What would you add?

pjlovesbaskets

pjlovesbaskets

Member
Here is my stocking list for a 125g. I would like to go reef eventually...by the end of the summer. I would probably be ready to start adding corals by the end of summer.
What should I add fish and invert-wise to round out the tank? What I mean is make it overall a really good tank with swimmers, inverts, CUC, etc. I had some vacation losses and will be upgrading my system this summer to prevent future problems. This will include lights, sump and R/O system with plumbing to the tank.
I have 1 yellow tang
1 hippo tang
1 chocolate star fish (will have to put in another tank when I go reef)
1 black spiny urchin (will have to put in another tank when I go reef)
3 clown fish
snails 15-20 small snails that sift the sand (don't remember name)
naracciss snails -2
6 line wrasse (will trade him if conflict with something I want to add. Didn't realize I needed to add him last)
1purple lobster (maybe, I haven't seen him in months)
1purple and yellow gramma
What I want...(had some losses due to vacation disaster)
Jawfish-jumped
cleaner shrimp-died due to vacation disaster
nightwatchman goby-jumped
yellow goby-jumped
Manderin (want but am waiting when tank is ready with copods)
I plan on fixing the jumping gobies and jawfish problem by adding a canopy above the tank with the metal halide lights, fans etc. (custom made by a reef farm in my area) It would be completely enclosed and would have doors like an upper cabinet of a kitchen for access. I am thinking this would prevent the jumping.
Looking for suggestion for things to add fish and invert-wise. I want to have my complete stock in mind and then focus on the corals. Suggestions.... please.
 
niskyvaulter

niskyvaulter

Member
3x benggai cardinals
some kind of firefish
something im big into is getting high end, rare fish, corals, and inverts. e.g. i would rather buy a cool, unique looking $90 fish and have to wait a while to afford another one than buy a bunch of $15. i do the same with corals. i just buy one polyp or a tiny frag of something really weird looking, like a hybrid or something like that, and just wait for it to fill out and expand through the tank. it takes a lot of patience, but i know that i wont be able to set up another tank for at least 10 years, so i want to make this one really cool.
 
gatorwpb

gatorwpb

Active Member
6-line wrasse is a great fish and very personable. I never had any problems with mine before my chromis killed it. He will compete for the same food as the mandarin, pods etc.
A goby or blenny would be good to replace the jumpers.
Also, maybe a foxface to bring in some color, but you already have a yellow tang.
For snails, my favorite are cerith snails. I will assume that you have astrea or turbos as they are the most common. Nassarius are good too for sand. nerite and/or magarita snails are good too. Varity is key.
 
fishygurl

fishygurl

Active Member
Originally Posted by Pjlovesbaskets
http:///forum/post/2661183
Here is my stocking list for a 125g. I would like to go reef eventually...by the end of the summer. I would probably be ready to start adding corals by the end of summer.
What should I add fish and invert-wise to round out the tank? What I mean is make it overall a really good tank with swimmers, inverts, CUC, etc. I had some vacation losses and will be upgrading my system this summer to prevent future problems. This will include lights, sump and R/O system with plumbing to the tank.
I have 1 yellow tang
1 hippo tang
1 chocolate star fish (will have to put in another tank when I go reef)
1 black spiny urchin (will have to put in another tank when I go reef)
3 clown fish
snails 15-20 small snails that sift the sand (don't remember name)
naracciss snails -2
6 line wrasse (will trade him if conflict with something I want to add. Didn't realize I needed to add him last)
1purple lobster (maybe, I haven't seen him in months)
1purple and yellow gramma
What I want...(had some losses due to vacation disaster)
Jawfish-jumped
cleaner shrimp-died due to vacation disaster
nightwatchman goby-jumped
yellow goby-jumped
Manderin (want but am waiting when tank is ready with copods)
I plan on fixing the jumping gobies and jawfish problem by adding a canopy above the tank with the metal halide lights, fans etc. (custom made by a reef farm in my area) It would be completely enclosed and would have doors like an upper cabinet of a kitchen for access. I am thinking this would prevent the jumping.
Looking for suggestion for things to add fish and invert-wise. I want to have my complete stock in mind and then focus on the corals. Suggestions.... please.
if i were you i would get 2 bangaii cardinals not 3 since 2 of them will pair up and kill the other...
a firefish would be cool too
a yellow wrasse or flame wrasse would be cool
i wouldnt get a foxface since they can be iffy in reefs
 
brandan

brandan

Member
If you are able to keep up with the feed requirements, I would look into maybe a pair or trio of Anthias.
 
pjlovesbaskets

pjlovesbaskets

Member
I like the idea of a schooling fish but the anthias wouldn't be cool around my cleaner shrimp. I looked a at the foxface but they're venomous. I have a 12 year old who helps a lot with the tank. I am still looking at your other suggestions. Also foxface will nip at corals I thought
 
jmrents

jmrents

Member
I like what niskyvaulter says, I love to buy smaller things and watch them
grow to fill in, but you can do that without spending a fortune too!
Fish are a kinda feel out thing, IMO, you know what you like but you have
to know which fish will get along together.
You said you have had problems with fish jumping, usually that is from
fish chasing each other, so maybe you dont need that canopy.
I dont like canopies for a reef tank, more to clean and traps in the heat,
esp. if your going to use halides.
I dumped my canopy and have an open top now, and haven't had any fish
commit suicide or jump from me cleaning. I have two gobies, a yellow watchman and a spotted, they both keep to the hidey holes on the bottom
and are not bothered by any of their tank mates.
I live in a very hot area and I can keep my tank cool enough all summer long without a chiller.
As for the foxface, I had one for a long time, and found that it was not only
a good choice for my reef but it was so skittish, that I was never worried about it's venomous spines, I have an Atlantic blue tang that will nip at my
xenia, never did the foxface nip at any of my corals, just FYI.
My favorite inverts are my anemones, I have two BTAs, I love watching the
clowns playing in their hosts and chasing away everyone else from it.
The last fish I would add would be a flame angel, you just cannot beat their
beauty, and as a bonus they will help clean up any diatoms too.
Good luck and be patient, you'll make mistakes, we all do.
 
brandan

brandan

Member
Originally Posted by Pjlovesbaskets
http:///forum/post/2661724
I like the idea of a schooling fish but the anthias wouldn't be cool around my cleaner shrimp. I looked a at the foxface but they're venomous. I have a 12 year old who helps a lot with the tank. I am still looking at your other suggestions. Also foxface will nip at corals I thought
I have a Foxface, and he comes no where near me when my hand is in the tank. They are very, very passive fish (as many community SW fish are). As far as Anthias, they are not known to eat ornamental shrimp. I don't think you will have to worry about shrimp and Anthias.
 
pjlovesbaskets

pjlovesbaskets

Member
Originally Posted by smokingreefer
http:///forum/post/2661936
The sand sifting snails are called nassarius snails. What's a Naracciss snail?
Poor spelling on my behalf. I am thinking the larger snail may be a mexican snail. The other are the kind when you feed they look like night of the living death as they come out of the sand. They are small guys. I probably should do some research since I forget what I bought.
Do I need anything else?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top