Finializing stocking for 180 gallon tank

[piusma]

Would love to get some input on my stocking plan for my 180 gallon 6'x2'x2' please.

Currently have

a pair of black percula clowns
a pair of bangaii cardinals
1 kole tang
1 regal tang
1 blue spotted jaw fish
1 lubbocks wrasse
1 purple firefish

in QT now soon to be added
a pair of blue throat triggerfish
1 melanurus wrasse

Future must have
Achilles tang

Before I purhcase the achilles tang, I would like to finialize on all of my other fish. This will be a sps tank, total water volume is about 220 net. I would like to know

a) If I have room for any other fish taken into considersation if all these fish would be in their matured size.

b) If I have room for a few more fish, I would love to have a school of anthias and how many could I add to the current stocking list?

Thank you for your help!

Steven

 

[b2d2t]

i highly doubt that you would be able to put a achilles tang in a 180, i think the tank is already heavily stocked with 2 tangs and a pair of triggers , triggers if they mate or start "getting in the mood" can become seriously aggressive towards eachother and towards tankmates. i personally wouldnt put in a achilles tang . But good luck with what ever you decide and only you can make the decision in what your going to do in your tank.

 

[piusma]

What do you think if I take the triggerfish out of the mix or may be keeping only a male instead of a pair? Could I have a few more experts chime in please? Thank you. I haven't added the triggers yet. Would most agree that a 180 is too small for an achillies? Thanks.

 

[chefzif]

The tank would be to aggressive with the triggers and 3 tangs, I would keep the Achillies Tang and drop the Triggers

 

[b2d2t]

honestly i would only ditch the achilles because if you were to take out the triggers , and put in the achilles and its either a terror or it dies because of its hard to take care of nature , then you lose out on three fish . i know the achilles is a gorgeous fish but even if i had a huge tank i wouldnt put an achilles in it, but i know from expirience with triggers that they can be gorgeous if taken care of and they have amazing personalitys . so i would stick to your list except the achilles , and if the triggers start to get aggresive then take one or both of them out depending on if you like them or not.

 

[Jamesus]

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you. I'm going from a 90 to a 210 and have pretty much the same fish as you and want the same fish added. I'm going to try it, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[piusma]

Just a follow up with the current situation. The male triggerfish didn't make it through the QT process, it had an internal infection with his swimming bladder. I'm down to 1 triggerfish (the female) instead of the pair. I have not aquired the achillies tang yet but I had traded up to the 180 gallon solely because of this fish.

I don't anticipate another upgrade anytime soon but did design the aquascape around the achillies in mind (open swimming space) and lots of flow. (wave box, tunze 6055, 6105 and 6205) I have read through the achillies primer and realized there isn't any solid understanding of what is the bare minimum of tank size to keep a matured achillies happy. (only know that it is suggested that a 6' tank should be bare minimum to keep one) I'm hoping to keep this thread going for a little longer to gather more information.

Would taking out the Kole tang make any difference?

May be a blue throat triggerfish owner could chime in. Almost every source said they are docile but could get a little aggressive as they mature. How aggressive could they become and does it apply to most of them? Thanks for the help guys and at the mean time I'll be holding off my purchase for the achillies but do wanted to find out what my options are.

Steven

 

[chasekwe]

Could try dropping the regal from your list for the Achilles. That'd be one less fish that gets larger than a dinner plate going in.

I'd also drop the firefish. While none of the other fish on your list are guaranteed to be aggressive they are absolutely aggressive feeders. I don't think the firefish would do well.

In any event, aside from overall bioload considerations, I don't think there'll be any inherent problem with trying to keep a blue-throat pair with an achilles. I would replace your male, if you're willing and still go with the tang selection. That said, be comfortable with the notion that these are all fish which may eventually outgrow, or show increased aggression, in your tank.

As to your question from above regarding if you could add anymore fish. If you keep the firefish and add all 3 tangs that's a no, or very few, IMO. If you drop say the regal and that firefish I'd think you could get away with a 4-7 anthias harem depending on max size, etc.

 

[b2d2t]

id drop both tangs and put in the achilles and your triggers (if you get another male ) , so that the achilles is the queen/king of your tank and then you dont have to worry about the stress factor that the achilles has

 

[piusma]

I wish I could catch the fire fish still, she's now in the rocks where I will never be able to catch her. I'm seeing her more in the open but with that said, the triggers has not gone in yet. I have a fish trap but I doubt I'll be able to catch this one any time soon as she's really shy.

The female trigger fish that was left is slowly turning in to a male, I'm not sure if I wanted to pair it up after reading about terror if they decided to mate/spawn.

May be I will just do
1 blue throat trigger
1 regal tang
1 kole tang
2 clowns
2 bangaii cardinals
1 blue spotted jaw fish
1 labbocks wrasse
1 melanurus wrasse
1 fire fish (unless I could catch it)
and a group of anthias..

I could probably wait till I can upgrade to a 8' tank for the achillies.

Does this seem to be more managable? If so, how many lyretail or dispar anthias (or a few hardy reef safe wrasse?) I could add to the mix? Thanks for the advice guys.

Steven

 

[b2d2t]

good job on getting more information on the breeding of the triggers , they can be outright nasty towards the females and sometimes beat her up . as for anthias i would go with 5 ? it always has to be in odd numbers etc 3,5,7,9 .

 

[aquaph8]

I wish I could catch the fire fish still, she's now in the rocks where I will never be able to catch her. I'm seeing her more in the open but with that said, the triggers has not gone in yet. I have a fish trap but I doubt I'll be able to catch this one any time soon as she's really shy.

The female trigger fish that was left is slowly turning in to a male, I'm not sure if I wanted to pair it up after reading about terror if they decided to mate/spawn.

May be I will just do
1 blue throat trigger
1 regal tang
1 kole tang
2 clowns
2 bangaii cardinals
1 blue spotted jaw fish
1 labbocks wrasse
1 melanurus wrasse
1 fire fish (unless I could catch it)
and a group of anthias..

I could probably wait till I can upgrade to a 8' tank for the achillies.

Does this seem to be more managable? If so, how many lyretail or dispar anthias (or a few hardy reef safe wrasse?) I could add to the mix? Thanks for the advice guys.

Steven

I think your making a great choice. Go with 5.

 

[aquaph8]

Oh yeah, can we get some pictures. I love bluethroats.

 

[piusma]

They will be moving into the tank next week and I'll try to take some pictures after they move into the DT.