Roast my List

[Rabe]

Well, maybe comment on my list too

I have a 120 display on top of a 40 gallon DIY triton sump, with a huge skimmer and a medium sized chaeto refugium. Ultimately it's going to be a mixed reef (zoas, softies, maybe an LPS) and I am going to start stocking the fish it in a few weeks with the smallest juveniles I can get.

Presently, I have a short list cleaner crew in it as I've never believed in buying huge cleaner crew packs.

5x Bumble Bee Snails
10x Cerith Snails
10x Red Leg Hermits
2x Tiger Sand Conch
1x Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

The list here is sorted by when I want to introduce each species. And each purchase would be separated by a month or two. I.E. I want to put in the 5 pajama cardinals first and then a month or two later, put in the 2 firefish.

I'm a bit concerned that the list is too big. As it stands, the adult length to total volume ratio is about 1 inch : 2.5 gallons total water volume. But since that sort of stuff 'depends' I thought I'd see what ya'll have to say.

 

[JumboShrimp]

To me, that seems like a workable list for a 120. But personally I would ditch the Yellow Tang. Best wishes.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I like the list. I just seen another thread where they were talking about a one spot fox face in place of the yellow tang. It's a good looking fish.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-recommendation.483965/#post-5265599

 

[nereefpat]

It's all fine, except for the hippo tang. It gets way too big for a standard 120.

Keep in mind that two firefish will only work if you happen to get a male and female.

The clam will need lighting and parameters similar to SPS coral.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Well, maybe comment on my list too

I have a 120 display on top of a 40 gallon DIY triton sump, with a huge skimmer and a medium sized chaeto refugium. Ultimately it's going to be a mixed reef (zoas, softies, maybe an LPS) and I am going to start stocking the fish it in a few weeks with the smallest juveniles I can get.

Presently, I have a short list cleaner crew in it as I've never believed in buying huge cleaner crew packs.

5x Bumble Bee Snails
10x Cerith Snails
10x Red Leg Hermits
2x Tiger Sand Conch
1x Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

The list here is sorted by when I want to introduce each species. And each purchase would be separated by a month or two. I.E. I want to put in the 5 pajama cardinals first and then a month or two later, put in the 2 firefish.

I'm a bit concerned that the list is too big. As it stands, the adult length to total volume ratio is about 1 inch : 2.5 gallons total water volume. But since that sort of stuff 'depends' I thought I'd see what ya'll have to say.

Have you started seeding pods for the Madarin yet? If not you can get a good head start building a solid population if your stocking in order of your list.

 

[JumboShrimp]

100% agree. More and more people are replacing their Yellow Tangs with a Foxface— and I am one of them!

 

[theKoolAidMan]

List is fine for a tank that size in terms of the number of fish. I think most folks will argue that the hippo tang will get too big for the tank.

Also, make sure you research the anemone for your clowns. Oscellaris often won't automatically host the easier to keep Bubble Tip Nems. For the best chance of success you'll want a ritteri or carpet nem, but they're tougher to keep, get massive, and often like to wander, stinging your corals. Buddy of mine had a ritteri for his oscellaris clowns. They loved it, but the think was the size of a big dinner plate and it attached itself to the wall of the tank, which wasn't really where he wanted it.

 

[Rabe]

Have you started seeding pods for the Madarin yet? If not you can get a good head start building a solid population if your stocking in order of your list.

No, but it's on the immediate todo list.

 

[Rabe]

So the general consensus is to ditch the tangs?

That's quite disheartening; the Blue Hippo is such a beautiful creature.

 

[nereefpat]

So the general consensus is to ditch the tangs?

That's quite disheartening; the Blue Hippo is such a beautiful creature.

The blue just gets too big. Somewhere in the 180-240 is usually recommended.

The yellow is fine.

So would a purple, scopas, or any of the Ctenochaetus (bristletooth genus) except Chevron.

If you want more than 1, it gets trickier.

 

[Rabe]

Also, make sure you research the anemone for your clowns. Oscellaris often won't automatically host the easier to keep Bubble Tip Nems. For the best chance of success you'll want a ritteri or carpet nem, but they're tougher to keep, get massive, and often like to wander, stinging your corals.

I've always wanted to house an RBTA but the more I look into them, the more I get worried about one taking over in an aiptasia-esqe way. And of course, I am worried about getting the clowns to host in it. But I was thinking of trying this.
And of course, Ritteri are huge. So, that's why the entry in my list is empty right now.

 

[theKoolAidMan]

I've always wanted to house an RBTA but the more I look into them, the more I get worried about one taking over in an aiptasia-esqe way. And of course, I am worried about getting the clowns to host in it. But I was thinking of trying this.
And of course, Ritteri are huge. So, that's why the entry in my list is empty right now.

May work, may not. Other strategies are to put both the nem and clown in a small tupperware container for a bit. 15-30 minutes max, so the clown is forced to contact the nem. I tried this for my BTA and two percula clowns. They were cool with it, but as soon as I added them back to the tank they completely ignored it. I think a lot depends on the individual clown, and it's worth a try, just make sure you're comfortable with the possibility of them not hosting it. If you're dead set on a nem/clown combo and want to go with a BTA, you might want to consider a different species of clown like a Maroon instead which naturally hosts a BTA.

