Stocking ideas 180

[sportscraze]

I have a 180g with 60g sump and looking for stocking ideas/feedback. I don’t have any of the fish yet and I am looking to do a mixed reef at some point in the future. No shrimp maybe hermits or snails/ not a requirement on either.

Planed adds:

1st group-

2x clowns
Royal gramma
Diamond goby
Bicolor blenny

Tang group-

Hippo tang (non negotiable)
Purple tang ( non negotiable)
Tomini
Nasso

Mandarins pair last add.


Now for thoughts on what else to add before the tangs.

Blue throat trigger (pair maybe)
CBB
Coral beauty
Convict tang
Fox face

No damsel, anthias for various reasons.

Not super interested in wrasse but could reconsider.

Thanks!

 

[BryanM]

I'd skip the nasso tang personally, heard too many issues trying to keep them alive.

 

[rcpiv93]

I would consider a yellow “coris” wrasse for utilitarian purposes. Same with the foxface (but I would go magnificent).

 

[Zionas]

Skip the Naso. You could consider a Foxface instead. That sounds like an awful lot of big fish for a 180. A 180 is a big tank to most people, but you still wouldn’t want that many big fish in it.

Here’s one possibility, if left to me:

Group A-
(2) Clowns (don’t neglect the Skunk Clowns, IMO they’re underrated both Pink and Orange Skunk and available as CB)

(1) Royal Gramma (get a tank bred from Biota)

Diamond Goby is sand sifter. I haven’t heard many successful long-term attempts.

(1) Bicolor Blenny

Group B-
(1) Hippo Tang (get a tank bred from Biota, you’re welcome, Surge Marine Life might have the Yellow Belly ones- Indian Ocean variant)

(1) Purple Tang (get a tank bred from Biota, QM Labs or Surge Marine Life)

(1) Tomini Tang

(1) Foxface (better alternative to a Naso)

Group C-
(1) CBB (this will be your most difficult fish, are you prepared to establish it early before your other big fish and focus on its feeding demands for a while? And even then, success isn’t guaranteed?)

IMO the pair of BTTs is more big fish, potentially up to 7 big fish in a 180 is still a lot.

(1) Coral Beauty Angelfish (get a tank bred from Biota)


Wrasses if you change your mind, Halichoeres (the smaller ones), Fairy and Flasher Wrasses, Leopard Wrasses (more difficult to get eating but do fine once established).


So:
(2) Clownfish (get captive bred)

(1) Royal Gramma (get captive bred)

(1) Bicolor Blenny

(1) Blue Hippo Tang (get captive bred)

(1) Purple Tang (get captive bred)

(1) Tomini Tang

(1) Foxface of some kind OR Copperband OR BTT pair

(1) Coral Beauty Angelfish (get captive bred)

The thing IMO is to have no more than 4, at MOST 5 bigger fish. I don’t like overcrowding, it looks unnatural and leads to issues down the line with elbow room and compatibility.

Oxygen also depletes more quickly in the event of emergencies with high biological load, not to mention more $$ spent on filtration.

If you want a smaller Acanthurus Tang, I don’t know if you can always find healthy Convict Tangs. Consider a Lavender (Nigrofuscus), or Mimic Tang (Pyrofeus / Chronixis). Maybe a Japonicus if you want that complex.

And leave room for other, smaller fish down the line.

Do you want this to be a mixed reef or dominated by / exclusive for a specific category of corals? (Softies / LPS / SPS)

 

[sportscraze]

Thanks everyone!

We definitely are skipping the nasso.

I just have started my first group of qt on 5/24. Copper was fully dosed in the evening of 5/25 so day one is 5/26. They all came from Aquarium Arts as that was a long drive, but still within reason to see in person.

Group A-

Bonded Longfin clowns (wife fell in love with these)

Royal gramma
Swallow tail female.
1in one spot fox face.


After that we are still considering. I do like the tank bred fish and will be going that route as much as I can with the tangs etc.

Not sure a CBB is the route currently so will wait for that in the future maybe. Leaning towards the BTT, maybe not a pair we will see.

In the sump we are running a large refugium and k-200 protein skimmer. I am working on the balance of too many larger fish so that’s the challenge.

 

[i cant think]

I have a 180g with 60g sump and looking for stocking ideas/feedback. I don’t have any of the fish yet and I am looking to do a mixed reef at some point in the future. No shrimp maybe hermits or snails/ not a requirement on either.

Planed adds:

1st group-

2x clowns
Royal gramma
Diamond goby
Bicolor blenny

Tang group-

Hippo tang (non negotiable)
Purple tang ( non negotiable)
Tomini
Nasso

Mandarins pair last add.


Now for thoughts on what else to add before the tangs.

Blue throat trigger (pair maybe)
CBB
Coral beauty
Convict tang
Fox face

No damsel, anthias for various reasons.

Not super interested in wrasse but could reconsider.

Thanks!

Group 1 looks good, just be cautious around the Diamond Goby, you’ll want your tank to be a good 6-7 months old before considering one, ideally a year old but sand beds colonise much quicker than rock so it’s less likely you’ll have one starve in a 6 foot tank. Also, reconsider the species of sand sifter - diamonds can be quite messy and if you want coral on the sand it may not be the best fish. I’ve personally had some great luck with the Ward’s Goby (Valenciennea wardii).

If you’re unsure of a CBB, leave the tangs until you are 100% certain you don’t want one - or any butterfly for that matter. I’ve tried introducing these fish after tangs and no matter what if there is a Zebrasoma in there, it’s a death sentence to almost all butterflies. Also, CBBs aren’t as delicate anymore when it comes to feeding/housing, especially if you can start it in a refugium. You just don’t want to have them touch certain chemicals in QT otherwise it will be difficult to recover them and get them feeding again.

