120 gallon stocking help

[rpeters]

I'm in the process of getting a stocking list for my first ever saltwater tank which will be 120 gallon. Primary focus will be coral but would like a nice assortment of fish for various tank levels. below are some of the initial fish and quantity, which I know I likely have way more then needed for a 120 but some will likely get scratched. Please provide any feedback and best order to introduce. looking to try and keep it easy and peaceful.

Pajama Cardinal 5
Firefish 2
Yellow watchman goby 2
Diamond Goby 2
Royal Gramma 3
Tailspot Blenny 2
Clownfish 2
Bullet goby 1
Ruby Red Dragonet 1
Purple Scale Fairy Wrasse 2
Red Mandarin Fish 1
Naso tang 1
Orangespot Rabbitfish 1

 

[Maritimer]

Naso tangs (and, IIRC, orange-spot rabbits) get pretty big. Will a foot-and-a-half long fish have room to turn around?

Other than that, since you're looking for a number of pairs, you may wish to source them from your LFS. There, you can observe the fish to see if they're compatible, rather than just accepting whatever an online vendor throws your way.

~Bruce

 

[Fish Werx]

Already stated, some rabbit fish and some tangs get very large. Just be careful about choices there. A young juvenile naso or sailfin will look very cute in a 120, but soon (like 1-2 years) and it will look cramped and pitiful, plus keep in mind coral growth will fill in their swimming areas as well.
And if your focus will be on corals, make sure your sand sifting and digging fish selections will not be covering your corals if you put them on the sand.

I speak from experience on the size issue. I have a few young but potentially large fish (Red Sea Sailfin, purple tang and Scribbled Rabbit) in my 120. But am currently in the moves to get a 300g setup or Id prob be looking to re-home some of my livestock soon probably.

 

[leahfiish]

I agree with some of the earlier comments, orange spot rabbitfish get pretty large and you're looking at a heavy fish load imo. I also am not sure if the tailspot blennies will coexist and the purple scale fairy wrasses likely won't coexist. It would be better to pick 2 different species of wrasses.
Diamond gobies and yellow watchman gobies will fulfill similar niches, and diamond gobies get quite a bit larger. I'd definitely add the watchman gobies first.
For order, you'll probably want the firefish and gobies first, cardinals soon after, and rabbitfish before tangs. Tangs should probably be last.

 

[rpeters]

Thanks everyone for the feed back, have removed tang and rabbitfish, reduced diamond goby to 1 (May end up 0) reduced blenny and wrasse to 1 (May add a second type of wrasse) adjusted the order. below is current list and order, how does this look now?

Firefish x 2
Yellow watchman goby x 2
Diamond Goby x 1
Pajama Cardinal x 5
Clownfish x 2
Royal Gramma x 3
Tailspot Blenny x 1
Purple Scale Fairy Wrasse x 1
Bullet goby x 1
Ruby Red Dragonet x 1
Red Mandarin Fish x 1

Also in terms or Naso and rabbit fish getting to big, any recommendations of something similar that will remain smaller and work in a 120

 

[eatbreakfast]

Bullet gobies will bury stuff as well, and sometimes bullet gobies and diamond gobies don't coexist, because they are both sifters.

A purple or yellow tang would be a good show fish for a 120. An angel from the genus Genicanthus is good sized and reef safe.

 

[goatcorals]

+1. Bellus angel would be great or a Lamarcks. Get 2 and perhaps you’ll have a pair soneday.

 

[Fish Werx]

Thanks everyone for the feed back, have removed tang and rabbitfish, reduced diamond goby to 1 (May end up 0) reduced blenny and wrasse to 1 (May add a second type of wrasse) adjusted the order. below is current list and order, how does this look now?

Firefish x 2
Yellow watchman goby x 2
Diamond Goby x 1
Pajama Cardinal x 5
Clownfish x 2
Royal Gramma x 3
Tailspot Blenny x 1
Purple Scale Fairy Wrasse x 1
Bullet goby x 1
Ruby Red Dragonet x 1
Red Mandarin Fish x 1

Also in terms or Naso and rabbit fish getting to big, any recommendations of something similar that will remain smaller and work in a 120

As far as Tangs, I'd say a kole, yellow, bristletooth tomini, and square tail bristletooth are the ones that come to mind that would be comfortable in a 120 permanently. And only one more than likely if you don't want to deal with possible aggression issues....

