stocking a 180

[gholtmeyer]

Ok ladies and gents,

I am working on a stock list for my 180g mixed reef tank with a 100 gallon stock tank. I hope to get water, sand, rock in the tank in the next week or two. Yes, I will let the tank cycle for a min. of three months before I add any fish. I am not going to rush the addition of any fish or corals. Not a newbie here. But, this is a nice step up for me in size of tanks. I had a 75g before.

My question is, how many pairs of perc can I put in the tank without them harming each other? I want to have a pair of Aussie black percs, Picasso or snowflake pers, and a pair of pink skunks. In addition to these I would like to have a pyramid tang, some form of gobie or two, later a couple of pipe fish. Is this too much? I will be doing a weekly water change of 35 gallons. Thoughts? and add in what order? Thanks in advance. And I plan on putting two or three long tentacle anemones in the tank to host the clowns. I hope to put the anemones in the tank when the water is stable and let them find their happy place, then add fish and corals.

 

[rssjsb]

I think even a six foot tank may not be enough space to keep more than one pair of clowns unless the tank is set up very carefully and/or all of the clowns come from the same clutch. It might work for you, but usually when they reach sexual maturity the most dominant pair will not tolerate another clown in the tank. Six feet isn't really much space.

On the other fish you're planning to add, I'm assuming you meant to say pyramid butterfly? If so, they're great. You could add a couple in that size tank I think. Love these fish.

What kind of pipefish are you considering? I would not add dragonface or other slithering pipes in a tank with anemones. Flagtail species like Janns might do better. I would treat them like mandarins though - wait until the tank has been up for 6 months or so and the pod population has been established and don't put anything in there that will compete for pods. They may take prepared foods, but you don't want to count on it or expect that even the best frozen foods will sustain them long-term.

 

[mwilliams62]

I would not risk putting a pipefish in a tank with an anemone in the tank they are slow moving fish and like to rest on the rocks.. I have one and it took a really long time to get him off of live brine shrimp.

 

[rssjsb]

I would not risk putting a pipefish in a tank with an anemone in the tank they are slow moving fish and like to rest on the rocks.

That's true for dragonface or alligator pipes, but not for blue stripes (in my experience) or Janns (from what I've read here and elsewhere). The real problem for those guys is feeding. Even if you get them to take frozen, they can't really subsist on only that long term.