Another stocking question 84x30x25 ~250g

[scooters reef]

Ok, I keep getting good input, modifying my mind, and the tank plan has also continued to change after measuring living room floor space and room to walk, lol. I should be making my deposit tomorrow for the tank build finally. It will either be 84x30x25, or to satisfy the wife and one corner intruding on a walkspace MAY change it to 84x28x27, not a huge difference in volume and length the same. So, here's my current list, followed by questions:

Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
Blue Hippo Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)
Flame Angel (Centropyge loricula) Considering Two
Pair Ocellaris Clowns (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto) Can multiple work?
Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
Sailfin Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)

I'm a little concerned about possible aggression from the Kole towards the sailfin blanny. The Powder Blue Tang is not yet 100% decided due to my fear of aggression as well, but is one of the wife's favorites so likely to stay in the mix but I'm assuming last to add. I'm also considering, and looking for input on going with two Flame angels as well as the feasibility of multiple Royal Grammas in a tank this size.

I'm also looking for input on any obvious conflicts I missed, as well as other additions. First, are there any other blenny or goby options? A tank raised Court Jester Goby or any others?

I've also NEVER had a wrasse in the past. What mix of flashers or fairy could work? We'd also like a Six Line. We also plan to have a mandarin down the road so while a little competition may be ok we don't want much that will compete for the pod food source.

Otherwise, shoot out any ideas, additions, stocking order, or "What are you thinking?" comments! I have a large pile of tanks, so for the smaller species I can get them through TTM and leave them in multiple, temporary 29g displays spread around the house to keep them happy while I wait on the tank build.

Thanks!! Responses at the least always get me thinking for days on end after, lol.

 

[zooman72]

Yes, you can keep multiple grammas (I have 6 in a 50g cube), especially in a tank your size - get them all small (adult males will fight) and introduce them together. You can also keep dwarf angels in pairs or trios - same idea, get them small and introduce them at the same time. I have also housed multiple shrimp gobies together - lots of options, but they might get a bit lost in such a big aquarium. You can also probably keep a number of smaller wrasses, and can find additional info here via searches - some are easier than others to house together.

Your other smaller fish are simple enough, but I have never personally kept more than two tangs together for a long time (simply have not had a tank large enough), but I have seen others do it time and again, so I am sure someone else will chime in. I did help introduce a large group of yellows to an 800g public reef exhibit by following the earlier methods - smaller ones introduced together - and it went well (still is to this day too)...

 

[j4ckfish]

You should get a blue spotted puffer they are pretty peaceful and cool heaps cool and eat any meats

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[OrionN]

Cool fish to consider is a Mandarin pair. The only reason I would use a Salarias fasciatus is in tank too small for tang. Is there any reason you consider one?
Marine Betta pair? Regal angel?
Regarding Flame Angle, consider 3 instead of two.
A long as you have plenty crevices and rock a Royal Gramma harem should be fine.
Consider a Foxface.
Reconsider a Hippo tang. I never like them and may get too big. I guess some people like the blue.

 

[scooters reef]

The only reason I would use a Salarias fasciatus is in tank too small for tang. Is there any reason you consider one?

Well, good question there A combination of liking their often entertaining personality along with their "so ugly they are cute" looks, lol. Also, I'll be primarily using dry rock so expecting at least "some" phosphate issues no matter how much I treat the rock combined with GFO once running. Since the tangs would come last we figured the sailfin could maybe help out at least a little with any HA issues in the earlier stages. Of course, we'll hopefully have none, and any help would be a side-effect only since we want one regardless and not just for that purpose.

However, you're right and we'll have to think on it more. He'd be in a tank with a whole lot of herbivores in the end already on top of reading so many other posts of the kole in particular possibly harassing it.

Thanks for all the other input so far from all, it will give us a lot to read up and think about. The tank itself is now ordered so we're getting closer, and closer

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Some other suggestions are several different male flasher wrasses. They can be kept together without issue and they will "flash" each other constantly putting on a show. There are a few guy's here that have over a dozen in their tanks and love every minute of them. I'm sure I would too. Personally I've only got one wrasse, a McCosker's wrasse and he's an awesome fish. I also had a Carpenter's male a number of years ago and loved it too but I can say the McCosker's is much more colorful overall than the Carpenters. Take a look in LA's marine reef safe wrasses and you will see many to choose from.

Midas Blenny! This is an amazing fish and I think every tank should have one. Personality through the roof and it's the "cutest" fish in the tank.

Have you thought about Hogfish? There are several of the smaller ones as well as the larger hogfish. I've got a Yellow candy and he's a great fish. I've been told they can get aggressive but I don't see anything out of the ordinary from him. The most aggressive fish in my tank is my Cherub angel.

Also have you considered butterflyfish? There are so many different fish to chose from. We have several butterfly oficiando's here on RC. I had a 200 gal and had several different butterflyfish and can honestly say they were my favorite fish in that tank. The heniochus was my "nurse" fish and she cleaned all of the other fish in my tank. Even my xtra large Emperor, he would open up his gills and mouth for her to "clean" him. Very cool to watch.

With getting a very large tank like you are opens up so many "can do" possibilities for fish choices.

I would think about one "centerpiece" fish and plan your other fish around that fish. The large Angel's are very hard to beat, but then again some of the larger tangs are pretty sweet too.

Good luck on your tank! I look forward to seeing the build, IF you do a build thread!