125 Stocking Ideas

[Chris’s fish]

Hello everyone!

I have a 125 gallon tank with a 55 gallon sump and skimmer and refugium. I would like some ideas for new fish to add. I currently have a one spot fox face, a pair of clowns, 4 bang eye cardinals, a royal grama, and 4 small blue damsels. I know I can have a lot of other fish but I don't know what. I do not want tangs just because I have found them to be a lot of work. I also want peaceful fish that are relatively low work. The tank is currently fish only but I might add some easy to grow coral in the future, however Im not sure. So maybe some fish only and then some reef fish suggestions would be nice. I should also mention that it is a bare bottom tank Thanks!

 

[Supa]

Type of Goby or filefish maybe?

 

[i cant think]

Hello everyone!

I have a 125 gallon tank with a 55 gallon sump and skimmer and refugium. I would like some ideas for new fish to add. I currently have a one spot fox face, a pair of clowns, 4 bang eye cardinals, a royal grama, and 4 small blue damsels. I know I can have a lot of other fish but I don't know what. I do not want tangs just because I have found them to be a lot of work. I also want peaceful fish that are relatively low work. The tank is currently fish only but I might add some easy to grow coral in the future, however Im not sure. So maybe some fish only and then some reef fish suggestions would be nice. I should also mention that it is a bare bottom tank Thanks!

Most fairy and flasher wrasse. If you have a sand bed then the smaller Halichoeres wrasse are nice and add colour!

 

[Chris’s fish]

Most fairy and flasher wrasse. If you have a sand bed then the smaller Halichoeres wrasse are nice and add colour!

Are the fairy and flasher wrasses ok without sand?

 

[i cant think]

Are the fairy and flasher wrasses ok without sand?

Yes, they use the rocks and form a mucous cocoon to sleep. These guys can vanish for a few days to weeks and then reappear when first introduced so don’t panic if that happens!!

 

[davidcalgary29]

Fairy wrasses are lovely fish, and even many of the females add nice pops of colour to a tank.

I love angelfish and couldn't imagine my tanks without them. Although many people report nipping, none of my dwarfs have gone after my coral. My partner's favourite is the multicolor in my RSM250, and I can't really disagree: what an active, inquisitive, gorgeous fish!

 

[i cant think]

Fairy wrasses are lovely fish, and even many of the females add nice pops of colour to a tank.

I love angelfish and couldn't imagine my tanks without them. Although many people report nipping, none of my dwarfs have gone after my coral. My partner's favourite is the multicolor in my RSM250, and I can't really disagree: what an active, inquisitive, gorgeous fish!

For sure, although most times females become males anyway so even if it’s a female that’s boring in colour you can watch the transition!!

 

[Chris’s fish]

Fairy wrasses are lovely fish, and even many of the females add nice pops of colour to a tank.

I love angelfish and couldn't imagine my tanks without them. Although many people report nipping, none of my dwarfs have gone after my coral. My partner's favourite is the multicolor in my RSM250, and I can't really disagree: what an active, inquisitive, gorgeous fish!

Are all dwarf angelfish ok?

 

[Chris’s fish]

Ca

Yes, they use the rocks and form a mucous cocoon to sleep. These guys can vanish for a few days to weeks and then reappear when first introduced so don’t panic if that happens!!

Can you have multiple fairy wrasses in the same tank? And can you mix and match males and females?

 

[nereefpat]

Are all dwarf angelfish ok?

In terms of reef safeness?

The commonly kept flame and coral beauty and some others are a slight risk. As long as you don't freak out over some occasional nipping, many people keep them in reefs. They may decide to eat a certain kind of coral, especially fleshy Acans or zoas. It's up to you if you are okay with the risk.

There are a few that I would not put in a reef, like lemonpeel, half black, midnight (C. nox).

Can you have multiple fairy wrasses in the same tank? And can you mix and match males and females?

Yes you can keep multiple of different species in a 125. Try not to mix those that are too closely related. Read here: https://www.thewrasseguy.com/mixing-cirrhilabrus

Do not keep two of the same species. All females will turn to male eventually.

 

[i cant think]

Ca

Can you have multiple fairy wrasses in the same tank? And can you mix and match males and females?

I find mixing females and males of the same species to go wrong 95% of the time but females and males of separate species will work! And YES in a 55g tank you can mix wrassses (Fairies being the most common to be mixed). In larger ranks it’s better because you can have 1-2 more sometimes 5 more haha.
Species such as scottorum and melanomarginatus shouldn’t be mixed with other fairies though. I have got 5 wrasse and all 5 break every rule of thumb with the wrasse.
2 females and 1 male of Anampses or Macropharyngodon can work but 2 females and 1 male of the Cirrhilabrus and paracheilinus genera tend to fail because they almost always transition to male no matter what.
Yes the chart is a good starting point but you don’t always have to stick to it, I went off of it all together with my wrasse which could be bad when my Jade transitions.

 

[steven m]

You should consider a tang, they a really pretty and they benefit the tank. I never wanted tangs when I first started also, but after I had huge bryopsis outbreak I addded a yellow tang and after 2 weeks you couldn’t tell I had bryopsis to begin with. I think putting something in from the start like a baby yellow tang would actual keep algae in control.

 

[Chris’s fish]

You should consider a tang, they a really pretty and they benefit the tank. I never wanted tangs when I first started also, but after I had huge bryopsis outbreak I addded a yellow tang and after 2 weeks you couldn’t tell I had bryopsis to begin with. I think putting something in from the start like a baby yellow tang would actual keep algae in control.

Could I have more than one yellow tang? And would the tang get along with my other fish?

 

[steven m]

I've always put the tangs all in at the same time so they would not get aggressive with each other. If you add one Tang now and try to put one later on it may be trouble. Look for captive bred yellows they come in super tiny and when they grow with the existing fish they won't be a problem.

 

[nereefpat]

Could I have more than one yellow tang?

I would not.

And would the tang get along with my other fish?

Likely okay with an established foxface, and the small fishes you listed probably won't be noticed by the tang.

 

[ApoIsland]

Could I have more than one yellow tang? And would the tang get along with my other fish?

With the fox face already in there that would be a lot of yellow. I had two Yellow tangs for a couple years (added at same time) and they would chase each other around constantly and occasionally flash that tail spike at each other, but no visible damage was done. Eventually I wanted to change the color of my fish stock so I removed one and added a blue tang.

 

[Chris’s fish]

With the fox face already in there that would be a lot of yellow. I had two Yellow tangs for a couple years (added at same time) and they would chase each other around constantly and occasionally flash that tail spike at each other, but no visible damage was done. Eventually I wanted to change the color of my fish stock so I removed one and added a blue tang.

A blue tang would be nice. Are purple tangs aggressive? I like them better

 

[i cant think]

A blue tang would be nice. Are purple tangs aggressive? I like them better

Both fish are rather aggressive and a purple tang would most likely mean you’d need a 3rd Zebrasoma with similar body shape (Gemmatum, Flavscens, Xanthurum, Rostratum, Scopas) to combat any aggression.

 

[ApoIsland]

A blue tang would be nice. Are purple tangs aggressive? I like them better

Unfortunately I have never owned a purple so hopefully someone who has can chime in. I'm not sure the reviews are too positive for them though regarding aggressiveness towards other tangs.

The blue tangs are not overly aggressive at all in my tanks.

 

[nereefpat]

Blues get pretty big for a 125. I would pick one of the yellow or purple, and wouldn't try both together.