Help me figure out a good mix of fish for a 220G...

[earwicker7]

I'm getting very close to completing my 220G (72"W x 30"D x 24"H) in-wall installation. It's going to be almost all SPS, with maybe a chalice or two if the fish I want don't munch on them. There is an 80G refugium which will have a 6" DSB and lots of macroalgae. I also have a 40G quarantine tank.

Now I need to start planning which fish I will introduce, and in what order... I could use some help on this part.

Some must have fish:
A large angelfish (goldflake would be my first choice).
At least a couple of nice tangs... I'm pretty flexible on which ones would fit.
A pair of either green or red mandarins.
Some small species which would form a decent sized school... cardinalfish, chromis, etc.

Some possible but not necessary fish:
A dwarf golden fuzzy lionfish.
Some wrasses.
Whatever great suggestions someone might make

I'm a big fan of stuffing the tank full of hermit crabs, snails, and shrimp, and I should have enough that they can serve as occasional snacks... I end up dumping in replacements as the population dwindles either due to predation or die off.

Thanks!

 

[cougareyes]

Don't get your heart set on a yellow fuzzy lion, you'll probably never find one. If you do they are best in a species tank because of their challenging feeding habits. they always come in eating live food and it's a crap shoot to wean them to dead. They would also never been able to compete for food with angels, tangs, and wrasses. I keep a dwarf lion species only reef and have been looking for 2 years for a yellow fuzzy.

 

[degibson84]

Wrasses

 

[Reef Frog]

So is this going to be FOWLR or would you try sown corals that may survive the big Angel fish?

I'd do a Red Hawkfish & Comet/Marine Betta. Austrailian Tusk. Just some personal dream fish.

I'd also concentrate on a bunch of small fish as well as the show piece fish if you're willing to ditch the lion fish. Gobies, Mandarin, basslets, anthias etc. Adds lots of color, activity and another dimension that visitors will like. Seeing massive clouds of small jewel colored fish hovering over a coral head when scuba diving is a much more awesome sight then any individual fish, IMO anyways.

Being relaxed on inverts getting eaten is a great idea IMO. Some will make it. They're cheap in bulk and it opens up so many more choices.

 

[earwicker7]

Don't get your heart set on a yellow fuzzy lion, you'll probably never find one. If you do they are best in a species tank because of their challenging feeding habits. they always come in eating live food and it's a crap shoot to wean them to dead. They would also never been able to compete for food with angels, tangs, and wrasses. I keep a dwarf lion species only reef and have been looking for 2 years for a yellow fuzzy.

You're probably right... I tried a regular dwarf in my old tank, and it only lasted a couple of weeks. I had dropped it straight into the DT, and it would never get off live food.

I had kind of hoped that this time I could try training it for frozen while it was in quarantine, but you're right about the others out-competing it for food.

I actually did see one for sale recently! I think it was on Diver's Den or one of those other WYSIWYG sites.

 

[earwicker7]

Wrasses

Any in particular? There will be a shallow sand bed in the DT, and pretty intense flow.

 

[earwicker7]

So is this going to be FOWLR or would you try sown corals that may survive the big Angel fish?

I'd do a Red Hawkfish & Comet/Marine Betta. Austrailian Tusk. Just some personal dream fish.

I'd also concentrate on a bunch of small fish as well as the show piece fish if you're willing to ditch the lion fish. Gobies, Mandarin, basslets, anthias etc. Adds lots of color, activity and another dimension that visitors will like. Seeing massive clouds of small jewel colored fish hovering over a coral head when scuba diving is a much more awesome sight then any individual fish, IMO anyways.

Being relaxed on inverts getting eaten is a great idea IMO. Some will make it. They're cheap in bulk and it opens up so many more choices.

It's going to be SPS dominated. I know some large angels are nightmares for any corals, but a few of them are usually listed as "reef safe with caution"... from anecdotal reports, it seems like these ones are bad about eating zoos and fleshy LPS, but are relatively safe with SPS. I can always trade it in if it ends up being a jerk lol.

I love Marine Bettas! How are they in high flow tanks? There will be a pretty large amount of live rock, so I can probably build some caves.

I think the lionfish is off the menu, so I definitely want some smaller fish. I already planned on getting a pair of mandarins... they're one of my favorites. Not sure about anthias... don't they require almost constant feeding? I've never been one for feeding pellets, so not sure if an automatic feeder would work for me. I'll look into some of the smaller ones you mentioned.

 

[Deinonych]

Any in particular? There will be a shallow sand bed in the DT, and pretty intense flow.

Fairy (Cirrhilabrus sp.) and Flasher (Paracheilinus sp.) wrasses are great for community tanks and do not require a sandbed (they sleep in the rockwork).

 

[this is me]

Some must have fish:
A large angelfish (goldflake would be my first choice).
At least a couple of nice tangs... I'm pretty flexible on which ones would fit.
A pair of either green or red mandarins.
Some small species which would form a decent sized school... cardinalfish, chromis, etc.

Some possible but not necessary fish:
A dwarf golden fuzzy lionfish.
Some wrasses.
Whatever great suggestions someone might make


Thanks!

I have a 200gallons(63"x32"x24") with the following fish in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxbNqyQ5OKA

-3x chromis
-4xl yretail anthias
-1x linespot flasher wrasse
-1x bipartitus leopard wrasse
-2x yellow tang
-1x purple tang
-1x power brown tang
-2x onyx clowns
-1x regal angel

I think a trio of yellow tang is very nice! They're hardy and somewhat school together as they graze on the rocks for algae. It's too late for me to add it now. The purple one and the pair of yellow will shred it. But in a new tank, I would definitely do it.
On the mandarin, my concern is that in a newly set up tank, there won't be enough pods for it to survive. Unless you get one that eats prepared food which is quite rare.

 

[Goat33]

Flame angel is a must imo. They are so beautiful.

 

[earwicker7]

I have a 200gallons(63"x32"x24") with the following fish in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxbNqyQ5OKA

-3x chromis
-4xl yretail anthias
-1x linespot flasher wrasse
-1x bipartitus leopard wrasse
-2x yellow tang
-1x purple tang
-1x power brown tang
-2x onyx clowns
-1x regal angel

I think a trio of yellow tang is very nice! They're hardy and somewhat school together as they graze on the rocks for algae. It's too late for me to add it now. The purple one and the pair of yellow will shred it. But in a new tank, I would definitely do it.
On the mandarin, my concern is that in a newly set up tank, there won't be enough pods for it to survive. Unless you get one that eats prepared food which is quite rare.

Beautiful tank! It's very well-maintained... clean, clear water... nice.

Definitely not putting the mandarins in yet. I've had them before, and know that they require a huge pod population... even with the refugium, I'm still going to wait about a year before I put them in.

 

[earwicker7]

Flame angel is a must imo. They are so beautiful.

They are beautiful, no doubt.

Do the dwarf angels get along with the larger ones? I definitely want a large angel as the "showpiece".

 

[scooter31707]

They are beautiful, no doubt.

Do the dwarf angels get along with the larger ones? I definitely want a large angel as the "showpiece".

Yes, if you do decide to get a Flame and Goldflake (depending on size), I would add the Goldflake first. Flames can be jerks to newcomers. Also may look at the Regal Angel to go along with the Goldflake.