Stocking list for new 180 gallon aquarium

[Slcwinder]

Hello everyone! thanks for taking the time to check out, and critique my new 180 gallon stocking list. I'll be setting the tank up in about 6 months and have started putting together a list of some potential candidates. Some of these fish I know very well, and others not so well. All criticism and suggestions are more than welcome. Ill try to list the fish in the order I would introduce them.

2 helfrichi firefish
3 pajama cardinals
2 clowns ( why not)
Pintail Fairy Wrasse
Rhomboid Wrasse
2 Diamond Gobies or Bella Gobies
Grey Head Wrasse
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
Melanurus Wrasse
4 Lyretail Anthias (1 male , 3 female)
White tail Bristle Tooth Tang
Yellow Tang
Quoyi Parrotfish
Zebra Swallowtail Angelfish
Gold Spotted Rabbitfish
I know the last 3 can get quite large and i havent done much research into their care other than they are not EXPERT level fish. They just caught my eye and I thought I would include them in my day dream.... for now. Any other cool fish you would suggest I swap for, I'm all ears!

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I would avoid the melanurus wrasse as they are not friendly to shrimp, crabs and snails.

Quoyi Partot fish are difficult to raise as I found out after purchasing one. Says they are a herbivore, and they will chew on the rock with their sharp beak. I had mine in an observational QT as I ended up with ich in my main DT and had to go fallow. About 10 days ago it died for no discernible reason. It was in a multi tank total volume around 120 g all plumbed together through a sump. No visible parasites, did not appear to starve as it was eating PE mysis and Krill but never seemed interested in the nori I was offering. But in reading there is discussion that their dietary needs are hard to mimic. So might want to read up on him. Also not reef safe, but maybe you aren’t looking for that.

switch out the melanurus with a lawnmower blenny as they are great at keeping Algea at bay, the starry blenny will do the same, but they tend to be more aggressive and could give your fire fish issues but not the lawnmower.
In place of the Parrot fish I would look at a third tang. Tangs often don’t go well together, but I am a proponent. I have multiples in all my reefs, but you need at least three. With just two, if one becomes territorial he will harass the other to death, it with three they seem to divide their attention so one doesn’t get chased full time. However many tangs you go with they should all be QT at the same time and introduced at night at the same time. That way none of them adopt a territory to protect, they settle in better.

that’s my 2 cents worth. Either way I like your selections.

another note. Make sure you have a top on your tank. The wrasses are jumpers. That is the main reason that the rhomboid is considered expert by some sellers who offer guarantees. I left my 4 x 9” feeding door off one night and my rhomboid jumped out. Bus ouch for big dollar fish.
And although he was beautiful, I determined he really didn’t have the pop to justify the dollars. There are several other $300 fish I would rather have.

 

[Slcwinder]

Can’t seem to settle on another good tang that isn’t highly aggressive, to big, or disease prone, any suggestions?

 

[Cheese Griller]

Also going to add that adding pairs of firefish is a gamble.It's pretty hit or miss if they will actually pair up or just kill each other off. As for the tang, since you already have bristletooths and zebrasoma covered you could try either a gold rim or powder brown. They are pretty prone to getting ich, however a proper QT should take care of that problem.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I did miss that. Fire fish should be groups of three or more. Powder blue tang would add great color.

 

[JC1977]

I would avoid the melanurus wrasse as they are not friendly to shrimp, crabs and snails.

Quoyi Partot fish are difficult to raise as I found out after purchasing one. Says they are a herbivore, and they will chew on the rock with their sharp beak. I had mine in an observational QT as I ended up with ich in my main DT and had to go fallow. About 10 days ago it died for no discernible reason. It was in a multi tank total volume around 120 g all plumbed together through a sump. No visible parasites, did not appear to starve as it was eating PE mysis and Krill but never seemed interested in the nori I was offering. But in reading there is discussion that their dietary needs are hard to mimic. So might want to read up on him. Also not reef safe, but maybe you aren’t looking for that.

switch out the melanurus with a lawnmower blenny as they are great at keeping Algea at bay, the starry blenny will do the same, but they tend to be more aggressive and could give your fire fish issues but not the lawnmower.
In place of the Parrot fish I would look at a third tang. Tangs often don’t go well together, but I am a proponent. I have multiples in all my reefs, but you need at least three. With just two, if one becomes territorial he will harass the other to death, it with three they seem to divide their attention so one doesn’t get chased full time. However many tangs you go with they should all be QT at the same time and introduced at night at the same time. That way none of them adopt a territory to protect, they settle in better.

that’s my 2 cents worth. Either way I like your selections.

another note. Make sure you have a top on your tank. The wrasses are jumpers. That is the main reason that the rhomboid is considered expert by some sellers who offer guarantees. I left my 4 x 9” feeding door off one night and my rhomboid jumped out. Bus ouch for big dollar fish.
And although he was beautiful, I determined he really didn’t have the pop to justify the dollars. There are several other $300 fish I would rather have.

This is all good advice I second skipping the parrotfish. I purchased one from Marine Collectors fully quarantined but could just never get it to really eat it just withered away after several months??

 

[HankstankXXL750]

This is all good advice I second skipping the parrotfish. I purchased one from Marine Collectors fully quarantined but could just never get it to really eat it just withered away after several months??

What was weird with mine was I watched it eat, PE mysis and krill. But it just died.

 

[JC1977]

What was weird with mine was I watched it eat, PE mysis and krill. But it just died.

That’s more than I could get mine to eat. Tried nori pellets mysis even brine even though I’m not a fan of it but yeah it just would never take to anything to keep weight on?

 

[HankstankXXL750]

That’s more than I could get mine to eat. Tried nori pellets mysis even brine even though I’m not a fan of it but yeah it just would never take to anything to keep weight on?

Mine was fat and healthy looking even after it died. I looked it over real good to see if the harlequin Tuskfish did anything to it but no signs of injury and it was full bodied as far as I could tell.

 

[blitzkragz]

Awhile back I had a fully QT'd Quoyi parrotfish for 6 months or so, then it just stopped eating, got skinny and died for no apparent reason at all. Its the only non-jumping death i can recall in my display.

Speaking of jumping, a net or lid is a must given your wrasse list. I thought hey maybe some will learn to stay in, nope, after 3 years of trying maybe 7 wrasses every single wrasse lept to its death. Tangs, angels, cardinals will stay in though, at least mine are going on 4 years.

 

[Slcwinder]

I did miss that. Fire fish should be groups of three or more. Powder blue tang would add great color.

3 it is then

 

[Slcwinder]

Awhile back I had a fully QT'd Quoyi parrotfish for 6 months or so, then it just stopped eating, got skinny and died for no apparent reason at all. Its the only non-jumping death i can recall in my display.

Speaking of jumping, a net or lid is a must given your wrasse list. I thought hey maybe some will learn to stay in, nope, after 3 years of trying maybe 7 wrasses every single wrasse lept to its death. Tangs, angels, cardinals will stay in though, at least mine are going on 4 years.

Yeah I have every intention of having a lid thanks for the hands on experience and advice on the parrotfish I’m already looking at replacing him with something else