Stocking Ideas for a 120g

[aws2266]

It's a slow Friday morning at work so let's have some fun. I'm going to be bringing home a 120g next weekend. What are some fish you would stock it with? I'm planning on a mixed reef and will be transferring the fish below when the tank is ready. Oh, it will have a fine sand bed.

1 Black and White Clownfish
3 Green Chromis
1 Starki Damsel
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Yellow Watchman Goby
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pistol Shrimp

 

[i cant think]

It's a slow Friday morning at work so let's have some fun. I'm going to be bringing home a 120g next weekend. What are some fish you would stock it with? I'm planning on a mixed reef and will be transferring the fish below when the tank is ready. Oh, it will have a fine sand bed.

1 Black and White Clownfish
3 Green Chromis
1 Starki Damsel
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Yellow Watchman Goby
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pistol Shrimp

I honestly think that’s the nicest stocking list for a 120g! You could fit maybe 3-4 more fish in there though.

 

[aws2266]

I honestly think that’s the nicest stocking list for a 120g! You could fit maybe 3-4 more fish in there though.

That's about all I'm planning on adding. I'd like to add some kind of wrasse, a tang, and possibly a small male clownfish to go with the one we have. I've also thought about a couple more chromis but blue instead of green. I've liked them more that I though I would.

 

[pseudorand]

+1 on the tang. I had avoided big fish in my 120, but I finally got a foxface and I think he's a big part of what keeps algae under control. (Lots going on, so I can't be sure). You do have the lawnmower blenny, but they're smaller and can only eat so much and possibly different types and from different surfaces. (I tried a lawnmower but he didn't make it.) Fair warning: my foxface is growing, but still small. I may feed differently when he's too big to hide among the rocks.

Also +1 on the wrasse, but only because I love them. I don't know if they have a job, and perhaps eat lots of beneficial copopods and anthropoids.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

2x Blue/Green Chromis
2x Yellowtail Damsel
2x Tomato Clown (paired)
1x Striped Blenny
1x Lawnmower Blenny
1x Long Nose Hawkfish
1x Falco Hawkfish
1x Cleaner Wrasse
1x Foxface Lo Rabbitfish
1x Scopas Tang
1x BiColor Angel
1x Gold spot Rabbitfish
1x Melanarus Wrasse
1x Pintail Fairy Wrasse

That's my current stocking, ymmv. I do have a similar setup as yours, so it's doable. My biggest suggestion is check, double check, triple check on fish compatibility, lol.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Here’s what I have in my 120g
Stocking list
-Powder Blue Tang
-Hippo Tang
-Yellow Tang
-Scopas Tang
-Tomini Tang
-Twinspot Wrasse
-Blunthead Wrasse
-Puddingwife Wrasse
-McCosker’s flasher Wrasse
-Harptail Blenny
-Canary Blenny
-Twinspot blenny
-Royal Gramma
-Mono
-Lyretail Anthias
-Blue Chromis
-Niger Trigger
-Pair of Ocellaris Clowns
-Lamarck Angel
-Swallowtail Angel
-Fire Shrimp
margarita,trochus,Nass,Cerith
-Pencil & Pincushion Urchin

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Here’s what I have in my 120g
Stocking list
-Powder Blue Tang
-Hippo Tang
-Yellow Tang
-Scopas Tang
-Tomini Tang
-Twinspot Wrasse
-Blunthead Wrasse
-Puddingwife Wrasse
-McCosker’s flasher Wrasse
-Harptail Blenny
-Canary Blenny
-Twinspot blenny
-Royal Gramma
-Mono
-Lyretail Anthias
-Blue Chromis
-Niger Trigger
-Pair of Ocellaris Clowns
-Lamarck Angel
-Swallowtail Angel
-Fire Shrimp
margarita,trochus,Nass,Cerith
-Pencil & Pincushion Urchin

I thought I had a lot, lol

 

[ApoIsland]

