The Convict tangs are on the " Native Food Fish List" not supposed to be exported for aquarium trade.
I didn't know that, they are so common there I just assumed they would be commonly exported.
Potters wrasse and potters angel
Love potter's wrasses they are beautiful, also love potter's angels just wary with corals although have heard some good things with them
I lived in Hawaii for a few years. Yellow tang, convict tang, naso tang, sailfin tang, lavender tang, achilles tang, are all regularly seen anywhere you dive or snorkel. Could easily keep 5 of those in 180 gal tank together. Niger trigger is another one I saw regularly that people like to have in aquariums.
I have personally kept a Yellow, Blue, and Sailfin at the same time in a 120g. They were mainstay's for many years. Everything was fine until I introduced a Kole tang who started eating all the algae off the rocks. I would avoid the convict tang and kole tang all together if you plan to have 3 or more other tangs. Convict/Kole are just too efficient at eating algae and tangs like to have something to constantly graze on.
Nasos are my favourite tang just feel like it may be squished in a 180 gal but would be my top pick for a tang, also like sailfins and yellow tangs.
I am wary of niger triggers as they can be bullies. I am looking at blue throat triggers as the best option. Sometimes found in Hawaii I believe.
Yellow eyed kole tang, naso tang, Xmas Wrasse, potters angels ( with caution) potters wrasse, Hawaiian cleaner Wrasse, Holo Holo angel, tinker butterfly, flame wrasse ( male and female)
Like kole tangs, love naso tangs, Hawaiiana xmas wrasse are very mean
the other xmas wrasse is very nice though, love both potters angels (would be wary) and potter wrasses, would be intrigued of hawaiian cleaner wrasse just would't want it to starve as I like to keep my tanks parasite free
, like the look of the holo holo angel just not the price tag as much, tinkers butterflies are cool, also love flame wrasses just again on the priceier side in terms of wrasses
I dont mind paying up to about $250 for fish just don't look going to far over in case I lose them
Get a Potters wrasse for sure. I have never had success with a potters angel and coral though. I feed fairly light so that could have something to do with it.
Yep potters wrasses are very beautiful just would have to get one eating!
Good list. But I really disliked my Christmas wrasse. The Hawaiian version is very very aggressive. Ended up giving him away after just 2 months of pure terror in the tank.
Yep Hawaiian christmas wrasses are sadly very aggro.
If you could do a 180gallon Hawaiian themed FOWLR that would be awesome with all the butterfly fish to choose from. Those are the prettiest of all Hawaiian fish in my opinion.
Would be interested in a Hawaii only tank, but I would be doing a reef, they are yellow pyramid butterflies which are reef safe although I have to agree the best butterflies are all in Hawaii but not reef safe
I have the book "Shore Fishes of Hawaii" (Randall, 1996) in my library. When I just double checked on Amazon, I noticed that this book and several others with similar titles are available. Although not limited to aquarium fishes, this book is 200+ pages, heavy on pictures, and include the related brief descriptions.
I do have a book that is 100-200 pages but I've misplaced it, I have a couple other smaller books the problem is those ones focus on the bigger fish, ones that are more for monster tanks.
Lavender tang - beautiful fish. I had one that was super well behaved for about a year. I tried to introduce my copperband butterfly fish and it became an instant murderous jerk. No idea what its issue was but it did not like that fish at all. So no matter how much I loved that stupid little fart I ended up catching it and gave it to the LFS. Someone got a really screaming deal on it.
If you feed natural seaweed the colors are incredible. I feed it and my scopas macro algae from indo pacific sea farms. The red and yellow stuff they went nuts over. Underrated tang and not as common. Very pretty though.
Would be interested in a lavender although I know they can be a bit aggressive as you stated, would definitely have to add them last.
Bandit Angel would be a great centerpiece fish for that size tank. and along with the potters angel are the fish I think of when I think Hawaii Fish.
Like the look just not the price tag
, definitly intrigued by a potter's angel though.
Thanks for all the responses guys & girls!!
