Stocking ideas for 240 mixed reef

[seaslug76]

Hi,

Been tossing around fish stocking ideas while waiting for my 96x28x20 tank to be built. Will have 60 gallon sump. LPS and anemone (rock, maxi mini, BTA) dominated.

Fish:

1 powder blue tang (Maldives)
1 yellow tang
1 bristle tooth tang (tomini or white tail or squaretail)
Pair of spotbreast Angels
Pair of blue throat triggers
9 similar damsels (supposedly not aggressive)
1 canary wrasse
1 pink streaked wrasse
3-5 assorted fairy wrasse (tbd)
1 yellow assessor
1 striped Benny
1 goby and pistol shrimp
Maybe a few more small fish

Any thoughts on stocking level and compatibility? I feel like I may have too many large fish. Maybe skip the PBT or the triggers?

Thanks!

 

[jda]

Triggers are cooler than the tangs. They are more hardy and will be out more. ...plus you can really freak out the locals when they don't think that you can have triggers in a reef. They are also safer than tangs - a lot of tangs can nip at fleshy stuff when they get big. If you want to get really cool fish, sargassum triggers are a bit less common and just as cool.

All of those tangs should stay small enough. You could sub a chocolate tang for the PBT if you think that the PBT will get too big - they are far less aggressive.

Genicanthus angels are awesome reef fish - well done.

You will likely end up with two damsels - I hope not, but it happens a lot.

Think about a leopard or hali wrasse - they are better at pests than the fairy and pick more.

 

[seaslug76]

Thanks for the reply and thoughtful comments. I was actually thinking of the chocolate tang as a sub for the PBT. The colors on the PBT are drawing me to it, though the chocolate is also a nice looking fish. The only tang I've had is a Kole tang, and really enjoyed that fish - hopefully he's still alive to the person I sold it to while breaking down my 90g tank for a move.

I've never had a trigger before, so your comments are reinforcing the idea to stick with them. Like the sargassums, but might be hard to find a male/female pair.

What do you think of my stock load overall, if I stick with the tangs, Angels, and triggers? Mid stocked or heavily stocked?

For pest control I was thinking of the pink streaked wrasse. Heard they were very useful. And the Hali wrasse representative is the canary. I'm planning a shallow sand bed so didn't want to get too many Halis, or at least not the bigger ones since they sleep in the sand. I love them, though.

 

[ThRoewer]

The yellow Assessor may not be out a lot with such activ fish.
I put 3 yellow Assessors (ORA) into my 100 gallon tank and see now only one once in a while.
Tank mates are:
3 percula clownfish (only stay in or near their anemone)
2 Regal Angels
3 Gramma loreto
1 Starcki damsel
2 bluestripe pipefish
2 mandarins
1 janssi pipefish

The only fish that ever chased the Assessors are the Grammas and the Damsel.
Though the assessors would also go into hiding when the Regals swim by.

I feel Assessors do better in a species tank or with fish that stay away from them, like small shrimp gobies for example.
Extremely calm fish like Marine Bettas may work as well.

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[scooter31707]

I don't known if I would put 9 damsels in that tank. I would be afraid that they will kill each other off. A Flame or Longnose Hawkfish would work.

 

[seaslug76]

Yeah, I'm going to scratch the damsels. I'd like to keep some ornamental shrimp and crabs, so will pass on the hawkfish, but they are cool fish. Thanks.

 

[scooter31707]

Yeah, I'm going to scratch the damsels. I'd like to keep some ornamental shrimp and crabs, so will pass on the hawkfish, but they are cool fish. Thanks.

IMO, you will be ok if the inverts are in first. I am going on 2 years with my Flame Hawk, not even looking there direction and he's about 3 inches.

 

[seaslug76]

You think anemone porcelain crabs would be safe? Makes me nervous.

 

[ThRoewer]

Anemone Crabs in an anemone are usually safe from all fish but anemonefish.
2 of my percula pairs (the smaller ones) are so far fine with sharing their a with an anemone crab, but the crabs I had with the larger 2 pairs both vanished.

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[saf1]

That sargassum trigger sure is pretty, wow. Don't recall seeing those before. I'm also filling a 240 gallon here within a few months so watching your list closely. I'll be moving my 40 which has a pair of mated Aure Damsels, pair of clowns, and pajama cardinals. So those are the starting bunch anyway. More than likely add three of the Talbot damsels. Rest of the list is pilfering from lists like these for examples!!!

It is difficult because right now in my 40 I don't see much fish. The clowns are burried in the rose bubble tips. The Asure's are in my Hammers and rock work. Pajama's I don't see either, hiding in caves and Kenya trees. I'm afraid if I add something like a Marine beta I'll never see it.

Not to derail thread, sorry - just interested to see what your final choice is due to a similar tank in gallons.

 

[seaslug76]

No problem..

Here's my latest list, after taking in some feedback here.