Here’s what I have in my 120g
Stocking list
-Powder Blue Tang
-Hippo Tang
-Yellow Tang
-Scopas Tang
-Tomini Tang
-Twinspot Wrasse
-Blunthead Wrasse
-Puddingwife Wrasse
-McCosker’s flasher Wrasse
-Harptail Blenny
-Canary Blenny
-Twinspot blenny
-Royal Gramma
-Mono
-Lyretail Anthias
-Blue Chromis
-Niger Trigger
-Pair of Ocellaris Clowns
-Lamarck Angel
-Swallowtail Angel
-Fire Shrimp
margarita,trochus,Nass,Cerith
-Pencil & Pincushion Urchin

I love this list. I tried 5 tangs in my 120 but just couldn't keep up with the feeding requirements and nutrient export so unfortunately had to sell two. Will always have at least 3 though.

 

[ApoIsland]

It's a slow Friday morning at work so let's have some fun. I'm going to be bringing home a 120g next weekend. What are some fish you would stock it with? I'm planning on a mixed reef and will be transferring the fish below when the tank is ready. Oh, it will have a fine sand bed.

1 Black and White Clownfish
3 Green Chromis
1 Starki Damsel
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Yellow Watchman Goby
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Pistol Shrimp

I would look into getting some type of bristletooth tang instead of the lawnmower blenny. I have one in my tank and will be taking him out next time I break it down. The bristletooth will eat the same type of algae that the lawnmower eats and in my opinion is a lot more fun to look at as they are constantly swimming around and in between the rocks.

The lawnmower blenny also usually never takes to prepared foods and if there is an algae shortage it will not make it.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I thought I had a lot, lol

We do haha! the nutrient export is a challenge that I’ve yet to balance completely. One day the phosphates will shoot up randomly and last month it hit zero so the nitrates shot up to 80 instead of 10 hah

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

We do haha! the nutrient export is a challenge that I’ve yet to balance completely. One day the phosphates will shoot up randomly and last month it hit zero so the nitrates shot up to 80 instead of 10 hah

I'm close to pulling the trigger on a male + harem of anthias, seeing your stocking list makes me think it's doable. The sheer number of tangs astonishes and frightens me, lol. My prob is that I'm at 3 tangs already since the rabbitfish have a similar bioload as a similar sized tang, I'd love a powder brown/blue to add but I'm scared of fighting nitrate & phosphate and just not having the room.

I finally got into a groove with keeping my nitrate about 20 and phosphate at .06 -.10 but I am changing 15% water every 7-10 days.

 

[aws2266]

I would look into getting some type of bristletooth tang instead of the lawnmower blenny. I have one in my tank and will be taking him out next time I break it down. The bristletooth will eat the same type of algae that the lawnmower eats and in my opinion is a lot more fun to look at as they are constantly swimming around and in between the rocks.

The lawnmower blenny also usually never takes to prepared foods and if there is an algae shortage it will not make it.

My wife has grown attached to our lawnmower blenny. He was pretty shy at first but he's all over the place now. We got him free from bluezooaquatics.com.

 

[aws2266]

Bump. more ideas, please.

 

[i cant think]

Here’s my 4’ 120g stock:
- Twinspot bristletooth tang,
- Black margin fairy wrasse,
- Cebu Lubbock fairy wrasse,
- Indo Lubbock fairy wrasse,
- Naoko fairy wrasse, (not in the tank yet)
- Radiant wrasse,
- Jade wrasse,
- Blue star leopard wrasse, (not in the tank yet)
- Magnificent Foxface,
- Spot breast angelfish,
- Black photon clownfish,
- CBB.
IMO, depending on how reef safe you want to be you could open the doors to almost any medium sized fish (9” fish only work if they lay around 95% of the time but a 6-7” fish is doable).
In my tank you may look at it at first glance and think “That’s nice” but at second glance you realise, fish (Specifically the wrasses) compatibility was thrown out the door instantly. So while yes it’s best to avoid certain fish with other fish, there’s always exceptions!!

