Fish suggestions for 120

[Titanwerx]

For reference My 120, with the following:
1-purple tang
1-yellow tang
1-desjardini sailfin tang
1-bellus angel
1-coral beauty angel
1-fox face
1-clown pair
1- Bangaii Cardinal
4- chromis (thinking of switching to anthias)
1- mandarin dragonet
1- yellow watchman goby(was paired with a pistol shrimp but recently passed so now considering replacing him as well or getting another pistol)

Added both yellow and purple at same time, sailfin was added later but was much smaller than the two. Tangs had a bit of aggression at beginning but have since calmed down and swim together peacefully.

 

[Titanwerx]

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've alway like the Moorish idols to but have heard the same.
What about wrasse? What's a really good reef safe colorful friendly wrasse? Or any other types aside from tangs.
So far eatbreakfeast I like your thoughts on the juvenile chevron

Fairy, flasher and small Halichoeres species re all hardy and readily available, though Halichoeres wrasses will compete with mandarins for pods.

Anthias, dartfish, basslets, blennies, and angels in the genus Genicanthus are all nice, reef safe addition.

whatabout any angels?

Genicanthus species are reef safe, any other angels have the potential for nipping corals.

Melanarus vroliks and "yellow coris" are not reef safe but this designation originates from the fact that they have been observed eating clean up crew - (snails and hermits) as they get larger. I've always found their company worth the annual CUC replacement cost.

Fairy wrasses are pretty but I find that they're more difficult than is led on by online resources - particularly for newly established tanks. I've had best luck adding 2-4 fairy wrasses at a time, mixed with flasher wrasse as well if you so please.

That said, your best chances for temperament and color and budget will be one of those halichoeres wrasse I mentioned. Others from this genus tend to either be very expensive, not as hardy, or more aggressive. These seem to be a great balance, IME IMO.

If you decide to get fairy wrasses, lubbocks are generally inexpensive and hardy. Mccoskers or carpenter flashers are as well, exquisite fairy are pretty hardy and when they turn to super males are absolutely gorgeous!

My exceperiences differ from 3ford's. While there are some delicate flasher and fairy wrasses, I have found most to be quite hardy, just as hardy as the Halichoeres species suggested.

Angels are not reef safe. Some work better in reefs than others. I might avoid them altogether and seek your color and life from other genus.

Hardy angels that can occasionally exist in reef are coral beauty Angels (a centropyge angel) and flame. Flame are far less hardy than coral beauty, especially if you don't follow strict qt and treatment protocols but I kept them for over a decade without doing this. You win some you lose some with these guys. Your best bet is to find one locally from another hobbyist. That brings a problem - as most hobbyist getting rid of flame Angels are doing so because they eat coral. It's a catch 22

Again, my experiences have differed from 3ford's as I have found flame angels to be very hardy, though they may nip.

thanks for the info. just one last option is a trigger fish i hear the blue jaw trigger can be reef safe but might go after your cuc?

They are peaceful, will live in a 120, but may eat inverts.

How about a black tang

That would be fine for a 120.

 

[Friday24]

Dussumieri's are very pretty tangs as well, I've got a Purple and Dussumieri in a 180. Halichoeres are great while small, but my Checkerboard got banished to the fish only when he got larger, he killed all my snails and crabs, he would also follow me around the tank with his fins displayed and then use his tail to create a sand storm in the tank and I'd have to blow it off of the coral. Very cool fish though with lots of personality, in the fish only he gets along great with my Melanarus pair. I've never had a problem with fairy or flashers, get them eating in quarantine and they'll be fine in the DT.

 

[Feltman]

One fish to consider as well would be a starry blenny they have insane personality and get along with most fish and all coral

 

[petemichelle]

I've had really bad luck lately with my inhabitants. they all started eating zoanthids. it started with the yellow tang. then the hippo, then the blue and the sail fin, now even the fox face lo is doing it. I've gotten rid of everybody but the fox face lo.. he seems to know or remember that box in the tank is a trap. but it's taken months and lots and lots of zoanthids that have been eaten and tore up. nothing in my tank is un touched or have been replaced it seems. $$$$$ and I mean $$$$ be careful. I am getting rid of fish until the behavior stops. I currently only have 2 percale clowns, a chromis, a bengal cardinal, and a pajama cardinal left. somebody even ate my clam. I was looking at my clam, everything fine, completely open, turned my attention to my bills on the desk, looked up after a couple of hours and my clam had no more mantel. all shredded. be careful.... remember nothing good happens fast. only the bad stuff happens fast. add fish slowly, and watch... them like a hawk. first sign of questionable behavior and pull him immediately. the other fish will learn from their bad behavior and start doing it too.. really they will

 

[Titanwerx]

I've never heard of a tang eating coral, maybe eating the algae around or on the coral. which might have made you think it was eating it. The fox face on the other hand can eat coral, I would have suspected him. Take him out first and then watch all others.

 

[Feltman]

Not that this is true in ur case but I have seem multiple animals eating algea around corals and people are to quick to judge and automatically think there eating the actual coral, crabs included.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have seen people mistakenly think certain tank inhabitants have begun picking at corals when instead they are picking around them, as stated above.

However, algae eating fish can begin picking at corals and clams if they are hungry or having some dietary deficiency. It is done to get the zooxanthellae, the symbiotic algae within the sessile inverts tissue.

How often do you feed and what do you feed? Oftentimes increasing the frequency of feedings curbs this behavior, though there are some fish that, once they start, don't stop picking.