Stocking order for a 120 gallon

[jdthome]

I'm currently stocking a 120 gallon future mixed reef aquarium. Dry rock, dry sand and water hit the tank Christmas week 2023. Pair of clowns and a bottle of bacteria went in New Year weekend after they were in quarantine for a month. Reset quarantine with 3 Banggai Cardinalfish. They hit display first week of February. Then Coral Beauty to quarantine until Display first week of March. Next group was a firefish and Royal Gramma to quarantine and they were just put into the display this past Monday. I have a reset quarantine tank and wonder what my next one should be as my stocklist is not locked in yet and I desire a few future fish that may need some order recommendations. The display has been lights out for this entire time except short runs of time. But these are starting to get close to the 2 hour mark. I'm expecting green to show up. Surprised it didnt yet. Just Diatoms. My thought is to put a Tang in quarantine next but have always heard they should go in last. Plus my stocklist thoughts may be problematic too. Here are my current stock list thoughts/hopes/fantasy.

Already Stocked

2x Clown pair
3x Cardinal fish ... hope there is a male female still in this group
1x Coral Beauty
1x Firefish
1x Royal Gramma

Future Fish

1x Tomini Tang
1x FoxFace
4x Lyretail Anthias I know survival of a group is unlikely. Chromis were in this spot too.
1x Diamond Watchman Goby

Hopefully 1 year out

1x Red Mandarin ??????????


Acceptable stock list? Room for anything else? Anything problematic? While I'd love a copperband and a sailfin tang, I left them off the list due to possible size and care issues.

 

[jdthome]

Order tang or fox face next?

 

[fishywishy]

Definitely an acceptable list. When people say to put tangs last they are talking about semi aggressive tangs (hippo, purple, yellow etc). You can put the tomni in whenever you want, they’re pretty chill and your tank is pretty big. You can definitely add a lot more fish if you want, you’re pretty understocked for a 120g. The only thing problematic is the anthias, I would pass on anthias and chromis just to keep the risk of uronema as low as possible. You can put the new fish In any order you want except the fox face. I would definitely put that in last and definitely get it as a smaller size. I would probably pass on the sailfin but if you can find a healthy CBB that’s eating and you’re tank is properly established you should be good to get one.

 

[jdthome]

Definitely an acceptable list. When people say to put tangs last they are talking about semi aggressive tangs (hippo, purple, yellow etc). You can put the tomni in whenever you want, they’re pretty chill and your tank is pretty big. You can definitely add a lot more fish if you want, you’re pretty understocked for a 120g. The only thing problematic is the anthias, I would pass on anthias and chromis just to keep the risk of uronema as low as possible. You can put the new fish In any order you want except the fox face. I would definitely put that in last and definitely get it as a smaller size. I would probably pass on the sailfin but if you can find a healthy CBB that’s eating and you’re tank is properly established you should be good to get one.

Thanks for the feedback. I just ordered a Tomini and a Diamond watchman goby. I doubt I will ever get a CBB. The LFS gets them and they are gone arrival day. Finding one that is eating will be next to impossible with available local LFS If light stocked, what else would you put in? Also thought about a fairy wrasse. I'm at a loss for what fish to do. Want something that is more in the open water column.

 

[doubleshot00]

4x Lyretail Anthias
1x Diamond Watchman Goby

IMO these need to wait till the tank is way more mature. Like a year plus. That Goby will starve in such a clean tank and the anthias will need to be feed a good bit.

Add the tang and FF next. FYI foxfaces are stupid.

 

[fishywishy]

Thanks for the feedback. I just ordered a Tomini and a Diamond watchman goby. I doubt I will ever get a CBB. The LFS gets them and they are gone arrival day. Finding one that is eating will be next to impossible with available local LFS If light stocked, what else would you put in? Also thought about a fairy wrasse. I'm at a loss for what fish to do. Want something that is more in the open water column.

Well if do want one definitely get it from dr reef because they are eating and healthy. Fairy wrasse will be fine. You have plenty of options for more fish but some that come to mind are:

China wrasse, cleaner wrasse, peaceful damsels, hawkish if you have no shrimp, any blenny, peaceful dottyback, harlequin bass, marine betta(not a open swimmer but their size makes up for it), and possibly another dwarf angelfish.

 

[jdthome]

4x Lyretail Anthias
1x Diamond Watchman Goby

IMO these need to wait till the tank is way more mature. Like a year plus. That Goby will starve in such a clean tank and the anthias will need to be feed a good bit.

Add the tang and FF next. FYI foxfaces are stupid.

I will see if I can cancel the DWG or if the LFS can just keep it. What makes a foxface stupid?

Well if do want one definitely get it from dr reef because they are eating and healthy. Fairy wrasse will be fine. You have plenty of options for more fish but some that come to mind are:

China wrasse, cleaner wrasse, peaceful damsels, hawkish if you have no shrimp, any blenny, peaceful dottyback, harlequin bass, marine betta(not a open swimmer but their size makes up for it), and possibly another dwarf angelfish.

Is there any peaceful dottybacks? I do want to add a cleaner shrimp so no hawkfish. Think a Flame dwarf angel or have something else in mind? Saw a Splendid Dotty back that was awesome. but discounted it because I thought dottybacks were a No across the board.

 

[doubleshot00]

I will see if I can cancel the DWG or if the LFS can just keep it. What makes a foxface stupid?

