Fish plan for my 180 gallon -- how crazy am I?

[burningmime]

Getting a 180 soon, and trying to come up with a fish stocking plan. The tank:

* Bare bottom, but with lots of caves, overhangs, and extensive aquascape
* Lots and lots of coral (LPS and SPS)
* Urchins as cleanup crew (I don't think shrimp/crabs/snails will survive the fish)
* Perhaps an anemone or two, although I could sacrifice these

The fish:

* Blonde Naso tang
* Black tang (if I can afford it)
* Foxface
* Exquisite fairy wrasse
* Ruby head fairy wrasse
* Flasher wrasse (haven't decided the kind yet)
* Bellus Angelfish female
* Pyramid butterfly
* Japanese Dragon Eel (been wanting one for a really long time, but that limits my other fish to "things bigger than its jaws... oh, and its second set of jaws). Probably one of the last additions to the tank, once I'm more comfortable with the others. If it absolutely can't be done, then a zebra eel, but they're just not as cool.

The maybe-fish:

* I'd love a school of something (chromis?), although they might end up being eaten
* Thalassoma wrasses are awesome, and I'd prefer them to the others, but they won't work without sand, right?

Scientifically:

* Naso elegans
* Zebrasoma rostratum
* Siganus vulpinus
* Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
* Cirrhilabrus cf cyanopleura
* Paracheilinus sp.
* Genicanthus bellus
* Hemitaurichthys polylepis
* Enchelycore pardalis

Visually:

Does that seem doable, or is that just too many wrasses?

 

[Wolf89]

Youre fine.. i have over 30 fish in my 180 and will probably end up at 50-60 when done

 

[burningmime]

Thanks, wolf! I'm worried more about compatibility/agression instead of number/bioload.

Although... 50-60 fish? Jeezum crow! What kinds?

 

[saltyhog]

A Thallasoma wrasse would preclude any other wrasses IMO. You could have a LOT more Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus wrasses in your tank. I have 13 in a tank with the same footprint.

 

[Maritimer]

Unless your eel is on the smaller side, I'd exercise caution with the addition of fairy and flasher wrasses. I've definitely seen dragons who'd regard them as tasty, slippery snacks.

The naso gets a tad large for my personal taste in a 180 - I've got a 220, and decided against a naso for myself. I'm sure lots of folks do keep them, though.

~B.

 

[jaxteller007]

If that butterfly is as timid as a copperband id be worried about it in that tank. We just have tangs and a foxface as far as bigger fish and at feeding time they are so frenzied that our CBB just gave up tying to eat and died

 

[JMM744]

My experience with pyramids is that they hold there own. Not picky eaters at all, little pigs!

 

[burningmime]

My experience with pyramids is that they hold there own. Not picky eaters at all, little pigs!

I know in the wild, pyramids will school. Will they do that in a tank, or just pick on each other?

 

[JMM744]

That I don’t know. I have a 8 ft tank ordered for my butterflies so once it’s up I will place my two in it and see what happens..

 

[BackToTheReef]

I'd be worried about the smaller fish with the Dragon Eel.

 

[burningmime]

I'd be worried about the smaller fish with the Dragon Eel.

Me too -- will fairy/flasher wrasses be big enough to escape the jaws?

 

[Maritimer]

Me too -- will fairy/flasher wrasses be big enough to escape the jaws?

Probably not - though they may be _quick_ enough to escape for a little while.
~B.

 

[william swann]

Getting a 180 soon, and trying to come up with a fish stocking plan. The tank:

* Bare bottom, but with lots of caves, overhangs, and extensive aquascape
* Lots and lots of coral (LPS and SPS)
* Urchins as cleanup crew (I don't think shrimp/crabs/snails will survive the fish)
* Perhaps an anemone or two, although I could sacrifice these

The fish:

* Blonde Naso tang
* Black tang (if I can afford it)
* Foxface
* Exquisite fairy wrasse
* Ruby head fairy wrasse
* Flasher wrasse (haven't decided the kind yet)
* Bellus Angelfish female
* Pyramid butterfly
* Japanese Dragon Eel (been wanting one for a really long time, but that limits my other fish to "things bigger than its jaws... oh, and its second set of jaws). Probably one of the last additions to the tank, once I'm more comfortable with the others. If it absolutely can't be done, then a zebra eel, but they're just not as cool.

The maybe-fish:

* I'd love a school of something (chromis?), although they might end up being eaten
* Thalassoma wrasses are awesome, and I'd prefer them to the others, but they won't work without sand, right?

Scientifically:

* Naso elegans
* Zebrasoma rostratum
* Siganus vulpinus
* Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
* Cirrhilabrus cf cyanopleura
* Paracheilinus sp.
* Genicanthus bellus
* Hemitaurichthys polylepis
* Enchelycore pardalis

Visually:

Does that seem doable, or is that just too many wrasses?

i say school (4 or 5) lyre tyre tail anthias, if it’s not an established tank you would have to feed often though

 

[burningmime]

i say school (4 or 5) lyre tyre tail anthias, if it’s not an established tank you would have to feed often though

(Post-Covid) I will be gone a lot during the day. Are they good with automatic pellet food for brunch and lunch, and I'll give them frozen for breakfast and supper?

 

[william swann]

(Post-Covid) I will be gone a lot during the day. Are they good with automatic pellet food for brunch and lunch, and I'll give them frozen for breakfast and supper?

i’m not an expert at all so pls take this with a grain of salt lol

funny enough i only feed my lyre tail anthias twice a week and he is very healthy and active with personality (120 gallon tank well established) that being said at the beginning i suspect that it will probably only really want frozen and might reject pellets or flakes so that might not be an option, i have hear of people feeding dry food tho, but if your feeding frozen in the morning and at night everyday it should be enough to keep them happy that’s what i did when mine was new

p.s. i started off with two and one died after it rejected all food so making sure they’re all eating good amounts of food should be your first goal, once they’re established feeding is really easy and might not need to be as frequent hence why i cut my feeding down

feel free to ask any other questions