Need help "filling the gap" in my stocking list

[Rufnek100]

My 120 (4X2X2) has been cycled since early January - I've been working on my stocking list and feel like I have a gap for (maybe) some additional fish between where I'm at and where I ultimately want to be. So here goes:

Currently in the tank:
2 Ocerallis Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
2 Purple Firefish
1 Banggai Cardinal
1 Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse
1 Diamond Watchman Goby
1 Zebra Barred Dartfish

On the list but not yet added:
1 Dwarf Angel (Coral Beauty / Flame / Potters - haven't decided yet)
1 One Spot Foxface
1 Mandarin Dragonet (way down the line)

I also have a few coral frags, some cleaner shrimp, and a CUC in the form of Astraea snails and hermits.

Thus far all my parameters are still showing good with no discernable increases in NO3 (currently <2 ppm) so I feel like I haven't rushed it too bad - although I admit it's been really hard to hold back haha.

I'm aiming for a relatively peaceful tank and definitely reef / invertebrate friendly. I'm looking for some suggestions to fill the gap between what I already have and what I'll be adding in the future - or maybe with a 120 I'm already there, so please feel free to comment to that effect as well.

Many thanks!

 

[Rufnek100]

Bumping

 

[juniorrocketdad]

Need help "filling the gap" in my stocking list

Angel are usually not reef safe meaning they will eat some lps and softies so beware

 

[3dees]

that's a lot of fish for a 2 month old tank. I'm guessing you don't have a qt. fish list sounds good to me. I have 11 fish in my 120. my one spot foxface is the largest at about 5". Lamarck's angel and Maroon clown still have some growing to do. all others will max out between 2-4". my coral beauty doesn't touch any coral but harassed a Eibli angel I tried to add. killed it in three days.

 

[scooter31707]

I have the same tank, and I had a 6-7 inch Foxface which just seem to big for a 4ft tank, just my opinion. I would not do a Flame or Potters with just a 2 month old tank. I would put some more wrasses in there.

 

[Spork3245]

One-Spot Foxface would be a perfect addition. They are smaller than the Foxface Lo and are good at cleaning hair algae. 4' is not too small for them and is well within the recommended size (It is, however, too small for Foxface Lo which gets considerably larger than the One-Spot). I've had mine in a 90 gallon for 3+ years now and he's as happy as can be.

The other choice would be to add more wrasses, you could possibly do two more... However, that Red Headed Solon Fairy Wrasse will likely be a jerk to new additions. When I had one that was established by himself for several months, I tried adding another wrasse on two different occasions (one time with a peaceful Fairy who's species escapes me at the moment, the other time with a McCosker's flasher) and on both of these occasions he wouldn't let up aggression to the acclimation box for a week straight so I had to return the other wrasses both times. This could, of course, vary from fish to fish as each will have it's own "personality", but I've heard others state the same thing about the Red Headed Solon Fairy Wrasse (if you added him after other wrasses who were established, you'd have better luck with this particular species from what I understand).

Potters angels are very difficult IIRC, I haven't had any personal experience with a Coral Beauty but have heard they will nip at most LPS and SPS coral. I had a Flame Angel in my reef previously and it left all of my LPS/Softies/Leathers alone EXCEPT Acans, I was not keeping SPS at the time of having my Flame Angel so I can't say whether or not it'll go after them (of course, as mentioned before, this behavior could vary from fish to fish).

 

[Rufnek100]

Thank you for the insight on the one spot - I'm still on the fence with the dwarf angel for the "reef caution" reasons as listed. It seems YMMV on those with corals is pretty common. The tank is definitely in a holding stage for now and the near future, but it sounds like the list is pretty much complete as is.

Any suggestions as a replacement for the dwarf angel that offers the same level of visual interest?

 

[3dees]

flame or longnose hawkfish. won't bother coral but say goodbye to the hermits. evil little creatures anyway.

 

[Rufnek100]

Haha yes they are murdurous assassins for sure - lost a couple Astraeas along the way but dropping in a bunch of alternative shells has seemed to quell that behavior for now.

The hawkfish would be a cool addition, I've thought about that. Interestingly, there was one at the LFS last weekend in the tank by itself and when I asked why the guy told me it had killed everything else in the tank with it. Yikes.

Maybe it's fodder for another thread, but as peaceful as these tanks look from the outside I have to think life on the inside is not quite so serene...