Stocking recommendation for 125g mixed reef

Scott Ulrich

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Just moved my 40g over to a 125! Right now I just have a handful of softies and lps and 4 fish: 1 clown, 1 bicolor blenny, and 2 x Bengali cardinals.

Thinking about adding:
1 x yellow tang (now that I have a bigger tank!)
2 x cleaner shrimp
Maybe 1 x royal gramma?
Maybe 2 x pajama cardinals?
Maybe 1 x Midas Blenny
Maybe some sort of urchin

I'm open for suggestions.
- preferably fish that don't hide all the time (yellow watchman goby and orchid dottyback, I'm looking at you).
- I'm good with cheap fish, maybe up to $100 if really worth it :)
- preferably hardy
- must be reef safe, I have no interest in testing to see if something works or not (so probably no angels, regardless of how awesome those flame angels look).
- I feed once a day on the evening (currently 1 cube of frozen shrimp), so no crazy feeding requirements

For flow I currently have 2 x koralia 1500 gph - one each on the left and right sides and 2 nanos 450 gph on the back left and back right.

I have another 40 lbs of dry rock that I plan to add. And adding 4 gallons of salt water each day to slowly fill it up. Picture of current state included.

Thanks!

20210412_181736_HDR.jpg
 

mike550

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Just moved my 40g over to a 125! Right now I just have a handful of softies and lps and 4 fish: 1 clown, 1 bicolor blenny, and 2 x Bengali cardinals.

Thinking about adding:
1 x yellow tang (now that I have a bigger tank!)
2 x cleaner shrimp
Maybe 1 x royal gramma?
Maybe 2 x pajama cardinals?
Maybe 1 x Midas Blenny
Maybe some sort of urchin

I'm open for suggestions.
- preferably fish that don't hide all the time (yellow watchman goby and orchid dottyback, I'm looking at you).
- I'm good with cheap fish, maybe up to $100 if really worth it :)
- preferably hardy
- must be reef safe, I have no interest in testing to see if something works or not (so probably no angels, regardless of how awesome those flame angels look).
- I feed once a day on the evening (currently 1 cube of frozen shrimp), so no crazy feeding requirements

For flow I currently have 2 x koralia 1500 gph - one each on the left and right sides and 2 nanos 450 gph on the back left and back right.

I have another 40 lbs of dry rock that I plan to add. And adding 4 gallons of salt water each day to slowly fill it up. Picture of current state included.

Thanks!

20210412_181736_HDR.jpg
I have a 120 mixed reef and nothing fancy and also feed once a day. My current livestock are

Diamond spotted goby
Lost a starry blenny (will replace)
Blue chromis
2 clownfish
1 fox face rabbitfish
1 blue tang
1 dwarf angel
1 pajama cardinal (had two)
1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
1 tuxedo urchin
3 BTA (keep splitting)

I plan to add a few more fish but I’m looking forward to seeing what others recommend
 

Zionas

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What happened to the Starry Blenny and one PJ Cardinal if you don’t mind :(

I’d add a Goby and Shrimp pair.

Blue Tang will have to be rehomed.

Some of the more peaceful damsels would work. Azure, Talbot’s, etc.
 
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Scott Ulrich

Scott Ulrich

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Thanks for the list Mike. i'd love a flame angel, but I'm afraid it would eat my coral. Maybe a chromis since they are cheap. And maybe try to introduce a second clown.

Zionas, I use to have a yellow goby /pistol shrimp pair. The symbiotic relationship is cool, but the goby was always in his hole, you'd just see his head. And the pistol shrimp I could hear but would only see like once a week. I'd prefer something that is more"or and about".

The pistol shrimp lived a little over a year and the goby about 2. I also had a fairy wrasse that died during a winter power outage late at night and I couldn't get the generator to start :(

The blue tang is on Mikes list, not mine. I'd like to get a yellow tang, but I'm afraid the prices will be really high at the lfs judging by online prices. So might be open to kole or sailfin instead?
 

