If you were starting a new big reef, what would you have in your stock list?

[Daniel@R2R]

I have a juvenile vlamingii that I might regret soon! Anyway, I would add a Gem Tang and Naso Tang to your list…

Ooo! Hadn't thought about the gem or naso...I love blonde nasos, but I know they get huge! LOL

A gem tang could be that third zebrasoma I've been thinking about... if I'm honest (and I know I'm gonna get hate for this) I keep hoping that the purple/yellow hybrid zebrasoma will become a fish that is regularly bred like yellows are already and be accessible financially at some point...but we're years away from that so...

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Would love a small group of these! This will probably depend on where I land on the eel. Speaking of which, anyone got experience keeping an eel with smallish fish. Is it doable, or is it just a set up for an expensive snack?

I'm thinking a snowflake moray or something similar.

wouldn't a Mandarin kill an eel if it ate it? Would think its slow movement would be a snack for the eel. (unless eels know not to eat them).

 

[bakbay]

Ooo! Hadn't thought about the gem or naso...I love blonde nasos, but I know they get huge! LOL

A gem tang could be that third zebrasoma I've been thinking about... if I'm honest (and I know I'm gonna get hate for this) I keep hoping that the purple/yellow hybrid zebrasoma will become a fish that is regularly bred like yellows are already and be accessible financially at some point...but we're years away from that so...

I have both the Gem & Blonde Naso but currently on separate tanks. They will be merged into a 360g tank soon when I finally find time to plumb it. Agreed on the Naso tangs -- they can grow pretty fast!

I recalled Gem tangs selling at $4500 and now you can get one for a price of a Yellow tang ($350'ish) -- not cheap but I don't see marine fish coming down to $35-50 anytime soon, if ever.

 

[Troylee]

Ooo! Hadn't thought about the gem or naso...I love blonde nasos, but I know they get huge! LOL

A gem tang could be that third zebrasoma I've been thinking about... if I'm honest (and I know I'm gonna get hate for this) I keep hoping that the purple/yellow hybrid zebrasoma will become a fish that is regularly bred like yellows are already and be accessible financially at some point...but we're years away from that so...

I love my blonde… I have 7 in my tang gang and honestly my half black mimmic is my favorite and my gem is my least favorite lol.. such other cooler looking tangs out there than a gem…

 

[TinnysReef]

Agree with all the wrasses!!! I'm on the lookout for cool wrasses to add to my tank now too.

I love the possum wrasse.

Also, a cool little blenny with personality I have added is a Molly Miller blenny. So fast! Cute fat little gut. Pretty much just see it out and about at feeding time but it makes me so happy.

 

[Ado]

My Juvi Harlequin Tusk, named Tiny

 

[TinnysReef]

Flame hawkfish!! Just can't get any sexy shrimp I guess ...

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/7571/flame-hawkfish?pcatid=7571&c=15+34+7571&s=ts&r=

 

[Ado]

Flames are great oddball fish, tons of personality

 

[Acroguy]

So as I'm getting ready to get my new 225g peninsula reef going, I'm getting really excited thinking about what I might include in the livestock list! The plan is that this will be a mixed reef that will be SPS dominant. I have a few fish that I know for sure I want to keep, and some that I'm still on the fence about. Here are my current thoughts:

Fish I want for sure:

1. Harlequin Tuskfish
2. Japanese Swallowtail Angel pair
3. Pair of clowns (already have one pair...might add a second pair)
4. Blue Tang
5. Yellow Tang (my wife's favorite fish)
6. Purple Tang
7. Other zebrasoma (probably a desjardini sailfin, but I'm open to ideas...I know I want a zebrasoma trio)
8. Mandarin dragonet
9. Various wrasses (I love flasher and fairy wrasses and might have a leopard wrasse as well...the madagascar flasher has been my dream fish for a while, but not sure how available those are...last i checked, they were still super expensive, so not likely...)
10. Various gobies/blennies (I'm thinking a few more sedentary grumpy looking fish would be fun...I also LOVE barnacle blennies)

On the fence:

• Some kind of eel (I'm a bit concerned that having an eel might be a no-go with the gobies/blennies)
• Sohal tang (I LOVE the look of these fish, and this is the first tank I'll have ever had that comes close to being big enough...but I have also heard horror stories about these guys and am thinking that if I get one, I may end up regretting it)
• Achilles Tang (hadn't considered this one yet, but @i cant think mentioned it below...so now I'm thinking about it)
• I feel like there are more that should be included as "maybe" fish here, but this is off the top of my head and all I can think of right now...

