180g stocking help

[Kayl_Neko]

Hey folks. While I am a good ways away from starting this tank, I'm currently researching like crazy to determine how to build this monster. Since the intent is to build the tank around the livestock, I figured I'd check with y'all on what I'm thinking of stocking and what I'm currently planning for the build. I've been doing freshwater for a few years now and I have a pretty good idea what constitutes light/heavy/way overstocked, but saltwater stocking numbers, I have not yet gotten a handle on, so would appreciate any input so I can tweak the plan as needed.

A Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) and a clownfish are the must haves. The fact that my roommate wants the tang (she wants a Dory and Marlin) is how I managed to talk the rest of the house into letting me upgrade the plan from a 90 to a 180, so I'm rather fond of the idea as well *lol*. Then I want a Watchman Goby and Tiger Pistol shrimp (I love symbiotic relationships), a Starry Blenny, and I'm thinking a school of 6-8 either Zebra Barred Dartfish or Scissortail Dartfish. And eventually, I would like to get a Mandarin, though for obvious reasons that's a couple years and some learning and pod cultivation down the line. Those are the fish I'm fairly certain about.

This last group are the ones I'm going back and forth on which ones would fit best. We both like the tank bred Banggai Cardinals, so a pair or a group of those are a possibility, though I'm not sure how a school of them and a school of the dartfish would look, just thinking aesthetically. I was thinking a Cleaner Wrasse initially, but everything I've read about them has me deciding against them and looking towards the Dusky Wrasse, if A) I can find one, and B) y'all think it would work in the tank. I've also looked into the Bannerfish (so she can have a sort-of Gil to go with Dory and Marlin), and I've looked into the Chevron Tang (because they're gorgeous!)

I'm planning on easy corals--mushrooms, Pulsing Xenia, leather, zoanthis, maybe some Kenya Tree after some practice.

And of course, the CUC--snails and scarlet legged hermits, possible a couple Emerald Green Crabs. Definitely a few cleaner shimp, peppermint shrimp, fire shrimp, and the tiger pistol shrimp.

Currently planning on having a 55g sump, 180-200 lbs live Fiji rock, ~ 4" aragonite sand bed (depth for the goby), and a refugium with macroalgae and pods. I'd love to get ahold of some Star and/or Paddle grass, but so far I haven't found any suppliers.

So what do y'all think? How does what I'm fairly definite on wanting sound, for one, and would any of the ones I'm not so certain of work in the tank as well?

 

[Humblefish]

Your stocking list sounds fine to me, for a 180. Fyi; Chevron Tang is gorgeous as a juvenile, but rather dull looking as an adult (IMO).

 

[Kayl_Neko]

What, all of the ones I mentioned? You think so?

 

[treemanone2003]

I can only offer what I know of the goby/pistol combo from experience and that would be to place all the LR in first so it won't shift as the goby and pistol make their burrows. I did have some peppermints also but it was a much smaller tank and they didn't fare well together. I'll link a video I found on YouTube. They also weren't friendly with my corals, but again, tank size may have been the issue. I can't offer anything from experience about the rest of your stock list but it sounds good IMO.

Here's the link on the pistol: http://youtu.be/KkY_mSwboMQ

 

[Wags]

Just have to hope the goby and shrimp set up where you can see them!

Also with that size you might look into a school of anthias. They need regular feeding a but are extremely active and the males have brilliant colors. You get get a school of lyretail (3-5 females to 1 male) and they would bring a lot if life to the aquarium!

 

[Kayl_Neko]

Yeah, I read an article with a few tips about how to encourage the shrimp and goby to set up their burrow where you want it, rather than a in a back corner *lol*

Y'know, I looked at the anthias species, and I didn't really like any of them particularly, looks or what I read about attitude amongst their own species. One of the reasons I got kinda excited when I saw the reports that the dartfish school in the tank. I'm leaning towards the scissortails for the looks and color combo. I have to keep reminding myself that I have a 6 foot tank to work with, so 5-6 inch fish aren't going to look huge. My largest freshwater tank is 55 gallons, so a 5-6 inch fish is the star of the show, not a schooler.

So, if I'm good with every fish I mentioned, would this be a safe stocking order?