Zionas

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Sorry to hear about your losses :( Did the Goby and Shrimp die with the Fairy Wrasse?

I think a 125’s great for a Kole or another Bristletooth Tang but would be too small for a Sailfin. You could look into another smaller Zebrasoma Tang like a Purple, Gem (expensive), or Scopas (IMO color’s not as nice). Maybe a smaller Acanthurus Tang too like a Lavender, Mimic / Chocolate.

A 125 would be good for a pair of Watanabei, Bellus or Spotbreast Angels. They belong to the genus Genicanthus and are the most Reef safe angels as they’re planktivores.
 
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Scott Ulrich

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Sorry to hear about your losses :( Did the Goby and Shrimp die with the Fairy Wrasse?

I think a 125’s great for a Kole or another Bristletooth Tang but would be too small for a Sailfin. You could look into another smaller Zebrasoma Tang like a Purple, Gem (expensive), or Scopas (IMO color’s not as nice). Maybe a smaller Acanthurus Tang too like a Lavender, Mimic / Chocolate.

A 125 would be good for a pair of Watanabei, Bellus or Spotbreast Angels. They belong to the genus Genicanthus and are the most Reef safe angels as they’re planktivores.

The pistol died before the outage I think... Not sure when since I rarely saw it. Just stopped hearing it one day. The goby lived through three outage, but then didn't see him for a while. He was usually hiding so I never saw him again stunning the hermits took care of him.

Thanks for the suggestions! I might go look this week but will probably wait to add anything expensive until I get the new rocks in so that that things are less stressful. Purple would be great if not crazy expensive at the store.
 
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Scott Ulrich

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Good luck!

Was the Goby and Pistol full sized when you got them? Maybe it was just old age. :(

Probably - 2-3 years for a pistol shrimp is average from what I've read, so it may have just been normal lifespan... Not sure how old he was, but he was full size as he never got any bigger after I bought him.
 

Zionas

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I see. What about the Goby? Was it also full size when you got it? Hehe.

IMO a bunch of wrasses would also be nice. Halichoeres species, Fairy and Flasher Wrasses, Leopard Wrasses if you’re up for the difficulty.

Royal Gramma, PJ Cardinals would be nice. Not sure about the Midas Blenny but you might have a good chance as the Bicolor is more sedentary while the Midas is more in the water column.

I know you want reef safe but some dwarf angels would work really well. You could probably do a pair of a medium sized species like a Coral Beauty (get 2 small ones or 1 medium and 1 small), or a trio of a smaller species like Cherubs, Flamebacks etc. (get 3 small ones, or 1 medium and 2 smaller ones). If you’re looking into this you should ask @OrionN.

A Foxface could be yet another option but I’d make it your biggest fish.

A Marine Betta makes a very cool show piece, but it needs a peaceful tank with many caves and it can be a hassle to get feeding unless you get a Captive Bred one from ORA or now Biota.
 

mike550

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What happened to the Starry Blenny and one PJ Cardinal if you don’t mind :(

I’d add a Goby and Shrimp pair.

Blue Tang will have to be rehomed.

Some of the more peaceful damsels would work. Azure, Talbot’s, etc.
Starry Blenny went MIA. Other PJ cardinal didnt do too well in QT. Also went MIA in the DT.
 
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Scott Ulrich

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I see. What about the Goby? Was it also full size when you got it? Hehe.

It was full size. It lasted about 2 years, maybe it was older. I only fed once a day, but I'd make sure it was getting some of the frozen shrimp.

IMO a bunch of wrasses would also be nice. Halichoeres species, Fairy and Flasher Wrasses, Leopard Wrasses if you’re up for the difficulty.

I liked the fairy wrasse and am bummed that I only had him for a couple months before the power outage.... I might have to get another one.

Royal Gramma, PJ Cardinals would be nice. Not sure about the Midas Blenny but you might have a good chance as the Bicolor is more sedentary while the Midas is more in the water column.