 

[Smotz]

I would scratch off the Mandarins. They need a well established tank with lots of pods. Get a half dozen green Chromis. A Powder Brown Tang would do well, too.

Note that adding that much bioload at once may make it hard for the beneficial bacteria to keep up and may cause another cycle or minicycle.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I would scratch off the Manarins. They need a well established tank with lots of pods. Get a half dozen green Chromis. A Powder Brown Tang would do well, too.

Note that adding that much bioload at once may make it hard for the beneficial bacteria to keep up and may cause another cycle or minicycle.

A 120g is more than enough tank to support a mandarin, as long as the tank is up and running for 6+months before the mandarin is added.

 

[rpeters]

I would scratch off the Manarins. They need a well established tank with lots of pods. Get a half dozen green Chromis. A Powder Brown Tang would do well, too.

Note that adding that much bioload at once may make it hard for the beneficial bacteria to keep up and may cause another cycle or minicycle.

These wont be at once and I welcome any feedback on the order, plan is one line item at a time in the order listed. Mandarin was last due to the need of needing an established tank, after cycle I will likely add pods and get them going and the thought is it would be 6+ months before last one was added.

 

[rpeters]

Here is the latest list and order, does the order of add look right? should any be added at the same time?

Fish #
Firefish 2
Yellow watchman goby 2
Pajama Cardinal 5
Clownfish 2
Royal Gramma 3
Tailspot Blenny 1
Purple Scale Fairy Wrasse 1
Purple Tang or Bellus angel pair
Ruby Red Dragonet 1
Red Mandarin Fish 1

 

[eatbreakfast]

Here is the latest list and order, does the order of add look right? should any be added at the same time?

Fish #
Firefish 2
Yellow watchman goby 2
Pajama Cardinal 5
Clownfish 2
Royal Gramma 3
Tailspot Blenny 1
Purple Scale Fairy Wrasse 1
Purple Tang or Bellus angel pair
Ruby Red Dragonet 1
Red Mandarin Fish 1

Looks good to me.

 

[rpeters]

appreciate everyone's input

 

[SlvrZ]

keep in mind that the ruby red and the mandarin will be eating the same pod population. I was going to do exactly the same with those two but then when I saw how small they were, they would have got lost in the tank under the corals and such. something to consider

 

[eatbreakfast]

In a 120, both the mandarin and ruby red can coexist. As long as each has about 50g of system each, the system should be able to support them.

 

[rpeters]

keep in mind that the ruby red and the mandarin will be eating the same pod population. I was going to do exactly the same with those two but then when I saw how small they were, they would have got lost in the tank under the corals and such. something to consider

Thanks for the feedback, I think the aquascape should leave a lot of open sand area in the front that maybe they will come out from time to time , already removed everything else the wife wanted from the list so got to try and retain something. The pods were one area I wasn't sure on the consumption and how fast but from everything I read it was in line with above reply in that 30-50 gallon range so will watch and see when that time comes.

 

[Maritimer]

You'll be fine.

I've got a target mandarin in a 220. I don't see her _all_ the time, but see her for a moment or three each day, as she plays peek-a-boo in the rocks. (And she's fat like a parade balloon!)

~Bruce

 

[rpeters]

You'll be fine.

I've got a target mandarin in a 220. I don't see her _all_ the time, but see her for a moment or three each day, as she plays peek-a-boo in the rocks. (And she's fat like a parade balloon!)

~Bruce

haha, that will work.

 

[bdejong1112o]

These may be possibilities for you as well and came from suggestions in my stocking thread. Some are interesting and can be suitable for your tank as well. Hopefully someone will double check these and comment as well.


Lavender Tang
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-lavender-tang

Tomini tang
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-tomini-tang

Schooling bannerfish
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+25+3111&pcatid=3111