125 Gallon Stocking List

[mwc]

This is my first post after lurking for more than a year both with and without creating an account. Hopefully, in the next couple days I can find time to make a build thread among other things. I have a 125 gallon tank with sand and rock and dimensions of 72"x18"x24. I've been making a list of inhabitants for several months, and I've whittled my list down quite a bit. I am now at the point where I could use some help to keep from overstocking. This tank is cycled (April), in an ugly phase, and currently has its first few inhabitants:

2 Percula Clowns
Trochus snails
Astrea Snails
Blue leg and scarlet hermits
Money Cowries
Cleaner Shrimp
One Spot Foxface (In QT)
Corals
Rock Flower Anemones


My would like to have stocking is as follows:

Zebra barred Dartfish (3-6)
Pyramid Butterflys (1-3)
Whitetail Tang
Dracula Goby
Canary Wrasse
Naoko Wrasse
Longnose Hawkfish
Midas Blenny
Royal Gramma
One Spot Foxface
Neon Goby
Possum/Tanaka's Wrasse
Watanabei Angelfish (1-2)
Leopard Wrasse
Pink Streaked Wrasse
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Firefish
Fairy/Flasher Wrasses?

It's quite a list, but that's part of why I need help. I could also use any suggestions or opinions on stocking order as well. I've started to lean towards really liking the wrasses, so I've tried to choose inhabitants that are more peaceful, but there are a few exceptions listed (tangs, hawkfish, clowns). I appreciate any help.

Thanks!

 

[P-Dub]

WOW! That is quite a list. I have a preference for tangs as they, generally, work for you in keeping algae at bay. Wrasses are a nice addition as well. Wrasses can get taken out by your rock flower though as they sometimes go for any bits of food that land on the nem. Gobies and blennies are great additions as well for the same reason as tangs are, to a greater or lesser degree. Go with what you like, research the general characteristics, including size and growth rates, of the fish you like, realize the fish aren't familiar with those general characteristics and move forward from there. Limit your number of fish to about 15 or so, size-dependent. Just my 2C.

 

[mwc]

I was trying to limit myself to just 1 tang and a foxface as they get so big. On my original stocking list there were so many tangs I crossed off for one reason or another. I'll keep that stocking limit in mind. I know a lot of the fish I'm considering are going to be large eventually, and coral will take up plenty of swimming room.

 

[Zionas]

I think you could do 2 smaller Tangs but it’s a choice between 2 Tangs (9” and smaller) or 1 Tang and 1 Foxface. From your list, here’s a possibility:

x2 Ocellaris Clownfish (female up to 4.3”, male up to 3” maybe?)

x1 One Spot Fox Face (8”)

x1 White Tail Bristletooth Tang (6.5”)

x1 Yellow Coris (Canary) Wrasse (5”)

x1 Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse (4”)

x1 Pink Streak Wrasse (2.5”)

x1 Tanaka’s Possum Wrasse (2”)

x1 Leopard Wrasse (of some kind) (4-6”)

x1 Pink Spotted Watchman Goby (pair it with a Pistol Shrimp!) (5”)

x1 Midas Blenny (6”)

x1 Royal Gramma (3”)

x1 Long Nose Hawkfish (5”)

x1 Neon Goby (1.5”)

x1 Firefish (of some kind) (3-3.5”)

And I’d say keep 1 Watanabei (6”) and 1 Pyramid (7”).

This is going to be a fairly large stocking list so make sure your filtration can handle it.


Large Fish (6”+):

-Midas Blenny
-White Tail Bristletooth Tang
-One Spot Fox Face
-Watanabei’s Angelfish
-Yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish


Medium Fish (4-5”):

-Ocellaris female
-Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse
-Yellow Coris Wrasse
-Long Nose Hawkfish
-Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
-Leopard Wrasse (of some kind)

Small fish (below 4”):

-Firefish (of some kind)
-Royal Gramma
-Tanaka’s Possum Wrasse
-Pink Streak Wrasse
-Neon Goby
-Ocellaris male


Your main sources of bioload will be the large fish I’ve listed plus the wrasses.

I’d actually ditch the Leopard Wrasse for a dwarf angel (CB, Flameback etc.) because Leopard Wrasses can be hard to keep.

 

[mwc]

Thank you, for the help and information.

A coral beauty was on my original long list, but I removed it. I've been thinking lately about it since it was one of the first fish I really looked at and loved. I've also been on the fence about a leopard wrasse for that very reason. It may be something I add eventually a few years down the road. I would really like to have a mystery wrasse, but everything I've read has convinced me to stay away from them with my "peaceful" stocking list. LoL.

Any advice on stocking order? I know I'll add the tang last. My pair of true percula clowns are already in my display and my one spot foxface will be out of QT next week and added in acclimation box just to be safe.

 

[Zionas]

Clowns of the Ocellaris kind can go in at any phase. I wouldn’t say the same for Clarkiis, Tomatoes, Maroons etc.

From an availability perspective, I’d start with the Firefish, Clowns, and Royal Gramma as your first four fish.

Then, you can add the wrasses (none of them should be too aggressive) or the gobies depending on which ones are available first.


1. Firefish + Royal Gramma + x2 Ocellaris Clownfish

2. Wrasses / Gobies

3. Whichever one wasn’t added last time

4. Midas Blenny

5. Foxface

6. Angel / Butterfly

7. Whichever one wasn’t added last time

8. Hawkfish

9. Tang

 

[mwc]

This is pretty much the order I was expecting, but I wasn't entirely sure when to add the wrasses. Glad to see I wasn't too far off. Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

[nereefpat]

Zebra barred Dartfish (3-6)
Pyramid Butterflys (1-3)
Whitetail Tang
Dracula Goby
Canary Wrasse
Naoko Wrasse
Longnose Hawkfish
Midas Blenny
Royal Gramma
One Spot Foxface
Neon Goby
Possum/Tanaka's Wrasse
Watanabei Angelfish (1-2)
Leopard Wrasse
Pink Streaked Wrasse
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Firefish
Fairy/Flasher Wrasses?

I don't see any issues there. There may be something with the wrasses that I'm missing, as that's not my specialty.

It is a lot of fish, so you'll have to see if you can keep your water parameters up to snuff.

 

[mwc]

I don't see any issues there. There may be something with the wrasses that I'm missing, as that's not my specialty.

It is a lot of fish, so you'll have to see if you can keep your water parameters up to snuff.

I believe I'm going to have to make cuts for the good of the bigger picture.

I have confidence in my filtration, but it's probably best not to overstock and then try to catch up... especially being new to reef keeping. Water parameters are pretty good currently, but I'm battling cyano on the sand and a very minimal amount of turf algae. I built my tank stand on the tall side, so cleaning can be a bit of a task. I'm learning I will have to vacuum more sand during water changes and maybe keep it stirred up daily. Anyway, I'm going to get those problems under control before I get too much further into stocking fish.

Thank you, for your input!

 

[Cogboy]

I have very similar sized tank 72 x 26 x 20, and had similar considerations....carried over my yellow eye kole tang and fox face from old tank and couldn't be happier....was thinking other tangs etc, but they are already getting so bog in this tank and I didn't want to upset the balance.....they get along very well and have been model citizens.....if I do add one more larger fish it will probably be a blue throat trigger. Good luck!