180 Reef Stocking list

btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
It's FINALLY that time! The tank will be up and running shortly.
I've put a lot of thought into the stocking of this tank over the past few months, but, it's never definite.
So here's what we've got: (* means it is already owned and it's staying, x means it's owned but could leave)
* Purple Tang
* Blonde Naso Tang
* CopperBand Butterfly
* Yellow Belly Hippo tang
* Tail Spot Blenny
* McCosker's Wrasse
x Mystery Wrasse
x Maldive's Lyretail Anthias (3) I want to replace with something else, possibly a McCosker's wrasse harem and Resplendent anthias
* Coral Beauty Angelfish
* Cleaner Wrasse (I've had him for years, he eats frozen, this is not up for discussion, so please save the "He belongs in the Ocean speech)
I also have:
Flame Angel (she needs to go - probably going in the FOWLR)
2 Ocellaris Clownfish (mated pair, I think I'm going to put them in their own tank and start breeding)
1 Black Combtooth Blenny (might go in the 180 since he already gets alone with the tail spot, hubby doesn't like that he keeps resting on his precious zoanthids)
3 PJ Cardinals (bored with them, 2 are a mated pair, so I might keep those two in a different tank)
1 YWG (HATE! this fish)
1 Bullet Banded Sleeper aka Dragon Goby (he's probably going in a different tank)
1 Fridmani Pseudochromis (kills shrimp, it needs to go)
What I'd like:
a harem of flasher wrasses
a harem of anthias, preferable resplendents
some other cool, colorful reef fish. I want life in the tank, no boring fish like the PJ's that just don't move around... Suggestions?
Other tanks I have to work with:
14G
20G
30G
155G
There is a Fu Manchu in the 14 at the moment, ultimately I think I want him in the 30 or 155. The 155 is going to be a FOWLR, the 30 will be a small reef. The 20 will probably become the clownfish tank, and I'll keep my Yasha Goby/Pistol shrimp pair in there as well as the Blue Spot Jawfish.
 
nikesb

nikesb

Active Member
ventralis anthias are nice, but have a high mortalty rate. for flashers, id keep them in pairs. for fairies, id keep them in groups of 3
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Ventralis are beautiful, I am too afraid to try a group though. I just hate my lyretails, they're like saltwater goldfish. They do look cool under the new LEDs though.
I was thinking of a few different different flashers and fairies and a harem of anthias. I don't know, I change my mind too much, lol.
 
nikesb

nikesb

Active Member
my dream fairy wrasse are earleii. but at the price theyre going for, ill never have even one.
 