Starry Blenny
A pair of Banggai Cardinals
Goby/Shrimp pair
Blue Tang
Dartfish school
Bannerfish
Chevron Tang
Dusky Wrasse
Clownfish
Mandarin

I know I'm putting the fish ahead of the tank a bit, but this is more interesting than the research into building sumps and plumbing tanks I've been doing the last couple weeks *lol*

 

[eatbreakfast]

Dont do a group of bangaii cardinals, as they will whittle themselves down to a pr pretty quickly.

Even though bannerfish are supposed to be pretty reef safe, I have had them on multiple occassions decimate xenia and anthelia corals.

 

[Kayl_Neko]

That's what I've read and why I think I'm going with a pair. I may put them in first, then the blenny, thinking about. That'll put movement in the water column for the less tank-oriented in the family.

Eatbreakfast, what species was your bannerfish? Was he Heniochus diphreutes or Heniochus acuminata? From what I've read, the former is supposed to be reef safe, while the latter is very much not.

 

[eatbreakfast]

It was H. diphruetes, because it was supposed to be the safer option, but ate the softies nonetheless.

 

[Kayl_Neko]

Huh. Good to know. More research to do. Plus side, plenty of time to do research before final decision.

In other news, someone on here mentioned flasher wrasses as an option for schoolers. I looked at them and went whoa, cool. Whatcha guys think of a male and 6 or 7 female Carpenter or McCoskers flasher wrasses instead of the dartfish? They're half the size so won't take up as much room, and add a definite splash of color.

 

[Marshall O]

Flasher Wrasses won't school. In all likelihood you would end up with multiple males that would likely not get along and kill each other. A better option is to do single members from different species.

 

[Kayl_Neko]

Well darn. Guess they got the information wrong. Thanks Marshall ^.^

 

[Marshall O]

No problem

 

[Kworker]

I would ditch the banner fish and go with a triggerfish, I recommend the blue throat triggerfish. You could do a male, female or one of each in a 180 and they're fun to watch. Mine has been great with my cleaner shrimp they actually share the same cave between the trigger pair and cleaner.

Even though most do not do so, I recommend Quarantining all new additions before they make their way into the 180. It can help save you future headaches or losses.

Enjoy, welcome to R2R.

 

[Kayl_Neko]

There's a thought. Never really looked into them due to the aggression comments I've seen in regards to triggers. How would a blue throat work with the rest of the stock? From what I'm reading, they're a touch iffy in regards to reefs and shrimp, and they're pod eaters, which would compete with the mandarin.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Bluethroat triggers should be fine aggression wise, as any tanks Ihave seen them in they fit with the community.

They also will not compete with the mandarin for pods as bluethroats are more of a planktivore and prefer to eat from the water column rather than the substrate.

 

[Kayl_Neko]

Sweet. I'll have to look into them more seriously. So are they an add at any point type fish, or an add amongst the last for territoriality reasons?

Also started looking at the Majestic Foxface last night, and are re-looking at Flame Angels (I'm reading they are a 50/50 on messing with corals, which are odds I may decide to take). I suspect this stock list is going to shift around several dozen times before I finally start putting fish in a tank lol.

 

[Kworker]

Sweet. I'll have to look into them more seriously. So are they an add at any point type fish, or an add amongst the last for territoriality reasons?

Also started looking at the Majestic Foxface last night, and are re-looking at Flame Angels (I'm reading they are a 50/50 on messing with corals, which are odds I may decide to take). I suspect this stock list is going to shift around several dozen times before I finally start putting fish in a tank lol.

I'm assuming you meant a Magnificent Foxface. If so, I have one currently in my QT. They are a cool fish and very mild tempered as it appears, just be careful around them due to their venomous dorsal. Their coloration is nice with the white/yellow/black and red!

 

[3dees]

a Lamark angel or even a mated pair would look good. they are one of the few angels that are plankton eaters so absolutely reef safe. get about 7-8 inches. I have a female in my 120 that is only 3". not as colorful as other angels but great for a reef.

 

[Kayl_Neko]

I'm assuming you meant a Magnificent Foxface.

Er...yeah, that one. Magnificent for the foxface, majestic for the angel. Sorry, was looking then up on the laptop last night and posted from the phone.

I'm thinking if I decide to risk the Flame Angel, I'll pass on the Chevron Tang (same color scheme). If I went that route, could I do the Blue Tang, the Foxface, and Trigger with the smaller ones I'm looking at?

I looked at the Lamark. It's pretty, but not quite what I'm looking for. I like the Flame for the color. Same reason the Chevron caught my eye.