A list of fish for a future 125 reef, please comment.

king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
I wasn't sue if this went into the reef section or the fish section.
Its a rather lengthy list of fish and by no means is this a final selection. But here is the list that caught my eye.
1. Blackcap Basslet
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
2. Bartlett Anthias
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
3. Bicolor Anthias
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
4. Pink Square Anthias - Male
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
5. Pink Square Anthias - Female
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
6. Lawnmower Blenny
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
7. Midas Blenny
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
8. False Percula Clownfish - Mated Pair
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
9. Fridmani - Aquacultured
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
10. Purple Pseudochromis
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
11. Purpleback Pseudochromis
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
12. Mandarin Dragonet - Green
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
13. Shrimpgoby - Yellow Watchman
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
14. Flame Hawkfish
d=255&parent_category=4&category_search=61&root_parent_id=4" target="_blank">https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
15. Blue Hippo Tang
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
16.Purple Tang - Red Sea
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
17. Yellow Tang
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
18. Fourline Wrasse
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
19. Yellow Wrasse
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
8/12/15/16 are the only ones that I'm dead set on getting.
And a school of anthias...mabee 3-4 females and 1 male.
Can I mix 6,7,13 in? or do I have to choose just one?
I know the yellow tang isn't a good idea with the purple...and if I had to choose...it would be the purple definitely. But is it possible that they would get along if I introduced them at the same time? Ive heard of this happening.
I want coral,clams,shrooms, anemones,feather dusters, shrimp,scallops, sponges, and snails. So I know some of these are not invert safe...but how big a problem is that? Are all the ones listed as not invert safe %100 fact? or are there possible compatibilities?
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Some great fish and you've done some good research, IMO, one of the real keys to success. I assume you're not planning on all of them and I'll just comment where I think I have some experience.
1.) The tangs. Two of the same genus, (purple & yellow) almost always go to war. They do well in bigger groups, but your tank isn't big enough. I'd stick to a Purple & the Hippo. There are some spectacular Purples around now.2. ) Anthias are great reef fish, but not easy. The Pink Squares are very difficult, often impossible to acclimate. They are deep water fish and even if you get them eating, their colors usually fade in the tanks bright light.3.) more than one species of Pseudochromis will usually not tolerate each other. 4.) The mandarin(s) shouldn't be introduced until the tank is at least 6 months old and there is plenty of mature LR to produce the pods they feed on.Other foods sometimes work, usually not.
None of this drivel is "set in stone rule"; someone, somewhere has done everything in this hobby; but if you stick to what your research tells you; and wait with the experiments, I think you'll do well. Above all: go slowly. Add a fish or two, wait a couple weeks, etc.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
yea the purple and Yellow tang will fight all the time. Tangs do not like to see other fish that are of similar shape or color.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/2960622
Some great fish and you've done some good research, IMO, one of the real keys to success. I assume you're not planning on all of them and I'll just comment where I think I have some experience.
1.) The tangs. Two of the same genus, (purple & yellow) almost always go to war. They do well in bigger groups, but your tank isn't big enough. I'd stick to a Purple & the Hippo. There are some spectacular Purples around now.2. ) Anthias are great reef fish, but not easy. The Pink Squares are very difficult, often impossible to acclimate. They are deep water fish and even if you get them eating, their colors usually fade in the tanks bright light.3.) more than one species of Pseudochromis will usually not tolerate each other. 4.) The mandarin(s) shouldn't be introduced until the tank is at least 6 months old and there is plenty of mature LR to produce the pods they feed on.Other foods sometimes work, usually not.
None of this drivel is "set in stone rule"; someone, somewhere has done everything in this hobby; but if you stick to what your research tells you; and wait with the experiments, I think you'll do well. Above all: go slowly. Add a fish or two, wait a couple weeks, etc.
Exactly, I dont plan on having but half this list in my 125.
Ya, I kinda knew the tang answer :(
I definitely will go for the hippo and purple. Could I get away with a couple hippo? I understand 1 purple is all I get. But 2 hippo and 1 purple would satisfy my tang desires.
Moving on to Anthia.... since pink squares aren't likely now...would there be a beginner Anthia? At least the easy/easier to handle ones? How many could I get away with? Id like at least one type of fish in my tank to be a schooling type...5-6 of the same if possible. And Anthias were on my list of the most pretty schooling fish.
The mandarin yes, I didn't plan on that till 6-8 months into my tank, and that's after a few good co pod dosing sessions. And frequent dosing after its introduction.
About the Blennies, they are considered bottom feeders correct? I want some sand sifting fish so I can watch action. And they look cool IMO.
I want to stress this is a reef tank, so I am fully aware that I limit myself to fish stock, and population. So I want to add the most bang for the buck I can in the fish department to complement the corals.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
I wouldn't trust two of tang species (or even the same genus) together in a 125. Anthias are not really beginners fish. Of course, some are easier than others. IMO, maybe the easiest are Lyretails or Dispars. BTW, once comfortable, most schooling fish really don't "school"in the tank like they do at the lfs or in the wild. Have you looked at some of the reef safe wrasse? Beautiful, many varieties, and, usually, quite easy fish.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
There are lots of fairy & flasher wrasse available; shop around. Here are a few more easier, reef safe wrasse:Labbouts, Radiant, Exquisite.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Glad you nixed the pink square anthias. I don't have experience with them, but when I forst saw one, I thought of the Teletubby show my kid cousin used to watch. Ruined that fish for me from then on.
Lyretail and Evansi anthias are supposed to be more forgiving for beginners. Most anthias sp. have a main diet of zooplankton. You'll need to supplement the tank food with some cyclopeeze from time to time to really kep them healthy. Your corals would love this stuff anyway.
As for wrasses, do an internet search for McCosker's flasher wrasse and Longfin fairy wrasse. Both pretty spectacular animals.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
No prob. Both of those are reef-safe, but you WILL need a lid of some sort, as most all reef-safe wrassees are jumpers. Right now I'm weaving (yes, weaving) a screen out of fishing line in 3/8ths inch squares. It'll be clear and slightly smaller than egg crate. But boy is it a PAIN.
 
