Fish decisions and help!!!!

javondi · Oct 12, 2014

I have a 120 gl tank setup now and I'm having a hard time deciding which fish to put in the tank. I would like to have some coral in the tank just fyi. I don't really know which fish are good tank mates which won't eat one another etc etc! here is my list of fish I would like to have.

Minitaus grouper
Argus grouper
Volitan lion fish
Fuzzy dwarf lion fish
Blue spot toby pufferfish
Manila pufferfish
Stars n stripes puffer
Blueline trigger
Lyretail anthia
Yellow boxfish
Blue hippo tang
Powder brown tang
Chocolate tang
Threadfin snapper
Flame angelfish

I have in my tank now a wrasse, 2 clown fish and a diamond gobie.

I know some fish are aggressive but I would still like to have a mixture of both if possible, if not then its fine too. Which ones are not really meant to be in a tank? Any help on deciding which to get and any other possible info?

Daniel@R2R · Oct 13, 2014

Your groupers are probably going to outgrow the tank IMO (someone else may disagree with me), and they will eat any fish they can fit in their mouths (your clowns, goby, wrasse, flame angel, and anthias will be a meal for sure). The blueline trigger may be a hazard to your corals. I had a couple of triggers and tried to add corals, and the triggers were always glad I tried...they ate them almost as quick as they hit the water. I do know there are some triggers that are reef safe (blue jaws and crosshatch come to mind). I'm not sure about the puffers...I had a toby once and he was a model citizen. The snapper kind of makes me think the same thing as the groupers, but I'm honestly unfamiliar with that particular one...I do know that several of the snappers outgrow most tanks (until we get into the 300-400 gallon range), and I'm not aware of any that don't get big enough to eat the tank mates you're considering.

These are my .02. Hope it's helpful as you make your decision. :)

Reefkeepr1986 · Oct 13, 2014

IMO I like to buy some fish that have jobs in my system like my scooter Blenny helps my cleaner crew sift through the sand, my scopas and yellow tang keep my seagrass growth in check, my yellow eyed kole tang helps my cleaner crew to keep algae in check and my green mandarin keeps my amphi and copepods in check!! And so on but I still buy show fish for added colors in my tank but yet still reef safe and they help give my corals nutrients from there waste!!

And most of the fish you have on your list may nip at your corals. And will outgrow you tank!! Just be sure to read up on your pick of fish or you may have regrets and or headaches later when your reef comes together!

Murfman · Oct 15, 2014

Both groupers get over a foot, Volitan will get upto 17" He will make a snack out of the Lyretails and fuzzy dwarf. Treadfin gets upto 23". No way they are all going in that tank and survive to be adults.

cpayne015 · Oct 15, 2014

need to decide if u want to do aggressive fish only or reef non aggressive

your stocklist is for a 300 gal not 4 ft long 120

KeystoneAq · Oct 16, 2014

I agree with others, much too small of a tank for that stock list. I will add however, that I have a blue spot puffer in a 135g grow out tank full of coral with a spawning pair of clowns, spawning pair of mandarins and four cardinals with no issues at all.

jschultzbass · Oct 17, 2014

See responses below

javondi said:
I have a 120 gl tank setup now and I'm having a hard time deciding which fish to put in the tank. I would like to have some coral in the tank just fyi. I don't really know which fish are good tank mates which won't eat one another etc etc! here is my list of fish I would like to have.

Minitaus grouper - way to big for the tank and will eat anything it can fit in its mouth
Argus grouper - way to big for the tank and will eat anything it can fit in its mouth
Volitan lion fish - way to big for the tank and will eat anything it can fit in its mouth
Fuzzy dwarf lion fish - will work in that size tank but might eat some of your smaller fish
Blue spot toby pufferfish - should be fine
Manila pufferfish - probably be ok
Stars n stripes puffer - to big for the tank
Blueline trigger - one of the most aggressive triggers out there, best left to species only tanks, and to big for your tank
Lyretail anthia - good choice
Yellow boxfish - boxfish are very difficult to keep and get over a foot, not recommended
Blue hippo tang- Need at minimum a 6' tank IMO
Powder brown tang - same as blue hippo but a little more forgiving and could work
Chocolate tang - should work fine
Threadfin snapper - way to big for your tank
Flame angelfish - good choice

I have in my tank now a wrasse, 2 clown fish and a diamond gobie.

I know some fish are aggressive but I would still like to have a mixture of both if possible, if not then its fine too. Which ones are not really meant to be in a tank? Any help on deciding which to get and any other possible info?