"Centerpiece" fish for 90/120 reef

[Indytraveler83]

I think if you like Acan, Lobophyllia and the like, you are out of luck with Regal. Catalaphyllia, Euphyllia, Gontopora and Alveopora are Ok with most angels. My angels mow down the Xenia that I put in the tank.
Regal angel grow pretty slowly and will be fine in a 120 or 150. Fox Face, even the smallest Foxface Lo get pretty big quickly and IME get too big of a 120 gal. PBT is one of the larger tangs, but should do OK in a 120 gal. This is kinda pushing it for PBT.
You may want to consider a CBB

Unfortunately my acans are my favorite. My dream system would have massive acan gardens, and damaging them is a no-go. I'm assuming that mostly rules out angels and butterflies?

 

[OrionN]

Only two Flasher wrasses in a 120, you can add a numbers more but need to pick and choose the ones that are compatible. Ask in a different thread. You likely can easily keep 4-8 wrasses in a 120 if you add them wisely.

Yellow Tang. It is a really beautiful fish.

 

[jomatty]

I’d be going with a purple tang. No way I’d go with a harlequin tusk for both space, and more importantly invert reasons. If you want lots of inverts I just don’t see that working.

 

[Indytraveler83]

So to summarize what I think I've seen so far, my two largest fish should consist of some combo of:
Purple Tang
Yellow Tang
Larger reef safe wrasse (fairy wrasse are part of the rest of the stocking plan)
Rabbitfish


And that should prevent any issues with my acans or shrimp being attacked, and still give those animals ample space? Sound about right?

 

[Jesterrace]

I'm trying to plan out a build before buying anything at all, and want to have a good plan for stocking.

My system is going to be limited to a 4ft tank, due to space constraints, which likely makes it a 90 or 120 gallon tank.

The plan is a mostly lps/nem mixed reef with lots of inverts.

I've got plans for most of the fish I want to stock, which include fairy wrasse, dartfish, peaceful damsels, Cardinals, etc.

What I need is 1 or 2 "centerpiece" fish that is a little bigger and brings the wow factor to the tank.

The problem I'm running across is entirely reef/invert safe fish that can be this in a 4ft system. I'm sensitive to the space needs of Tangs, and the smaller yellow/brown species don't fit the bill. I love angels, butterflies and triggers but most are not reef and invert safe.

Is there anything out there that's larger than the typical 2-4 inch reef safe fish that would really make this system pop?

There are Wrasses that can fit that (although some of them are with caution with inverts, but they will leave corals alone). A Richmond's Wrasse would certainly stand out:

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+2907&pcatid=2907

Another option is a One Spot Foxface. I have one in my 90 gallon and love it:

 

[Jesterrace]

So to summarize what I think I've seen so far, my two largest fish should consist of some combo of:
Purple Tang
Yellow Tang
Larger reef safe wrasse (fairy wrasse are part of the rest of the stocking plan)
Rabbitfish


And that should prevent any issues with my acans or shrimp being attacked, and still give those animals ample space? Sound about right?

In a 4 foot tank Zebrasoma Tangs are likely to become aggressive. Had to boot a Yellow around 4 inches from my 90 gallon after a month since it bullied it's tankmates.

 

[OrionN]

Tangs are really aggressive to other tangs, and other grazers. Yellow, Purple, C. tomini, C. truncatus, C. binotatus, C. strigosus should do well in a 120 gal tank (not all of them but 1 -3 or so)

 

[Indytraveler83]

Yeah. The plan would be either a Tang and foxface, foxface and larger wrasse or Tang and wrasse.

Definitely not all of them. All of those combos seem ok, or would a Tang get grumpy with a foxface?

 

[OrionN]

Fox face are more than able to handle himself. Tang will not be able to bully him. Fox face are not itself a bully.

 

[Indytraveler83]

So the new system is 90 gallons (apparently the 120 would have blocked the hallway, and I guess that's a bad thing...)

From what I'm seeing the 120 would have been a bit cramped for the foxface and even the purple tang, so I'm very hesitant to go that route.

Am I wrong? Or does anyone have some other suggestions that I've excluded so far?

I'm definitely looking at the wrasse route...

