A few fish questions before I start stocking

[DamnPepShrimp]

I am going to be setting up my 120 very soon and have a few fish in QT already. So rather then putting up a few posts, I'd just ask all my questions here. 120g will be setup for atleast a year, then eventually moving into a 180 when I upgrade my FO to a 240+. For now, everything will be in the stand 4'x2'x2' 120g tank, with good skimming, fuge, flow, mixed reef (no SPS).

I already have a starry blenny, I'd love to add a tailspot blenny as well. Will this be ok?

I already have a yellow watchman goby, I'd like to get him a pistol shrimp for him. Will any work? Best to add the shrimp after the goby? Same time? How do I go about pairing them up? I know it's mostlikely just the luck of the draw. Didn't know if any paired up with yellow watchmans more then others?

I have a lubbocks fairy wrasse which I love, very peaceful and out going fish. I plan to add either ignitus or barletts anthias (which ones would you suggest?) they should be ok with him? I also want to add a couple more wrasses, which ones would go best? Looking for cheapier wrasses, nothing crazy expensive (bought the lubbocks for $20). I really want a very peaceful yet active reef. All my fish get along great with no problems and I'd like to keep it that way.

I was also considering a blue fish, maybe a larger fish like a watanabei angel, bluethroat trigger or sargassum trigger. Any other suggestions on a blue fish?

Thanks for everyones help!

 

[LUVSPS]

For anthias I would get the Barletts. They're beautiful, imo.

For a blue fish, what about a large hippo tang? Or a school of blue chromis?

For wrasses I like the yellow coris wrasse. Don't know muuch about them, though. Sorry.

 

[tangers]

I had a yellow watchman with a tiger pistol-great team.
Here is a pic of them-

The sargassum isn't really blue, gorgeous fish, but not blue. I absolutely love mine, great personality-very bold.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

Everyone keeps suggesting the barletts, but I really like the ignitus (flame) anthias. Both only get 3" and are peaceful, yet the ignitus cost $10 less each! A hippo tang would be nice, but they are very ich prone and I think would be cramped in a 120 once bigger. Plus they tend to be aggressive at times. I have considered chromis, I'd have to get the blue reef chromis, which I rarely see. I wonder if those are able to keep in groups more then the greens? The green chromis always end up killing each other off.

Nice pics tangers! Love the fish! I will definitely get a pistol shrimp with the goby then, hopefully they will pair up! I love the sargassum trigger, yours is gorgeous! So it really isn't all that blue? The watanabei angels really aren't that blue in person either. Hmmm..... I don't know what else to pick then.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

So can I keep a tailspot blenny with a starry blenny?

What other wrasse recommendations would you suggest (on a budget, $50 or less!) to keep with a lubbocks fairy wrasse? Will dispar, ignitus and barlett anthias get along well too?

 

[myerst2]

Hey. Your best bet to for the watchman is to get a pistol and keep him in a small critter cage with the watchman. They will eventually bond, actually pretty quickly. As far as the wrasses, I would stick with the Lubbocks and try and make a harem. As far as blue fish. Try blue hamlet. Great looking fish that doesn't get enough credit. You could also get a bunch of blue or green chromis. That always makes a nice display. Tim

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

Maybe I will add the pistol in my 37g for now, since it's a lot smaller then the 120g. They should have more interaction that way. You think it's ok to have a harem of lubbock wrasses? I'd like to get a few different ones if possible, difference colors. I was looking at a few peaceful ones on LA. I'd love to do a small harem of anthias and chromis, but chromis never last. I've heard the blue ones are better then the green. Oh I like the blue hamlet, but they eat shrimp!

 

[EllieSuz]

Different species of Blenny seldom get along. I don't think a Starry and a Tailspot would be peaceful additions.

 

[TOOTIME]

I have always just added pistols and they have always paired with my shrimp gobies. Maybe I am just licky. As far as wrasse have you thought about a clown aka solorensis. They are blue with red and a yellow head. You could also do several different flasher wrasse. I currently have 15 wrasse in my 125 with out any problems. Good luck.

 

[TOOTIME]

I meant lucky sorry can't spell tonight.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

Why don't you think the starry and tailspot are peaceful additions? They will fight each other or other fish? I have the starry now, he doesn't bother anyone and just sits and perches on the rocks, I usually don't ever see him.

So the lubbocks wrasse will get along with other peaceful wrasses? I was looking at Mccoskers flasher wrasse, longfin fairy wrasse, leopard wrasse, and filamented flasher wrasse. What wrasses do you have in your tank? Have any pics? I saw your gutter guard pics, I have to come up with something different on my 120, figure out how to mount my light since its a hanging (tek T5) and I can't hang it!

I will get a pistol shrimp and just hope they pair up, I guess there aren't any particular shrimps that match with watchmen gobies.

 

[mrwilson]

Have you ever had any trouble previously with your lubbocks and other wrasses? I have a lubbocks that is completely peaceful with my five green chromis and three anthias (bicolor, bartletts' squarespot) - each of which were added after the lubbocks - but which relentlessly harassed an adornatus wrasse I added. (Obviously the adornatus was closer in shape and size to the lubbocks than the anthias.)

 

[EllieSuz]

The Starry Blenny is a peaceful fish, but my reading has indicated that Blennies do not get along with fish that look like them. Here's a quote:

The Starry Blenny is also referred to as Snowflake Blenny. Its body is a mottled dark brown with white dots and its pectoral and tail fins are yellow.

A well-established 30 gallon or larger aquarium with multiple swimming levels and plenty of rock is a suitable environment. It is not usually aggressive unless the tank mates appear to have a similar shape as it does. It is best to house singly unless kept in a larger tank and the two are a mated pair. It tends to perch and hop from rock to rock looking for microalgae to graze on.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I haven't had any aggressive problems with the lubbocks yet. He was added last with the blenny and a royal gramma. He doesn't bother anyone and is a very peaceful fish. So I was wondering what other wrasses could be kept with him. I may introduce the wrasses at the same time when my 120g is ready.

So it looks like the tailspot is out, I really liked that fish, oh well.

Thanks everyone.