Stocking list for new 125

[dugthefish]

Brand new 125 mixed reef setup, 140 gallons total system volume. Just putting together a list of prospective inhabitants, looking for any and all feedback. List is in approximately stocking order.

1 yellowtail blue damsel (the ole "cheap first fish in the tank")
2 clownfish (mostly so the grandkids can see Nemo irl)
1 orchid Dottyback
1 magnificent foxface (must have)
7 b/g chromis (introduced together)
1 fire goby
1 fairy or flasher wrasse
1 convict or kole tang (cant NOT have a tang)
1 flame angel (must have)

Would also like to include a shrimp/goby pair and a mandarinfish if tank conditions will support them.

Thoughts?

 

[Maritimer]

I ... can't see much of anything wrong with that stocking list.

You may find that the chromis pick one another off in their own twisted game of "Highlander", and you should be aware that Uronema marinum has been pretty widespread with them.

Kole tang will be fine, I'm less certain about the convict, but have little to no experience with them.

I don't see anything on your list that'll compete with a mandarin, so given a year or so to accumulate a good breeding population of 'pods, you should be fine there. Ditto the shrimp/goby, though you shouldn't need to wait as long.

You may find that one wrasse isn't enough. They can just be that addictive. (~_^)

~Bruce

 

[saltyhog]

I agree with Bruce, looks good except for the tendency for the chromis to come in with uronemea and often times being intolerant of each other.

I think the damsel is actually a great choice. Take a look at an Azure damsel...same colors as the yellow tail with more yellow. They are really beautiful and mine never caused any problems. Defended his little hidey hole but never hurt anyone. Beautiful, undervalued fish.

 

[dugthefish]

Thanks for the replies. My biggest concern is that my list might be a little too big; I dont want to overstock, but I like a lot of fish.

Regarding chromis, I've read that they can turn on each other. Always wanted a school of em, so gonna give it a shot and see what happens. Should I be left with a single one after a while, I'll name him Connor and add another wrasse or two!

 

[Pbh-reef]

I like your list. If you want a fish that peacefully lives in groups you could try pj cardinals, threadfin cardinals or red striped cardinals. Their swimming behavior is less active than Chromis but they will not kill
Each other and you get to skip Uronema.

 

[Fin-up reefing]

Convict tangs don’t do well from my understanding. I’d recommend any tang that’s a Zebrasoma or bristletooth just because they are hardy IMO

 

[Jeff Willetts]

Looks good to me!

 

[dugthefish]

Convict tangs don’t do well from my understanding. I’d recommend any tang that’s a Zebrasoma or bristletooth just because they are hardy IMO

Like I said in the OP, I can't NOT have a tang. I wanted a Pacific Blue, but i think the tank will be a bit small. Next choice was PBT, but I understand they tend to be overly aggressive to tank mates. Haven't settled on a specific species, but I like the coloring of the convict. I haven't seen any literature stating they are difficult to keep; what do you base your understanding off of?

 

[Fin-up reefing]

Like I said in the OP, I can't NOT have a tang. I wanted a Pacific Blue, but i think the tank will be a bit small. Next choice was PBT, but I understand they tend to be overly aggressive to tank mates. Haven't settled on a specific species, but I like the coloring of the convict. I haven't seen any literature stating they are difficult to keep; what do you base your understanding off of?

I know lots of people that are in the hobby that have tried them and they always end up dying.. I mean even at all my lfs there are very few that actually live. I just don’t think they ship well. Personally if you’re going to get a tang I recommend a zebrasoma of some sort. Sailfins are very friendly and have a lot of personality. I also have a freckleface tang and he’s probably even friendlier.

 

[Pbh-reef]

@Brew12 has a convict tang in his 187 gallon maybe he can share some advice from his experience!

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12 has a convict tang in his 187 gallon maybe he can share some advice from his experience!

I do have a Convict in my tank and it is one of my favorite fish. Full of personality and energy.

I do a lot of things wrong with my system, so please don't tell the Tang police. I have a 5' tank with a Regal tang, Convict tang, 2 Yellow tangs, and a Yellow Eye Kole tang. I feel I get away with this for 2 reasons. First is that my 5' tank is 30" front to back and I have 2/3rds very open for swimming. The second and most important thing is that I prophylactically treat every fish that goes into my tank. Tangs tend to be a little more susceptible to parasites than most fish and in a smaller tank with multiple tangs they can be too stressed for their immune system to fight the parasites off.

 

[pdiehm]

i have a hippo, yellow, and tomini in my 5' tank @Brew12. I may be rehoming the Yellow though, he's a nasty prick. Not sure if I'm going to try another much smaller yellow or another Zebrasoma tang altogether.

 

[Reefpuck]

Not exactly the same fish...but a royal gramma would be a more peaceful option over the dottyback.

Also the flame angel can be a nipper...just keep that in mind. I had a flame angel (was a must have fish as well for me) in my mixed reef...and took him out cause I wasn't getting any polyp extension on my sps. Once I took him out...muy polyps! Just something to keep in mind.

Best of luck!

 

[dugthefish]

I do have a Convict in my tank and it is one of my favorite fish. Full of personality and energy.

I do a lot of things wrong with my system, so please don't tell the Tang police. I have a 5' tank with a Regal tang, Convict tang, 2 Yellow tangs, and a Yellow Eye Kole tang. I feel I get away with this for 2 reasons. First is that my 5' tank is 30" front to back and I have 2/3rds very open for swimming. The second and most important thing is that I prophylactically treat every fish that goes into my tank. Tangs tend to be a little more susceptible to parasites than most fish and in a smaller tank with multiple tangs they can be too stressed for their immune system to fight the parasites off.

I like the convict for the smaller size and color. I haven't decided yet if I will treat ALL fish in QT, but seeing as tang do have that propensity for ich, proactive treatment for him at least sounds like a good idea.

I see you also have a mag rabbitfish, how do you like him?

 

[dugthefish]

Seems like a common theme with the zebrasoma, one of the reasons I want to stay way from them

i have a hippo, yellow, and tomini in my 5' tank @Brew12. I may be rehoming the Yellow though, he's a nasty prick. Not sure if I'm going to try another much smaller yellow or another Zebrasoma tang altogether.

 

[dugthefish]

Not exactly the same fish...but a royal gramma would be a more peaceful option over the dottyback.

Also the flame angel can be a nipper...just keep that in mind. I had a flame angel (was a must have fish as well for me) in my mixed reef...and took him out cause I wasn't getting any polyp extension on my sps. Once I took him out...muy polyps! Just something to keep in mind.

Best of luck!

Had the same thought regarding dottyback, perhaps I'll have to look into that one some more. Regarding flame angel, I am aware that they can be nippers. Really want the color so I'm prepared to roll the dice here.

 

[Brew12]

I like the convict for the smaller size and color. I haven't decided yet if I will treat ALL fish in QT, but seeing as tang do have that propensity for ich, proactive treatment for him at least sounds like a good idea.

I see you also have a mag rabbitfish, how do you like him?

If you aren't going to do every fish it probably isn't worth it to do any of them. Any fish can act as a carrier, they just appear asymptomatic. A fish with a healthy immune system will naturally restrict how well Ich and Velvet parasites can feed. This limits damage to the fish and keeps parasite numbers low. Put one of these fish into a system with a stressed Tang and it can cause serious issues.

I do enjoy my Mag. Rabbitfish. I've had him for 2 years and he is around 7" long. Wonderful fish and very peaceful. He is on the shyer side and hides when there is unusual movement near the tank.