PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

Hello Everyone!

this thread is only answered by Reef Central Staff, in this case, me.

I need some guidance and help here, relatively new to the hobby. I currently have a 180 gallon tank 72x24x24 aquarium with a Red Sea C-Skim Protein Skimmer 1800, refugium sump with wetdry bio filter I believe I have one of at least 40 gallon and another of 10-15 gallons- (not 100% sure), chiller, coralife 18w uv sterilizer, and over 125lb of live rock-pretty well stocked.

Now this is the scenario, I had this setup back May- I purchased the tank used and tank came with a large yellow tang and gray yellowtail damsel. I then added 2 clownfish and 2 damsels that were sold to me as chromis. I then introduced a vlamingi, powder blue tang, scopas and Mimic Eibli tang- this is when the ICH nightmare started.

With instructions of the LFS I was treating the tank with Kick Ich- (which is useless) with no success the Ich got worse and slowly started losing in this order the fish:

Vlamingi
Mimic Eibli
Powder Blue Tang
Damsel

I have completely cleared the tank of all fish and have it running with just my corals:

Torch
Gonfora
Large Xenia
Flowerpot

I have done a water change of approximately 85%. Now my question is what would be the best way to begin establishing my tank to have its for fish- I was thinking of leaving the tank just on corals for approximately 10-12 weeks and of course QT all my fish when the time comes.

Leaving the tank fallow (without fish) for nine weeks is sufficient.

This was a very difficult learning experience, but rest assured I have learned to QT. For quarantine ideas, see my blog. However, I do not comment on that subject in this thread.

Would I be able to add corals in these few weeks, please shed some knowledge and help me stock up correctly in a reasonable manner.

As you can see based on my fish purchases I love Tangs and would like to have tangs again in the future.

I would also need assistance in learning in what order I should stock my fishes once again.

I'm very open to all suggestions/opinions/ etc.

How many fishes can I stock in a 180 gallon reef aquarium?

That question is unanswerable. it is a behavior and territorial imperative analysis. If you can avoid having fish in the same ecological niche, you can have more of them.

I would like to eventually add small and large fishes preferably tangs, can anyone help in suggesting what I could stock up with to ensure I don't stress out one another by adding them in the incorrect order.

Some of the fishes I would like to have are:

2 clowns
Blue Hippo needs a larger, 8 foot tank minimum
Yellow tang should be last fish added
Vlamingi needs a much larger, 10 foot tank minimum
Mimic Tang
Powder Blue

three tangs in a six foot tank is about right for long term success assuming you select the right ones


Any suggestions on small colorful non aggressive fishes ?

As those who follow this thread know, I do not provide suggestions or recommendations

Should corals also be QT'ed? How do you recommend setting up a Quarantine tank? Can I use a biocube 29 gallon as a Quarantine tank? quarantine is beyond the scope of this thread. The fish diseases thread has lots of information; read the stickies.

Thank you and sorry for the EXTREMELY LONG post

 

[fairladyZ]

hey snorvich wanted your opinion on some possible next fish.

90 gallon mixed reef, 30 gallon sump with refugium.

current CUC:
blue leg hermits, peppermint shrimp, emerald crabs, astrea and turbo snails.

Fish:
Lawnmower blenny, Mandarin dragonette

Corals:
Horn coral, Welso open brain, trumpet coral, zoas, couple mushrooms.

Really looking for the next fish to add to the tank to get an active fish that swims and leaning towards a couple but real curious on your thoughts on how compatible they would be mainly with my CUC and corals

Checkerboard Wrasse or pakistan butterflyfish. I know both are with caution but is there any steps to add them without them eating whats already in the tank and what i may add later like more crab/shrimp in the wrasses case or SPS in the pakistan?

Thanks for the help

 

[DRRosen3]

hey snorvich wanted your opinion on some possible next fish.

90 gallon mixed reef, 30 gallon sump with refugium.

current CUC:
blue leg hermits, peppermint shrimp, emerald crabs, astrea and turbo snails.

Fish:
Lawnmower blenny, Mandarin dragonette

Corals:
Horn coral, Welso open brain, trumpet coral, zoas, couple mushrooms.

Really looking for the next fish to add to the tank to get an active fish that swims and leaning towards a couple but real curious on your thoughts on how compatible they would be mainly with my CUC and corals

Checkerboard Wrasse or pakistan butterflyfish. I know both are with caution but is there any steps to add them without them eating whats already in the tank and what i may add later like more crab/shrimp in the wrasses case or SPS in the pakistan?

Thanks for the help

Well I'm not sure about the Pakistan Butterflyfish but I know your tank's not big enough for the Checkerboard Wrasse. I wanted one too, but it needs a minimum of 125 gallons.

 

[snorvich]

Well I'm not sure about the Pakistan Butterflyfish but I know your tank's not big enough for the Checkerboard Wrasse. I wanted one too, but it needs a minimum of 125 gallons.

This thread is answered only by Reef Central Staff. While your participation elsewhere is strongly encouraged, we would appreciate it it you do not answer questions in this thread. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

 

[snorvich]

hey snorvich wanted your opinion on some possible next fish.

