Reef Fish Priorities

[Bobby S.]

I am installing a 180 gal rr tank in my house, I have a 70 gal now with very few fish, 2 clown, a cleaner wrasse, a yellow tang and a small purple and yellow fish.
After the 180 completes its cycle with 150 lbs of live rock I have now an the live sand I have now and even adding more sand and rock.
What should the order of putting fish in the tank be. I would like to have more fish, and am planning the stock. I would like to have several tangs and other fish. but what is the order.
wrasses
blennies
gobies
dart fish
clowns
surgeon fish
or do you have to do it by specific fish

 

[LisaD]

you'll have to narrow down your list.

I'd do stocking order by specific fish, as aggression and temperament can vary widely in a group. For example, fairy wrasses vs. lunare wrasse. Or sohal tang vs. hippo tang. Some groups are pretty much the same - seahorses are always going to be passive and slow, for example.

What do you want most? Pick your couple of centerpiece fish, and if there is room left, stock around them.

 

[Finsky]

I put a four inch Clown Tang into my tank thirteen days ago and it has not touched any of the multitude of different foods I have feed the other fish. It will swim around with the other fish while they eat the food from the surface and through the food although it only chews at the algae on the back glass and water pumps? It looks quite healthy at four inches and is chased off and on by my similar sized Powder Blue Tang although it turned and snapped at the Powder Blue at one time. It constantly swims the length of the tank and it looks very healthy and constantly swims from one end of the tank to the other? Is it getting enough nutrition from the algae on the live rock, glass, and pumps? Any ideas?