Fish Selection

[soccerbo24]

I am about to start a 300 gallon L shapped tank, still working on gathering supplies and they are custom building the tank, but while waiting i am building the stand and looking for some fish to put it will be a sand substrate with over 300 pounds of live rock, I have picked a few out and want to add some more, some cleaner fish, top swimmers bottom dwellers and active fish preferably.
so far this is what I want as my stock let me know more fish and if i shouldnt get any of these?
Salicin Tang
Yellow Prawn Goby
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
Sleeper Banded Goby
Blue Caribbean Tang
3 Blue Reef Chromis
3 Blue/Green Chromis
Purple Tang

 

[jay0705]

Purple tang could be iffy w other tang. Even in a big tank

 

[soccerbo24]

Which of the tangs are the best algea cleaners because I heard the purple tang is an eating machine when it comes to algea, also forgot to mention all the fish need to be reef safe fish

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccerbo24 http:///t/396850/fish-selection#post_3535747
I am about to start a 300 gallon L shapped tank, still working on gathering supplies and they are custom building the tank, but while waiting i am building the stand and looking for some fish to put it will be a sand substrate with over 300 pounds of live rock, I have picked a few out and want to add some more, some cleaner fish, top swimmers bottom dwellers and active fish preferably.
so far this is what I want as my stock let me know more fish and if i shouldnt get any of these?
Salicin Tang
Yellow Prawn Goby
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
Sleeper Banded Goby
Blue Caribbean Tang
3 Blue Reef Chromis
3 Blue/Green Chromis
Purple Tang

Hi,

Ever hear that old saying...so many fish in the sea....well there is. Your list looks fine to me...300g is one big awesome tank!

I just think you are short changing yourself because you don't realize just how many different fish you can select from, with a tank that size, there are sea apples, starfish, and a host of other really cool critters! I suggest get these books before you make a solid decision. Everything you add dictates what else can be put in the tank, so choose wisely....selecting the critters is the best part, but I would absolutely have a quarantine tank going....what a nightmare the ich parasite alone would cause.

An example page...click on the picture to see it enlarged enough to read.

I love this book...

Another example page:

 

[grant778]

It might be cool to have a big school of like 11 anthias if you can meet their feeding needs. (They apparently need to be fed quite a bit). Or perhaps just get a few more chromis and then have a big school of those guys.

 

[soccerbo24]

Will diffrent types of Chromis's swim as a group like the two type I listed? Will they all swim together or in seperate groups of 3

 

[grant778]

I'm not sure about that.

 

[zoidberg01]

If you are going to put all the tangs you are talking about put them all at the same time and make them your last fish

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by zoidberg01 http:///t/396850/fish-selection#post_3535769
If you are going to put all the tangs you are talking about put them all at the same time and make them your last fish

You can't add that many fish at once, and certainly not the larger ones like the tangs, they are pretty messy, and the system needs time to build up for the new bioload.

 

[soccerbo24]

how do you suggest i add them?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccerbo24 http:///t/396850/fish-selection#post_3535776
how do you suggest i add them?

The tangs?... I would put in 2 fish at a time. It really doesn't matter how big a tank is, it really is a matter of how much good bacteria is built up to handle the new bioload. With a 300g tank however, you have lots of water volume to have a little wiggle room, but that doesn't mean you can dump a crap load of fish all at once. Build slow and give a few weeks in between additions.

Quarantine each new critter if you're smart. You could set up a couple of QTs, they are pretty easy and cheap. No substrate, just a small filter, a decoration or a PVC pipe for the fish to feel secure, and an airline or power head to move the water. Macroalgae will help keep the parameters stable.

If the parasite ich were to get into the system, you would have to remove every fish out of the tank, and leave it empty of all fish for 8 weeks. Once you have so many fish in the 300g...you won't have a quarantine large enough...so a little prevention is a really good idea. Inverts can't handle the medicines, so all sick fish must be removed, with large fish, that can be a real problem....one or two not so much...but a 300g tank will hold quite a bit of critters as you progress, so you want to make sure to protect the display system from such disasters from the get go.

 

[jay0705]

Chromis don't always fair well. People think they school up and all is good. However in reality then can be nasty suckers w each other. More often than not.you start w 4-6 and end up w 1 or2. As w the tangs.the purple is a beautiful fish,however is a nasty fish w other tangs. If u want tangs try a few of the less aggressive scopas,bristle,kole,ECT. If u want a bigger tang try a blue and yellow. U want dissimilar looking fish. As far as other fish. Go to a few lfs and just look around. You'll be amazed at the variety

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jay0705 http:///t/396850/fish-selection#post_3535815
Chromis don't always fair well. People think they school up and all is good. However in reality then can be nasty suckers w each other. More often than not.you start w 4-6 and end up w 1 or2. As w the tangs.the purple is a beautiful fish,however is a nasty fish w other tangs. If u want tangs try a few of the less aggressive scopas,bristle,kole,ECT. If u want a bigger tang try a blue and yellow. U want dissimilar looking fish. As far as other fish. Go to a few lfs and just look around. You'll be amazed at the variety

I agree...LOL...my 5 are now just one little fish.

 

[jay0705]

Cardinals are a peaceful schooling fish. If added togather the red fire fish can wrk togather as well