90gal Fish List Questions

[GoBigGuy]

Hello All,

It's been 25+ years since I've kept a saltwater tank and when I did they were aggressive tanks with Lion fish, puffers, triggers and eels. My kids wanted a second dog but I talked them into a fish tank instead

Setting up a 90gal Seaclear System 2 FOWLR tank with crushed coral for the substrate.

I've sat down with each of my girls and here is a list of fish they like:

Blue Tang
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Flame AngelfishFoxface Lo
Green Chromis
Longnose Hawkfish
Maroon Clownfish
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Six-line Wrasse
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Bird Wrasse
Humu Picasso Triggerfish
Panther Grouper
Antennata Lionfish
Yellow Tang
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Copperband Butterfly
Black Boxfish
Striped Angler/Frogfish
Niger Triggerfish
Christmas Wrasse
Red-Lined Wrasse


After looking at the above fish wish list can you help put together a couple of different fish lists for our 90gal that would work?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Dalmatia]

Hello All,

It's been 25+ years since I've kept a saltwater tank and when I did they were aggressive tanks with Lion fish, puffers, triggers and eels. My kids wanted a second dog but I talked them into a fish tank instead

Setting up a 90gal Seaclear System 2 FOWLR tank with crushed coral for the substrate.

I've sat down with each of my girls and here is a list of fish they like:

Blue Tang
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Flame AngelfishFoxface Lo
Green Chromis
Longnose Hawkfish
Maroon Clownfish
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Six-line Wrasse
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Bird Wrasse
Humu Picasso Triggerfish
Panther Grouper
Antennata Lionfish
Yellow Tang
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Copperband Butterfly
Black Boxfish
Striped Angler/Frogfish
Niger Triggerfish
Christmas Wrasse
Red-Lined Wrasse


After looking at the above fish wish list can you help put together a couple of different fish lists for our 90gal that would work?

Thanks,

Jeff

You'll need well over a 500 gallon tank to stock that??? Wow what a list. Just for your Panther Grouper a 300g is suggested never mind all the wrasses, there's gonna be a war!!! Check a compatibility list, most of your list is like a big explosion waiting to happen

 

[GoBigGuy]

I know I can't have all of those fish and some of the fish just won't work The above list is just the fish my kids liked.

What I need help with is narrowing down the list into a couple of smaller lists that WILL work that I can show my kids

 

[Marshall O]

Here are some notes on the specific fish which should help you chose:

Blue Tang - Assuming Blue Hippo Tang, these should really be in a 180 gallon tank if you wanted to keep one into adulthood
Coral Beauty Angelfish - Ok, just be very careful if you want to add this and the Flame Angel
Flame Angelfish - Ok, but see above. Flame Angels are one of the more aggressive of the Dwarfs.
Foxface Lo - Ok. In theory, One Spot's should grow to a bit smaller than the Lo, but from what I have seen, they get about the same size and so should be fine in a 90.
Green Chromis - Ok, just know that a group of 3-5 may very well turn into one over time. Also may be a nice meal for the Lionfish
Longnose Hawkfish - Ok.
Maroon Clownfish - Can get quite aggressive once they mature and settle into the tank. I would avoid personally.
Pearlscale Butterflyfish - Ok.
Six-line Wrasse - mean little buggers that won't get along with other Wrasses, or many times, other fish
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish - Ok.
Bird Wrasse - These get a bit too large for a 90 IMO.
Humu Picasso Triggerfish - Again, needs a ~180 gallon tank once mature
Panther Grouper - These get huge and eat smaller fish.
Antennata Lionfish - Ok, just know they may make a meal out of smaller fish such as Chromis.
Yellow Tang - Ok.
Kole Yellow Eye Tang - Ok, but add last.
Powder Blue Tang - Questionable in a 90; really should be in a 6' long tank IMO.
Copperband Butterfly wait until you have more experience on these; they are not hardy fish
Black Boxfish - These can wipe out a whole tank if they are stressed or die from the poison they release...just a word of caution.
Striped Angler/Frogfish - Species only tank. They can eat any of the smaller fish on this list.
Niger Triggerfish - Agaim, really should be in a 180, or at least a 6' tank.
Christmas Wrasse - Ok, but it needs a sandbed to sleep in. The species you want is Halichoeres claudia. The H. orantissimus is probably what you were thinking, but this should be avoided.
Red-Lined Wrasse - This is the "Christmas Wrasse" above, H. claudia.

Hope this helps you narrow it down!

 

[GoBigGuy]

Thanks for the feedback! Looking over your notes and showing my littlest one here is what I came up with:

Blue Tang - Dora (Knowing we will get a small one and have to trade it in when it gets to big)
Maroon Clown - Nemo
Flame Angel
Green Chromis (I think nicer than a blue damsel)
Kole Tang
Longnose Hawk
Pearlscale Butterfly
Red-Lined Wrasse
Yellow Tang

Thoughts?

