[drdude05]

Given that I just setup my tank about 2 weeks ago, stairing into a glass box of rocks while they cure is driving me crazy. To ease the need to do something I am working on my stocking plan for my 180 gallon sps reef and need some help figuring out what to keep, and the best order to add the fish.

I am currently thinking of:

Copper Band Butterfly
Flame Hawk
Flame Angel
Lyretail Anthias (3-4 keep in a small school)
Powder Blue Tang
Sailfin Tang
Yellow Tang
True Percula Clown (2)
Neon Pseudochromis
Canary Wrasse
Six Line Wrasse

This maybe too much for a 180 if so I can pair the list down. But what is the best order to add the fish. I know, for example, that the CBB can be shy, difficult to acclimate, and can be finiky to feed which makes me think that if it reamins on the list, it should be one of the first fish added so it has time to acclimate to the tank and not be harrassed as much.
What is a good order to add the tangs and when should the tangs as a whole be added givent he above list.

Any and all comments are appreciated

 

[drdude05]

Anyone?

 

[Fly Guy]

Sorry youre getting ignored here.

The only input i have is this. One, that is too many fish. I would pick a couple you want to add at first to make sure everything is a-ok and then instead of buying copious amounts of fish per gallon, i would go a little more exotic and spend the money you were planning on on ten fish on one or two really cool fish. Inevitably if you stock that many that fast you will regret it and wish you would have gotten something different once you get more familiar with things.

Personally i would add the yellow tang and possibly a LMB first. i know the LMB isnt on your list but they have more personality than anything and both them and the yellow are VERY functional.

Is this going to be a fish only tank??? nevermind..i see it now........

To be sure though, i will let you know that i really dont like hardly any fish in my reefs (especially my sps reef) to begin with so you are getting a somewhat biased opinion.

Youve got a big enough tank though that you really have some great options and i promise you you wont regret making that fish list later after youre settled in with just a couple, regardless of what they are.

six lines are great functional fish too, once your tank is a ittle more established

 

[abigtroutt]

Bill I have to agree with you. If is going to be a reef tank I would go with just a few fish (the ones you like the most).

 

[three90s&125sump]

Well, I have to disagree with them. My tanks are reef tanks but I have 18 fish in them and will be adding more fish down the road. Given, your fish are much larger poopers than mine are but all the same your system will dictate what you can and can't have in it.


I am very poor with taxonomy (not sure if that is the right word) in systems but I will give you my best run down of what you have. I may be completly wrong with some things I say, so, you better get a second opinion.

The hawk fish will eat any fish it can fit in its mouth, the copperband will aggitate alot of corals, the three tangs may fight alot (PBTs are fierce), not sure about this but I think the Angel will down right eat alot corals.

I think the anthias, chromis, clowns (I would get ocelerus) and six line are the only ones that will be definites to be safe, the yellow tangs carry disease more than most fish (although I may be getting one) and also could pick at LPS corals. If you are not having any corals then the CBB would be good and the Angel could go in at the same time as the PBT. But if you get the PBT I would not get the other 2 tangs unless you get the PBT in about 3 years and it is around 2 inches long. If you don't get the PBT then put the yellow tang in first and wait 3 weeks then put in the sailfin and they should be safe. Be sure to QT that yellow tang.

 

[Fly Guy]

You recommend him throwing that many fish in what he intends on being a sps reef right after it cycles??????


ummmm, ok

 

[three90s&125sump]

You recommend him throwing that many fish in what he intends on being a sps reef right after it cycles??????


ummmm, ok

No, I recommend him "listening " to his system and using his judgment to decide when he can put more fish in. All I was saying was what I think is compatable and what is not.

Everyones systems is unique, there is no way for anyone to judge whether or not someone can add more fish unless they say they have algae, ammonia or something else.

 

[drdude05]

Sorry for the confusion, but this is a list that I was putting together as a plan for stocking over ... a long period of time. I have no intention of putting that many fish in my tank all at once just after it cycles.

Also, this is a "possiblities" list, not a set in stone plan which is why I posted the list in the first place. To get some opinions and observations of experience about these particluar fish.

By the way, what is an LMB? Lawn Mower Blenny?

 

[Fly Guy]

Yes, lawnmower blenny. And i realized after reading your thread more that you didnt intend on throwing them all in at once. 3 90's did have a good way of looking at it and like i said before, i dont like a whole lot of fish period, ESPECIALLY in my sps system. The important thing is to pick a couple and ease into it. Personally, i think every non aggressive reef tank should have a LMB and a six line in them, as far as personality AND function....they are the BOMB.

 

[drdude05]

Wel, I have been doing some reading and have paired my list down to:

FlameHawk (I already have this one in another system that will get folded into the 180)
3 Lyretail anthias
Sailfin or PowderBlue Tang
Percula Clown
LawnMower Blenny
CopperBand Butterfly

Next I need to decide on some good SPS species to start with, any suggestions?

 

[pito]

Wel, I have been doing some reading and have paired my list down to:

FlameHawk (I already have this one in another system that will get folded into the 180)
3 Lyretail anthias
Sailfin or PowderBlue Tang
Percula Clown
LawnMower Blenny
CopperBand Butterfly

Next I need to decide on some good SPS species to start with, any suggestions?

I have seen 120g sps tanks with bigger bio-loads then that. However, they were mostly barebottom systems that were designed for high exportation (is that the right word?). With that being said, I believe it's gonna come down to your set up.

 

[Geoff]

pito, you are correct if the system has extreme food export procedures in place than the bioload is just about unlimited.

if you are thinking about adding clams to the tank, i would hold off on the 6-line and use your wrasse allowance on a yellow coris wrasse. they will eat pyramid snails. they are great for keeping them under control if for some reason you were unlucky enough to get them.

G~

 

[titanfan]

I am liking the fish list. My copperband doesnt bother any of my corals except it ate my featherdusters that hitchhiked in. If you plan on getting one I would make it one of the first fish in the tank. It made it alot easier for him to learn to eat with out competition. Be careful with the powder blue and copperband together. Yours is a bigger tank than my friends but a newly added powder blue harrased her copperband to the brink of death. The copperband later died in quarantine. Here is a pic of my copperband doing his favorite thing... cleaning my rocks of all worms

 

[drdude05]

How do you think a Sailfin would fair with a CopperBand? If it would do better, I would likely sacrifice the PowderBlue for the sailfin as I have had PB is the past, but never a CB.

 

[Geoff]

i am more of a fan of the filtering capacity of featherdusters than i am of a copperband.

G~

 

[tiburon]

"stairing into a glass box of rocks while they cure is driving me crazy"

I know what you mean.. whew.. I was going nuts also.. nice fish list! keep in mind that a flame hawk, while awesome, can eat shrimp sometimes.. but usually only if they're not getting enough to eat.. just thought I would mention it.

 

[drdude05]

FlameHawks eat shrimp? Really? I did not know this. I have kept FH and various shrimps together before and never had a problem. Do they eat/prefer any particular type of shrimp? Or are all fair game?

 

[drdude05]

Fly, I was just doing some reading about LMB. Is it true that they will pick at apa polyps and clam mantles?

 

[drdude05]

That was supposed to be "sps" polyps

 

[Fly Guy]

Fly, I was just doing some reading about LMB. Is it true that they will pick at apa polyps and clam mantles?

Mine sure doesnt. He DOES however wait for me to be looking and knock over frags if he hasnt had his weekly mysis:funny: