Yet another 'approve/critique my fish stocking list' thread :-)

[eslatts11]

Going to be setting up my new 225g mixed reef here in a bit and am now in the planning stages for purchasing and quarantining new fish. Keep in mind, I already have my clown, flame hawk, and coral beauty in my QT from a previous tank.

Here is my current list:
Achilles
Naso
Blue Hippo (possibly swap out for a Purple/Scopas/Gem body style tang)
Tomini/Bristltooth (possibly swap out for a Fox Face or Harlequin Tusk if I've hit my tang police quota)
Reef Safe Butterfly - maybe CBB
Watanbi Angel Pair
Lyretail anthias school
Black Cap Basslet
Starry or Bicolor Blenny
Wrasse Pair - any suggestions would be great here. Only wrasse I've ever had before was a Lubbocks
Jawfish
Lightning Maroon Clown (already own)
Flame Hawkfish (already own)
Coral Beauty (already own)

Any recommendations, critiques, comments welcomed!!! Tang police im looking at you, do your worst best

 

[Peach02]

Going to be setting up my new 225g mixed reef here in a bit and am now in the planning stages for purchasing and quarantining new fish. Keep in mind, I already have my clown, flame hawk, and coral beauty in my QT from a previous tank.

Here is my current list:
Achilles
Naso
Blue Hippo (possibly swap out for a Purple/Scopas/Gem body style tang)
Tomini/Bristltooth (possibly swap out for a Fox Face or Harlequin Tusk if I've hit my tang police quota)
Reef Safe Butterfly - maybe CBB
Watanbi Angel Pair
Lyretail anthias school
Black Cap Basslet
Starry or Bicolor Blenny
Wrasse Pair - any suggestions would be great here. Only wrasse I've ever had before was a Lubbocks
Jawfish
Lightning Maroon Clown (already own)
Flame Hawkfish (already own)
Coral Beauty (already own)

Any recommendations, critiques, comments welcomed!!! Tang police im looking at you, do your worst best

Sounds good only things I would change or adjust are
Harlequin tusks can be aggressive and maybe not suitable for a reef

Copper bands will likely eat feather dusters tube worms and some may pick at LPS so if you want to take the risk up to you

I don’t know enough about the angelfish pair to comment but sounds good

finding a wrasse pair may be difficult so if you find some that are reef safe and you like go with them (it may be a lot easier to get them where you are from though)

IMO the tangs and foxface should all be good if the tank is 6-8 feet long or more and 2 or more feet wide which it sounds like it is but I have heard of yellow tangs and foxface fighting so I’d avoid the yellow if you decide to go with a zebrasoma tang instead of the hippo.
from what I have heard Achilles tangs can be quite difficult but being that so few people get them due to price and finicky eating I can’t say with certainty @4FordFamily what do you think?

 

[4FordFamily]

Sounds good only things I would change or adjust are
Harlequin tusks can be aggressive and maybe not suitable for a reef

Copper bands will likely eat feather dusters tube worms and some may pick at LPS so if you want to take the risk up to you

I don’t know enough about the angelfish pair to comment but sounds good

finding a wrasse pair may be difficult so if you find some that are reef safe and you like go with them (it may be a lot easier to get them where you are from though)

IMO the tangs and foxface should all be good if the tank is 6-8 feet long or more and 2 or more feet wide which it sounds like it is but I have heard of yellow tangs and foxface fighting so I’d avoid the yellow if you decide to go with a zebrasoma tang instead of the hippo.
from what I have heard Achilles tangs can be quite difficult but being that so few people get them due to price and finicky eating I can’t say with certainty @4FordFamily what do you think?

I think the list is pretty strong. They are difficult fish, absolutely requiring proper QT of anything wet that goes in the tank. That said, if they make it past the first two weeks out of quarantine (and parasites are kept out) they are quite healthy and can be particularly surly/aggressive fish so be cautious of that.

Yellow tangs and foxface usually get along but because of the similarity some have reported issues. Crowded herbivores (several herbivores, NOT a smaller tank) tend to work things out better as aggression becomes defused.

I too would avoid a tusk in a reef tank, though some have had success they're also aggressive enough to other similarly-shaped fish (wrasse) that you very much limit your wrasses moving forward to LARGE halichoeres or thalassoma wrasse, perhaps coris, etc.

 

[lolmatt]

Add a mate to your maroon if she will take one, try using an animation box maybe. Pairs of wrasses often end up with two males, but leopards tend to be the most common to pair despite being called difficult (if they eat and you deworm, usually you're good). The tusk should be fine imo, but expect snails and crabs to be sessile during the day and need semi often replacement.

Looks like a great list.

 

[Terri Caton]

As far as tangs the best option is to get ones with different body types, get them around the same size of possible and add them all at the same time.

Don’t get a yellow tang and a CBB. The yellow will most likely show aggression.

 

[nereefpat]

What are the dimensions of the tank?

 

[eslatts11]

What are the dimensions of the tank?

Dimensions are: 72" wide x 30" deep x 24" high

 

[nereefpat]

Dimensions are: 72" wide x 30" deep x 24" high

I should have asked what Naso species, too. I'm guessing the common (lipstick) or blonde Naso. Usually 8' length is suggested for them. Your tank's width does help though.

Others in that group, like the unicorns or vlamingii get really big.

I agree about being careful trying to pair wrasses in the same species, although leopards are kept in groups.

 

[lolmatt]

As far as tangs the best option is to get ones with different body types, get them around the same size of possible and add them all at the same time.

Don’t get a yellow tang and a CBB. The yellow will most likely show aggression.

In a regular 180:
I have a yellow tang and a cbb, the butterfly is very passive and shows submission to the yellow tang.

I also have a purple and desjardini tang in the tank with the yellow. I added the purple via an acclimation box to the established yellow and desjardini. It took about 10 days, they are aware of each other and the desjardini rules the tank, but overall display healthy grazing habits and rarely try to stab each other.

This isn't necessarily the way it will go for everyone, but especially in a 200g tank it's more than possible to mix multiple tangs of the same genus.

Agreed it's much easier to add them all at once, around the same size.

 

[eslatts11]

Sounds good only things I would change or adjust are
Harlequin tusks can be aggressive and maybe not suitable for a reef

Copper bands will likely eat feather dusters tube worms and some may pick at LPS so if you want to take the risk up to you

I don’t know enough about the angelfish pair to comment but sounds good

finding a wrasse pair may be difficult so if you find some that are reef safe and you like go with them (it may be a lot easier to get them where you are from though)

IMO the tangs and foxface should all be good if the tank is 6-8 feet long or more and 2 or more feet wide which it sounds like it is but I have heard of yellow tangs and foxface fighting so I’d avoid the yellow if you decide to go with a zebrasoma tang instead of the hippo.
from what I have heard Achilles tangs can be quite difficult but being that so few people get them due to price and finicky eating I can’t say with certainty @4FordFamily what do you think?

I think the list is pretty strong. They are difficult fish, absolutely requiring proper QT of anything wet that goes in the tank. That said, if they make it past the first two weeks out of quarantine (and parasites are kept out) they are quite healthy and can be particularly surly/aggressive fish so be cautious of that.

Yellow tangs and foxface usually get along but because of the similarity some have reported issues. Crowded herbivores (several herbivores, NOT a smaller tank) tend to work things out better as aggression becomes defused.

I too would avoid a tusk in a reef tank, though some have had success they're also aggressive enough to other similarly-shaped fish (wrasse) that you very much limit your wrasses moving forward to LARGE halichoeres or thalassoma wrasse, perhaps coris, etc.

Definitely going to avoid the Harlequin then, I was a little on the fence with him to begin with.

Add a mate to your maroon if she will take one, try using an animation box maybe. Pairs of wrasses often end up with two males, but leopards tend to be the most common to pair despite being called difficult (if they eat and you deworm, usually you're good). The tusk should be fine imo, but expect snails and crabs to be sessile during the day and need semi often replacement.

Looks like a great list.

Maybe just a single wrasse then, or would a group be better as apposed to a pair? Think I read its best to go all females and let one assert dominance to become male, or get a 1 male from the get go but can be risky if another big female challanges.

@lolmatt - I was thinking of getting a smaller Lightning maroon clown to pair but just the thought of having my current maroon become even more aggressive with a mate is a bit unnerving. He certainly lives up to his maroon stigma.

I should have asked what Naso species, too. I'm guessing the common (lipstick) or blonde Naso. Usually 8' length is suggested for them. Your tank's width does help though.

Others in that group, like the unicorns or vlamingii get really big.

I agree about being careful trying to pair wrasses in the same species, although leopards are kept in groups.

I knew Naso was going to be right on the line of appropriateness for the tank. I haven't done much research into individual sub-species within the Naso genre but I would definitely opt for the one with the smallest adult size (if there is variation).



Everyone's feedback has been awesome thus far, thank you all!!