Stocking ideas for 100g reef

[Reef1121]

Hi all,

Just got done setting up my 100g 5ft long tank and am in the process of cycling it. After its cycled I'm still debating what fish to put in it. Thats where I need your guys help. This is my first over 55g setup. The only two fish planned are my two misbarred percula loans that have benn with me threw my last 2 tanks. I was thinking of ventrallis anthias, a copperband, and a tang. Any other ideas or suggestions would be great.

 

[hobbzz]

I like small schools of chromis. Sunburst anthias. Shrimp and goby combo, jawfish, reef safe triggers, regular and black midas blennies, flame hawkfish.

 

[AliciaP]

In my 120gallon, I have 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 3 blue chromis -almost 3 inches! (which I would love to trade out for 5 or 6 anthias), bicolor blenny, dusky jawfish, moorish idol, foxface rabbitfish, and a mandarin goby. They are all very peaceful if that helps you

 

[vaporized]

Ventrallis anthias, a copperband, and a tang sounds like a plan. I always like a coral beauty or flame angel also.

 

[Reef264]

My tank is similar to yours, it has a Scopas Tang, Pair of Picasso clowns, Midas Blenny, Lawn Mower Blenny, Candy Hogfish, Zebra Moray Eel, and a Diamond Sleeper Goby.I had 3 Blue Reef Chromis in there a while back, they were good for the first 6 months, then they started killing each other.Anthias, (Some)Dwarf Angels, Gobies, Blennies, are all great candidates for the tank!

Good luck with it,
-Ray

 

[Reef1121]

THanks for the ideas. Ive here mixed reviews on the chromis. Mostly that they're ool in that they school for the first year or so then they start taking each other out till there's only one left. I also looked at sunburst anthias but wasn't sure if they would get along with the ventralis anthias. I couldn't pass up on them. My LFS got me 3 coral sea ventralis for $34 a peice which is a steal IMO. I've herd good things about blue throat triggers but do you think they would get too big for the tank. And was debating between a purple tang, sailfin, or a chevron. Has anyone had any of these and what are your opinions based my tank specs?

The tank is 60x18x22. With a 25g sump, vertex in-180 skimmer. And plan on running pellets after the tank gets more established. Also running 3 ai sol blues for light once I get my corals back from their temporary home in my buddies tank.

 

[Reef1121]

Also have any of you had problems with dwarf angels eating your corals or inverts. I'm not going to do feather dusters but was thinking about clams and lots of snails for algae and sand bed control.

 

[Reef264]

I used to have a dwarf cherub angel, it was pretty good for about 6 months, then went to nipping at my Acro's.Then it killed my clam, which unturned killed my entire tank.Literally...

-Ray

 

[rssjsb]

I also looked at sunburst anthias but wasn't sure if they would get along with the ventralis anthias. I couldn't pass up on them. My LFS got me 3 coral sea ventralis for $34 a peice which is a steal IMO.

Are you absolutely set on the ventralis? I ask because they are one of the most difficult anthias to keep. I know this isn't your first tank, so you've got some experience under your belt, but you may want to try a species that's more likely to do well in your care.

I do think any trigger will be a little tight in that tank in the long run. I would do two or three decent sized fish (nothing that gets over 6-7") - pyramid butterflies are ones that you should check out - and several moderate sized ones like Reef 264 mentioned.

 

[Reef1121]

I'm not completely set on the ventralis knowing how hard they are to get to start eating and the number of feeding but I love the coloration of the fish compared to other anthias that I've owned over the past 2 years. My last tank had a trio of Bartlett's and the tank I had before that I kept 1 Carberryi for a while before giving it to a friend. And just got off the phone with Quality Marine who I'm getting them thru and they said they have them eating frozen already. So hopefully it'll work out well.

 

[Shoryureppa]

A pair of fairy wrasses, flame or rhomboid. 10 red spot cardinalfish, a tang although I don't know whats good for a 100 gallon, yellow longnose butterfly, pair of pygmy angels

 

[Reef1121]

I like the idea of the Midas blenny, I've only herd good things about those. I think I'm going to stay away from pygmy/dwarf angels this time around. Don't need any of my acros or clams disappearing. Though I'm going to look into some colorful fairy and flasher wrasses. Any suggestions as far as tangs? Or what about a magnificent foxface?

 

[vaporized]

I think I'm going to stay away from pygmy/dwarf angels this time around. Don't need any of my acros or clams disappearing. Though I'm going to look into some colorful fairy and flasher wrasses. Any suggestions as far as tangs? Or what about a magnificent foxface?

I wouldn't avoid a flame angle or coral beauty. They are too pretty to pass up. I have 3 flame angels in 3 different tanks and none are coral eaters. Flame angels are such stunning fish with the red and stripes.

I love the fairy wrasses too. Although, I have never actually purchased any.

As far as tangs go, yellow tangs are great because of that punch of yellow they give. Blonde Naso tangs are also great fish and IME, very hearty.

I have always heard that magnificent foxface are reef safe. However, my friend and manager at my nearest LFS, turned his in because it was eating acros. He was also servicing a tank at a local hospital and a magnificent tagged him. He had an allergic reaction, broke out in hives, had labored breathing and needed to be put on an IV drip. :crazy1:

 

[rssjsb]

I'm not completely set on the ventralis knowing how hard they are to get to start eating and the number of feeding but I love the coloration of the fish compared to other anthias that I've owned over the past 2 years. My last tank had a trio of Bartlett's and the tank I had before that I kept 1 Carberryi for a while before giving it to a friend. And just got off the phone with Quality Marine who I'm getting them thru and they said they have them eating frozen already. So hopefully it'll work out well.

