Not another stock thread

[Lawlboom]

Hello hello!

Very excited, we are closing on our first house on Wednesday. Naturally I've been hunting for a big tank for a while now and found a great deal on a 180g. I've been doing my reading but it's a little tricky to decipher what is going to work and what is an appropriate stock level. Most stock lists I see are for either barely stocked reefs or highly overstocked FOWLRs. Any input is appreciated.

Here is the list of fish I like:

Volitan Lion
Snowflake Eel
Kole Tang
Sailfin Tang
Yellow Tang
Purple Tang
Blue Tang
Bird Wrasse
Porcupine Puffer
Foxface
Racoon Butterfly(Really want a copperband but been reading to stay away)
Bicolor goatfish
Spanish Hogfish
Longnose Hawkfish
Lamarck's Angelfish
Squirrelfish
Marble Wrasse

Here's my proposed stocking:

Porcupine Puffer
Sailfin Tang
Blue Tang
Bird Wrasse
Foxface
Racoon Butterfly
Bicolor Goatfish
Longnose Hawkfish
Squirrelfish
Marble Wrasse

That feels like a lot of fish, looking around people load up a lot heavier than that not sure where to draw the line. Alternatively if I ever choose to upgrade to a reef here's my thoughts.

Proposed reef safe:

Kole Tang
Sailfin Tang
Foxface
Sixline Wrasse
Bicolor Dottyback
Royal Gramma
Watanabei Angel

Unfortunately for me I really, really like Volitan Lionfish. I would almost prefer to have one but all the reading is looking that it's hard to keep them with others. Here's my another list for those brave enough to keep reading.

Volitan Lionfish
Snowflake Eel
Sailfin Tang
Bird Wrasse
Porcupine Puffer
Foxface
Yellow Tang
Marble Wrasse
Raccoon Butterfly(?)

Thanks for reading

 

[Maritimer]

I see a lot of fun choices here, and a few red flags.

Longnose hawkfish and squirrelfish - the longnose is slender, the squirrel can be predatory. Oh, and don't hold the squirrel in your hands, like, ever. Not only do they have the usual set of spines, but each scale is a razorblade.

Sixline wrasse - they have a reputation for aggression. I have one, so-far-so-good, but I've heard a lot of lamentation.

Bicolor dottyback - dottys tend to be aggressive, and the bicolor is a fine example. Placing that fish in the same tank with a royal gramma will have the fight-club folks at your door looking to buy tickets.

Volitan lionfish and porcupine puffer - puffers _love_ to snack on flowy, filmy things (and nearly everything else). The lion's fins are going to prove a tempting target.

With those exceptions warranting some further reading and research, I think you could wind up with a pretty awesome tank here!

~Bruce

 

[Lawlboom]

I see a lot of fun choices here, and a few red flags.

Longnose hawkfish and squirrelfish - the longnose is slender, the squirrel can be predatory. Oh, and don't hold the squirrel in your hands, like, ever. Not only do they have the usual set of spines, but each scale is a razorblade.

Sixline wrasse - they have a reputation for aggression. I have one, so-far-so-good, but I've heard a lot of lamentation.

Bicolor dottyback - dottys tend to be aggressive, and the bicolor is a fine example. Placing that fish in the same tank with a royal gramma will have the fight-club folks at your door looking to buy tickets.

Volitan lionfish and porcupine puffer - puffers _love_ to snack on flowy, filmy things (and nearly everything else). The lion's fins are going to prove a tempting target.

With those exceptions warranting some further reading and research, I think you could wind up with a pretty awesome tank here!

~Bruce

Thanks for the heads up. You think the dottyback and gramma will still run into issues in such a large tank? Not questioning you just trying to learn I am still very new to the salt game. I'm up all night on the weekends because I work nights that's why I was looking at the squirrelfish.

Biocolor Angel
Sailfin Tang
Blue Tang
Bird Wrasse
Foxface
Racoon Butterfly
Bicolor Goatfish
Squirrelfish
Marble Wrasse

 

[Maritimer]

Years on years ago, I had a purple dottyback in a 55 who wouldn't tolerate _any_ other fish in the tank. Given the royal gramma's similarity in shape and color, I don't see them getting along well in anything enclosed by glass.

Cardinalfish can also be a decent "nocturnal" fish, though most aren't brilliantly colored - or terribly active.

~Bruce