So yeah...those are my ideas so far...

I have 2 questions for discussion.

1. What do you guys think of the above lists?
2. If you had a tank around this size, what would be on your wishlist?

Sohal tang in a 225g ? No no. I have a 450 g and still debating if Inshould get one.

 

[Acroguy]

1 looks good besides a shoal..
2 being I have a similar tank I’d add a dozen anthias and like 50 chromis.. that’s next for me… I tried a dozen purple queens and that didn’t work out.. back to lyretails for me.

225 is way too small for 50 chromis.I have 13 in my 450g. Dozen anthias is okay.

 

[Fred A.]

That would be a great idea too! I honestly hadn't considered an achilles...

I've never kept one. Are they still considered difficult? How well do they play with other tank mates?

Added it to the "maybe" list above.

Regarding difficulty, Liveaquaria.com does a good job of rating a fish's level of difficulty to keep, as well as their temperament. I'm not necessarily saying you should purchase from them, but you can get a good idea about the livability of any fish on their site.

 

[Reef By Steele]

Hey, this is so cool. As for tangs, looking to add three zebrasomas, is that good? I have added yellows in three packs before, but my current tanks I chose to go with different families without repeating in the same family. Maybe in threes it will be safe, as with the yellows, just food for thought.

I used to keep snowflakes and had smaller fish with them. They seem to work out most of the time. Not so with any other small eel like a fimbriata. Got one of them from an LFS and it had eaten a bird wrasse which it promptly regurgitated upon arriving home.

I had groups of cardinals, but in one tank down to two pajamas, the other tank 110 gallon have 4 Bangaii still.

Absolutely love our possum wrasses and African leopard. Have had a lot of flashers carpet dove even with a lid. But when some of our fish reach their end time am planning to add more wrasses.

I find firefish work well in groups. My are out all the time, but others say they never see theirs.

 

[Yagerboy]

Blonde Naso? I had a Sohal in my 180 for years with no issue. How about a blue throat trigger? Tile fish or Betta? The options are endless

 

[vetteguy53081]

That would be a great idea too! I honestly hadn't considered an achilles...

I've never kept one. Are they still considered difficult? How well do they play with other tank mates?

Added it to the "maybe" list above.

Mine, a model citizen and as mellow as my Tomini tang. Hides as much as its out in the open

 

[crazyfishmom]

I would love a shoal! However, I'm a little intimidated by that idea to be honest. I have heard that chromis ultimately just kill each other off. I was looking into bangaii cardinals, but it seems those don't do well in groups over the long haul either...but maybe I'll give it a shot if I can find a fish that tends to do well in groups.

My chromis were all added at the same time in a similarly sized tank and they’re doing awesome. I started with 6 and four made it through quarantine and are still in the tank. They’re super active and have fun personalities.

 

[krollins]

magnificent foxface

 

[Karliefish]

That would be a great idea too! I honestly hadn't considered an achilles...

I've never kept one. Are they still considered difficult? How well do they play with other tank mates?

Added it to the "maybe" list above.

In my experience they can be ich magnets. Beautiful fish but expert care needed to keep them healthy.

 

[Karliefish]

gem tangs are a stunning addition and are fairly sturdy fish as well. My only strong advice….if possible, add all of your zebrasomas at the same time. You’ll spare yourself from having to watch a new tang getting “gang-tackled”. I Introduced my Desjardini, purple tang, two yellow tangs and a gem tang all on the same day. It will take quite a bit of coordination with your LFS, but well worth the investment of time. The one zebrasoma I regret not adding was a koi scopas tang. They are truly the ultimate conversational fish in your tank

 

[Muppy]

Marine Betta
Fiji or Magnificent Foxface
Sohal
White Tail Kole or Tomini Tang

 

[Jasonak]

Literally have the tusk in my cart at Dr reefs and just watched this video,,,so now im like ugh maybe not. This was for my fish only tank but the fact that he ate a jawfish,,yikes.