nikesb

nikesb

Active Member
another suggestion for fairy wrasses are rhomboid and pylei. my two favorites over the hawaiian flame wrasses. the hawaiian flame wrasses are more docile IMO over the other two.
for flasher wrasses, attenuatus flasher wrasse is just simply beautiful. they are quite rare though
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
I like having a supporting cast of interesting fish to go along with my big beautiful fish. I love watching my Flame Hawk move from perch to perch looking for prey. He's a great fish if you don't mind losing some small peppermints. I had three Midas Blennys jump out of my tank before I wised up and installed egg crates along the back of the hood. I always instantly replaced them with another Midas Blenny because they are another fun fish to watch. Hiding in holes or lounging in coral...It's just a really cool fish IMO.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I plan on a Midas blenny in a different tank. There are already two algae blennies that get along in here, I don't think I could risk the Midas with them.
Nooooo flame hawk. I keep harlequin shrimp in my reef tanks to keep down the astern starfish population. That would be messy! Lol they are beautiful fish though.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Here's what I'm planning on all the other tanks:
30G:
Fu Manch Lion
Midas Blenny ? will he play nice with the Fu?
Orange Spotted Filefish (hopefully a pair that can convert) If not, then possibly my mated pair of PJ Cardinals.
Aiptasia Eating Filefish (because he's already in there and I really don't care about him)
nano reef as well?
20G:
Mated pair of Ocellaris Clownfish
Yasha Goby/Pistol Shrimp Combo
Blue Spot Jawfish (if I don't sell him, I am really bored with this guy)
Nano reef as well?
14G:
First will be used to train the OSFF to eat frozen, the will probably be used for the baby clowns. I still might do a nano reef in this tank again.
155:
making it's own thread.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Here's where I'm at, these are definites (at the moment, LOL):
Blonde Naso Tang
Purple Tang
Yellow Belly Hippo (still may end up in the FOWLR)
Cleaner Wrasse
Black Combtooth Blenny
Tail Spot Blenny
Mystery Wrasse (still might get rid of)
Coral Beauty Angelfish
McCosker's Wrasse
Aiptasia eating filefish
Add:
female to go with the male McCoskers
Mandarin
trio of anthias beacuse I'm bored with my Lyretails. Thinking about Resplendents or Red Saddled (thanks nikesb, I forgot about them)
Yellow Candy Hogfish
Pair of Blue Star Leopard Wrasses (of course, only once I know they're doing well. I would gladly give up my mystery wrasse for these guys)
Fairy Wrasse of some sort, leaning towards a Exquisite or Lineatus or Labout's
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
Have you had any issue's with that Bristletail Filefish? I've recently added one to my tank to see if it would eat majano's. I haven't seen it eat majano's or aiptasia, but it does nip at my leathers and zoa's. I've been debating taking him out, but he really hasn't done any damage YET.
Also, my Flame Hawk hasn't eaten my Harlequin, Cleaner or Pistol Shrimp. They are all fairly large. My Harlequin is huge. Maybe he will some day when he's bigger, but for now he seems happy with frozen food and pods. He's maybe two inches. I tend to take risks on live stock that I probably shouldn't. I also have a Niger Trigger in there that hasn't really done any damage in the year that he's been in there.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
My first bristletail nipped at my SPS and kept jumping in my overflow, but I now own two that behave. One eats aiptasia and majano anemones, but the other only eats frozen. I'm thinking of pairing them since they are male and female. I do feed heavy though, so I definitely thinks this keeps all my possible nippers (dwarf angels, copperband butterfly and filefish) in check.
I currently have 2 mated pairs of harlequin shrimp in my reef, so I definitely don't want to risk loosing them. I'm planning on a flame hawk in my FOWLR. I'm done with aggression in my large reef. I have an EVIL yellow watchmen goby. He killed his mate, killed a mandarin, ripped the eye out of my Bullet Banded Sleeper Goby, attacks my tangs and butterfly, and nips at my Coral Beauty. I can't catch him, so he's there until we break down this tank, then he's being donated to the shark tank at my LFS. I'm trying to avoid another small fish that has the possibility of being an issue because small fish suck to catch in large tanks! Lol
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
Wow. I didn't know Yellow Watchmen were that aggressive. I've tried adding them hoping they will move in with my pistol shrimp, but for some reason I just don't have any luck with them. They either jumped out or ran afoul of something (possibly the mantis that took forever to catch) in my tank. Maybe I'll look into a different type of prawn goby.
I can totally understand not wanting to risk those shrimp. I love my hawk and only have the one tank. So I roll the dice and hope he doesn't decide to massacre my shrimp.
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
Im not gonna lie it sounds like uve got it all figured out BTL.....(women
)......i like the squarespot anthias! Cant wait to see the 180 up and going!
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by tur4k http:///forum/thread/385865/180-reef-stocking-list#post_3386442
Wow. I didn't know Yellow Watchmen were that aggressive. I've tried adding them hoping they will move in with my pistol shrimp, but for some reason I just don't have any luck with them. They either jumped out or ran afoul of something (possibly the mantis that took forever to catch) in my tank. Maybe I'll look into a different type of prawn goby.
I can totally understand not wanting to risk those shrimp. I love my hawk and only have the one tank. So I roll the dice and hope he doesn't decide to massacre my shrimp.
YWG aren't supposed to be this aggressive, mine is just a little terror.
I keep a Yasha Goby with a Randalli Pistol shrimp and they're a great pair. LOVE THEM. But of course, they're in a different, much smaller tank. I'd never see them in the 155 or in this new 180 that I'm putting together.
 
tannersmith200

tannersmith200

Member
Looking forward to seeing your tank!
Have you ever had an achilles tang? I know they are expensive but one would be a jewl in that 180g tank. Mine sure is
They are an awesome fish!
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
They are nice, but I already have two tangs that absolutely are going in this tank, and possibly my yellow belly hippo tang. I can't risk another tang
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top