 

[saltyhog]

Agree, list looks good except for the Hippo.

 

[Eackone]

I had the same concern about the Bubbletips and was recommended an LTA.
Not regretting my choice at all as it leaves more real estate on my rocks for some corals!

 

[Jesterrace]

Well, maybe comment on my list too

I have a 120 display on top of a 40 gallon DIY triton sump, with a huge skimmer and a medium sized chaeto refugium. Ultimately it's going to be a mixed reef (zoas, softies, maybe an LPS) and I am going to start stocking the fish it in a few weeks with the smallest juveniles I can get.

Presently, I have a short list cleaner crew in it as I've never believed in buying huge cleaner crew packs.

5x Bumble Bee Snails
10x Cerith Snails
10x Red Leg Hermits
2x Tiger Sand Conch
1x Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

The list here is sorted by when I want to introduce each species. And each purchase would be separated by a month or two. I.E. I want to put in the 5 pajama cardinals first and then a month or two later, put in the 2 firefish.

I'm a bit concerned that the list is too big. As it stands, the adult length to total volume ratio is about 1 inch : 2.5 gallons total water volume. But since that sort of stuff 'depends' I thought I'd see what ya'll have to say.

As mentioned above I would ditch the Yellow Tang and replace it with a One Spot Foxface. It will give you similar color, size and activity without the potential of being a 1st class butthead (as someone who recently removed a Yellow Tang and replaced it with a One Spot Foxface from his lightly stocked 90 gallon, I can personally attest to this). I would also say the Blue Tang is too small for a 120 long term. They get a foot in length when fully grown and would be cramped in a tank that big. If you really want a Tang, I would stick to the following list of potentials:

Squaretail (aka Truncatus Tang)
Tomini (aka Flame Fin Tang)
Yellow Eyed Kole Tang
Two Spot Tang (aka Blue Eyed Kole Tang or Orange Tang)
and if you are patient and have the funds. . . .a White Tail Bristletooth Tang

All of those would be better suited to a standard 120. As for the Mandarinfish, they need to constantly feed on pods, so make sure you have a well established copepod population (ie 6 months or more) before adding one. It may adapt to frozen foods but it's a real gamble and they are often beat to feedings by the other fish (imagine an underwater hummingbird trapped in slow motion and you have a Mandarinfish).

 

[Gentle Dumpling]

can you put a tomini and a yellow eye kole tang together if you add them at the same time??

 

[sfin52]

Have you started seeding pods for the Madarin yet? If not you can get a good head start building a solid population if your stocking in order of your list.

@Paul B has a great many feeder.

 

[ca1ore]

That clowns will view the BTA as an acceptable host is 50:50 at best. I suppose the tube is a bit better than taping a picture to the tank. I say dispense with half measures and just crazy glue the clown to the anemone. The magnifica (used to called Ritteri) is very tricky to acclimate. Agree that the hippo is problematic in a 120. Yellow should coexist with a Kole.

 

[sfin52]

I've always wanted to house an RBTA but the more I look into them, the more I get worried about one taking over in an aiptasia-esqe way. And of course, I am worried about getting the clowns to host in it. But I was thinking of trying this.
And of course, Ritteri are huge. So, that's why the entry in my list is empty right now.

Thanks for sharing that's awesome idea .

 

[User1]

That clowns will view the BTA as an acceptable host is 50:50 at best. I suppose the tube is a bit better than taping a picture to the tank. I say dispense with half measures and just crazy glue the clown to the anemone. The magnifica (used to called Ritteri) is very tricky to acclimate. Agree that the hippo is problematic in a 120. Yellow should coexist with a Kole.

Lol - taping a picture. That is exactly what my oldest son did when he got his first RBTA. It was more of a joke but all kidding aside about a week or so after guess what...the BTA let the clowns host and it was a marriage made in heaven. Go figure.

To the OP - BTA's can split. We started with one now up to 11. First was in a 29 gallon bio-cube. Then it split, then two was a bit much for that tank so we moved a rock into another 29 gallon cube. First guy got lonely I guess and split again. The one we moved from the first split, split. I took those two tanks and combined into a 40 breeder in which case over a couple years we ended up around 6 to 9 before upgrading to a 210 gallon tank earlier this year. Now we are at ll. I think we may be heading down this time since I have high tin and zinc and it seems the BTA's don't like this as much. In any case something is wrong and two are acting up and receding in size. Anyway yes, they can be a pain.

The blue tang has already been covered, it is big. However, I'd also say that the Foxface can also get big. If I recall correctly that is a 8" fish. I have a Lt. Tang and it is huge at the moment so just throwing size can be a issue later. Also if you haven't considered it I typically try to limit fish that eat the same food on their own. So start with one tang while the tank matures and pick the least aggressive and most friendly. Kole is good as is a Tommy or Orange fin/flame guy. Smaller and later if you add another will be more tolerable. Mandarin or other pod eating creatures hold off until you fuge or population is at critical mass.

I think the general theme is to go slow and introduce in a orderly fashion so they don't compete for similar food while you are away and the tank matures. Yet friendly enough to add new fish has it matures. That is the hard part - at least for me.