smaller tankmates. If you'd rather be safe than sorry, you could just add all of the smaller fish before the tuskfish, but I honestly don't think this is necessary.

-Chad

 

[anbosu]

I have heard they will eat small fish. Your clown would be at risk, at least as a juvie.

 

[gofor100]

I have heard they will eat small fish. Your clown would be at risk, at least as a juvie.

I'll tell you in a couple of weeks when I put mine in my tank. Although I think the previous stories of Tuskfish eating other small fish had to do with a few different things:

> The menacing look of the tuskfish (protruding teeth and all) and the reefkeeper "mysteriously" losing some of their fish. I've lost fish "mysteriously" before and it disappeared never to be found again, but at the time, didn't have any fish that would eat another fish, so I have to assume it was my clean-up crew that did the job. So unless someone has actually seen the fish get eaten, I wouldn't assume the meanest looking fish (i.e., the Tuskfish) is the culprit.

> Not getting enough meaty foods (assuming there are cases where they do eat smaller fish). In the wild they are eating inverts (hence their huge chompers so they can crack open the invert's exoskeleton and get to the meat), so if they aren't being provided their dietary needs (pieces of shrimp, clams, scallops, etc.), they will look to "unnatural" food choices like little meaty morsels swimming around.

Just my thoughts though... like I said, I'll find out soon enough since I have a Sunburst Anthias and a Cleaner Goby in the DT. Also a yellow-tail damsel is in the QT with the Tuskfish (which is really small and could easily fit in his mouth) as I type this with no signs of aggression at all.

But, like I said, if you want to play it safe, get all of your smaller fish first, then wait until all of them have settled before putting in the Tuskfish. If mine goes on a killing/eating streak, I'll give you a heads up .

-Chad

 

[brad]

Thanks gofor100 - I think it is really important to hear first hand experiences. Often times animals are not as dangerous to tank mates as the books say, but sometimes it works the opposite too. I can't tell you how many times I heard "But that frogfish was so small, they said it wouldn't be any risk to my (insert anything larger and more expensive)".

But, like I said, if you want to play it safe, get all of your smaller fish first, then wait until all of them have settled before putting in the Tuskfish.

A tuskfish is very expensive, hard to find and large. If I have one, it will be an important part of my whole setup, not an afterthought. This means adding it towards the beginning. Also, I'd much rather chance adding 1 damsel for a few weeks and add more if the damsel is still alive than add a tuskfish to a tank with several dozen smaller fish.

 

[gofor100]

A tuskfish is very expensive, hard to find and large. If I have one, it will be an important part of my whole setup, not an afterthought. This means adding it towards the beginning. Also, I'd much rather chance adding 1 damsel for a few weeks and add more if the damsel is still alive than add a tuskfish to a tank with several dozen smaller fish.

I'd think the fish could definitely still be an important part of the set-up without it being one of the first fish. You just have to plan it all out...

I mean, my dream fish has always been a Moorish Idol, and it definitely wasn't going to be one of the first fish. I just made a list of fish and planned out which ones were going in first, second, etc.

Now my Moorish Idol is nice and happy and been with me for over a year now...


Whatever you decide though, I hope it all works out! :dance:

-Chad

 

[ca1ore]

Anthias schools are tough to keep for longer periods of time. I have had a similar experience where weakest member get picked off, followed by the next, and the next. I never did figure out reliably if there was a magic number - other than just keeping a single Mae.