Please check my Stocking list

[Alex_GT]

Hello people I am looking for some help about how to stock my new aquarium, first some background I have been in this hobby for 2 years; I have a jbj 28G nanocube and its SPS oriented reef.

And now I am starting a new aquarium, this month I am starting the furniture, the next month the aquarium itself, after that I will cycle it, in a few months I will start stocking so I am not in a rush.

but I want to plan my stocking list before, like I did with my Nano, because I know there is some species that I have to introduce first an another one that I have to introduce later or are not compatible with other guys or the sizes at the stores are not the real ones and at the end they outgrow the aquarium, well a lot of things could go wrong if I don't plan ahead, so my new project is going to be 180Gls - 200Gls is not going to be a reef but a FOWLR.
So at first I am going to list my must have species

I) My must have species:

A) Longhorn Cowfish, I have been reading that this one has to be introduced at first and not QT to avoid stress and it needs 125Gal. so I am guessing this is going to be my first fish (my LFS use to have them for months before sell them because they are not so popular so I am thinking I have a good chance on getting a healthy one here).

B) Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish or zebra, I have been reading this guy reach the 7 inches, so I am not having another fish that is less than 4 inches (is this a safe area?).

C) Gymnothorax miliaris i am using the Latin name since there is two varieties. It will eat small fishes as far as I understand so I am guessing is going to be my last addition, until the other guys reach their maximum length, I could change this one for an snowflake if the guys here thinks its going to be a problem with my main stock list (as far as I understand the snowflake wont eat fishes).

D) Yellow Tang this guy is supposed to grow big so I am guessing it will be safe with the eel and the lionfish.

E) Yellow Longnose butterfly fish this guy is supposed to grow around the 9 inches so I am guessing is going to be safe.

Well that list is what I really want, after some research I am assuming I will introduce the cowfish, yellow tang and butterfly first, after that, when they grow the eel and the lionfish I know it could take a lot of time.

II) The other list are fishes I will introduce if they took well with my main list, and I will not introduce all of them, just 2 or 3, but I am asking for some reference since I want to have where to select.

A) GSM clownfish as far as I understand this guy reach the 6 inches and is pretty aggressive so I think it could be with the other guys, the eel is my main concern.

B) Yellowtail damselfish I know they are small guys but as far as I understand they are pretty aggressive and I have seen them living with the big lionfish so what do you guys think?


C) Mandarin well pretty small and slow and maybe it could be the dinner of the eel but I am not sure since people say their skin is poisonous (I don't know if this is a rumor).

D) Coral beauty, bicolor or flame angelfish what do you guys think? Are they big enough to live with the eel?


E) Tangs, well I must have a yellow tang and If i may introduce another tang I will be glad, I will choice between the Purple (I know is a zebrazoma so I am not sure), the blue tang, the sohal (I really like the idea of have this one is supposed to be for a 150Gal tank but pretty aggressive), orange shoulder (180 Gls but I am not sure It looks pretty big), Naso Tang (180 Gls but I am not sure if at the end it outgrows my tank) or another one, is not a must to have another that the yellow tang, so any advice is going to be appreciated and is not a problem if I am not able to have another tang.

F) Valentini puffer or blue spotted puffer I am not sure because of its size so any advice is going to be appreciated or another puffer recommendation, and what about the porcupine? I think maybe 200Gal is still small but I am not sure.


G) Manifecent Foxface is rated for 125Gal and maybe is better than another tang but what do you guys think about it?

H) Banana Wrasse, Lunare wrasse, Bluehead or any other good looking wrasse suitable with my main list.


I) Any Triggerfish that could live with my main list (I will prefer a triggerfish than a tang or a foxface)?

J) Any other recommendation?

What I don't what is to have a fish that I will have to sell because it outgrows my tank or that could be end as the dwarf lionfish or eel meal, so I am asking before start my tank I did this with my nano I am glad I plan before start.

 

[Alex_GT]

someone? :wave:

 

[Radix]

No the puffer or trigger. I'd stay away from the damsel (even if aggressive he may still be easy prey)

 

[namxas]

OK...here's my take:

Lion-wise, I'd go with a fuzzy, hands down over a zebra, esp. as a first lionfish.

The cowfish will nip your lion's fins, its practically a certainty. All of the Ostraciidae have this tendency. This is also true of most puffers (some individuals may not do this, but as a group, they all nip).

I wouldn't trust a known piscivorous eel with that mix of fish. I've had a SFE go piscivorous on me once it got some size on it, so I don't even trust them. I'd look into a GDM or a zebra if you really want an eel.

I much prefer foxfaces to tangs...better mannered, better personality, disease resistant, they're like weedwhackers with fins.

I wouldn't put a Thalassoma wrasse with your mix of fish. I actually had a banana wrasse bully a fuzzy repeatedly. I got rid of the wrasse. Look into Halichores sp., as they aren't such thugs.

Mandies do have a poisonous mucous coating. I've witnessed this first hand while moving a tank. I bagged the mandy with 3 chromises, gave them the 10 min ride to the new place (tank was already in place), and when I looked into the bag all 4 fish were dead or dying. The mandy stressed, made itself sick, and killed two of the 3 chromises. I saved the mandy and the chromis by giving them artificial resucitation (forcing water over their gills). I was shocked at how fast the fish were affected. I won't get into the whole "make sure it eats prepared foods thing" as it has been done to death.

Trigger-wise, I recommend a male bluejaw (Xanthichtys auromarginatus). It's about the smallest of the planktonic-feeding triggers, and should be OK with the other fish. Stay away from genera Rhinecanthus, Ballistes, Ballistapus, etc. They won't get along with your lion or any other fish you add afterwards.

The LNBF may be tuff to get eating, so be sure you get one that is taking a variety of prepared food.

I wouldn't bother with damsels at all (including clownfish)...nasty little fish. The reason you've seen them living with a volitans is because the lion hasn't caught them yet. Damsels are fast, devious little fish, and the lions eventually stop chasing them and bide their time, but when they get a chance...slurp!

That's my .02

 

[Alex_GT]

Thanks a lot for the answers, about the eel well I am thinking about the Gymnothorax miliaris, because I have been reading they are not a really aggressive guys and the other fishes in my list are not really small, but I could change to another specie.

The thing is I really want an eel so according to your answer my option is the Snowflake but I still have a risk, the GDM wich i feel is too small and if I want to be safe I will have to go for the zebra.

But is not the zebra too big? I have seen them and these guys are really big, with the milliaris am I taking my chances or it's a sure thing that I will end just with the eel? Thanks a lot for the help

 

[namxas]

I'm not REAL sharp on eels...I kept a SFE for 15 years, but as for eel-eel predation, there are lost of better folks to talk to with multi species/multi eel experience.

I do know a bit about Scorpaeniformes tho...