Can I get feedback on stocklist and introduction order for 120G mixed reef?

[GroktheCube]

My tank is a 4'x2'x2' 120 with a 40B sump, and a ~25g refugium designed primarily with plankton production in mind.

It's been running for 7 weeks, and the tank is very stable, but I plan on waiting another month before stocking. I'd like to give all the micro crustaceans time to build up a solid population before I start throwing predators at them. I figure this is a good time to start working on a stock list.

I plan on a mixed reef including Tridacnids.

Here is what I'm thinking for stocking and introduction order.

1: Purple or Helfrichi Firefish
2: Blenny: Midas, Starry, Tailspot, or Bicolor. Still not sure on species.
3: Orange-Backed Fairy Wrasse
4: Rainfordi Goby
5: Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse
6: Lineatus Wrasse (if I can find one)
7: Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse
8: McCosker's or Yellowfin Flashser
9: Ctenochaetus Tang, White tail if I can find one, otherwise Kole
10: Pair of Maroon clowns. Either a relatively small bonded pair, or a ~2" fish in the tank for a month or two, with a ~1" fish coming in thereafter.

I have a spare 15 and a spare 20L, one or both of which will be used for QT. I'll probably do tank transfer with all incoming fish using some sterilites to eliminate ich.

I may or may not have females for a couple of the wrasses, depending on availability, and the order the wrasses are added might vary a bit with availability. How does this look?

 

[DopeCantWin]

Ctenochaetus Tang might get aggressive, especially towards a Starry Blenny. I've been constantly surprised by how aggressive Ctenochaetus can be. Maybe I've just had bad luck. The Maroons would probably like an Anemone, make sure you get a nice big one. I've seen a Maroon demolish several Anemones until I got a carpet Anemone a foot across. It grew to 18" pretty quickly.

 

[GroktheCube]

That's another reason I'm planning on saving the maroons until last. I figure the tank will have been set up for long enough by then to support a good sized nem for them.

Are Starry Blennies particularly likely to be targets? Just because they'd both need to share alage/nori?

 

[DopeCantWin]

That's another reason I'm planning on saving the maroons until last. I figure the tank will have been set up for long enough by then to support a good sized nem for them.

Are Starry Blennies particularly likely to be targets? Just because they'd both need to share alage/nori?

They share the same algae, Koles are sometimes hard to get to eat Nori, kinda random about that.

 

[GroktheCube]

Thanks for the advice. If/when I get one, I'll try to make sure it's eating nori before pulling the trigger.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

I see no problems with your stocking list.

 

[jschultzbass]

Looks pretty good. You could do a yellow tang in a 120 as well I would think if you wanted. The concern I see is the pair of maroons. Maroon clowns get pretty big (6") and are one of the most aggressive clowns out there. I think they would make mincemeat out of some of your more passive fish. A lot of people will put them in more aggressive tanks. I would look at the Percula or Ocellaris or one of the designer pairs of the two.

 

[GroktheCube]

My feelings are still mixed on the maroons. I know they get nasty, but I'm also planning on adding them last. I've heard a few folks say that maroons are usually only super mean with other damsels, but I still have time to think.

What do you think about other Zebramosa tangs? Purple tangs are one of my absolute favorite fish, but I'm worried that it might rip the other fish to shreds.

 

[Wyspur]

Your list looks great to me, introduction order is perfect if you are able to find all of those. You have had a few others tell you to stay clear of the Ctenochaetus Tang, I agree with that on this stock list and would just opt for the Kole Tang. Also, in regards to the Maroon Clowns, I personally owned a pair for 9 years and never had any aneomes for them. They do tend to host up with just about anything, I prefer to give them Hammer or Frogspawn Coral if you don't want an aneome, but mine did well with Ricordias for the first 3 years I had them.

 

[rssjsb]

I would also echo someone upthread and say that if you're going to get a Kole tang, don't get a starry blenny. A midas would probably work better.

 

[jschultzbass]

My feelings are still mixed on the maroons. I know they get nasty, but I'm also planning on adding them last. I've heard a few folks say that maroons are usually only super mean with other damsels, but I still have time to think.

