I’ve upped my tank size again. Would any of these fish be a good fit?

[Zionas]

Today I had another look at a video of my apartment, and I thought I would probably be able to fit up to a 100-gallon (up from 75 gallons) tank that’s 36”x24”x26”. Would a 100-gallon tank be even more on the stable side? Would it be significantly harder to maintain?

I’ve been considering the following fish due to an increase in tank size, and I would like your suggestions on the suitability of the following fish. I’m rating them for hardiness (for a beginner), lifespan, reef safe (or not), temperament, and whether they’re likely to jump. Not only do I want a fish that fits, but I need one that is able to live comfortably and healthy.


Here’s what I have in mind:

1. Tomini Tang / Square Tail Bristletooth Tang (these are the smallest tangs at 6” and 6.5” tops. Tangs are renowned for their longevity, but as much as I’d love to have one, I’ve heard they’re very susceptible to Marine Ich and other diseases and I have no room to provide a quarantine system.)


2. Marine Betta (I absolutely love these and I heard they can be really hardy once established, but I’ve heard from many a keeper that it’s hard for them to start eating, that they practically require live foods. They grow up to 8” and I’m worried they’ll eat smaller fish and inverts. My specimen will almost certainly be wild caught from Indonesia. I do know that these fish can live long.)


3. One Spot Foxface (they’re the smallest of the Foxfaces, growing to 8”. That’s still pretty huge. They’re hardy and can live long, from what I’ve heard.)


4. Lyretail / Axilspot / Coral Hogfish (they’re semi-aggressive and can all get to 8”, though I heard they’re hardy. Do they jump a lot like the other wrasses?)


5. Klein’s Butterflyfish (heard they’re the easiest of all the butterflies to keep but there could be more species)




Their tank mates will be:
1. x2 Ocellaris / Black Ocellaris clownfish (Max 3”)
2. A Basslet (x1 RG or Swissguard Basslet, x2 Yellow Assessors, 3” Max)
3. x1-2 Yellow Watchman Gobies (Max 3-4”)
4. A Dwarf angelfish (one of the 3”-4” species, one of the hardy species like Coral Beauty, Cherub / Flameback, maybe Flame-heard these are more fragile, Rusty, Half Black)


Maybe:
x1 Wrasse / Yellow Candy Hogfish (Wrasse will be one of the Lined species or a Halichoeres, YCH gets to a max of 4”)

x1 Aiptasia Eating Filefish


x1 Chrysiptera genus Damselfish


Any non-noob friendly fish should be crossed from the list. Thanks!



The tank will be on the second floor of an apartment in a 23 SQM room.


I plan to keep no more than 8 fish, but I’ll go with no more than 7 for the first year or two. It’ll be a tank with some soft corals but no stony corals.

 

[Dbichler]

Tomini tang foxface and your other list of 5 fish would work for dwarf angels go cherub or coral beauty if going with corals they tend to eat them less. Tang would go in last.

 

[Zionas]

Other than the tangs, I’m worried about the 8” fish. I’d love a Foxface or Marine Betta but would they be too big for my tank? Can they live comfortably in a 100 gal?

Marine Bettas can be a pain to have them start eating, from what I’ve heard. Foxfaces can be very active, and so are the Hogfish.

 

[Fishbird]

There’s gallons to consider but also floor space and how long the fish can swim in one direction before having to turn. A tank that’s 36” long is the same length as a 40gallon breeder. I’d cut out ovals of paper that are the length and approximate depth of your fish at adult size and then lay down a 3 ft line of tape on the floor and imagine them swimming in that space.

You can also look at LiveAquaria for minimum tank size guidelines for fish. I know people put fish in smaller tanks and sometimes it works but it also seems like LiveAquaria does a pretty good job of making size requirements based not only on bioload, but also space needed for a territory to defend, length needed to swim, etc.

I’ve been impressed with the thought you’re putting into your tank. For a quarantine could you use a 10 gallon and just do a couple fish at a time. It seems like you’d have to be extraordinarily lucky to have as many fish as you have listed and not have a disease get into your display tank.

 

[Dbichler]

Marine betas too big and an expert fish one spot would be fine as long as you have algae for it to eat

 

[Dbichler]

Didnt look at dimensions yes both would be too big sorry

 

[Zionas]

Yeah the tank’s not very long because of space restrictions.

Marine Betta’s definitely off my list.


As for floor space, attached are a video and some photos of my apartment. Of course we’re only going by rough estimates, but my room is 23 square meters which means it’s 4.79x4.79m.

Maybe the Hogfish would not be such a good idea either as they get to 8” and get aggressive. If I get a hogfish it would only be the Yellow Candy. I heard even the Pacific Peppermint is more aggressive (and more expensive too).

I’m not putting many fish into my tank in the beginning. No more than 4. I’ll say a maximum of 7. I’ll be keeping soft corals and some inverts.

The tank will be near the corner of the wall or right at the corner of the wall.


As for the Kole and Tomini Tangs, are they hardy fish in general? Are they susceptible to Marine Ich and other diseases like the other Tangs? Can they get along with a dwarf angel?

