Which fish in which order

[NabberNate]

Hello all. I'm in the planning phase of getting new fish and I would like some opinion on how to go about. I have a 150 gallon tank with 2 ocellaris clowns, 2 blue fin damsels, 1 orchid dottyback, 1 watchman goby and 1 firefish. I have some trochus snails, a fighting conch and some regular hermits and blue legs. I need (for nitrates) and want alot more fish. The style of tank I'm going for is a mixed tank with some planted algae, some anemones, probably some mushrooms, lots of critters including more snails, different crabs and feather dusters. Basically bring on all the vast and varied that mother nature can offer.

I want to get fish that are cool without causing a headache for the style I'm after. Here are my thoughts..
Next up would be 3 banggai cardinal fish and that will probably do it for my little fish.
After that I need help. Below are some fish I'm thinking of.
- Blue tang (mother in law wants to buy it)
- Melanurus wrasse or lemon wrasse
- An Angel fish (Rock Beauty if I don't go for lemon wrasse otherwise maybe flame? Love the gray or French angel just don't know if my tank is big enough. Others are a bit pricey.
- A shrimp would also be cool plus I like urchins and starfish too
- Are butterfly fish ok if I'm not going into corals?

For the larger fish just don't know what order would make sense? The only thing I can think is that the blue tang would have to be later once I can get the macro algae to be growing like a weed in the tank and sump fire replenishment. I Need more nitrates for that.

Am I asking for trouble with wanting all the critters and getting an angel or a wrasse and am I better off with more "easy" options like different clowns and cool colored anenomes? I do want a showpiece fish and even think a porcupine puffer would be awesome just don't know all the baggage attached. Looking for conflicts in some of the items discussed as I would rather not learn the hard way.

Thanks for your opinions... empty tank below.

 

[EvanDeVita]

Firstly, I recommend adding to your rock work, fish need plenty of hiding places and rocks to block lines of sight.
Secondly, with the orchid dottyback and two damsels, I wouldn’t add any more small fish. Those three are likely to bully any small additions mercilessly. I’d actually consider removing the fish temporarily: another option is to get a bunch of fish at once and dumb them all in at once to disperse the aggression, but I wouldn’t exactly recommend this.
Idk anything about blue tangs, so I can’t really give any advice, but a melanarus wrasse is perfect, once a worm population comes about and I like the angel idea. As for shrimp, I’d recommend a couple cleaner shrimp (skunk or blood).
Some other ideas:
Midas blenny
More wrasses (I can recommend some specific spice urs if you want)
Some kind of sleeper goby (sand sifters)
Cardinalfish (seals are my favs)
Small group of anthias
Or a tank full of nano fish.

 

[NabberNate]

Good suggestions... I have more rock and I intentionally add more rearrange the furniture when adding new fish.

I've heard dottybacks can be a pest but everyone so far is very peaceful. I've changed things up enough to keep them confused. I also do have a watchman goby but he stays in one area.

Your comment about little fish is why I want to get 3 banngais all at once before the fish get entrenched. I don't know much about anything except they are pretty and active. I'll check them out!

 

[EvanDeVita]

Good suggestions... I have more rock and I intentionally add more rearrange the furniture when adding new fish.

I've heard dottybacks can be a pest but everyone so far is very peaceful. I've changed things up enough to keep them confused. I also do have a watchman goby but he stays in one area.

Your comment about little fish is why I want to get 3 banngais all at once before the fish get entrenched. I don't know much about anything except they are pretty and active. I'll check them out!

The problem with aggressive fish like dottybacks, yellow candy hogfish, wrasse, etc.. is that they become territorial. Adding fish after these fish have made themselves a home is when problems arise. Another thing to try (no idea if it'll work) is to do as you said [re arranging the rockwork], but also making sure to bury the dottybacks current 'home.' Could keep territorial disputes to a minimum.