I didn't realize you had experience with other anthias. Sounds like you know what you're getting into.

I second the midas blenny. Can't think of a single negative thing to say about them, except to be sure your tank is covered. But the same goes for fairy and flasher wrasses and anthias, so I'm assuming you've got that taken care of.

Foxfaces get pretty big and beefy. I've got one in my 5' tank, and it's honestly starting to look a little cramped to me. I think you would do well to stick to one of the smaller tangs, like a mimic or one of the bristle-tooth varieties, but I'm generally pretty conservative on these things.

 

[Reef1121]

I wouldn't avoid a flame angle or coral beauty. They are too pretty to pass up. I have 3 flame angels in 3 different tanks and none are coral eaters. Flame angels are such stunning fish with the red and stripes.

As far as tangs go, yellow tangs are great because of that punch of yellow they give. Blonde Naso tangs are also great fish and IME, very hearty.

I have always heard that magnificent foxface are reef safe. However, my friend and manager at my nearest LFS, turned his in because it was eating acros. He was also servicing a tank at a local hospital and a magnificent tagged him. He had an allergic reaction, broke out in hives, had labored breathing and needed to be put on an IV drip. :crazy1:

I've had a flame as well in my first tank ever, was a beautiful fish and seemed reef safe for about a year and then went rogue lol. I believe it all has to do with the fish's personality. Each fish that I've seen over the years is different and has a dif personality, I don't know if anyone else would like to chime in on that one. If I did ever go with a angel it would be a potter's.

And yes there are many fish in the hobby that are venomous, just some that you wouldn't expect :hmm3:

 

[Reef1121]

I didn't realize you had experience with other anthias. Sounds like you know what you're getting into.

I second the midas blenny. Can't think of a single negative thing to say about them, except to be sure your tank is covered. But the same goes for fairy and flasher wrasses and anthias, so I'm assuming you've got that taken care of.

Foxfaces get pretty big and beefy. I've got one in my 5' tank, and it's honestly starting to look a little cramped to me. I think you would do well to stick to one of the smaller tangs, like a mimic or one of the bristle-tooth varieties, but I'm generally pretty conservative on these things.

I have a clear screen over the 2 holes on the top of the tank. Learned my lesson early when I had a firefish and carpenters wrasse jump. That and the anthias I've had in the past have been ferocious eaters (after a bit of training) who like to jump out thinking they'll get the most food that way.

And I agree with you as far as the bulky look. I wanted to only have 1 maybe 2 larger fish 6-7" range. Was a bit cautious as far as bristletooth tangs go. Herd sometimes that like LPS over there normal foods. But the white tail bristletooth on live aquaria did spark my interest. We shall see what happens. Ill talk to my LFS and put in a order for the Midas after the vents have had some time to settle down and start feeding regularly. The tang or other larger fish will be the last to be added to the tank to hopefully avoid any aggression.

 

[SecretiveFish]

My suggestions would be a longnose hawkfish and a hamlet (I love my Indigo Hamlet).

As for pygmy angels, the coral beauty I had would not leave my toadstool leather alone. The poor thing could never open as it kept getting nipped. Still have the leather, no longer have the fish. I have not been able to obtain a healthy flame angel, all have either died in a few days or died at the store.

Also, I have not had a magnificent foxface, but I had a one-spot foxface that I absolutely hated. He was a food hogging spaz. Any little thing would send him dashing (sometimes crashing) into the rockwork freaking out his tankmates. I had trouble getting food to my other fish as he would dart and grab everything he could...the timid eater could never eat. I tore my tank apart to get him out. The poor other fish.... envision someone whose hair has not been combed in days who have not slept either where any little thing would set them off. Other people have reported their foxfaces to be like this, but it all depends on the individual I guess.

 

[Reef1121]

I would live to do a longnose hawk. Always thought they were a neat fish to watch. Always perched up somewhere chilling. And aren't hamlet's "mini-groupers" that when they get bigger feast on smaller fish and inverts?

And think the ventralis were a bad idea. They came into the store and they drip acclimated them and placed them in the coral flats where the water is much cleaner and has a better salinity than the fish system. Which runs copper and hypo-salinity. And today 1 was dead and the other 2 not looking so hot. I guess the only way to get them would be from a person that already has them but is willing to part with them :/ But it's ok. I'll prob just go and add my bartlett's trio that I have in my temp tank till my system is where I want it to be. Or figure out a different type like sunburst anthias... All things to consider

 

[rssjsb]

Yeah, I think your Bartlett's are on the hardier end of the scale. I've never heard of anyone being able to keep ventralis alive. I don't think they should be collected.

I love hawkfish, but they are sometimes aggro and would definitely pose a risk to inverts.

 

[Reef1121]

Ya I agree with you after seeing what happened. Think I might mix my bartletts with either square backs or lyretails. Maybe 1 sunburst. But was looking about adding a bunch of wrasses though never dabbled too much into that realm. Just a carpenters in my last tank. I was lookin at Hawaiian flame wrasse pair, exquisite wrasse, Radiant, mystery, Just to name a few. Maybe not all of them will make it but just ideas. Don't know if it is even possible to add multiple fairy, and flasher to the same tank.