 

[Dbichler]

Sorry again didnt ready carefully enough a kole tang would be stressed it that size and be prone to disease

 

[Zionas]

What about a Tomini or Squaretail Bristletooth?

 

[Dbichler]

Same fish essentially sorry

 

[Zionas]

Maybe a second dwarf angel even? Of the same or a different species?

(Maybe Coral Beauty + Cherub / African Flameback or 2 African Flameback / Cherubs)

 

[Dbichler]

Two dwarf angels are tough even in a large tank. They would either kill eachother or one would hide constantly.

 

[Zionas]

Running out of options. What other fish can you recommend for a tank of this size?

I’m thinking of getting maybe even a Chrysiptera damsel.

 

[Keithb22]

Depending on the coral you have, an angel will more times than not pick at them. There are people who get lucky and don’t have issues but they tend to be few.

 

[Zionas]

I’ll only be getting soft corals. No stony corals.

 

[Fishbird]

I also didn’t initially read that you were going to be keeping corals as well. If you cannot ever have a quarantine tank or a hospital tank then you should be aware that most (or maybe all?) medications for common fish diseases will kill corals and invertebrates. So, if you get a single fish with a disease in your display tank you would likely have to sacrifice some fish or some corals/inverts.

I know people say that bigger is better but honestly, you can be a beginner and have a “small” tank. You could get a 40 gallon Breeder (which would be shallower than your current tank so much easier to light for corals). You could keep a few fish in it, and, you could have a 10 gallon tank that you set up temporarily on the floor somewhere for quarantining your fish. Or at the very least, as a hospital tank should the fish in your main tank get sick. I’m using a 10 as a quarantine though because I want to make as sure as possible that my fish in my display tank don’t get sick. I figure it’s waaaay less stress for a new fish to go through quarantine than it would be for everybody to get sick, have to chase them down and pull them out of my display tank and then put them in a hospital tank which would be a bit crowded.

 

[sfairtx]

Love the research and thought you put into your tank! Agree with most on the length eliminating Tangs. Thanks for thinking of your animals first. Many reefers could learn from your example. Quick thought. I would skip the "lined wrasse" thought. They are brutal bullies the vast majority of the time and in a 100 Gallon with those dimensions, I would imagine they would be unruly. What about a Basslet? Depending on your budget, they are fantastic. I have a Caribbean Swissguard Basslet (Liopropoma rubre). Great fish and personality (like many in the family). Keep up the great work and have fun!

 

[Zionas]

Basslets? I’d love one. I am thinking of 3: Royal Gramma, Swissguard (if I can get one), maybe even a Yellow Assessor (or a pair if that’s doable, I’ll get them as small as possible and introduce them at the same time). I know ORA breeds the Assessors but I can’t find captive bred ones in China unfortunately

If I keep a RG or Swissguard it’ll only be one, and either one of the two.

Are these basslets I have mentioned long-lived, hardy little fish?

If I want a wrasse-Type fish, would a Halichoeres species or a Yellow Candy Hogfish fit better, both from the temperament of perspective and lifespan?


What about the Klein’s Butterfly?


For dwarf angels I’ve pretty much nailed it down to these species:
1. Coral Beauty (4”)
2. African Flameback / Atlantic Cherub (3”)
3. Half Black (4”)
4. Rusty (4”)
5. Flame (4”)


Which among them are the hardiest and most suited for my tank? Would ANY dwarf angel be desirable for a tank less than 6 months old or even a very new tank?

 

[sfairtx]

Basslets? I’d love one. I am thinking of 3: Royal Gramma, Swissguard (if I can get one), maybe even a Yellow Assessor (or a pair if that’s doable, I’ll get them as small as possible and introduce them at the same time). I know ORA breeds the Assessors but I can’t find captive bred ones in China unfortunately

If I keep a RG or Swissguard it’ll only be one, and either one of the two.

Are these basslets I have mentioned long-lived, hardy little fish?

If I want a wrasse-Type fish, would a Halichoeres species or a Yellow Candy Hogfish fit better, both from the temperament of perspective and lifespan?


What about the Klein’s Butterfly?


For dwarf angels I’ve pretty much nailed it down to these species:
1. Coral Beauty (4”)
2. African Flameback / Atlantic Cherub (3”)
3. Half Black (4”)
4. Rusty (4”)
5. Flame (4”)


Which among them are the hardiest and most suited for my tank? Would ANY dwarf angel be desirable for a tank less than 6 months old or even a very new tank?

Basslets are a hardy bunch. As for the wrasses, I have a Melanurus Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) as well. Love him. Constantly on the hunt and great community member. I would definitely go with a Halichoeres before a lined wrasse for pest control. I don't have any butterfly fish so I'll punt that question. The only angels I keep in my reef are Genicanthus (I have a mixed reef and they tend to stay away from coral). I don't have any dwarf so I will also punt this question. Can't wait to see your reef once you have it stocked!

 

[Zionas]

Maybe even a dwarf lion fish? LOL. (Actually the though came to my mind literally just now)-but I’m not sure if they can eat regular flakes / pellets at all?