180 FOWLR stock list+many questions

[Flatearth]

I am getting a 180 gallon FOWLR tank. This is going to be my first saltwater tank with actual fish in it, so I only want species that are reasonably hardy. The lack of info on even commonly kept species has me nervous, so I am posting here. Reading forums has been helpful, but 80% of posts for most species are "Is it reef safe" and "Can I keep X big fish in Y small tank" then it is just 10 people saying no making it poor for learning.


Clownfish pair- I would like a pair of Cinnamon clowns, but would the male be snack size for my other fish? Maybe a Maroon clown pair would be better or do I just need to skip clowns all together?

1 Saddle butterflyfish

A 2nd butterfly would be nice. Would a Racoon or Raffles(lattice is another name) be a good 2nd? I like almost all butterfly fish so open to suggestions.

1 angelfish(one of the 7-10 inch species)

1 green wolf eel/blenny- I love these, but can it eat my other stock? Hard to tell how big the mouth is without seeing one in person.

2 triggers- I like the rectangle and niger the most. Can I keep both? I like any trigger if a different option is better.

1 puffer- Lots of conflict on whether or not the larger species are acceptable for a 180. Probably will go with a blue or white spot puffer unless you guys think otherwise?

1 hawkfish- Needlenose or Flame- Are these in danger of being eaten by the wolf eel?

1 Dusky Jawfish

Bird wrasse+dragon wrasse- Are these two different looking enough to get along? If not I will drop the dragon wrasse.

1 tang- I like the scopos, chocololate, and yellow belly regal blue tangs. Which ever is easiest from this list is what I will get.

1 bristletooth tang- The tomini is nice, but I like all the bristletooths so if another kind is better let me know.




My specific questions aside would this tank be overstocked, understocked, or properly stocked? The triggerfish family is really what has me getting a saltwater tank, so willing to drop anything from the list except for both triggers(but willing to drop 1 if 2 is a problem).

 

[sc50964]

Too many fish for an 180g. You also want many aggressive fish which aren’t the best choices when you also want small fish like jaw and hawk fish. Can’t have two triggers as they will fight. Butterfly is more sensitive so they may not fare well with these aggressive fish. What kind of Angel? Only one big wrasses pls.

 

[sc50964]

Also need to know what you are planning to do when it comes to QT

 

[Ryebreadiest]

Couple of things to consider when people say overstocked.

1) Filtration. Can you keep the water quality high with the amount of waste produced? This one can be helped with extra filtration and a commitment to water changes, but those can be onerous with a tank this big.

2) Fish compatibility. Do you have large predator fish with small snack sized fish? Aggressive, boisterous fish with shy, timid feeding fish?

3) Adequate space. A bird wrasse is an active fish that will get 10”+ eventually. A 6 foot tank might feel cramped down the road.

As far as your list, I’d skip the jawfish, do one of the big wrasses and one of the triggers. It can be hard to say exactly if any of the fish will fight but that list might be ok.

 

[Flatearth]

Too many fish for an 180g. You also want many aggressive fish which aren’t the best choices when you also want small fish like jaw and hawk fish. Can’t have two triggers as they will fight. Butterfly is more sensitive so they may not fare well with these aggressive fish. What kind of Angel? Only one big wrasses pls.

I haven't decided what kind of angel yet, my LFs always has Lamarck's in stock so maybe one of them but I am not super picky about it I like all the angels.

If I drop one wrasse, hawkfish, and jawfish am I good on stocking as far as bioload goes.

 

[sc50964]

I haven't decided what kind of angel yet, my LFs always has Lamarck's in stock so maybe one of them but I am not super picky about it I like all the angels.

If I drop one wrasse, hawkfish, and jawfish am I good on stocking as far as bioload goes.

Put some large marine pure blocks in your sump plus LR in ur display and cycle them to host bio filter then it will be good enough.

 

[JC1977]

I am getting a 180 gallon FOWLR tank. This is going to be my first saltwater tank with actual fish in it, so I only want species that are reasonably hardy. The lack of info on even commonly kept species has me nervous, so I am posting here. Reading forums has been helpful, but 80% of posts for most species are "Is it reef safe" and "Can I keep X big fish in Y small tank" then it is just 10 people saying no making it poor for learning.


