What fish first?

fishboy091

Member
These are some of the fish I would like to get, can you please tell me what order to add them in? Is this too much? If so, please tell me which ones should go.
Sailfin Tang
2 Ocellaris Clowns
2 or 3 Firefish
1 or 2 Yellow Tangs
Coral Beauty
Bicolor Blenny
Royal Gramma
Flame Angel
Sixline Wrasse
Yellow Watchman Goby
5 Chromis'(these are going first)
Snowflake Eel
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
I would definitely not get 2 yellow tangs, and with those fish, you want to leave out the SFE for sure. Also, you are not going to able to do 2 dwarf angels. They are most likely going to fight.
Everything else sounds fine. I would add the clowns first.
 

fishboy091

Member
I went to the lfs and bought 2 percs, 3 peppermint shrimp, some zoos, colt coral, and a toadstool for the clowns; I think I went a little overboard but when I start buying I cant stop. I forgot to add that it was a 180 gallon tank, I don't know if that will make any difference.
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by fishboy091
I think I went a little overboard but when I start buying I cant stop.
You better get that impulse under control or you are in for a rough time in this hobby. "Impulse" buying can rapidly lead to crashing your tank.
Research EVERY purchase before you make it. Make a list of fish and inverts you want. Go to the pet store (one that you know and trust), and see what on your list they have. DON'T DEVIATE from your list... if you see something you like RESEARCH it later, but don't buy it first.
 

murph

Active Member
Well now that you have what you have I would try to be content with that for up to six months. Its going to be expensive to stock a tank that size no matter what.
In the mean time limit your purchases to more live rock if you have not already filled out your compliment of that. I would go with 200 pounds for a tank that size. Cured rock can be added any time and even if the LFS is fibbing a bit and its actually more "semi cured" rock which is likely, adding small amounts each weekend should present no problem.
Fill out the clean up crew during this time also. Scarlet hermits, nassarius, turbos and maybe a few black brittle stars a cleaner shrimp etc.
As soon as you start seeing some hair algae, around the 3 month mark most likely growing on the back glass of the tank and waving around a bit in the current add a small yellow tang.
Stay away from the six line wrasse for at least a year or your likely never to see your pod population gain a foot hold.
Depending on the tank diameters add a couple of pygmy angels at the same time and of different species provided the tank is six foot long. Be prepared for some possible aggression and even the death of one depending on the two fishes individual personalties but in a tank six foot long and added at the same time they are likely to settle in. If you don't have the stomach for that just add one. I would go with a flame angel and a cherub or flame back. The cherub and flame back are actually on the aggressive side for pygmies but the flame being large should be able to hold its own.
Stop there, keeping the bio load low and turn your emphasis to corals. Keep an eye on the angels, but if well fed should present no problem to your corals. Mileage here may vary.
After a year and with a tank that size and that low a bio load and competition and you can observe a large pod population in the tank I would try my luck with a Mandarin.
The possibility for a spectacular display exist here but the temptations to add the wrong things to fast are great also. This tank is on the large side and Rome was not built in a day. You wouldn't expect to start a garden plant some tomato seeds and be making tomato sauce this time next week. The same principal applies here.
 

fishboy091

Member
Thanks, Murph.
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
Yeah, how long has the tank been running? Is it even cycled?
It has cycled for 3 weeks.
 
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