 

[aws2266]

Here’s my 4’ 120g stock:
- Twinspot bristletooth tang,
- Black margin fairy wrasse,
- Cebu Lubbock fairy wrasse,
- Indo Lubbock fairy wrasse,
- Naoko fairy wrasse, (not in the tank yet)
- Radiant wrasse,
- Jade wrasse,
- Blue star leopard wrasse, (not in the tank yet)
- Magnificent Foxface,
- Spot breast angelfish,
- Black photon clownfish,
- CBB.
IMO, depending on how reef safe you want to be you could open the doors to almost any medium sized fish (9” fish only work if they lay around 95% of the time but a 6-7” fish is doable).

Nice. Some of those I haven't considered. Do you have any small shrimp in your tank?

 

[i cant think]

Do you have any small shrimp in your tank?

I have Cleaner shrimp and a bunch of snails. With the larger wrasses (Jade, hornulatus, birds ect..) I find more nocturnal inverts and CUC is needed or just get things like conchs since they have hard shells and so often get avoided. If you find a black margin fairy I would pass unless it’s docile because most of the time you have a dull bully. Jade wrasses tend to be more on the aggressive side too, I am going to try a pedersons or venus’ anemone shrimp in that tank and hope it survives, if it does I think it’ll stick to the rockwork more. Personally, I would try get hold of an Indo Lubbock, they truly are worth it! And try take the time into getting a radiant - Very VERY nice fish when established to the surrounding tank.
My invert list is:
- Two white pincushion urchins,
- Two skunk cleaner shrimp,
- 4 nassarius snails,
- 4 bumblebee snails,
- 3 Hermits of different varieties,
- 3-4 turbo snails.

 

[aws2266]

I have Cleaner shrimp and a bunch of snails. With the larger wrasses (Jade, hornulatus, birds ect..) I find more nocturnal inverts and CUC is needed or just get things like conchs since they have hard shells and so often get avoided.

My cleaner shrimp is a nice size so I'm not too worried about him. It's the pistol shrimp that concerns me. It's fun to watch it and my goby together but if I had to do it again I may not have gotten the pistol shrimp. He kinda limits me on some types of fish. Alas, the wife and kids are in love with them so there's no going back.

 

[i cant think]

My cleaner shrimp is a nice size so I'm not too worried about him. It's the pistol shrimp that concerns me. It's fun to watch it and my goby together but if I had to do it again I may not have gotten the pistol shrimp. He kinda limits me on some types of fish. Alas, the wife and kids are in love with them so there's no going back.

Radiant and the smaller 4” Halichoeres wrasses won’t go after shrimp, the larger 8”+ ones will though. I think your pistol would be just fine! Also, Fairy wrasse and flasher wrasses don’t go after shrimp ever, they just “scavenge” for phytoplankton. Leopard and anampses wrasse I find just hunt for pods (Copepods and amphipods).

 

[aws2266]

Radiant and the smaller 4” Halichoeres wrasses won’t go after shrimp, the larger 8”+ ones will though. I think your pistol would be just fine! Also, Fairy wrasse and flasher wrasses don’t go after shrimp ever, they just “scavenge” for phytoplankton. Leopard and anampses wrasse I find just hunt for pods (Copepods and amphipods).

Thanks for that info. Where in England are you from? My wife lived in Compton Bassett in Witshire and Berkshire counties in late 80's/early 90's. Her ex was stationed at some airforce base there. She absolutely loved it. Wants to go back and visit someday.

 

[i cant think]

Thanks for that info. Where in England are you from? My wife lived in Compton Bassett in Witshire and Berkshire counties in late 80's/early 90's. Her ex was stationed at some airforce base there. She absolutely loved it. Wants to go back and visit someday.

I’m from Lincoln, but moved down to London. Hopefully we move back up to Lincoln some day though.