Shoaling fish for a RS-FOWLR

[chrisnif]

K, so here's where I'm going with my 56, start out a new term as well RS-FOWLR that is reef safe fish only with live rock. Basically a tank with all inhabitants I can trust with coral when A. I get the money, and B. The water straightens itself out 100%.
That being said here's where I'm at for a stock list, 56 gallon:
1. Yellow tang (A friend of mine is buying it, im growing it out, then he's going to take it when its about 5-6 inches as he already has 4 in his 240)
2. Percula clown x 2
3. Basslet *undecided but probably lantern*
4. long nose or pixie hawk
5. eventually a copper band butterfly
6. even more eventually a mandarin
7. watchman/pistol pair
8. Dwarf angel, I like the rusty but not sure on reef safeness, maybe save for a flame.
9. Yellow tail blue damsel who will be banished the moment he pisses someone off in the tank.
Now I know that should be a fairly light load as nothing there is "sloppy eaters" and 2 of the fish may never even come based on how I feel moving along. That said, I'd like an active shoal of "SOMETHING" Here are what im considering and what I've thought about them, give me some ideas?
1. PJ cardinals, neet looking.
2. Baggai cardinals - looking into how hard they are as my LFS can get them for $7/each.
3. BLUE (NOT GREEN) reef chromis, way cooler than green, but worry about them killing each other just the same.
4. Firefish. I read someone on here had a firefish goby school and that looks rather awesome honestly.
Other ideas etc would be awesome, and any more info on the fish i've picked would be great too

 

[olemiss]

The blue chromis are horrible shippers with very dismal survival rates. this is why you rarely see them. My LFS won't order them anymore unless you prepay and there is no gurantee, if/when they arrive doa it's on you. Firefish will form a pair and kill off the others once they mature.

 

[kraylen]

1. Yellow tang Yellow tang is not suitable for your size aquarium at all.2. Percula clown x 2Very nice3. Basslet *undecided but probably lantern*I have one, awesome fish.. but will destroy inverts.
4. long nose or pixie hawkCan also eat shrimp and what not, usually not... don't hold it against me.
5. eventually a copper band butterflyTerrible choice, they eat coral, ship horribly and are very hard to get to accept prepared foods. They usually die in captivity...even more so in smaller tanks.
6. even more eventually a mandarinBe sure to have lots of live rock, a lot of corals and places for pods to grow. I suggest a full stocked refugium as well.
7. watchman/pistol pairInteresting little guys, easy to keep... make sure you anchor your rock to the bottom of the tank or a pistol(or any burrowing tankmate) could cause your rockwork to fail.
8. Dwarf angel, I like the rusty but not sure on reef safeness, maybe save for a flame.Angelfish are not reef safe IME, you can risk the nipping and all that but if you have expensive coral it's not worth it.
9. Yellow tail blue damsel who will be banished the moment he pisses someone off in the tank.Good luck catching that without breaking your tank down.
N
1. PJ cardinals, neet looking.
2. Baggai cardinals - looking into how hard they are as my LFS can get them for $7/each.
3. BLUE (NOT GREEN) reef chromis, way cooler than green, but worry about them killing each other just the same.
4. Firefish. I read someone on here had a firefish goby school and that looks rather awesome honestly.
Cardinals are very easy, they sometimes breed in the home aquarium... keep in mind they get kind big and ugly in smaller tanks when there is a school of them haha. Blue chromis was covered by the other guy right on the head. Firefish are easy, they are not gobies, dartfish actually.. which will require a cover/lid/top for your tank... they are jumpers for sure. Also, if you plan on having a group(firefish don't school) of firefish, introduce them all at the same time from the same group at the LFS.
Hope this helps.

 

[chrisnif]

Well damn, basslets dont like inverts, maybe that's where my peppermint shrimp went with my royal gramma
Now I think I'm more boggled than I've ever been. Would it be a total freaking waste to have a metal halide and no corals? I'm not as big on shrimp, but I like having some hermits and maybe some corals (i can buy cheap pieces to see if the fish eat them)

 

[kraylen]

Yes, I believe halides without corals would be pointless. I mean, it would look cool.

 

[chrisnif]

Okay so 20% of the fish I like are "not reef safe" 75% are "with caution" and like 5% are safe (basically the clowns and gobies). Luckily I paid $5 for a MH ballast and socket and only need to buy a bulb so im not so invested there that it'll kill me not to do coral.
Lets try this stock list on for a moment (thanks for being patient I just have this thing for knowing where I'm going as I go there).
1. Maroon clown x1 (better match for other tank mates I think)
2. Blackcap or Lantern basslet
3. Dot dash butterfly (Chaetodon pelewensis)
4. One Spot Foxface
5. Flame or Rusty dwarf angel
6.A smaller wrass like an xmas wrass or blue head wrass
7. Saltwater converted (as they should be) "columbian shark" not sure the genus/species here but I've had them in freshwater and they always die because they need saltwater to live past a year old, I think they get real big but my LFS has a shark pond and will take it back if needed.
From here are fish I wont have all of (and if these guys require removal of someone from above that might be reasonable just tell me)
1. Lion (have to research the types etc but would that work with the above?)
2. Snowflake Eel (last inhabitant, would come in small enough to not be able to eat tank mates)
3. (most likely) small puffer like a valentini.
Forgive me for the novel !