Stocking for 150g completely lost here

[TheStrangler]

Ahoy all, I'm in way over my head. I jumped on the IM 150g EXT (48x36x20ish) when I saw the made to order sale priced it roughly at that of a Red Sea Reefer 30ish gallon tank. Part of the deal was that it wouldn't ship for 4-6 months, no big deal time for me to research fish I'd never dreamed of, equipment I've never heard of, and various options I'd never considered. Two days after ordering I got the email that it's shipped.

The largest tank I've ever owned was 50 gallons and currently have a Red Sea Reefer 170 that Ill be upgrading from with a pair of clowns and a zebra dartfish. Any fish that requires a tank larger than 70 gallons or so, I've never really learned about as it was never a consideration. I know next to nothing about tangs besides yellows. Next to nothing about wrasse that aren't the small halichores. Absolutely nothing about angelfish. All of the things I'm excited to be able to house I have no idea about. I'm not going to just jump out there and get 20 tangs, but I'm sort of spinning looking at my options and reading people's stocking lists. So let me ask everyone, what is your favorite fish that would be happy in the 48x36x20ish footprint? I can sort out compatibility and stocking order, and I'm not in a reckless rush to do anything, I just want to get some thoughts organized as my three fish might get lost when their tank footprint gets 5x larger.

Here are my current thoughts. I have a mixed reef, but nothing crazy rare/expensive that I'd melt down about if something nipped at. I'd rather not have any non reef safe fish, but I'm willing to gamble on reef safe with caution if I have reasonable odds.

I'm working on building the rock scape and will do my best to make it interesting with lots of hiding spots and will have ~1.5 inches of sand by current estimates. I can increase or decrease this as needed, but sand sifters/sleepers are generally in mind.

I love utility fish that are also interesting. Radiant/yellow wrasse have been that window shopping fish I drool looking at but can't get due to tank size constraints. I love wrasse, they're so active and pest hunters to boot. I think the tank is large enough to keep one small-medium tang? A whitetail bristletooth was the first one that caught my eye that I believe should be ok size and aggressionwise? Copperband would be awesome as I think they're so cool and I hate aiptasia, but I don't know that they're a great fit as docile finicky eaters. And finally I fell in love and then experienced heartbreak upon learning about Potters Angelfish... I don't want to talk about it.

thanks all, any brainstorming you help with is much appreciated.

 

[crazyfishmom]

A whitetail tang would be great in that tank. Mine is a sweetheart but I’ve seen others whose white tail has become aggressive to new tank mates so maybe add him last?

Anthias are always a great addition. They have lovely personalities and hang out together. Chromis are fun too, they are open water swimmers so also fun to have a few together. A lot of the fairy and flasher wrasses are awesome. Just so many possibilities!

 

[TheStrangler]

Anthias! I use an automatic feeder so I could supplement the crazy number of times they need to be fed. Jotting that one down. I do really like fish that hang out together, I've just never really had much success and forgot to consider that.

One consideration I have is that I often travel. I have my tank really well automated so I can remotely view/feed/water change/maintain, and I've had very good luck with it to this point. My auto feeding is a mix of calanus, brine/mysis, tdo pellets, algae pellets/flakes, and other assorted dried foods. That was the sort of definitive, no a copperband wouldn't be a great pick because there would be times where I couldn't feed live/frozen for a week.

 

[Kmst80]

The genicanthus angels are very nice too and you could have a pair. I got genicanthus melanospilos (Black spot Angel) but the Bellus Angel's are super nice too or the Watanabe Angel's.
Definitely get yourself either a Foxface or Rabbitfish or Tang other than Bristletooth coz they are taking care of all that unsightly macroalgae/hair algae.

 

[buruskeee]

I would wait until tank has shown stability before adding anthias. They’re are really finicky fish aside from the eating needs.

As long as your scape allows for diagonal swimming, you should be ok with a couple mid sized tangs (yellow tang, scopas, etc). You could probably do 2 smaller tangs and a yellow (assuming full grown). Definitely would do a bunch of wrasses, and now you have an option for a fox face and other kinds of utility fish.

 

[TheStrangler]

Definitely something I hadn't considered but would love. Foxface have venomous spines though correct? I wear gloves when doing tank maintenance to keep soaps and lotions out of my water, but are the spines a viable risk during maintenance or just if I were to say try to grab the fish with my hand for some reason?

 

[i cant think]

Definitely something I hadn't considered but would love. Foxface have venomous spines though correct? I wear gloves when doing tank maintenance to keep soaps and lotions out of my water, but are the spines a viable risk during maintenance or just if I were to say try to grab the fish with my hand for some reason?

The spines aren’t an issue - I have 2 in my reef, I just love sitting on danger!

No seriously, both of mine go into the rocks when I’m working in the tank, the spines are a last resort when they’re cornered or if you go to pick them up. I don’t like to use fine nets around mine though - I’ve had them caught way too many times. Even in the LFS I hate netting them up as we use very fine nets and they’re easily caught in them.

 

[i cant think]

If you like wrasses, here’s my stock list for my 5’ 180G tank. 26 fish currently - probably going to stop around 30 (With the last 4 being wrasses and maybe one more Rabbitfish).

 

[TheStrangler]

Wow, I always was under the impression that wrasse were tricky to keep with other wrasse. I'm going to check your list and see if any catch my interest.

 

[TheStrangler]

Tank is nearly cycled and well on its way to setup. Once my lights come in I'll move my clownfish over and slowly add the rest of my current fish.

My end goal for stocking is (and I think about in this order):
pair of clowns
zebra dartfish
orchid dottyback
(my current fish)
Copperband
Foxface (one spot or magnificent)
Swallowtail angelfish (a pair if I can get them)
Yellow Wrasse
Iridis Wrasse
Rhomboid wrasse
Whitetail Bristletooth tang

I'd be tempted to add more halichoeres wrasse like red lined or similar if everything is playing nice and its not overcrowded. Should be a pretty mellow tank with the exception of the tang, but I think my chances are decent with a less aggressive species and being added last.