 

[Dalmatia]

Looks all good,,, you should go with an ocellaris clown (the real nemo) as they get to 3-3,1/2" big and are less aggressive! You can find all kinds and all $$$ ranges, from $10-$500ea.
Maroon is very aggressive and hard to pair up. They will grow to 4-6"

 

[Trex]

Thanks for the feedback! Looking over your notes and showing my littlest one here is what I came up with:

Blue Tang - Dora (Knowing we will get a small one and have to trade it in when it gets to big)
Maroon Clown - Nemo
Flame Angel
Green Chromis (I think nicer than a blue damsel)
Kole Tang
Longnose Hawk
Pearlscale Butterfly
Red-Lined Wrasse
Yellow Tang

Thoughts?

I would personally skip the "blue tang" --- IMO/E, should purchase fish that can spend their lifespan in your current tank. Plus, catching one won't be the easiest; finding a proper home for it won't be the easiest; how do you think your girls will react to having to get rid of that fish?

Do you plan on having any shrimp in there? The longnose hawk will most likely eat them.

I would go with either the Kole or the yellow tang, not both.

 

[GoBigGuy]

Stupid question, but how many fish can I have in a 90gal?

 

[ks_reeftank]

Not a stupid question at all. Depends on which ones. I have a 90 & have a mimic tang . Percula clown pair. Pair of banghai cardinals. A solar wrasse. & I did have a firefish but he went to the big fishbowl in the sky. I thought those7 looked comfortable. Tang is still a juvenile though.

 

[EW_Fish]

Stupid question, but how many fish can I have in a 90gal?

Well I do a 1 fish per 15 gallons. Enless they are small. I would do two large fish and the rest med to small. You don't want to overload it because they will get stressed out. Just think about how many people can you fit in your living room with out being crammed

 

[GoBigGuy]

So the boss, (my wife), came home and had her own input.

How does this list look?

Clown Goby - Citrinis
Purple Dottyback
Green Chromis
Ocellaris Clown
Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse
Saddle Valentini Puffer
Flame Angelfish
Vrolik's Wrasse
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Yellow Tang
Blue Tang

 

[Trex]

So the boss, (my wife), came home and had her own input.

How does this list look?

Clown Goby - Citrinis
Purple Dottyback
Green Chromis
Ocellaris Clown
Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse
Saddle Valentini Puffer
Flame Angelfish
Vrolik's Wrasse
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Yellow Tang
Blue Tang

Still think that the blue tang isn't a good choice for a 90. Plus, I would stick with just one of the other tangs.

Is this a FOWLR or Reef?

 

[GoBigGuy]

FOWLR Tank

 

[GoBigGuy]

Now if I replace the Yellow Tang with one of the following would that be better?

Yellow Angelfish
Yellow & Black Heraldi Angelfish
Lemonpeel Angelfish
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Sunset Butterflyfish
Golden Semilarvatus Butterflyfish
Latticed Butterflyfish

 

[Trex]

Now if I replace the Yellow Tang with one of the following would that be better?

Yellow Angelfish
Yellow & Black Heraldi Angelfish
Lemonpeel Angelfish
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Sunset Butterflyfish
Golden Semilarvatus Butterflyfish
Latticed Butterflyfish

IMO, too many dwarf angels of the small color. The "yellow angelfish" and the heraldi are the same species, just different color morphs. Add the lemonpeel to the mix, and it will be WWIII. I am all for mixing dwarf angels (( have 3 in my 65 )), but I don't see that mix working at all. IME, heraldis are fairly passive, while lemonpeels are fairly aggressive.

As for the butterflies, the sunset and latticed are really the only ones that will work in that sized tank, and even then those 2 might not get along, with the sunset being very passive and difficult to feed.

 

[GoBigGuy]

I was just picking one of those to replace the yellow tang in this list because I was told I had too many tangs:

Clown Goby - Citrinis
Purple Dottyback
Green Chromis
Ocellaris Clown
Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse
Saddle Valentini Puffer
Flame Angelfish
Vrolik's Wrasse
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Kole Yellow Eye Tang
Yellow Tang
Blue Tang

 

[Trex]

Sorry, misread that...

I would go with either one of the heraldis, which ever one you can find --- not that common. However, I would make sure to have either one in the tank before the flame, and use an acclimation box when/if the flame is added.

 

[GoBigGuy]

Checked with the wife and here's the final list

[TABLE="width: 214"]
[TR]
[TD]Blue Tang[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Clown Goby - Citrinis[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Flame Angelfish[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Green Chromis[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kole Yellow Eye Tang[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ocellaris Clown[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pearlscale Butterflyfish[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Purple Dottyback[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Saddle Valentini Puffer[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Vrolik's Wrasse[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Yellow Angelfish

Thoughts?[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Trex]

Still think that the blue tang would be better off being skipped.

Make sure that you have a sandbed for the Vrolik's Wrasse.

 

[Marshall O]

Still think that the blue tang would be better off being skipped.

Make sure that you have a sandbed for the Vrolik's Wrasse.

Agreed on the Blue Hippo (as mentioned, it will be very hard to rehome it once it is part of the family!), and also you need your tank 100% covered for the Wrasses with either 1/4" mesh or glass tops (ideally mesh).

Also, as far as the Purple DOttyback, I think you would be better off with an Orchis (P. fridmani). They are supposed to be the least aggressive of the Dottybacks.