New Reef Tank

[Reefkeeper12]

Hello everyone!

I recently bought a 260 gallon rectangle tank, 72x36x30 I think are the measurements.

I want to make this a big beautiful reef tank,
I would just like some general ideas on really cool reef safe fish that aren’t tangs (since I already know what tangs I want).

mainly right now I’d like to find some good schooling fish, so anthias are definitely on my list.
Can’t decide what type of anthia I should get.

any ideas from you guys/girls are much appreciated!

 

[Stephen Reed]

My chromis school an are always the first to come over an eat. My clowns were really shy before I added them so I think in general that just make them feel safer.

 

[New&no clue]

Well no reef is complete with some clown fish.

I love blennys they are fun to watch, and I like that they perch on the rocks.

gobies down in the sand are also really cool, word of advice they like to rearrange the sand bed regularly so if you plan to have corals in the sand be warned

corals beauties can nip at corals but I’ve never had a problem with mine. Another angel is the flame angel that adds a lot of color.

I love anthais,I would have them too but my tanks not big enough.

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Cool tank! Maybe clownfish? Have you started the cycle?

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Well no reef is complete with some clown fish.

I love blennys they are fun to watch, and I like that they perch on the rocks.

gobies down in the sand are also really cool, word of advice they like to rearrange the sand bed regularly so if you plan to have corals in the sand be warned

corals beauties can nip at corals but I’ve never had a problem with mine. Another angel is the flame angel that adds a lot of color.

I love anthais,I would have them too but my tanks not big enough.

Coral beauties are a gamble

 

[Phil D.]

Banggai Cardinals. They are very majestic looking when you have a small school, (5)

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Some damsels and wrasses would do great in that tank

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Cool tank! Maybe clownfish? Have you started the cycle?

I haven’t started the cycle yet, but I want to figure out what I’m getting ahead of time that way I can have everything ready to go in about a month when it’s ready.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Coral beauties are a gamble

Yeah coral beauties and flame angels are a gamble. I already have a Potters Angel so I’ll probably won’t add any other angels.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Some damsels and wrasses would do great in that tank

Yes I was thinking Alleni damsels! I love how they are bioluminescent! They turn their colors on and off like a lightbulb, and they love to stick together near their hole.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Some damsels and wrasses would do great in that tank

Yes it’s too bad a lot of my favorite wrasses will eat my clean up crew lol.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Banggai Cardinals. They are very majestic looking when you have a small school, (5)

I definitely want to add some Bangai in there, I’d love to get some babies eventually.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Melanurus Wrasse and some clowns of course

 

[Seanislav]

You can always do clowns...they're hardy and aren't jerks like damsels can be.
Wrasses give color and perpetual movement.
I have had a coral beauty in every tank I've had with no coral nipping.
Beginners anthias...Bartlett's, dispars, Randall's, and Lyretails are the easiest to get eating. I've personally had good success with Square spots.
Gobies have lots of personality and some are really good sand sifters. You can chromis, but they're not very long lived in my experience. Good luck with whatever you choose. Which tangs are you considering?

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

You can always do clowns...they're hardy and aren't jerks like damsels can be.
Wrasses give color and perpetual movement.
I have had a coral beauty in every tank I've had with no coral nipping.
Beginners anthias...Bartlett's, dispars, Randall's, and Lyretails are the easiest to get eating. I've personally had good success with Square spots.
Gobies have lots of personality and some are really good sand sifters. You can chromis, but they're not very long lived in my experience. Good luck with whatever you choose. Which tangs are you considering?

Some clowns can be aggressive...be careful

 

[Reefkeeper12]

You can always do clowns...they're hardy and aren't jerks like damsels can be.
Wrasses give color and perpetual movement.
I have had a coral beauty in every tank I've had with no coral nipping.
Beginners anthias...Bartlett's, dispars, Randall's, and Lyretails are the easiest to get eating. I've personally had good success with Square spots.
Gobies have lots of personality and some are really good sand sifters. You can chromis, but they're not very long lived in my experience. Good luck with whatever you choose. Which tangs are you considering?

I already have a blonde Naso boy with streamers and a desajardini tang, I’m looking to add a PBT (even though they are ich magnets and overpriced right now) blue hippo, yellow, purple, maybe Achilles, and either a clown or sohal last. I think I’m pretty much gonna get almost every tang available. Lol I’m very experienced I have a 6 ft 125 gallon so I know you need to put them all in around the same time and save the sohal or clown for the last fish in my tank.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Some clowns can be aggressive...be careful

Yeah I have a pair of Maroon clowns, trust me I know. The girl is almost as big as my hand.

 

[Seanislav]

Yup...only thing I'd mention is the Achilles is in the "powder" complex of Acanthurus tangs, so it's irresistible to ich, just like the PBT. If they're well fed and not stressing about anything, they can fend off the crud pretty well. A Powder Brown I had years ago was what I called fat and happy until I had to break down the tank and sell everything in preparation for a move.

 

[Reefkeeper12]

Yup...only thing I'd mention is the Achilles is in the "powder" complex of Acanthurus tangs, so it's irresistible to ich, just like the PBT. If they're well fed and not stressing about anything, they can fend off the crud pretty well. A Powder Brown I had years ago was what I called fat and happy until I had to break down the tank and sell everything in preparation for a move.

Good to know, yeah it really sucks how they’ll just make ich magically appear. I might avoid.

 

[Phil D.]

I definitely want to add some Bangai in there, I’d love to get some babies eventually.

I noticed last week my male Banggai wasn't eating and lo and behold! He was holding eggs in his mouth! Unfortunately, being firt time parent, he wound up eating them.