Am I prematurely passing on the bristletooth tangas? Are they better looking than I think?

And I'd really really love one of the dwarf/pygmy angels, but can they ever be trusted with lps?

 

[OrionN]

Less than a 120 gal is a little small for Fox Face. Yellow tangs are smaller than Purple tang. I think a 90 is OK for a yellow tang, especially if you start out with a small tang.

 

[Indytraveler83]

Less than a 120 gal is a little small for Fox Face. Yellow tangs are smaller than Purple tang. I think a 90 is OK for a yellow tang, especially if you start out with a small tang.

Agreed on the foxface. Really like them, but don't want to squish them. Feel the same about the purple tang.

Really think I'll go with either a yellow or bristletooth tang. Still trying to figure out that second "centerpiece" fish sort to speak. I hate how many fish are reef "caution" and then it depends on the fish itself. A yellow Tang and a coral beauty angelfish would be a very nice combo. But sometimes I read that angel is almost perfectly reef safe, and sometimes they are coral eating monsters.

 

[OrionN]

All perfectly reef safe

 

[Indytraveler83]

Okay so let's see if I can get a few more refined suggestions, now that I have the system in place:

It's a 90 gallon invert, lps, anemone heavy, peaceful system.

I think for the "big" fish I want a small tang. My first choice is a squaretail bristletooth or yelloweye kole tang. Any experience on these two? Would one be better than the other?

I would also like one or two fairy wrasse that are not going to get nasty with my two flasher wrasse's, and are under $100. Any really colorful non-red suggestions. I'm thinking something like a Scott's fairy wrasse, yellow flanked, orange backed or exquisite fairy wrasse? Any opinions on those?

 

[CindyKz]

Have you considered the Genicanthus Angels? Reef safe, peaceful and super beautiful. I know the Bellus angels can be kept in pairs/small harems.

ETA: My exquisite fairy flared his fins and chased my McKosker's wrasse for a couple days, but now all is well. The exquisite was there first, however.

 

[Hemmdog]

Here is my 90gal. Everyone gets along great. My tomini and one spot foxface are best buds. Moyers sleeps a lot, but when he is awake he swims with the black leopard. Flasher wrasse was mean to the lubbocks at first but they swim together and hunt as a duo now. Very happy with this mix of fish. Looking to get 2-3 juvi royal grammas to complete the tank; or a male and two female if not juvi’s. I also would really like a red tail flasher(P. rubricaudalis)if I find a healthy one.

 

[Indytraveler83]

Have you considered the Genicanthus Angels? Reef safe, peaceful and super beautiful. I know the Bellus angels can be kept in pairs/small harems.

ETA: My exquisite fairy flared his fins and chased my McKosker's wrasse for a couple days, but now all is well. The exquisite was there first, however.

I had no idea there were true reef safe angels. This is going to take some looking into. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Indytraveler83]

Here is my 90gal. Everyone gets along great. My tomini and one spot foxface are best buds. Moyers sleeps a lot, but when he is awake he swims with the black leopard. Flasher wrasse was mean to the lubbocks at first but they swim together and hunt as a duo now. Very happy with this mix of fish. Looking to get 2-3 juvi royal grammas to complete the tank; or a male and two female if not juvi’s. I also would really like a red tail flasher(P. rubricaudalis)if I find a healthy one.

Now your making me think about a foxface again! So 90 gal isn't too small?

Also, are all those wrasse reef safe ones? I'm a big crab/shrimp fan, so I don't want them dining on a very expensive meal.

 

[OrionN]

Fox face will get too big for a 90 gal quickly, even the Lo or the One spot which is the smallest of the Foxface.
Genicanthus angels also will get too big for a 90 except possibly the G watanabei. They get to about 7 inches quickly but 1.5 inch of that is the tail trailers

 

[CindyKz]

Fox face will get too big for a 90 gal quickly, even the Lo or the One spot which is the smallest of the Foxface.
Genicanthus angels also will get too big for a 90 except possibly the G watanabei. They get to about 7 inches quickly but 1.5 inch of that is the tail trailers

Good point, he would want to do the 120 gal for the Genicanthus angels.

ETA: I didn't see the post where the OP stated he had to go with the 90 gal, sorry.