What do you think about other Zebramosa tangs? Purple tangs are one of my absolute favorite fish, but I'm worried that it might rip the other fish to shreds.

I have a purple myself and really like it. The only bad thing about purples is they seem to get HLLE more then the others (and like you said a little aggressive but I haven't had any issue with mine). I have a Majestic and Blueline angel, mimic tang and sailfin tang and he is the only one showing it. In that size tank I think a purple would be OK though you are pushing the recommended minimum tank size IMO. As long as he is the only tang in the tank you should be fine. I doubt he would bother any of the other fish on the list, they're mostly other tang aggressive. If you do get him though then I would really opt for one of the smaller clowns. If you got a yellow then I think you could also get one of the Ctenochaetus species. As another option you can look into the mimic tangs, I really like mine. Acanthurus pyroferus or Acanthurus chronixis are the two main ones. Remember, these are just my opinions but I will say I do a lot of research :beer:

 

[GroktheCube]

Thanks for all the advice. I didn't realize that a starry blenny might become the target of a tang's frustration, though I can definitely see the reasons why. Does the same apply to a tailspot blenny, or would he be small enough to avoid notice?

Would I run into the same issues with a yellow tang?

If I do go with a larger tang like a yellow or purple, I'd probably either go with smaller clowns, or drop them entirely. Would smaller damsels be a better bet than smaller clowns for keeping a peaceable kingdom? Clowns and damsels have always appealed to me because of how many cichlids I kept in my FW years, and they always struck me as similar in overall behavior.

And sorry to hear about your HLLE issues jschultz, I hope you get it figured out.

 

[jschultzbass]

Thanks! I've tried everything....carbon, no carbon, grounding probe, etc. I feed a big variety of food including Rod's food (best frozen food IMO) and NLS pellets....and plenty of Nori...but it won't go away.

I can't speak to the blenny/tang issue since I do not own a blenny but yellow tangs are much mellower than purple. I have a few gobies that my purple doesn't go near so I would think the other species you listed would be fine...midas is my favorite.

Damsels are some of the most aggressive fish species you can buy. My LFS has a tank he calls "Guantanamo" just for damsels people have returned. Technically clowns are from the damsel family but most aren't as aggressive. My clown protects his anemone but that's about it.

I think you could easily keep the clowns in the mix with any tang you purchase.

One word of warning on all the wrasses...I have a Scott's fairy wrasse and a Katherine's fairy wrasse and they HATE each other...not bad enough to remove one of them but I am watching.

 

[jschultzbass]

One more comment on the wrasses. The Carpenter's and McCosker's/Yellowfin all look very similar to one another....my suggestion would be to get a pair or trio of 1 male/rest females of one of them. Your male would "flash" a lot more to impress the female. I have a pair of McCosker's that I really enjoy.

Just my thoughts. Do whatever makes YOU happy though!

 

[GroktheCube]

I was hoping to be able to find a pair of at least one or two of the species of flasher wrasse. I may drop one of those two depending on availability of females.

I'll think on the Blennies. I've always loved Tailspot and Starry blennies, but it sounds like a Midas might be a safer overall choice.

 

[GroktheCube]

On the HLLE, have you tried manipulating odd factors like pH,valkalinity, Ca, or Mg? Have you tried changing or varying the fish's diet at all? Adding supplemental vitamins?

With FW fish, I often had luck treating it by getting more greens into the fish's diet, and offering more varied food.

 

[jschultzbass]

On the HLLE, have you tried manipulating odd factors like pH,valkalinity, Ca, or Mg? Have you tried changing or varying the fish's diet at all? Adding supplemental vitamins?

With FW fish, I often had luck treating it by getting more greens into the fish's diet, and offering more varied food.

I haven't tried the odd factors. Below are my specs:
pH: 8.0 - 8.1
Alk: 8.0
Ca: 450
Mg: 1400
Food includes Rod's food for herbivore, lots of nori, NLS pellets, Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 flakes and a variety of other frozen foods with spirulina. I vary it day by day but he always gets some NLS with his meals. I add Vita-chem and selcon every day switching between the two.

Any recommendations?