Ideal livestock list for a 125

[causeofhim]

Hello,

I have always had reef tanks but was thinking about setting up a RR 125 gal as a FOWLR tank. I would like to stick some fish in there that I would not be able to keep in my reef. I like the lions, triggers, puffers, dogfaces, etc. I'm just not to sure on the stocking "rules" on a tank like this. It will be a bare bottom with about 100 lbs of liverock. It will have a 40 gal sump with a EuroReef 8-24 and a 25 watt UV.

If you were going to set up a tank like this, what would be your ideal stocking list?

Thanks

 

[Petstorejunkie]

my list?
yellowbelly dogface
crosshatch trigger
antennata lion, or a yellow fuzzy dwarf
and a purple tang

if it were mine that is what my end stock list would be if i never wanted to upgrade.

since you wan to do more aggressive fish your water changes will have to be frequent, i would say 20% every 10 days, puffers poop alot and if you dont monitor your water carefully can cause some serious nitrates!

i wish there was an equation or chart for fish stocking but since everyone's set up is different and each fish produces a different amount of wast it is hard to do.
i would put some small power heads along the bottom under the LR to keep all the caves clear of fish waste and left over shrimpies. this will be especially efffective since you are doing a bare bottom tank.

 

[zemuron114]

i think a dogface would get to big. They get huge! id do smaller trigger (crosshatch or bluethroat), small tang (purple) dwarf angel (i like potters or flame) and antennata lion... maybe something on the bottom, eel of some sort or big gobies

 

[Petstorejunkie]

i would think that with lighter load tank mates the puffer would be fine, the dogfaces only get around a foot, and it takes them at least 3-4 years to get that large.

 

[LRS078]

per fishbase.org dogfaces should not normally exceed a foot so it would seem petstorejunkie is right. Of course the tang police and their other non tang chapters (angel, puffer, lion, etc) will commonly say otherwise...but you should be okay w' A. Nigropunctatus/aka dogface. Just get a protein skimmer and do water changes ~2 weeks or when you notice your parameters getting out of whack.

I love Petstorejunkie's list but I might sub out a FuManChu lion for the fuzzy dwarf. If you are a beginner the Fu isn't necesarily the heartiest specimen so perhaps something to add last.

The most often overlooked issue with live rock/base rock/nearly ANY tank is the importance of aquascaping for the mental health of the tank inhabitants... Make sure each fish has a "house" cave built into the aquascaping. You may have to hammer/chisel or cherrypick the liverock to get all the pieces you need but it is well worth it. Not to mention live rock works by virtue of increasing surface area so a 50lb chunk isn't nearly as effective as a lattice-work of 25lbs.

Hope this helps...

 

[MBuck]

Volitans Lionfish
Black dogfaced puffer
Foxface lo, or Magnificent foxface, they are gorgeous
Spotted snake eel, banded snake eel, or white ribbon eel, all stay fairly small, and are colored "differently" than most SW fish

Let us know what you get! I have also been told that the Puffers may nip at the fins of a lion, so keep that in mind....

HTH!

 

[cjpacitto]

Volitans Lion
Goldentail Moray
Frogfish
Yellow Coney or Coral Hind or V-Tail Grouper
Bluethroat Trigger
Crosshatch Trigger

Not sure you could have ALL these fish together in a 125, but probably 4 or 5 would be ok, you think?

 

[adamprice271]

I LOVE my setup right now. 135g, 2 rena XP3 canister filters, 120lbs of LR and 100 lbs of crushed coral (and more stuff)...

5 Blue/green chromis
2 other assorted damsels
1 Kole/Yellow eye tang
1 Yellow tang
1 blonde Naso tang
1 Black Volitan Lion
1 Bursa Trigger
1 Snowflake eel
1 Coral Beauty
1 Valentini Puffer

I want to add one more thing but not sure what.

Adam

 

[causeofhim]

How big is your Volitan Lion? Have you had any problems with the chromis and damsels being in there with it? Have any of them "disappeared"? I was under the impresstion that you should not keep anything smaller than the lion in with the lion. Was wondering the same for the eel? How long have youhad all of these fish together?