Input on stocking plan for 120g

[erm0715]

So I've just added 2 small clowns to a 120g DT / ~30g sump system. I will eventually try to house a mixed reef down the road. I plan to add new inhabitants slowly but want to vet my list based on occupancy vs tank size and some are considered not reef safe for the fact they could go after inverts. Also, if someone could recommend an order that would be great. Dimensions are 4ftx2ftx2ft.

2 small ocellaris clowns (already on board)
starry blenny
tomini tang
sailfin tang (will eventually need to rehome but already have in a smaller set up, he's ~2.5-3 inches so this is more room for him in the interim)
melanarus wrasse
red coris wrasse
snowflake eel
yellow candy hogfish
dispar anthias (if i can manage to feed 3x/day and have room)

I know with the red coris and snowflake i'll need to be careful with inverts. I can try to go a route using urchin/conchs/starfish, at least i think those are safe.

Any thoughts? I love the color of the red coris and like the idea of an eel in a mixed reef but want to make sure i'm not overlooking anything. My guess is coris and eel go in last. Just planning ahead.

 

[blaxsun]

If it can fit in the eel it will ultimately end up in the eel...

 

[erm0715]

If it can fit in the eel it will ultimately end up in the eel...

Thanks. I figured snowflake was the safest option with teeth more apt for crushing inverts/crustaceans, and also one of the only ones safe in a 120g. I'm not really worried about keeping ornamental shrimp or crabs but I figured Urchins, Conchs might be safe. I had one a long time ago and know how they are with snails. I naively threw in 4 turbo's that didn't last a half hour before he was figure-8 yanking them out of the shells.

 

[i cant think]

So I've just added 2 small clowns to a 120g DT / ~30g sump system. I will eventually try to house a mixed reef down the road. I plan to add new inhabitants slowly but want to vet my list based on occupancy vs tank size and some are considered not reef safe for the fact they could go after inverts. Also, if someone could recommend an order that would be great. Dimensions are 4ftx2ftx2ft.

2 small ocellaris clowns (already on board)
starry blenny
tomini tang
sailfin tang (will eventually need to rehome but already have in a smaller set up, he's ~2.5-3 inches so this is more room for him in the interim)
melanarus wrasse
red coris wrasse
snowflake eel
yellow candy hogfish
dispar anthias (if i can manage to feed 3x/day and have room)

I know with the red coris and snowflake i'll need to be careful with inverts. I can try to go a route using urchin/conchs/starfish, at least i think those are safe.

Any thoughts? I love the color of the red coris and like the idea of an eel in a mixed reef but want to make sure i'm not overlooking anything. My guess is coris and eel go in last. Just planning ahead.

Honestly, I’d ditch the Eel idea. A 4’ tank just isn’t that large in the long run, the Red Coris (Coris gaimard) is also one I’d ditch in the long term. These grow up to be some of the worst wrasses you can keep in terms of aggression. The Hogfish should also be removed as they don’t allow for any other Labrid tank mates.
A 4” Sailfin will outgrow a 4’ tank and considering you have a 2.5”-3” sailfin already, you’ll likely only have him for a few months before he starts pacing in a 4’ tank.
other than that, your list seems alright. I’d personally add a few other species of Labridae that aren’t aggressive. I recommend looking through these genera;
Halichoeres
Macropharyngodon
Xenojulis
Anampses
Cirrhilabrus
Paracheilinus
And then once you do that, throw all the ones you like into a list and we can sort through it so you’re left with a few options that work well

 

[erm0715]

Honestly, I’d ditch the Eel idea. A 4’ tank just isn’t that large in the long run, the Red Coris (Coris gaimard) is also one I’d ditch in the long term. These grow up to be some of the worst wrasses you can keep in terms of aggression. The Hogfish should also be removed as they don’t allow for any other Labrid tank mates.
A 4” Sailfin will outgrow a 4’ tank and considering you have a 2.5”-3” sailfin already, you’ll likely only have him for a few months before he starts pacing in a 4’ tank.
other than that, your list seems alright. I’d personally add a few other species of Labridae that aren’t aggressive. I recommend looking through these genera;
Halichoeres
Macropharyngodon
Xenojulis
Anampses
Cirrhilabrus
Paracheilinus
And then once you do that, throw all the ones you like into a list and we can sort through it so you’re left with a few options that work well

Thanks for the ideas and your response!

I actually wouldn’t mind a combination of wrasse you mentioned (not a huge fan of fairy or flashers, nothing wrong with them but prefer others) that max at that 5-6 inch range. I’m guessing one of each species though? One question on that, a lot of the individual species are listed at expert only or difficult. Is this more to do with doesn’t ship well, hard to get to eat or other reasons (leopards, tamarin)?
Thanks!

 

[i cant think]

Thanks for the ideas and your response!

I actually wouldn’t mind a combination of wrasse you mentioned (not a huge fan of fairy or flashers, nothing wrong with them but prefer others) that max at that 5-6 inch range. I’m guessing one of each species though? One question on that, a lot of the individual species are listed at expert only or difficult. Is this more to do with doesn’t ship well, hard to get to eat or other reasons (leopards, tamarin)?
Thanks!

Tamarins and Leopards are more so difficult to ship, however they do also tend to come in with parasites, mouth damage and not feeding.

Generally, if you build your way into the more difficult species you’ll end up learning about their difficulty and how to overcome it. I first went with my first difficult species as being an Iridis Wrasse which is where the shipping is the big issue. Then after a year of keeping her alive and thriving I picked up a Blue Star Leopard. It’s been over a year of picking her up and she’s still thriving (my iridis is now 3 years old), so I went and pulled the trigger on another similar species to the Macropharyngodon genus, Xenojulis margaritaceus now, my other plan to to go further into the Macropharyngodon genus and snatch a Choati this year however I am only doing it rather short as I’ve had my iridis and Leopard for nearly over 5 years in total and have gotten used to difficulties and hurdles thrown by these guys (I’ve also worked in fish stores around these guys). However I recommend you keep 2-3 species of Leopard Wrasse or similar wrasse before lunging into the more finicky species of Macropharyngodon.

And as I’m sure most people haven’t heard of a Xenojulis margaritaceus (Gold Nugget Wrasse), here is my transitional male I picked up a few days ago.