Fish for 16 ft / 5 m Tank: 530 gal / 2000 Liters volume

[friendlyguy]

Hi there!
We are moving to a new home and got ourself a new tank to house all the animals we currently have.
Its 5 x 0,6 x 0,6 Meters and has a capacity of around 2000 Liters, thats approximately 16 x 2 x 2 ft.
I have a lot of SPS, LPS and Softcorals in our current system, as well as the following fish:

- 1x Foxface (size of my Hand)
- 1x Desjardini (size of my Hand)
- 1x marine betta (he/she is quiet big, 15cm long, roughly)
- 1x convict blenny (he/she is quiet big, 15cm long, roughly)
- 1x Flame Angel Dwarf (size of a box of cigarretes)
- 1x RedSea Tang (size of a box of cigarretes)
- 1x Powder Blue Tang (Dori, size of a box of cigarretes)
- 2x twowspined angelfish (size of a box of matches)
- 1x Hawaii Tang (size of a box of matches)
- 1x Boxfish (tiny)
- 10 x Chromis
- 1x Mandarin Fish
- 2x goby fish (small)
- 4x Clownfish
- 1x Grama Loreto
- 4x Banggai
Other livestock: plethora of snails, a (grey) sea star that lives in the sand, crabs and critters.
Water quality in the current system is what I would consider "superb": 0,01- 0,03 ppm Po4, 3-7 ppm No3.
Currently they are living seperated into three tanks. (See my build thread, all three are in one water circuit)
We are planning to put all of them into the new system.

From looking at those three tanks:
I believe there is plenty of space in the new system to provide a proper home for all of them and maybe even a few new additions.
And thats where my questions start I am not what I would call a "fish expert".
So I am looking for advice on what we could put into that system, maybe even something bigger?
I would love to discuss recommendations and ideas from you guys.

Kind regards!

 

[Magic031707]

Well with having the coral that probably will eliminate most angelfish. Any tang can go in there, maybe 3 more..add like 5-6 wrasses

 

[friendlyguy]

Oh, you just reminded me:
I forgot about the 6 line wrasse (tiny) and two Sharpnose wrasse (also very tiny).

 

[friendlyguy]

about my taske: i like fish swarms, like the 10 chromis. they make a reef appear so "alive". Also, if somebody has an idea: if possible, i`d like to house one big guy. Not as big as a a blue spotted stingray, but maybe something "like" that.
I saw that Wesleys Reef is housing two within 2500L. Not saying its a good idea (maybe it is, but again: not an fish expert here), but this gave me the idea that one big fish as a eyecatcher would be amazing.

 

[friendlyguy]

I did some "research" and found a few adoreable species:
- Chelmon Rostratus
- Paraluterus prionurus
- Oxymonacanthus longirostris
Whats your opinion on those, see conflicts with the other fish?
No idea for the big guy yet though...

 

[JumboShrimp]

With a tank that long, maybe some schooling Porkfish?

 

[Chrisv.]

How about 50 more green chromis?

 

[bnord]

3 look downs

 

[friendlyguy]

uuuh, i just stumbled across naso tangs
they are mindblowingly beautiful. elegans as well as lituratus. I think either of them would be a centerpiece.
Not sure about 50 more chromies, i was thinking about... whats their name....: a Shool of Anthias maybe? Something other than green or blueish tint.

 

[friendlyguy]

lookdowns seem unavailable in europe. but they really look awesome.
Hes begging to be named sub-zero i guess

Image Source: Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookdown)

 

[Chrisv.]

uuuh, i just stumbled across naso tangs
they are mindblowingly beautiful. elegans as well as lituratus. I think either of them would be a centerpiece.
Not sure about 50 more chromies, i was thinking about... whats their name....: a Shool of Anthias maybe? Something other than green or blueish tint.

Anthias are beautiful, but they have a considerably larger maximum size, which will 1) be a much bigger biomass and 2) mess with the sense of scale/proportion.

A school of chromis on the wild reef is absolutely stunning and their movement in and out of coral heads is just incredible. Something to consider.

