Proposed Fish List for 5ft 156gal

[bhsgk]

I posted this in the reef fishes forum and got a little input but I wanted to see what the local guys think about my proposed fish list.

This is my first draft of the possible fish that I want in the tank I am in the process of setting up. I would take the anthias and/or blue throat trigger off this list first before any others. I do not plan on having any inverts in this tank other than an anemone if I ever find one I like enough. The rock work will be very open, islands with some hiding places. The fish with the asterisk are in my current 40 breeder.

Angel:
Genicanthus bellus (Bellus)
Genicanthus melanospilos (Swallowtail)
Genicanthus watanabei (Watanabei)
Pygoplites diacanthus (Regal)

Anthias:
Pseudanthias bartlettorum (Bartlett)

Butterfly:
Chelmon rostratus (Copperband)**

Goby:
Elacatinus oceanops (Neon)**
Valenciennea puellaris (Diamond Sand Sifter)**

Tang:
Ctenochaetus strigosus (Yellow Eye Kole)

Trigger:
Xanthichthys auromarginatus (Blue Throat Trigger)

Wrasse:
Cirrhilabrus jordani (Flame)
Cirrhilabrus laboutei (Labouti)
Cirrhilabrus lineatus (Lineatus)
Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis (Rhomboid)
Halichoeres chrysus (Yellow "Coris")**
Macropharyngodon bipartitus (Blue Star)
Macropharyngodon meleagris (Leopard)**

 

[gambitcobra]

nice list! how many of bartletts? also is this a mixed reef or fish only tank

 

[bhsgk]

thanks!

if i add the bartletts it will be an odd number, either 3 - 5 - or 7.

it will start out being a mixed reef. i have mainly lps right now with a tyree toadstool,neon sinularia,purple gorg, zoas, and some rics for softies. i also have some easier to keep sps (4 different montis, birdsnest, and one unknown acro) but eventually my goal is sps with a few lps and maybe a softie or two.

and this is typlus5's old tank which is wsurf4me's old tank.

 

[oldsaint]

Seems like a lot of Cirrhilabrus spp. for a 156. But, I'm no expert.

A great place for advice on "fish wish lists".

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2068112

 

[aguila88psi]

I agree with oldsaint, the fairy wrasses are great looking fish but once they turn into super males with no female in the tank to bother it'll bother the crap out of your other wrasses or smaller fish, especially if they are female. They would even force your leopard wrasses into hiding. If you do decide to get a fairy wrasse, make sure to get a male and at least two females or three females of the same kind and not mix fairy wrasses. Mixing fairy wrasses work for a little while to maybe a few years, but as mentioned when they go male or worse super male all your smaller fish will be jumping out of the tank because of constantly being chased.

 

[Ted_C]

You might want to hear from ChadRay too - I think He had troubles with compatabilty between the angels.

Agreed on the fairy wrasse. I have that problem now. What I thought was a red parrot fairy wrasse is middle of the pecking order. The Blue eyed tang and the bellus both chase him. He - in turn- chases the Blue Green Chromis and the Helfrichi Firefish.

He started out at FAOIS as a Red Topped with White underbelly - I think Chris called it a Red Fin Fairy Wrasse. After a month or two in my tank - he is still mostly red with a white underbelly - however he has a strong blue streak on his underbelly now and his fins are starting to get a touch of violet on the outer edges. A real Bueaty - but might be too mean for my tank.

 

[bhsgk]

thanks mike. i remember seeing that thread a long time ago but i couldnt find it so i posted in reef fishes instead.

 

[bhsgk]

Thanks for the input guys. I need to look at some of the primarily wrasse tanks here on RC and get some feedback from them. I will also pm one of the wrasse experts on here as well, (evolved). I will also look for chadray too and talk with him, thanks for that info ted.

 

[aguila88psi]

Ok.... don't say I didn't warn you. I lost five fishes to my lonely angry super male lubbocks wrasse. Rip 2 blue streak cleaner wrasses, 2 male whip fin fairy wrasses, 1 female red tail tammarin. The red tail tammarin hurt me the most as you don't see them offered in the stores that often due to being bad shippers Theres a small gap for wiring to exit on my top screen where they all seem to escape from.

 

[bhsgk]

I'm not saying I don't believe you at all. I just think there must be some way that people keep wrasse community tanks. I am going to avoid the more aggressive species. If I need to get m/f pairs or a trio/harem to keep things calm then I most certainly will.

 

[ChadRaay86]

I'd be careful with all of the genicanthus. Check the fish forums for a more detailed explanation, but mixing that many together often results in one (or more) of them changing sexes and murdering the other ones. I'd look into getting a bonded pair of whichever one you like best, as it will avoid competition and fighting in the future. This is only for the genicanthus species though, I was trying to add a male into my tank with a female and I eventually got talked out of it for the whole sex changing murder thing

Good luck!

 

[Ted_C]

That's my guy...