I Quit Reefing. Want Fish Only!!

[jign4bass]

I have been running a 100 gallon mixed reef for many years and it is crashing as I write. Seems to be an every three year thing. After long thought including just tearing it down and being done with it I've made up my mind to go fish only.

The tank is 100 gallon with acrylic. I have approximately 75 pounds of live rock and 2" live sand bed. I run a chiller, calcium reactor wavemaker and protein skimmer. Lighting is two 175 watt metal halides and two 110 watt VHO's. I assume that the calcium reactor and halides won't be needed for fish only and I can save a boat load on my electric bill by turning the halides off.

What are some suggestions as far as really cool fish for a 100 gallon? The only fish that I'll carry over from my reef are a purple tank, regals tang and possible a mated pair of maroon clowns, if possible.

I like eels, puffers, some triggers.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[jmccown]

welcome to the club. I think most of us here are people just like yourself. Tired of trying to keep up a reef tank. Personally, I just don't have the time for a reef. They are very easy to take care of and just as intriguing. Sounds like you have a good start on the fish.

To start, what are the dimensions of your tank? This will help with the fish list.

 

[jign4bass]

48" long X 24" high X 18" deep.

 

[WuHT]

most of the reef-safe triggers you could have gotten are the more mellow species anyways (blue throat for example).. though i'm sure your purple can hold it's own against meaner (smaller too) triggers.

I'm surprised you're not the least bit interested in angelfish or butterflyfish.

 

[jign4bass]

It's not that I don't like angelfish or butterflyfish. I guess that I am more looking for suggestions from you all as far as what you would put in a fish only tank that is my size? I like puffers, eels and a few triggers, but an totally open.

 

[reefergeorge]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11297518#post11297518 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jign4bass
I am more looking for suggestions. I like puffers, eels and a few triggers

You could put most puffers in your tank. You would just have to minimize the rest of the fish to keep the bio load down. As for triggers. I would avoid them in a 90.
I don't have any eel experience(my girlfriend hates them), but maybe you could put a snowflake eel in there.

 

[limitedslip]

puffers are great, they are like dogs for your aquarium. with what you are currently wanting to keep, I wouldnt add more than 1 to 2 fish to that mix depending on how heavy your filtration is. Remember, if you had a cleanup crew, It might be destroyed by the new fish. Also, what Protien skimmer are you running? Because stuff like puffers and eels (as stated above) increase the bioload tons (if youve ever seen a puffer eat, ull understand why).

 

[mattsilvester]

Maybe a picasso trigger? They don't get too big and aren't too aggressive.

What abotu wrasse - there are some nice none- reef- safe wrasse too.

Angels - I would tend to away from - really your tank isn't big enough for them, unless you are considering dwarfs.

Butterflies - the are lots of nice butterflies, though the ones that would stand up to a trigger / puffer / purple tang combo would probably get too big for your tank.

Good luck with your new venture anyway - I am constantly on the verge of what you are doing....... coming from an FO back ground, I started going "reefy" a few years back, and have never quite gone one way or the other..... got an emporer angel with a few SPS now so far so good....