Naso tangs are great, especially the blonde variant. And they will make FULL use of that 20 ft tank.

 

[friendlyguy]

YAY so that one is on the stock list then.
a local fish store just got a school of Dascyllus aruanus. I saw them in coral reefs while diving and think they are absolutely beautiful. anybody got experience with those?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I would have a hard time Not putting in a m/f pair of Vlamingi's and Crosshatch triggers with a 16' tank..

A decent anthia school could compliment the chromis ball.

 

[friendlyguy]

Hey, thanks for the input so far everyone I am grateful for all the ideas!
@Lost in the Sauce I think i like the visual appearance of the Nasos a bit more over the Vlamingi's. I saw a few VERY pretty ones, but the majority of them just looked pale when i saw them. I love the colors and the contrast among them when looking at Nasos. Anthias is what i thought as well, but i think @Chrisv. has made a good point: "They mess with the sense of scale/proportion."
Thats why i thought about those: Dascyllus aruanus.

Image source: wikipedia. (https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dascyllus_aruanus)

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Hey, thanks for the input so far everyone I am grateful for all the ideas!
@Lost in the Sauce I think i like the visual appearance of the Nasos a bit more over the Vlamingi's. I saw a few VERY pretty ones, but the majority of them just looked pale when i saw them. I love the colors and the contrast among them when looking at Nasos. Anthias is what i thought as well, but i think @Chrisv. has made a good point: "They mess with the sense of scale/proportion."
Thats why i thought about those: Dascyllus aruanus.

Image source: wikipedia. (https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dascyllus_aruanus)

Luckily with that much tank, you don't Really need to choose. You could do a full sized Naso, orange shoulder and Vlamingi's. 16' is a LOT of length. I'm slightly jealous..

 

[albano]

Those Damsels look so cute at the LFS… please leave them there!
Usually become a problem in the tank.

 

[i cant think]

Oh, you just reminded me:
I forgot about the 6 line wrasse (tiny) and two Sharpnose wrasse (also very tiny).

I personally would ditch the six line for some other wrasses (Sixlines are notoriously aggressive even in large tanks which is why we don’t recommend them being with other wrasses).
I’d also get a pair or even trio of Genicanthus semifasciatus.

 

[bnord]

lookdowns seem unavailable in europe. but they really look awesome.
Hes begging to be named sub-zero i guess

Image Source: Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookdown)

I wouldn't put them in anything less than a 16 ft tank - honestly

 

[bnord]

Hey, thanks for the input so far everyone I am grateful for all the ideas!
@Lost in the Sauce I think i like the visual appearance of the Nasos a bit more over the Vlamingi's. I saw a few VERY pretty ones, but the majority of them just looked pale when i saw them. I love the colors and the contrast among them when looking at Nasos. Anthias is what i thought as well, but i think @Chrisv. has made a good point: "They mess with the sense of scale/proportion."
Thats why i thought about those: Dascyllus aruanus.

Image source: wikipedia. (https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dascyllus_aruanus)

for the record - beauty isn't every thing - I had a Vlamingi that was re-homed from my 180 gallon due to increasing scratches etc, but it was heart breaking to loose him - as he was starting to develop adult characteristics. HOWEVER, it was the most personable fish I have ever been around. recognized me from across the room and would change colors on sight. would hide if a stranger entered to the room. Would hover and watch me as the lights went down at the end of the day. He is at the LFS and they tell me he acts differently when I am there - so never underestimate a Vlamingi on colors alone

 

[i cant think]

for the record - beauty isn't every thing - I had a Vlamingi that was re-homed from my 180 gallon due to increasing scratches etc, but it was heart breaking to loose him - as he was starting to develop adult characteristics. HOWEVER, it was the most personable fish I have ever been around. recognized me from across the room and would change colors on sight. would hide if a stranger entered to the room. Would hover and watch me as the lights went down at the end of the day. He is at the LFS and they tell me he acts differently when I am there - so never underestimate a Vlamingi on colors alone

Always a plus when you luck out on a male! The males are stunning, and the streamers male Naso species get can be HUGE! I’ve seen some at 5” long.