150 gallon stocking help

[alaynazenner2019]

Hi there,

I have a 150 gallon tank with a 50 gallon sump that is cycled but I am having trouble with stocking. I have a green mandarin that will be transferring from my Biocube to this tank but other than that I am not sure. I was thinking two tangs, one being a yellow eye kole tang, a foxface, blue throat trigger, and a couple wrasse. Is that too much bio load for a 150 gallon? Are there any other smaller fish I could add?

 

[Adolfo]

Are you think about keeping corals ?
Clean up crew ?
Add 2 fish a week for bio load stability
Probably 4 tangs will be good in 150

 

[alaynazenner2019]

Yes, softies and lps to start and then maybe a few sps down the line. I want snails and a couple cleaner shrimp that will be added before the blue throat trigger, do you know any other fish I could add? Are those large fish going to be good in my 150?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Bioload would not be too much— but of course spread out their introduction by a few weeks each to help with that. Talbots would work as smaller fish, as would a Flame Hawk and Chalk Bass.

 

[Adolfo]

Yes, softies and lps to start and then maybe a few sps down the line. I want snails and a couple cleaner shrimp that will be added before the blue throat trigger, do you know any other fish I could add? Are those large fish going to be good in my 150?

Check if the fish you planning to add is a reef and invertebrate safe before adding any

 

[alaynazenner2019]

Do any of those eat shrimp or snails?

 

[alaynazenner2019]

Bioload would not be too much— but of course spread out their introduction by a few weeks each to help with that. Talbots would work as smaller fish, as would a Flame Hawk and Chalk Bass.

Do any of those eat shrimp?

 

[alaynazenner2019]

Check if the fish you planning to add is a reef and invertebrate safe before adding any

Do you know which wrasse would be good? Or would adding 2-3 wrasse be too much?

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'm going to bump @Adolfo 's message. What type of tank are you trying to build? Plan your tank first -- will it be a reef tank, a FOWLR build, or something else? -- and then select the fish you want for it.

You might be fine with a bluethroat trigger, but it could also regard your CUC (and shrimp) as tasty snacks. It's also a messy eater. Many wrasses are also active hunters, get pretty big, and will pick at small inverts, so planning is required. I keep seeing red coris wrasses offered up for sale, and I can't imagine that many people know that these can grow into foot-long munchers. Fairy wrasses are often much better choices.

 

[i cant think]

If it’s a 4’ tank or bigger I’d try get Atleast one paracheilinus species in there (Flasher Wrasses). Personal favourites from that genus include;
- Paracheilinus cyaneus (Blue Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus attenuatus (Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus mccoskeri (Mccoskers Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus flavianalis (Yellow Fin Flasher Wrasse)

I’d also try go for some Cirrhilabrus to add the nice colour contrast between all the oranges and pinks (Obviously that’ll change when they go into display and they’ll look totally different). Personal favourites include;
- Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse) both variants
- Cirrhilabrus roseafascia (Rose Band Fairy Wrasse)
- Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa (Rose Veil Fairy Wrasse)
- Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Naokos Fairy Wrasse)

In terms of wrasses I’d stop with those two genera and see if you want sand bed or not in the long run. Then once you figure that out I’d say go further into Labridae.

 

[alaynazenner2019]

I'm going to bump @Adolfo 's message. What type of tank are you trying to build? Plan your tank first -- will it be a reef tank, a FOWLR build, or something else? -- and then select the fish you want for it.

You might be fine with a bluethroat trigger, but it could also regard your CUC (and shrimp) as tasty snacks. It's also a messy eater. Many wrasses are also active hunters, get pretty big, and will pick at small inverts, so planning is required. I keep seeing red coris wrasses offered up for sale, and I can't imagine that many people know that these can grow into foot-long munchers. Fairy wrasses are often much better choices

It will be a reef tank, instead of the trigger do you think a swallow tail angel is a better fit?

 

[alaynazenner2019]

If it’s a 4’ tank or bigger I’d try get Atleast one paracheilinus species in there (Flasher Wrasses). Personal favourites from that genus include;
- Paracheilinus cyaneus (Blue Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus attenuatus (Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus mccoskeri (Mccoskers Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus flavianalis (Yellow Fin Flasher Wrasse)

I’d also try go for some Cirrhilabrus to add the nice colour contrast between all the oranges and pinks (Obviously that’ll change when they go into display and they’ll look totally different). Personal favourites include;
- Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse) both variants
- Cirrhilabrus roseafascia (Rose Band Fairy Wrasse)
- Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa (Rose Veil Fairy Wrasse)
- Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Naokos Fairy Wrasse)

In terms of wrasses I’d stop with those two genera and see if you want sand bed or not in the long run. Then once you figure that out I’d say go further into Labridae.

I have a two inch sand bed in there now if that matters.

 

[alaynazenner2019]

If it’s a 4’ tank or bigger I’d try get Atleast one paracheilinus species in there (Flasher Wrasses). Personal favourites from that genus include;
- Paracheilinus cyaneus (Blue Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus attenuatus (Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus mccoskeri (Mccoskers Flasher Wrasse)
- Paracheilinus flavianalis (Yellow Fin Flasher Wrasse)

I’d also try go for some Cirrhilabrus to add the nice colour contrast between all the oranges and pinks (Obviously that’ll change when they go into display and they’ll look totally different). Personal favourites include;
- Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse) both variants
- Cirrhilabrus roseafascia (Rose Band Fairy Wrasse)
- Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa (Rose Veil Fairy Wrasse)
- Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Naokos Fairy Wrasse)

In terms of wrasses I’d stop with those two genera and see if you want sand bed or not in the long run. Then once you figure that out I’d say go further into Labridae.

It’s 5 foot long and I have a 2 inch sand bed now if that matters.

 

[i cant think]

It’s 5 foot long and I have a 2 inch sand bed now if that matters.

That does matter as if you keep it you can go further into labridae when you want to. Look into these genera;
Halichoeres, Macropharyngodon, Pseudojuloides, Xenojulis.

 

[alaynazenner2019]

That does matter as if you keep it you can go further into labridae when you want to. Look into these genera;
Halichoeres, Macropharyngodon, Pseudojuloides, Xenojulis.

Will any of those compete for pods with my mandarin?

 

[i cant think]

Will any of those compete for pods with my mandarin?

They shouldnt decimate a pod population as they will be able to wait for food.

 

[alaynazenner2019]

They shouldnt decimate a pod population as they will be able to wait for food.

Do you think a swallow tail angel is smarter than the blue throat trigger?

 

[alaynazenner2019]

They shouldnt decimate a pod population as they will be able to wait for food.

Could I combine several fairy wrasse?

 

[i cant think]

Could I combine several fairy wrasse?

Of course you can! Just make sure they’re complexes that should get along and not part of the same complex. There’s a picture that shows every complex and what should/shouldn’t get along somewhere round here.

Do you think a swallow tail angel is smarter than the blue throat trigger?

Personally, yes. This is due to me not really seeing much in triggers other than hyperactive swimmers.

 

[alaynazenner2019]

Of course you can! Just make sure they’re complexes that should get along and not part of the same complex. There’s a picture that shows every complex and what should/shouldn’t get along somewhere round here.

Personally, yes. This is due to me not really seeing much in triggers other than hyperactive swimmers.

Do you think I could do two of the swallow tail angels and have a pair? Along with the two tangs and foxface?