What can I pack in a 120g?

[Ssteve]

I have a 120g that only has a pair of firefish, trio of chromis, matter filefish, flamehawk and a bicolor dottyback. I'll be moving everything over to a 155g tank eventually and plan to have just a single hippo for a tang, but would like to have a fairly full looking tank. I love the look of public aquariums that have a massive amount of brightly colored anthias but not sure how feasible that is in a small tank.

So what could I stock in the 120g within reason? I do 25g biweekly water changes and have two Neptune auto feeders to alternate feedings. It's a mixed reef and other than what is listed and the blue tang the only other fish I have planned is a pair of clowns.

 

[marleesan]

I would not recommend the blue tang as even the 155 is way too small for the tang. 8' 240 minimum

 

[Cliving1]

If you want the tank to look very full, and your going to have a 155, I would want a lot of small fish. That way there is coverage from many fish, not one big one.

 

[reef thief]

You might want to try having a lot of smaller fish rather than having a few larger ones. I'm a wrasse hoarder. Just a note on the hippo. A 120g is fine for juveniles but as it grows move it or trade it for a smaller one.

 

[snorvich]

I agree with both of the above. Any larger fish will make your tank look small.

 

[Ssteve]

What are some small fish recommendations?

 

[iced98lx]

Consider a group of anthias. They range in care requirements from pretty easy to leave in the ocean, but even in the pretty easy range have a good variety of colors available.

I've opted for Anthias and Wrasses in my 180 to attempt "lots of little fish" look. While they do get 3-4 inches for the most part they seem to fill that role pretty well.

 

[ThRoewer]

I would not recommend Anthias unless he really wants them since they need a good amount of dedication.

I found Grammas to be good group fish (if bought small enough or sexed correctly). In that case the dottyback would have to go (if you want to keep small fish I would kick that particular one out in any case).

If you want larger fish that do well in your tank I would recommend a pair of Marine Bettas (get a small and a medium or a tiny and a small).

 

[Ssteve]

I would not recommend Anthias unless he really wants them since they need a good amount of dedication.

I found Grammas to be good group fish (if bought small enough or sexed correctly). In that case the dottyback would have to go (if you want to keep small fish I would kick that particular one out in any case).

If you want larger fish that do well in your tank I would recommend a pair of Marine Bettas (get a small and a medium or a tiny and a small).

Is the dottyback that bad? It seems to be the shyest of anything in the tank. I have two very small clowns now too and it hasn't bothered them, the small chromis or the two firefish at all.

 

[ThRoewer]

if it's Pictichromis paccagnellae, then yes. Yours is likely still a female and therefore not too bad, but once it turns male and doesn't have a female to occupy him it can get nasty in a tank with primarily small fish.

 

[Ssteve]

Could I just get another one to avoid that?

 

[ThRoewer]

Possibly, but it would be a gamble, and pairing them requires some knowledge. These guys are well known trouble makers. While otherwise ideal aquarium fish, their aggressiveness often becomes a problem.
In the long run you would be better off with a group of Gramma loreto - nearly the same color scheme but a much better personality for a community tank.

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[Ssteve]

That's a bummer. He's going to be a nightmare to catch.

 

[ThRoewer]

A trap with a mirror on the other end often works well with aggressive fish.

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[Kremis]

My hippo started off in my 28 gallon for a year (was VERY tiny when I got it) then moved into my newly set up 180 gallon, where it has been for almost 3 years. In all the time it has been in the 180, it hasn't grown. It stayed around 4 inches, so I would say you would probably be good on getting a hippo in a 155.
As for fish, wrasses are always good. I have 6 wrasses in my 180 too. If I were you I would add the blue tang, the clowns, and maybe 1-2 wrasses.

 

[Ssteve]

Thanks. Already got a blue tang. Been in the tank for a week now as well as two regular Perc clowns. I love tangs so it might be my excuse to go to a larger tank than the 155. I will have to reasses the situation once we buy our new house. For now she is really small so I have some time to figure it out. I know the tang police hate it but it's better than some people who have had 8+ tangs in 100-110g systems for 10+ years.