180g Reef Stocking Suggestions Please!

Kactai · Jan 12, 2018

I am currently cycling my 180g reef tank. This will be my second tank and I am looking for stocking advice.

I'm planning on keeping the following:

1. Kole or Tomini tang
2. 5-7 Blue green chromis (my lady wants some schoolers and I plan on having some acros in the top part of the tank so that could be super cool)
3. Leopard wrasse (have one in my 75g - fav fish)
4. Starry Blenny
5. A pair of clown fish - not sure what type yet

those are the only ones I'm dead set on. I'm looking to avoid anthias as I will not able to keep up with the constant feeding required.

I do not mind some mild aggression in the tank, however, I would like all of my additions to thrive. I would also like the stocking to remain on the low to moderate side as I'm more of a coral nerd myself.

I'm considering a watchman goby/shrimp pair and a dragonet or mandarin.

Give me some suggestions and I'll get my research on.

Thank you all in advance
K

hybridazn · Jan 12, 2018

I have 4 tangs in my 180 (desjardini, powder blue, yellow and blue hippo). When I just had the sailfin and powder they would fight constantly. I put the powder in timeout for almost a year, and when I added the yellow and hippo I also added the powder in at the same time. It's been over a year now with no aggression. I make sure I feed heavy to eliminate the possibility of fighting over food which I feel has helped a bunch.

Kactai · Jan 13, 2018

Thanks for the reply. I will plan to add the tangs at the same time.

I guess that stocking is so subjective and there are so many stocking threads that the discussion is pretty much dead...

I appreciate any suggestions or insights!

Kactai · Jun 24, 2018

So I had a tank wipe and had to rework my stocking list.

Fish List

Pistol shrimp and goby pair
Tailspot blenny
Swalesi basslet (preferred) or Swiss guard basslet
Moyeri wrasse or other leopard wrasse
Cirrhilabrus lunatus (1) or brunneus
Cirrhilabrus Rhomboidalis (1), rubrimarginatus (3) or lineatus (2)
Bell’s flasher wrasse or blue flasher wrasse
Attenuatus flasher wrasse
Group of Chromis, cardinals or anthias - TBD
Starry blenny or orange spot Blenny
Lightning Clowns
Acanthurus tang ( undecided) -TBD
Ctenochaetus Flavicauda

Inverts

Blood shrimp x2
Blue porcelain crab
Emerald crab x2
Maybe urchin
Maybe starfish of some kind

Already in QT

Melanarus Wrasse (possibly for frag tank)
Yellow coris wrasse
Midnight ocellaris clowns (for frag tank)

Does anyone see an issue with this other than getting my hands on all of them? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Dilan Patel · Jun 25, 2018

Just a question to consider. Wouldn't the two blennies fight with eachother even though it is a biog tank. I have a 180 and I held off from blennies due to them eventually nipping at sps and other corals. This is what I have heard. I like tangs so if you have the room I would butt some more. They are for sure active and beeneficil if you don't put the blennies in. I also like my foxface. Peaceful and great algae eater