Planning for fish and upgrading.

[The.Shrimp]

I'm planning on upgrading my 13.5 fluval to a 200 gallon tank and would like to know what fish would go relatively well for a reef tank and the order of what fish should be added first. Here's the fish that I think look neat and would fit well into a 200 gallon tank. Realistically this is probably way too many fish and aside from my older fish only the gem tang and the copperband are essentials. Which ones are not worth it and too much of a hassle to keep?

Gem tang
Blue hippo tang
Purple tang
Lieutenant tang
Achilles tang/some kind of powder
Copper banded butterfly
Earmuff wrasse
Foxface rabbitfish
Harlequin tusk
Pipefish or dragonet
Boxfish
bicolor or midas blenny
Blue dot jawfish.
Marine betta
Coral beauty
Oreni Tilefish
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse

What I have now In my 13.5:

2 Pajama cardinals
Royal gramma
Maroon clown
Shrimp goby pair

 

[Elira_6301]

@VintageReefer who you know who can help this reefer?

 

[VintageReefer]

@VintageReefer who you know who can help this reefer?

Not really sure
I’m not a super big fish guy, my fish always end up being problem makers so I look at many fish with skepticism

gem tangs are overpriced and look like they are covered in ich

Achilles are very sensitive

Blue tangs I hear eat coral

Purple tangs are aggressive

I had probably the only mean fox face in the world and he tried to kill me

Boxfish don’t do well in reefs

If the odds are 1/100 that the fish above will do the things I mentioned…I end up with the 1 lol

 

[Elira_6301]

Not really sure
I’m not a super big fish guy, my fish always end up being problem makers so I look at many fish with skepticism

gem tangs are overpriced and look like they are covered in ich

Achilles are very sensitive

Blue tangs I hear eat coral

Purple tangs are aggressive

I had probably the only mean fox face in the world and he tried to kill me

Boxfish don’t do well in reefs

If the odds are 1/100 that the fish above will do the things I mentioned…I end up with the 1 lol

You crack me up!

 

[DrkNMighty]

Pipefish or dragonet

If you have to have one of these I would do the dragonet. Not sure a pipefish would do well with all the high activity fish. I would also add after the tank has been up for a bit and heavily seeded with pods.

Blue dot jawfish

I would skip this. They need cooler water than what reef tanks are generally kept at.

Boxfish

Would skip this as well. They get huge and don't think they would do well with the other high activity fish.

Gem tang
Blue hippo tang
Purple tang
Lieutenant tang
Achilles tang/some kind of powder

Not sure if all the tangs will work together, but I would recommend adding whatever tangs you are wanting as close together as possible and probably towards the end.

 

[maroun.c]

Most except the following will be ok in a 200 however not all of them together as its too much tangs.
Copperbqnd is tricky and can be picked on by tangs, believe they see it nipping at rocks and think its competing for algae... my yellow killed a new added copperband in less than a day in a large frag tank . Maybe add the copperband before.
Achiles would need a wider tank for swimming and as said is aggressive and tricky. Harlequin tusk and beta not safe for inverts. Coral beauty can be hit or miss woth corals .
Good luck with your upgrade

 

[Jungle Blue]

GPT has helped my 150g with a heavy stock. They're all playing nice.
I Copy & pasted your list and asked for order of introduction:

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Stage 1: Peaceful and Shy Fish First (weeks 1–2)​

These need time to settle before bigger personalities show up.

• Oreni Tilefish – Easily stressed, needs stable conditions and a calm tank initially.
• McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse – Peaceful, needs time to establish and won't compete well in early chaos.
• Pipefish or Dragonet – Need mature pods and very low aggression.
• Blue Dot Jawfish – Shy, burrower, does better when added before floor space is claimed.
• Bicolor or Midas Blenny – Peaceful, gets territorial later, so better early.

Notes:

• Make sure the tank is mature enough for pod-feeders.
• Use a mesh lid—jawfish, tilefish, and wrasses are expert jumpers.
• Establish caves and sand zones early for jawfish and tilefish.

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Stage 2: Hardy Community Fish (weeks 3–5)​

These are peaceful to semi-aggressive but adapt easily and won’t bully new arrivals.

• Coral Beauty – Often reef-safe-ish; can be nippy later, so add mid-stage.
• Foxface Rabbitfish – Peaceful and helpful with algae, but has venomous spines—handle with care.
• Earmuff Wrasse – Active swimmer, reef-safe, and not aggressive early on.
• Copperband Butterfly – Delicate, needs a settled tank and no aggressive eaters to outcompete it.
• Marine Betta – Cryptic and slow eater, benefits from a calmer setup before tangs go in.

Notes:

• Feed a variety of frozen and live foods to entice Copperband.
• Marine Betta may eat small ornamental shrimp but usually stays shy.

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Stage 3: Mid-Aggression & Space Claimers (weeks 6–8)​

These fish need space and begin establishing zones.

• Harlequin Tusk – Semi-aggressive, but generally reef-safe. Don't add late or it’ll boss others.
• Boxfish – Peaceful but delicate; toxin risk if stressed or dies. Add after flow and tankmates stabilize.
• Midas Blenny (if not added earlier) – Gets pushy later, better mid-way.

Notes:

• Be cautious with Boxfish—run carbon always and maintain pristine water.
• Tusk may eat snails/crabs, so plan your cleanup crew accordingly.

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Stage 4: Tangs in Order of Aggression (weeks 8–10)​

Add them least aggressive to most aggressive, ideally all close together to reduce territory issues.

1. Lieutenant Tang – Generally peaceful for a tang, large swimmer.
2. Blue Hippo Tang – Can be shy; prone to ich, so quarantine carefully.
3. Gem Tang – Assertive, but often okay if added before more dominant tangs.
4. Purple Tang – Territorial and feisty, especially toward similar body shapes.
5. Achilles Tang / Powder Tang – Very aggressive, ich-prone, and active swimmers.

Notes:

• Use an acclimation box if needed to reduce fights.
• Consider adding tangs simultaneously or with minimal time between them to even the odds.
• Have seaweed clips at both ends of the tank to reduce resource guarding.

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General Stocking Tips:​

Quarantine everything – Especially tangs, Copperband, and boxfish. Ich is a major concern with this mix.
Add similar species at the same time – Helps spread aggression.
Feed heavily during intro weeks – Keeps aggression down.
Plenty of rockwork and hiding – Break line of sight and create zones.
Carbon and UV – Help reduce toxin/parasite risks (Boxfish + tangs).
Auto-feeder or regular feeding – Multiple small feedings helps calm fish.

 

[Jungle Blue]

I’m no coral expert (yet), excuse the burnt Gorgonians. Those were my first corals before fish.
Currently FOWLR until Maven (size fits well for my sump area) comes out. Feesh keeping me entertained till then.