What are your suggestions for my next fish purchase?

Reef_Hobbyist · Jul 28, 2016

I have a VERY large system. DT is 8' x 4' x 4' - 900 gallons total including sump. System has been up and running for almost a year now. I have a nice mixed reef with a good selection of corals and fish. There is so much space and so many hiding places that I have absolutely no fish aggression. Fish are well fed and no disease.

I am now considering adding more fish, perhaps a couple of showcase specimens or maybe a shoal of anthias or wrasses to finish off my fish stocking. I want to be careful to keep the peace and not upset the apple cart.

Current stocking list - all fish are currently small - under 3"

Hippo tang
3 dwarf angels - Flame, Potters, Coral Beauty
Pair of Royal Grammas (yes they are a pair)
Pair of Percula Clowns
4 cardnals - 2 Banggai, 2 Pajama
2 Firefish
2 Chromis
Longnose Butterfly
Foxface
Longnose Hawkfish
Diamond goby
2 Blennies – Scooter and Lawnmower

Things are going so well that I have been reluctant to add anything else thus far. However, I still have a lot of capacity and plenty of real estate to support additional fish.

What do you think? Stop here and just be grateful that everything is doing so well? Let them enjoy all the extra space? Or go forward and add something special? Pros and cons?

What are your suggestions for additions based on what I already have? Showcase specimens or maybe a shoal of something? What would you add and why?

Thanks in advance!!

Mbnym74 · Jul 28, 2016

A clown trigger, no doubt, they are awesome looking.

Reef_Hobbyist · Jul 28, 2016

Mbnym74 said:
A clown trigger, no doubt, they are awesome looking.

Awesome looking for sure.... not so sure about putting it in a reef tank.

-Logzor · Jul 28, 2016

Black tang and other large showpiece fish. Definitely more grazers that might like to eat algae the pops up, rabbitfish (magnificent foxface), more tangs.

Perhaps some wrasses, yellow/green wrasse, melanarus wrasse, etc. These fish also serve a purpose, they will eat certain nuisance animals (bad snails, red planaria, nudi's etc)

For a tank so large I would focus on "working fish" - those fish that help maintain the health of the habitat.

Reef_Hobbyist · Jul 28, 2016

-Logzor said:
Black tang and other large showpiece fish. Definitely more grazers that might like to eat algae the pops up, rabbitfish (magnificent foxface), more tangs.

Perhaps some wrasses, yellow/green wrasse, melanarus wrasse, etc. These fish also serve a purpose, they will eat certain nuisance animals (bad snails, red planaria, nudi's etc)

For a tank so large I would focus on "working fish" - those fish that help maintain the health of the habitat.

Good feedback, thanks. Tangs are active and beautiful and not always peaceful. Might change the overall tranquility of the tank. Although that could be a good thing as well.

-Logzor · Jul 28, 2016

Reef_Hobbyist said:
Good feedback, thanks. Tangs are active and beautiful and not always peaceful. Might change the overall tranquility of the tank. Although that could be a good thing as well.

I do think you have the benefit of a very large aquarium, so you have some more flexibility. Avoiding troublemakers is critical though. You could get away with adding a school of yellow tangs, I think. However, adding a powder blue could be a bad move.

I would start building a small database of other large aquariums and what fish they keep. Tank of the Month articles would be a good start or just following other large build threads of established aquariums.

ReeferReefer · Jul 30, 2016

Adult red corris wrasse would be a great addition. If you want something smaller a trio of leopard wrasses is interesting. A harem of Anthias can be a spectacular display as well.

Eva Rose · Jul 30, 2016

I added a bonded pair if Midas blennies and love them!
Peaceful fairy wrasse.
Blotched anthias or Sunburst anthias are unique.
4FordFamily has a great post on tangs.

Reef_Hobbyist · Jul 30, 2016

ReeferReefer said:
Adult red corris wrasse would be a great addition. If you want something smaller a trio of leopard wrasses is interesting. A harem of Anthias can be a spectacular display as well.

Great choices, thanks

Reef_Hobbyist · Jul 30, 2016

Eva Rose said:
I added a bonded pair if Midas blennies and love them!
Peaceful fairy wrasse.
Blotched anthias or Sunburst anthias are unique.
4FordFamily has a great post on tangs.

Yea I love tangs and might go that route. Thanks

Mike_J · Jul 30, 2016

A larger harem of Ventralis Anthias would certainly be eye catching, especially with that size tank!

Reef_Hobbyist · Jul 30, 2016

Mike_J said:
A larger harem of Ventralis Anthias would certainly be eye catching, especially with that size tank!

Concerned about feeding needs of Anthias...

gacolt · Jul 30, 2016

I havethe same foot print as you and I would add these.
Naso tang unicorn tang 5 it more yellow tangs pair mandarin dragonets or ruby red dragonets some wrasses cleaner wrasse copperband butterfly.

Reef_Hobbyist · Aug 1, 2016

gacolt said:
I havethe same foot print as you and I would add these.
Naso tang unicorn tang 5 it more yellow tangs pair mandarin dragonets or ruby red dragonets some wrasses cleaner wrasse copperband butterfly.

I agree with the Naso and the CB Butterfly. Also thinking about a Harlequin Tusk and a Picasso Trigger.

Reef_Hobbyist · Aug 3, 2016

Decided to go with the following additions:

Picasso Trigger
Harlequin Tusk
CB Butterfly
Naso Tang
Sailfin Tang
Lyretail Anthias (one dozen small females)

Everything is looking good, eating and doing well. Although the CB is still being stubborn so I am breaking out all the tricks to get him to eat.