Larger fish:
2 blue throat triggerfish or sargassums (male and female)
3 spotbreast Angelfish (2 females, 1 male) or bellus
1 chocolate tang or powder blue tang
1 white tail tang or squaretail tang (bristle tooth) - detritus eater

Smaller fish:
2 Ocellaris clowns (obligatory)
1 pink streak wrasse - for pest control
1 canary wrasse
1 lineatus fairy wrasse
1 exquisite fairy wrasse (Vanuatu)
1 striped Blenny
1 pink spot goby - for sand sifting
1 orchid dottyback
1 flame hawkish - MAYBE. Like their comical nature, but risk of eating inverts
Goby and pistol shrimp pair
Room for some more small fish, maybe some Banggai cardinals

So I took out the yellow tang, and proposing to go with the 3 angels. Yellow tangs are nice, but they are very common. The bright flash of yellow looks great in a reef tank, though. The chocolate tang is one of the easier to care for tangs and less aggressive. Plus I like that each one has its own unique color as an adult.

 

[saf1]

Thanks Sea - appreciate the update. I've had blennies before, the bi-color anyway and they are fun. I was considering a starry this time around.

 

[ThRoewer]

If you go with orchid dottybacks you might want to get two to get a pair. In my experience they do better in a pair and are also less aggressive.

With Banggai cardinals you can likely only keep one pair, all extras might get killed off.

I found out the hard way that combtooth blennies don't work well with acropora corals, just something to keep in mind if you also plan to add corals to that tank.

Hawkfish can change sex both ways, so two will become a pair.
Same goes for the shrimp gobies.

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[seaslug76]

Thanks TheRoewer! I like pairing fish, more interesting to observe their behavior, so I will definitely take that into consideration.

Planning to stick with LPS and anemones, and some softies. I had SPS in my last tank and realized I prefer movement.

 

[lou the reefer]

May be complicated but a eel would look badass


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[seaslug76]

Yeah, for awhile I was considering a Hawaiian dwarf golden eel, but in a shallow rimless tank, I think it'll eventually end up on the floor (even though I'll have a screen cover), so am passing on it. They are pricey too.

Another one I didn't mention but still considering is a marine betta, but leaning no since I'm not going to have a whole lot of rocks and fear it might wipe out the inverts. They look really cool and interesting. I kind of dig cryptic fish.

Divers den had a lavender tang today that looked really nice. I have never seen one, but in a lot of pictures they look kind of drab. Could be another option in place of the chocolate or PBT.

So many choices!

 

[ThRoewer]

Unless you want a lot of shrimp in your tank I would really recommend to get a pair of Marine Bettas. If you start with small juveniles and have larger shrimp they may even leave those alone.
As for the hiding, my 2 pairs are always out and not shy at all. Especially if you have a lot of overhangs and large open caves you will see them all the time.
They will also quickly learn to recognize you and come out to wait for food.
Again, my recommendation is to get them as small as possible, ideally in the 2 to 3 inches range, one larger than the other. Important is to add the smaller one first and give about a month to settle in before adding the larger. In a large enough tank even a harem can work. Females usually get along well if their rank in the hacking order is clear. The largest female should become the male.

BTW, pistol shrimp that live with a goby should be fine.
Also, none of the many Marine Bettas I had ever showed any interest in eating fish, they even rejected frozen feeder fish that had just the right bite size for them (though my ocellaris and clarkii anemonefish would gulp those down with gusto).

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[seaslug76]

A pair of Marine Bettas would be intriguing. I'm aquascaping with dry pukani rock and plan to drill the rock and secure with rods, so I could create some structures with the them in mind. Overall I want to have a good deal of open space and avoid the rock wall look, though.

Anecdotally I've heard the marine Bettas are not much of a threat to small fish as well. Anything particular you do to get them weaned off live foods?

Any specific reasons for the high recommendation for them (other than their unique appearance)? Behaviorally?

 

[ThRoewer]

My Marine Bettas never needed live food and went always right away after frozen mysis and feeder shrimp. When I fed them live shrimp it was more to give them some excitement.

I've seen all of mine actually hunting pods and it seems that they can make do with that for quite a while.

I recommend Marine Bettas for several reasons.
First, with the exception of shrimp they are completely reef safe.
Second, they have a very unique appearance and behavior.
Third, they are calm fish that help with getting more skittish fish out into the open.
Fourth, they can easily be kept in pairs or even groups in a large enough tank.
Fifth, they can easily be tank bred.
Sixth, they live long with the proper care. 25 years should be no problem.

All in all they are perfect aquarium fish that will adapt well to captivity and thrive in a reef tank.

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[seaslug76]

They have a lot going for them. Between your rec and watching marine betta YouTube videos (lol), I think I'm sold! Maybe worth the price of not having as many shrimp.

Updated list:

Larger fish:
2 blue throat triggers
2 spotbreast Angels
2 marine Bettas
1 bristle tooth tang
1 acanthurus or zebrasoma tang

Smaller fish:
2 ocellaris clowns
2 flame hawkish
2 Banggai cardinals
2 orchid dottbyback
1 striped Blenny, or other Blenny
1 pink streaked wrasse
1 canary wrasse
1 exquisite fairy wrasse
1 lineatus fairy wrasse
1 pink spotted goby
1 shrimp goby and pistol shrimp