Help stocking a new 240g reef (low maint?)

[Caragol]

My 240 (8'x2'x2') is up... just letting the water settle a bit, watching levels, getting my landscaping right. Using rock and sand from my other reefs mixed with some new. Sump is a 120 I modified, maybe runs about 85g extra. Soon it will be time for fish.

So, this thread has my dumb questions. I've never had a tank longer than 4', and it's been a few years, I've been keeping smaller reefs in the interim because how could I not, though I don't have experience beyond smaller fish (never had tangs, largest fish was a dwarf angel).

I guess I'm looking for lower maintenance reef-safe fish. Fish that don't need live food, fish that don't need to be fed several times a day.

Maybe a fish that won't slice me apart if I put my hand in the tank without gloves. How likely is this if I added a yellow tang or other tang?

I'm thinking once or twice a day feedings, some kind of frozen food like Rod's or whatever is popular these days, and maybe some veggie sheets.

Knowing this, what do you think I could get away with in this tank? I was thinking of a couple of true percula, a small group of chromis, maybe cardinals, a dwarf angel of some sort. I have tons of experience with them, but no experience with anything larger.

Suggestions?

 

[Reef908]

I think you should be fine with a couple of tangs in that size tank. Just try to stay away from the ones that have more of a reputation for being extra aggressive like a sohal or clown tang or that get extremely large. If you were to add several tangs like yellow, chevron, tomoni, naso or hippo, or some combo of whatever ones you like, just run the list on here first and people will chime in with their experience. Check out live aquaria or a similar site to get some info on your intended list. Just remember every fish has their own personality so it can be luck of the draw as to how aggressive they can be but some as mentioned above tend to be more aggressive based on experiences I have read about on this forum. I have had a yellow, lavender, tomini, purple, and kole over the years and in my experience the kole was definitely the meanest and tomini the calmest. Others could have different experiences with the same fish so hopefully they can chime in with some of their experiences to help you out.

 

[Caragol]

I was thinking yellow, hepatus... With your tangs, were you cautious about putting hands in the water or was that not really an issue?

 

[Dmorty217]

I was thinking yellow, hepatus... With your tangs, were you cautious about putting hands in the water or was that not really an issue?

Sohals and clown tangs are the only two that consistently flip a switch one day and start killing all the other fish. The yellow and the hippo will be fine in your tank.

 

[Caragol]

Yes, but what about flipping the switch and trying to kill me? I've had mean clowns, but they didn't have razor blades on their backs.

 

[Reef908]

I never was concerned but you just have to be cautious when trying to catch one as they slip around what you're using to catch them with. There is always a chance of an accidental cut. I would be more concerned with an accidental poke from a rabbitfish. Some of these tangs have smaller blades. Example, my tomini was tiny to the point I couldn't see it but my lavender had a huge one. I have read here about a few members being hit by a blade on their hand but it was almost always accidental with exception for the cases of a sohal slash.

 

[Dmorty217]

Yes, but what about flipping the switch and trying to kill me? I've had mean clowns, but they didn't have razor blades on their backs.

The probability of one of those two tangs mentioned attacking you when you put your arm in the tank is extremely high

 

[Caragol]

The probability of one of those two tangs mentioned attacking you when you put your arm in the tank is extremely high

So, what do you do for coral placement? Do I give up and get the thick gloves?

 

[Dmorty217]

So, what do you do for coral placement? Do I give up and get the thick gloves?

Don't get a Sohal or a Clown tang and you won't have to worry about it! People who run into this issue can't even place nori in the tank or clean the glass without being attacked... Really just isn't worth it to have one fish in your tank that actively attacks you. Same reason I got rid of the Titan trigger I had

 

[scooter31707]

I have my 240 cycling also. I already have a yellow mimic and kole tang in my 120 that will be transferred, but I planning on adding a Naso and Purple to that mix for the 240. I agree a Sohal and Clown are very aggressive and I have seen a Clown act crazy first hand at my friends house. Wiped out about 3/4 of a 220 before he could catch him and he was about 5.5 inches.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I was thinking yellow, hepatus... With your tangs, were you cautious about putting hands in the water or was that not really an issue?

Putting your hands in the water isn't an issue with most tangs - they aren't going to attack and slash you.

The comments of concern relate to sohal and clown tangs, which become very aggressive and sometimes attack hands (around the time they are killing all other fish in the tank). People focused on this which resulted in them not answering your questions directly.

Again, to be clear, the vast majority of tangs aren't a threat to your hands in the tank.

 

[anbosu]

I've had many tangs over the years and never had one attack me. That said, I never had a clown or sohal.

 

[OrionN]

Yellow, power blue, purple, pushed brown, kole, convic.... I would recommend any three of these plus a fox face

 

[johnike]

Here's my 240 list, fish only though.
And good to see you around again!
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2595682

 

[Caragol]

Thanks everyone! And good to be back too. I've been maintaining a 29g with no sump for 3.5 years waiting to get my basement ready for this... Finally time.