I'm looking forward to the Royal Gramma and PJ Cardinals. I really like the Bangaii's that I have.

I know you want reef safe but some dwarf angels would work really well. You could probably do a pair of a medium sized species like a Coral Beauty (get 2 small ones or 1 medium and 1 small), or a trio of a smaller species like Cherubs, Flamebacks etc. (get 3 small ones, or 1 medium and 2 smaller ones). If you’re looking into this you should ask @OrionN.

A flame angel might be worth the risk, they are stunning. I have hammers, candy cane, some mushrooms and a kenya tree.

A Foxface could be yet another option but I’d make it your biggest fish.

I'm a little concerned about the foxface being venomous - makes me a little nervous :)

A Marine Betta makes a very cool show piece, but it needs a peaceful tank with many caves and it can be a hassle to get feeding unless you get a Captive Bred one from ORA or now Biota.

Might be interesting if I can find one locally. I'd prefer to avoid anything that has difficult feeding requirements. I might look at a mandarin goby after a while if I can get the pod population ramped up in this one. My refugium is still full but no longer connected - I'm planning to switch the old 40g display to a new display refugium as I have about a dozen mangroves (about 3 feet tall) in the old 20 g refugium currently.

Flame Hawk

Good suggestion! I need to research to make sure they are reef safe and compatible with inverts like hermits, cleaner shrimp, emerald crabs, etc.

Thanks all!
 
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Scott Ulrich

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I stopped by the lfs to pick up 20x hermit crabs and an emerald. Also a chance to look at what they have... I asked about yellow tangs and the woman said if they could get them they'd be about $500 :eek: (they have a few, but must not be for sale).

Some of tangs available:
Sailfin tang $45 (I did ask and they seemed to think it'd be okay in a 125...)
Convict tang $55
Scopas tang $60
Blue Eyed Kole Tang $75
They also had a Sohal Tangs, but I'm assuming they are more than I'd want to pay...

They had a good selection of wrasse's right now too. I still don't think I'm going to risk getting an angel, but they had a Keyhole angel $40, bicolor angel $50, and flame angels (I forget but maybe $100)

Also wondering if it is a bad idea to try and get a 2nd clown if the current one has been in the tank for 3 years?
 
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Scott Ulrich

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I think I'm going to add:
2 x pajama cardinals
1 x green chromis
1 x bristletooth tang (kole 2spot or tomini)
1x lavender or scopas tang or maybe purple

Is that an okay level of stocking for a 125g?

I might be tempted to do a coral beauty or flame angel and take the risk. I don't have a lot of money in coral, maybe 6 frags that were all $30 or less.

My banggais and clown have found there respective corners and have pretty much stayed there since the move. My bicolor blenny is still hiding somewhere. When I pulled the rocks out of the water to move them he was still wrapped up in a crevice.

Thanks! 20210413_222926~2.jpg
 
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Scott Ulrich

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I haven't seen the bicolor blenny since the move, I pulled put every rock and nothing. I think he may have burrowed in the sand, i googled out and there are some people have noted them burrowing...
 
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Scott Ulrich

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Thinking out loud :) Maybe a group of green chromis? Do they actually school or just spread out?

7 x Green Chromis
1 x Scopas Tang
1 x Tomini Tang
1 x clown (current)
2 x Banggai cardinals (current)
1 x blenny (current?)
 
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Scott Ulrich

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Rethinking the chromis school after reading about the Uronema issues... maybe Vtecintegra's suggestion of the flame hawk for some nice red would be cool:

1 x Flame Hawk
1 x Scopas Tang
1 x Tomini Tang
1 x clown (current)
2 x Banggai cardinals (current)
1 x blenny (current?)

And what about a Yellowtail damselfish?

I would love to get a nice blue color in there... I know that damsels can be aggressive, but sounds like they are one of the less aggressive damsels, so maybe that would be okay?

Thanks,
Scott
 

Tcook

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I have a Starcki and it gets along with everyone. Just make it the first one in.
20210207_182056.jpg
 

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