Clownfish pair- I would like a pair of Cinnamon clowns, but would the male be snack size for my other fish? Maybe a Maroon clown pair would be better or do I just need to skip clowns all together?

1 Saddle butterflyfish

A 2nd butterfly would be nice. Would a Racoon or Raffles(lattice is another name) be a good 2nd? I like almost all butterfly fish so open to suggestions.

1 angelfish(one of the 7-10 inch species)

1 green wolf eel/blenny- I love these, but can it eat my other stock? Hard to tell how big the mouth is without seeing one in person.

2 triggers- I like the rectangle and niger the most. Can I keep both? I like any trigger if a different option is better.

1 puffer- Lots of conflict on whether or not the larger species are acceptable for a 180. Probably will go with a blue or white spot puffer unless you guys think otherwise?

1 hawkfish- Needlenose or Flame- Are these in danger of being eaten by the wolf eel?

1 Dusky Jawfish

Bird wrasse+dragon wrasse- Are these two different looking enough to get along? If not I will drop the dragon wrasse.

1 tang- I like the scopos, chocololate, and yellow belly regal blue tangs. Which ever is easiest from this list is what I will get.

1 bristletooth tang- The tomini is nice, but I like all the bristletooths so if another kind is better let me know.




My specific questions aside would this tank be overstocked, understocked, or properly stocked? The triggerfish family is really what has me getting a saltwater tank, so willing to drop anything from the list except for both triggers(but willing to drop 1 if 2 is a problem).

As others have said you should just skip the smaller fish entirely with the other larger more aggressive fish you want to keep. As far as angels go unless you’re already planning on upgrading to an 8 foot tank down the road you should probably look at the Pygmy angels. A bicolor angel has nice color and won’t outgrow your 180. A porcupine puffer would do ok in a 180 as well assuming you have adequate filtration. A scopas tang would be fine skip the blue tang. The bristletooth would be fine also and you shouldn’t have too many issues with aggression between the two. I don’t have any experience with a wolf eel so can’t say about them if it was my tank I would go for a snowflake or another reasonably sized pebble tooth eel. As far as those two triggers go IMO I think you could pull it off especially if you add them last and at the same time before either is established in the tank. Again as it has been pointed out already a lot of this is contingent on your filtration being up to par and keep in mind sometimes fish have their own personalities.

 

[Flatearth]

Sorry for the slow response, I didn't have a response to post of the questions as I had not located a tank to purchase I was just set on the 180.

I ended up buying a 225 gallon tank, that I am hopefully picking up this weekend!

Tank measurements: 72x24x30

According to the post it includes:

200lbs live rock
Huge redsea skimmer
75 gallon sump
Octopus return pump
MP40
Bioball reactor
2 reef breeder 32” lights
Refugium active

The tank is currently running full of fish, and it looks like everything is in working order. Not really sure what I was looking at aside from that, but I will get pictures of everything it comes with when I have it in my house.


As for quarantine I have a 30 gallon I was planning to run as my QT tank, unless there is a different way I should be doing it?

 

[exnisstech]

Any small fish are subject to being eaten by the eel from what I have read, tho I have never kept one so I would nix the eel or small fish. I have kept small fish with tangs and triggers with no problem and still do tho I no longer have a trigger. I had a Niger for over 6 years until it started eating my LPS. Durring that time it was kept with a blue throat with no isues and another time a picaso again with no problems. I found the regal tang to be hardy. I have a non yellow belly about 5 inches that was quarter sized when I got it. I did not have success with a chocolate. They seemed about as sensitive as a powder blue which I have not been able to keep. The white tail yellow eyed bristle tooth is the most attractive of the BT tangs IMO. I have kept several different types of BT and all have been hardy. I currently have a convict which is supposed to be difficult keeping healthy. Mine will be with me 2 years in June. Never kept a large species of Puffer. If I did it would be a porky and in a tank of its own. Dragon wrasse is an awesome looking and interesting fish. Some folks say the adults are ugly but I think they are awesome. They get pretty large and need a deep sand bed, or should have if you want them to be able to burrow as they do. I kept one for a while but it just made a mess of the tank. It was alway digging in the sand to the point the water would be cloudy so I rehomed it. With as many fish as you are planning have a plan if something has to be rehomed.