Hm…. Can I possibly get you to reconsider with just a few photos of wrasses? ;)

Also, look into other angels - they’re not as restrictive as you may expect.
Here’s my 4 in my 5 foot wrasse tank;

Avoid Fleshy LPS & certain zoas and you’re good IME.

 

[Aquarium Arts]

I have a 180g with 60g sump and looking for stocking ideas/feedback. I don’t have any of the fish yet and I am looking to do a mixed reef at some point in the future. No shrimp maybe hermits or snails/ not a requirement on either.

Planed adds:

1st group-

2x clowns
Royal gramma
Diamond goby
Bicolor blenny

Tang group-

Hippo tang (non negotiable)
Purple tang ( non negotiable)
Tomini
Nasso

Mandarins pair last add.


Now for thoughts on what else to add before the tangs.

Blue throat trigger (pair maybe)
CBB
Coral beauty
Convict tang
Fox face

No damsel, anthias for various reasons.

Not super interested in wrasse but could reconsider.

Thanks!

Thank you so much for your support!

Thanks everyone!

We definitely are skipping the nasso.

I just have started my first group of qt on 5/24. Copper was fully dosed in the evening of 5/25 so day one is 5/26. They all came from Aquarium Arts as that was a long drive, but still within reason to see in person.

Group A-

Bonded Longfin clowns (wife fell in love with these)

Royal gramma
Swallow tail female.
1in one spot fox face.


After that we are still considering. I do like the tank bred fish and will be going that route as much as I can with the tangs etc.

Not sure a CBB is the route currently so will wait for that in the future maybe. Leaning towards the BTT, maybe not a pair we will see.

In the sump we are running a large refugium and k-200 protein skimmer. I am working on the balance of too many larger fish so that’s the challenge.

Thank you so much for your support!

 

[sportscraze]

I have a 180g with 60g sump and looking for stocking ideas/feedback. I don’t have any of the fish yet and I am looking to do a mixed reef at some point in the future. No shrimp maybe hermits or snails/ not a requirement on either.

Planed adds:

1st group-

2x clowns
Royal gramma
Diamond goby
Bicolor blenny

Tang group-

Hippo tang (non negotiable)
Purple tang ( non negotiable)
Tomini
Nasso

Mandarins pair last add.


Now for thoughts on what else to add before the tangs.

Blue throat trigger (pair maybe)
CBB
Coral beauty
Convict tang
Fox face

No damsel, anthias for various reasons.

Not super interested in wrasse but could reconsider.

Thanks!

Group 1 looks good, just be cautious around the Diamond Goby, you’ll want your tank to be a good 6-7 months old before considering one, ideally a year old but sand beds colonise much quicker than rock so it’s less likely you’ll have one starve in a 6 foot tank. Also, reconsider the species of sand sifter - diamonds can be quite messy and if you want coral on the sand it may not be the best fish. I’ve personally had some great luck with the Ward’s Goby (Valenciennea wardii).

If you’re unsure of a CBB, leave the tangs until you are 100% certain you don’t want one - or any butterfly for that matter. I’ve tried introducing these fish after tangs and no matter what if there is a Zebrasoma in there, it’s a death sentence to almost all butterflies. Also, CBBs aren’t as delicate anymore when it comes to feeding/housing, especially if you can start it in a refugium. You just don’t want to have them touch certain chemicals in QT otherwise it will be difficult to recover them and get them feeding again.

Hm…. Can I possibly get you to reconsider with just a few photos of wrasses? ;)

Also, look into other angels - they’re not as restrictive as you may expect.
Here’s my 4 in my 5 foot wrasse tank;

Avoid Fleshy LPS & certain zoas and you’re good IME.

You would be happy to hear that we ended up with two wrasse in group 2.


Leopard

Exquisite

CBB.

All three are doing well thus far and plenty of foods on hand to keep them going.

Thanks!!

 

[Should I]

Group 1 looks good, just be cautious around the Diamond Goby, you’ll want your tank to be a good 6-7 months old before considering one, ideally a year old but sand beds colonise much quicker than rock so it’s less likely you’ll have one starve in a 6 foot tank. Also, reconsider the species of sand sifter - diamonds can be quite messy and if you want coral on the sand it may not be the best fish. I’ve personally had some great luck with the Ward’s Goby (Valenciennea wardii).

If you’re unsure of a CBB, leave the tangs until you are 100% certain you don’t want one - or any butterfly for that matter. I’ve tried introducing these fish after tangs and no matter what if there is a Zebrasoma in there, it’s a death sentence to almost all butterflies. Also, CBBs aren’t as delicate anymore when it comes to feeding/housing, especially if you can start it in a refugium. You just don’t want to have them touch certain chemicals in QT otherwise it will be difficult to recover them and get them feeding again.

Hm…. Can I possibly get you to reconsider with just a few photos of wrasses? ;)

Also, look into other angels - they’re not as restrictive as you may expect.
Here’s my 4 in my 5 foot wrasse tank;

Avoid Fleshy LPS & certain zoas and you’re good IME.

do you have a propper camera no way u took them with ur phone and have you trained the fish too stay still when i try to take pics they move all over

 

[i cant think]

do you have a propper camera no way u took them with ur phone

Yep! I have a proper camera now, I will occasionally take photos on my phone but it’s not often anymore :)

 

[Should I]

Yep! I have a proper camera now, I will occasionally take photos on my phone but it’s not often anymore :)

what camera do you have might get myself 1

 

[i cant think]

what camera do you have might get myself 1

I believe it’s a Sony A350 I have with a UV filter on it (and for coral photos I’ll also use a pair of orange lenses glasses)