Planning stage for 8' long tank - stocklist

TammieH

TammieH

New Member
I'm building a new house (actually a major remodel but we're down to the studs) and I'm getting an 8' long 24" wide and 30-36" deep tank!!! (336 gallon + sump volume) It'll be peninsula styled. I'm getting a plumbed system to get water from the ro/di freshwater and mixing station to my tank's sump. And I'll be able to pump water out for water changes, so no carrying heavy buckets. I'm so stoked.

I'm thinking of a stock list for the tank. I've had tanks before and have a small one now, but never this big, My existing fish (all four of them!) will be making the move, so here's what I'm looking at. Any comments, good or bad, would be appreciated!

* existing

Order of personal preference:

Porcupine puffer
Regal (queen or blue girdled or emperor?) angel
Mimic saddle puffer
Blue hippo tang
Midas blenny
Flame hawkfish
Blue dot jawfish
*2 clowns w/ anemones
*Green Mandarin
*Cardinalfish (husband's fish... I find him quite boring but he's been around a few years)

Too much? Bad combo? I'd like a few bigger fish, but also a few smaller ones that are fun to watch darting in and out.

Help me do some dreaming here. :)
 
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florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Wow I don’t want get down on your fish list BUT please please do your research on the Regal angel.

No mandarin your tank will be two big and too immature for one. The mimic puffer means no inverts in your tank. The porcupine is known as a nipper also no inverts .Do you mean the blue spot jawfish. if do depending on where it makes its home in a tank your size you may never see it. Sorry but this is my opinion. BTW is this going to be a reef tank ?
 
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TammieH

TammieH

New Member
florida joe said:
Wow I don’t want get down on your fish list BUT please please do your research on the Regal angel.

No mandarin your tank will be two big and too immature for one. The mimic puffer means no inverts in your tank. The porcupine is known as a nipper also no inverts . Sorry but this is my opinion
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Thanks! Now I'm not planning on just dumping everyone in the day I get my tank. :) I already have a tank that I will run with it's current inhabitants until the new one is up and running and well cycled.

I already have a mandarin, so it's not an option. He's been thriving in my current tank for well over a year. He eats frozen like a champ too. I don't know how this tank will be too big for him. I've heard of too small of a tank, but not too big. Care to elaborate? I will be keeping my current tank as a grow out tank for fresh food for the display tank, so he can always stay there if needed (and become really fat!).

I've had a mimic puffer before (prior tank many moons ago - my ex ended up with him in the divorce), and didn't have any problems with inverts with him. But that may have just been him and I got lucky? I had other file fish too that were just awesome fish... would change coloration.

Now, a regal angel. These are new to me. I could go a different route with the angelfish..... any suggestions?

I'm looking into the water flow and how to prevent any dead spots in this tank. I've seen some pretty cool plumbing ideas for flow. I fortunately have time to plan this tank out.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
My .02 about the regal angel. They are a beautiful fish that should remain in the ocean.

They are extremely timid, extremely extremely hard to get to eat. you will have to try the live oyster method to get it to start eating if you are lucky. They are the shyest fish I have ever seen. They should be the first fish you put In your tank. They get bullied by almost every other fish in a mixed tank. Your tang and puffers will stress it to the point it will stop eating and starve to death. If the store you are getting it from runs any copper at all the angel is doomed they are that sensitive to copper. IMO if the expert hobbyist wants to keep one it should be in a species specific tank You are very lucky with the puffers they love to munch on inverts.

As for the mandarin. I also have one that has survived for years now. While they may eat frozen their main diet are pods. They are slow swimming fish and always out competed for food by other fish. A small tank makes finding food easier for them the bigger the tank the more LR you have in it the harder it is for them to get adequate pods as they have more hiding places, down the road the larger tank is a plus for just the opposite reason more hiding places for pods to multiply . IMO to put your mandarin in a tank that size is risky. Wait until you develop a major supply of multiplying pod colony’s
 
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TammieH

TammieH

New Member
Ok... so no on the regal angel. I'll look at other options.

My mandarin can stay where he is. He comes running when he sees my turkey baster. He will eat out of it too. If I use my current tank for a macro algae and pod grow out which is my plan, I'm sure he'll be fat and happy.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Part of the research is getting opinions from seasoned hobbyist and the comments about regals and mandarins are sound.

You didn't mention what your plan was for the system? Just live rock, corals?
 
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