ebob954

ebob954

Member
I have a 110 gal reef tank. I just had to take all my LR out because my flame hawk wouldnt let me put any fish in smaller then him so I wouldnt suggest him. Im going with a peacful tank now. I went with 3 carbery anthias I have one male and 2 females. They might be my favorite fish the way they school up and their colors are great. I wouldnt consider having 5or6 though you might not be have enough swimming space. You can might be able to get away with it though.
 
C

calvertbill

Guest
Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2961181
No prob. Both of those are reef-safe, but you WILL need a lid of some sort, as most all reef-safe wrassees are jumpers. Right now I'm weaving (yes, weaving) a screen out of fishing line in 3/8ths inch squares. It'll be clear and slightly smaller than egg crate. But boy is it a PAIN.
Try this:
take a piece of egg crate slightly larger than the size you want and cut the straight sides off so you have all the spines sticking out around all 4 sides. You've just created a loom!
You can now weave all the fishing line around the loom really quickly. Once the line is stretched over the loom you need to fix the intersections.
1. Fast sloppy way: take a brush you don't care about and paint your screen with silicone.
2. Neater, more professional looking way: Cut out the center of the egg crate (you don't really need it for support). Put a tiny drop of superglue at each joint. Start with the half dozen squares in the center. Once they've dried wedge something under them to stretch/lift the entire screen off the egg crate. This will speed up the rest of the gluing and help insure that you're not gluing the screen to the egg crate!
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2961070
Glad you nixed the pink square anthias. I don't have experience with them, but when I forst saw one, I thought of the Teletubby show my kid cousin used to watch. Ruined that fish for me from then on.
Lyretail and Evansi anthias are supposed to be more forgiving for beginners. Most anthias sp. have a main diet of zooplankton. You'll need to supplement the tank food with some cyclopeeze from time to time to really kep them healthy. Your corals would love this stuff anyway.
As for wrasses, do an internet search for McCosker's flasher wrasse and Longfin fairy wrasse. Both pretty spectacular animals.
funny. the pink square was distinct. thats what initialy attracted me to them...but tele tubbies?....ya. ill pass.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/2961181
No prob. Both of those are reef-safe, but you WILL need a lid of some sort, as most all reef-safe wrassees are jumpers. Right now I'm weaving (yes, weaving) a screen out of fishing line in 3/8ths inch squares. It'll be clear and slightly smaller than egg crate. But boy is it a PAIN.
i made a ghillie suit once(the suit that snipers wear to make them look like a bush), had over 10,000 stitches in it. I can handle a fishing line screen. I might consider it.
how does it differ from an acrylic cover? i will have a MH hood that has 3x250's and 2 VHO's. 72". I cant imagine acrylic would be taking out too much light. easy to clean. how about fishingline mesh? i imagine that would be hard to clean once salt debree fills in it.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by ebob954
http:///forum/post/2961311
I have a 110 gal reef tank. I just had to take all my LR out because my flame hawk wouldnt let me put any fish in smaller then him so I wouldnt suggest him. Im going with a peacful tank now. I went with 3 carbery anthias I have one male and 2 females. They might be my favorite fish the way they school up and their colors are great. I wouldnt consider having 5or6 though you might not be have enough swimming space. You can might be able to get away with it though.
thanks for the hawk advice. I will deffinatly give more thought to them....
what if I added it last? would that help its temperament?
 
ebob954

ebob954

Member
Maybe if you introduce him last. But I wouldnt take a chance. Mine was very aggresive even towards gobys bigger than him. I got him out and gave him back to te lfs after 3 yrs of hating him. I wasnt going to kill him though. I am set on peacful tank now. good luck
 
C

calvertbill

Guest

Originally Posted by premilove
http:///forum/post/2961715
ditch the blue hippo. nasty suckers. id get a powder blue if i was you! and an Achilles
Sacrilege! Paracanthurus are among my favorite fish! My big one will even take food from my hand, they school if you've got enough room (6' or longer tank) and best of all they have short term memory loss so they don't remember that you forgot to feed them the previous day!
Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming,
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by premilove
http:///forum/post/2961715
ditch the blue hippo. nasty suckers. id get a powder blue if i was you! and an Achilles
OMG what a fabulous looking fish. I simply went to SWF and clicked on pictures I liked, then matched it they were reef safe and what not. You people are showing me lots of pretty fish!! I would take a powdered blue over a hippo any day of the week. the striping is phenomenal!! thanks a bunch. And if you have any other pointers on nice fish let me know. I love to learn about new species.
 
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