90 gallon mixed reef, 30 gallon sump with refugium.

current CUC:
blue leg hermits, peppermint shrimp, emerald crabs, astrea and turbo snails.

Fish:
Lawnmower blenny, Mandarin dragonette a mandarin requires a mature tank

Corals:
Horn coral, Welso open brain, trumpet coral, zoas, couple mushrooms.

Really looking for the next fish to add to the tank to get an active fish that swims and leaning towards a couple but real curious on your thoughts on how compatible they would be mainly with my CUC and corals

Checkerboard Wrasse or pakistan butterflyfish. I know both are with caution but is there any steps to add them without them eating whats already in the tank and what i may add later like more crab/shrimp in the wrasses case or SPS in the pakistan?

a checkerboard wrasse requires a larger tank; neither are reef safe towards small shrimp or other inverts and both will compete with a mandarin for copepods

Thanks for the help

 

[DragKnee]

Nearly a month ago, I asked here for your recommendation of my 30g cube with 20g sump/refugium.

This is what I planned:
2x Clarkii Clownfish
1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Orchid Dottyback

This is now what I plan:

2x B&W Ocellaris Clowns (Currently in holding - have had them for 3 months)
1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Orchid Dottyback
1x Spotted Mandarin

The tanks been running now for over 2 months, and will be running for over 3 months before the fish are added. The tank is covered in pods, and my refugium is packed full of them. I am wondering if the Dottyback and Hawkfish are predators to pods, and if their aggression will chase the mandarin away from their areas?

I sold my cleaner shrimp, so no issues with the hawkfish there.

 

[Bshanks4321]

I posted this in a diferent section but was told to come here. I have already made my purchase but figured I would post it anyway. I have a 50 gallon tank 4' long. It has 55 lbs of live rock. My stock list is 1 Gladiator Clown, 1 Bicolor Blenny,1 Lubbocks wrasse, 1 blood red hawk and I added my last fish last night a Coral Beauty. The tank is a FOWLR so i dont intend to add corals because this is already a heavy bioload. Anyway my question is I added the Coral Beauty last night and pretty much instantaneously the CB and Hawk were going at it. It was pretty bad right off the bat sand flying everywhere but then they calmed down and it looked more like the CB was just trying to intimidate the hawk but they stopped fighting at least. Do you think I will have continued problems or were they just trying to establish dominance and now its over?

 

[snorvich]

Nearly a month ago, I asked here for your recommendation of my 30g cube with 20g sump/refugium.

This is what I planned:
2x Clarkii Clownfish
1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Orchid Dottyback

This is now what I plan:

2x B&W Ocellaris Clowns (Currently in holding - have had them for 3 months)
1x Flame Hawkfish
1x Orchid Dottyback
1x Spotted Mandarin

The tanks been running now for over 2 months, and will be running for over 3 months before the fish are added. The tank is covered in pods, and my refugium is packed full of them. I am wondering if the Dottyback and Hawkfish are predators to pods, and if their aggression will chase the mandarin away from their areas?

You do not have sufficient copepods for a mandarin even if the mandarin also consumes frozen. Hawkfish will not notice mandarins, dottybacks should ignore them; it is not an aggression issue except when competing for frozen or other supplied food.

I sold my cleaner shrimp, so no issues with the hawkfish there.

 

[snorvich]

I posted this in a diferent section but was told to come here. I have already made my purchase but figured I would post it anyway. I have a 50 gallon tank 4' long. It has 55 lbs of live rock. My stock list is 1 Gladiator Clown, 1 Bicolor Blenny,1 Lubbocks wrasse, 1 blood red hawk and I added my last fish last night a Coral Beauty. The tank is a FOWLR so i dont intend to add corals because this is already a heavy bioload. Anyway my question is I added the Coral Beauty last night and pretty much instantaneously the CB and Hawk were going at it. It was pretty bad right off the bat sand flying everywhere but then they calmed down and it looked more like the CB was just trying to intimidate the hawk but they stopped fighting at least. Do you think I will have continued problems or were they just trying to establish dominance and now its over?

since the two fish do not occupy the same ecological niche, they should be fine after the initial "dialog" over whose tank it really is.

 

[Bshanks4321]

Thanks for the reply snorvich.

 

[Colinsta]

Wanting to finish out my stocking for my 135 gallon.

Currently Have:
Carpenters Flasher
Blue Throat Trigger Male
Yellow Tang
Mystery Wrasse
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Midas Blenny
Bangaii Cardinal
2 Clownfish
Purple Firefish

I am wanting to add some anthias to my tank. I am thinking most likely a trio of Bartlett's with one male and two females. Do I have to many planktinovores and am I possibly adding them to late in the stocking?

Thanks

 

[snorvich]

Wanting to finish out my stocking for my 135 gallon.

Currently Have:
Carpenters Flasher
Blue Throat Trigger Male
Yellow Tang
Mystery Wrasse
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Midas Blenny
Bangaii Cardinal
2 Clownfish
Purple Firefish

I am wanting to add some anthias to my tank. I am thinking most likely a trio of Bartlett's with one male and two females. Do I have to many planktinovores and am I possibly adding them to late in the stocking?

