Newb Stock List

[MySoCalReef]

120 Gallon Red Sea S-550 (120 gallon 4’ tank)
Around 120 pounds of live rock
2”-3” araganite sand bed
Reef Mat and Skimmer



Current Stock List:
2 Mocha Gladiator Ocelarris Clownfish (Tank Bred)
1 Striped Blenny (Tank Bred)
1 Helfrichi Firefish
1 Labouti Fairy Wrasse
1 Tuxedo Urchin

Planned/Considered Stock List:
2 Banggai Cardinalfish
1 Yellow Watchman Goby and pistol shrimp
1 Royal Gramma
1 Yellow or Randall’s Assessor
3-5 Lyretail Anthias
1 Blue Mandarin Dragonet
1 Purple Tang
25 Blue leg Hermits

Questions:
Does anyone see any issues with this list?

I am planning to add a lot of coral. Are there any conflicts?

Any other suggestions?

How many fish should I add in total?

What order should I add the remaining fish?

Did I add the wrasse too early?

 

[jeff60gcube]

love the scape.

 

[Lavey29]

Nice scape, list looks fine. I'd wait on the mandarin until the tanknis close to a year old and has sufficient sustaining pods and also add more aggressive fish like a gramma and tang last

 

[MySoCalReef]

love the scape.

Thank you!

Nice scape, list looks fine. I'd wait on the mandarin until the tanknis close to a year old and has sufficient sustaining pods and also add more aggressive fish like a gramma and tang last

Will for sure do this. Would you consider the wrasse aggressive? Did I screw up by adding it too soon?

 

[MySoCalReef]

Would any of this mess with a feather duster worm?

Any suggestions for additional fish? I’m think I will get around 15 fish total?

 

[Lavey29]

Would any of this mess with a feather duster worm?

Any suggestions for additional fish? I’m think I will get around 15 fish total?

You can fit 15 in there depending on size. I have 13 in my 65g. I've had 5 wrasses in there with no issues. Get some utilitarian fish like a 6 line and yellow coris wrasse that eat pests. Algae eaters like a bristletooth tang. Small colorful fish like springeri damsel or azure damsels. Flame angel are beautiful too. I try to make sure I have top swimmers, mid level cruisers and bottom dwellers.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Like someone else said, I would wait on that mandarin. Personally I would wait until the tank is at least a year old and seed with farmed pods & phyto. Biota bred would be best so you can target feed prepared foods to ensure it’s getting enough calories.

I dont think you’ve messed anything up with what you already have.

In terms of what you want to add, a yellow watchman in a tank that size have not been very effective sand cleaners ime- they are just too small. I would go with a diamond goby (but these will make sand piles/throw sand) or invert sand CUC like sand sifting stars, nassarius snails, cucumbers, and fighting conchs.

Feather dusters are nonphotosynthetic and will need to be target fed with powdered food multiple times a week. Unfortunately, most dont last long. Maybe a tube anemone would give you a similar look but more achievable care? They are a risk for the fish though.

Purple tang is definitely the most aggressive fish on your list, add it last and try to get a small one.

For the anthias, keep in mind a good ratio of males to females is 1:4-6 so make sure you like the look of both genders!

For additional fish: I always include a foxface for bubble algae control, wrasses from the genuses halichoeres or macropharyngodon for flatworm control/prevention (they will get along with your existing fairy wrasse, a great one for your tank might be melanurus), and some kind of bristle tooth (genus Ctenochaetus) tang because they eat different kinds of algae than your existing zebrasoma (purple) tang.

Happy reefing!

 

[MySoCalReef]

Like someone else said, I would wait on that mandarin. Personally I would wait until the tank is at least a year old and seed with farmed pods & phyto. Biota bred would be best so you can target feed prepared foods to ensure it’s getting enough calories.

I dont think you’ve messed anything up with what you already have.

In terms of what you want to add, a yellow watchman in a tank that size have not been very effective sand cleaners ime- they are just too small. I would go with a diamond goby (but these will make sand piles/throw sand) or invert sand CUC like sand sifting stars, nassarius snails, cucumbers, and fighting conchs.

Feather dusters are nonphotosynthetic and will need to be target fed with powdered food multiple times a week. Unfortunately, most dont last long. Maybe a tube anemone would give you a similar look but more achievable care? They are a risk for the fish though.

Purple tang is definitely the most aggressive fish on your list, add it last and try to get a small one.

For the anthias, keep in mind a good ratio of males to females is 1:4-6 so make sure you like the look of both genders!

For additional fish: I always include a foxface for bubble algae control, wrasses from the genuses halichoeres or macropharyngodon for flatworm control/prevention (they will get along with your existing fairy wrasse, a great one for your tank might be melanurus), and some kind of bristle tooth (genus Ctenochaetus) tang because they eat different kinds of algae than your existing zebrasoma (purple) tang.

Happy reefing!

As far as cleanup crew, I have quite a few snails. I am planning to add 3 tiger conchs and 25 blue leg hermits. Would these be a problem for the yellow watchman goby or diamond goby? Knowing that I’ll have the conchs, would you still recommend the diamond over the watchman?

I think I will pass on the feather dusters. Thank you for that info.

Would I be able to have a purple tang, bristletooth tang, and foxface in a 4’ 120 gallon tank?

Would I be able to add a Midas Blenny and Starry Blenny too?

 

[Anna K]

I believe the foxface will grow too large for that tank. I may be wrong though. Hopefully someone with experience with that breed will chime in.

 

[MySoCalReef]

I believe the foxface will grow too large for that tank. I may be wrong though. Hopefully someone with experience with that breed will chime in.

Based on what I was reading yesterday, that is the case for most of the foxfaces, but I think the One Spot Foxface would be okay.