Thanks

A trio of anthias should be fine but be aware that Anthias do best with multiple feedings per day. Bartlett's tend to all become male over time, resplendent or carberryi would be better.

 

[C.brine]

I have a 55 gal which has cycled and been running almost 2 months. I am running a aquaclear 70 DIY hob refugium with chaeto, UV sterilizer, and Giesmann T5/MH lights (my tank hardware was purchased used).
I am aiming to keep within the indo-pacific region.
40£ live rock (from an established tank and cycled after I got it), 20£ dry rock also purchased from someone who had extra after shutting down his tank along with a 2-3" sand bed. I have a peppermint shrimp, and 10 Turbo snails, and gawd know how many mini brittle starfish (seen their limbs sticking out of the cracks in my live rock) and a few bristle worms. I have a green star polyp (it was on the live rock when I got it) and also a green button zoanthid, a multitude of coraline, and a bunch of mushrooms all of which is doing very well (despite not having a skimmer...yet. The one I had broke when hubs dropped the top). I am looking at adding ~4 chromis and a Firefish goby. I have a 10gal QT and plan to quarantine for about a month. I know they where highly recommended for beginners (first salt water adventure outside of diving). My QT has a bunch of sterilized pipe for hideouts. Is this ok? And what should be added first? Or should I start another small QT 5-10gal to keep them separated by species. I do a 10% water change a week and water seems to be good (parameters good).

Thanks for your input! Much appreciated

 

[snorvich]

I have a 55 gal which has cycled and been running almost 2 months. I am running a aquaclear 70 DIY hob refugium with chaeto, UV sterilizer, and Giesmann T5/MH lights (my tank hardware was purchased used).
I am aiming to keep within the indo-pacific region.
40£ live rock (from an established tank and cycled after I got it), 20£ dry rock also purchased from someone who had extra after shutting down his tank along with a 2-3" sand bed. I have a peppermint shrimp, and 10 Turbo snails, and gawd know how many mini brittle starfish (seen their limbs sticking out of the cracks in my live rock) and a few bristle worms. I have a green star polyp (it was on the live rock when I got it) and also a green button zoanthid, a multitude of coraline, and a bunch of mushrooms all of which is doing very well (despite not having a skimmer...yet. The one I had broke when hubs dropped the top). I am looking at adding ~4 chromis and a Firefish goby. I have a 10gal QT and plan to quarantine for about a month. I know they where highly recommended for beginners (first salt water adventure outside of diving). My QT has a bunch of sterilized pipe for hideouts. Is this ok? And what should be added first? Or should I start another small QT 5-10gal to keep them separated by species. I do a 10% water change a week and water seems to be good (parameters good).

Thanks for your input! Much appreciated

This thread is only about marine fish compatiblity so I don't really answer quarantine questions here. However, my blog has a fair amount of information,m and the fish disease forum has lots of stickies. However, multiple chromis will become one or at most two over time. The firefish should always be introduced first as it is timid and needs time to establish.

 

[Travis Rohrbach]

I purchased an orange shoulder tang for my 90 gallon reef tank I understand that it will out grow it but I have 2 friends with 180s 1friend with 200 and 1 friend with a 220 so I can give it a new home after it outgrows my tank how big can it get until I have to move it to one of their tanks?

 

[snorvich]

I purchased an orange shoulder tang for my 90 gallon reef tank I understand that it will out grow it but I have 2 friends with 180s 1friend with 200 and 1 friend with a 220 so I can give it a new home after it outgrows my tank how big can it get until I have to move it to one of their tanks?

It depends. Fish can grow rather quickly if properly fed. This particular fish is likely to need a new home within 3 years if well fed. However, that is a guess.

 

[Travis Rohrbach]

Ok thank you I appreciate it at what approx size should he be moved? I read their semi aggressive would he be ok with a bristle tooth and a sailfin? Would a blue hippo be too many tangs?

 

[snorvich]

Ok thank you I appreciate it at what approx size should he be moved? I read their semi aggressive would he be ok with a bristle tooth and a sailfin? Would a blue hippo be too many tangs?

P. hepatus requires an 8 foot tank minimum. Of those you have, the sailfin is likely to be the most aggressive. In a 90 gallon tank, the absolute maximum would be 2 non aggressive tangs; in the long term, as they mature, even two could be problematic. With tangs, it is not gallonage, but tank length that is the binding constraint. Tangs especially (as well as large angels) have territorial imperatives; this can somewhat be mitigated by longer tanks. Reef Central does not believe that purchasing a fish to later rehome is a good strategy.

 

[Travis Rohrbach]

Ok thank you I appreciate the advice I actually didn't buy the orange shoulder I got him in a trade for some extra tanks I had. From what I understand on what you mean correct me if I'm wrong my best bet would to be the bristle tooth or no more tangs?

 

[snorvich]

Ok thank you I appreciate the advice I actually didn't buy the orange shoulder I got him in a trade for some extra tanks I had. From what I understand on what you mean correct me if I'm wrong my best bet would to be the bristle tooth or no more tangs?

That is correct.