Is there any peaceful dottybacks? I do want to add a cleaner shrimp so no hawkfish. Think a Flame dwarf angel or have something else in mind? Saw a Splendid Dotty back that was awesome. but discounted it because I thought dottybacks were a No across the board.

Imo get the FF and tang and wait 2-4 months and see how everything is.

Do your research on cleaner shrimp. They are a bunch of thieves.

Also FF are very clumsy and will get sucked to powerheads when they are really young. Also very skittish. But are a great fish to have after they age a bit. Mine is nicknamed Skittish.

 

[fishywishy]

I will see if I can cancel the DWG or if the LFS can just keep it. What makes a foxface stupid?

Is there any peaceful dottybacks? I do want to add a cleaner shrimp so no hawkfish. Think a Flame dwarf angel or have something else in mind? Saw a Splendid Dotty back that was awesome. but discounted it because I thought dottybacks were a No across the board.

orchids will be the most peaceful but elongates, indigos, and striped are also kind of peaceful. There’s a chance you could get a splendid dottyback but they’re one of those fish that’s a hit or miss in aggressiveness, you’re tank is a good size so it might be okay.

 

[Zionas]

Depending on the Cardinalfish you get, some form groups while others only form pairs and a third may be killed off. Otherwise, a good list IMO.

If you want a Dottyback, Orchids and Striped (Sankeyi) seem to be the most peaceful out of the commonly offered species. Not a fan of the hybrid. Never tried a Springer’s but heard they’re not that bad either.

Dwarf Angel (you can do a pair IMO) and a Marine Betta would be good choices too. So would a Hawkfish if you don’t care that much about inverts (which is me).

I’d actually ditch the Anthias, not worth the bio load IMO and most of the shoaling species don’t live that long on average (even if kept properly).




You can add the Mandarin after your tank’s got enough pods, but for me IMO wrasses are competition for pods so you may wanna watch out for that.

Same goes for the Diamond Watchman Goby needing a more established tank due to the micro fauna.

For me it’s between the Mandarin or Wrasses. For Wrasses, you can do the smaller Halichoeres, Fairies, Flashers and Leopards (more difficult). One of my favorite Wrasses is the Mystery Wrasse, or a Candy Hogfish, but these don’t always play nicely with other wrasses from what I heard. I’d personally do 2 different Wrasses if you go down this route.

Some of the more peaceful Damsels make nice additions too. I’d personally do an Azure, readily available and inexpensive. Biota’s Pavo Damsels, and if you can find a healthy one, a Starcki would be good as well.


So you could end up with something like this:

(1) Tomini Tang

(1) Foxface

(1) Marine Betta (really awesome)

(1) Coral Beauty / Flame Angel

(1) Orchid / Striped / (maybe) Springer’s Dottyback

(1) Hawkfish

(1) Damselfish (Azure / Pavo / Starcki)

(1) Diamond Watchman Goby (after a year or more)

(2) Cardinalfish

(2) Ocellaris Clownfish

And then the choice between the Mandarin Dragonet or a wrasse or two.

This will give you a well-stocked tank with fish in every niche.


Your main sources of bio load will be the Tang and Foxface, in this build the Marine Betta’s not all that active of a species and has a fairly low metabolism despite the size. And the wrasses if you go down that route. The rest of your fish will either be smaller, or not contribute much bioload.

 

[jdthome]

Imo get the FF and tang and wait 2-4 months and see how everything is.

Do your research on cleaner shrimp. They are a bunch of thieves.

Also FF are very clumsy and will get sucked to powerheads when they are really young. Also very skittish. But are a great fish to have after they age a bit. Mine is nicknamed Skittish.

Thanks for all of the input. I decided to put a tiny Tomini Tang and a foxface into the quarantine tank. The cleaner shrimp is a high priority item on the kids wish list. will likely just try to target feed the shrimp to deter thieving tendencies.

 

[doubleshot00]

Thanks for all of the input. I decided to put a tiny Tomini Tang and a foxface into the quarantine tank. The cleaner shrimp is a high priority item on the kids wish list. will likely just try to target feed the shrimp to deter thieving tendencies.

My cleaner lives in a nano. He wouldn't survive one second in my big tank

 

[jdthome]

Depending on the Cardinalfish you get, some form groups while others only form pairs and a third may be killed off. Otherwise, a good list IMO.

If you want a Dottyback, Orchids and Striped (Sankeyi) seem to be the most peaceful out of the commonly offered species. Not a fan of the hybrid. Never tried a Springer’s but heard they’re not that bad either.

Dwarf Angel (you can do a pair IMO) and a Marine Betta would be good choices too. So would a Hawkfish if you don’t care that much about inverts (which is me).

I’d actually ditch the Anthias, not worth the bio load IMO and most of the shoaling species don’t live that long on average (even if kept properly).




You can add the Mandarin after your tank’s got enough pods, but for me IMO wrasses are competition for pods so you may wanna watch out for that.

Same goes for the Diamond Watchman Goby needing a more established tank due to the micro fauna.

For me it’s between the Mandarin or Wrasses. For Wrasses, you can do the smaller Halichoeres, Fairies, Flashers and Leopards (more difficult). One of my favorite Wrasses is the Mystery Wrasse, or a Candy Hogfish, but these don’t always play nicely with other wrasses from what I heard. I’d personally do 2 different Wrasses if you go down this route.

Some of the more peaceful Damsels make nice additions too. I’d personally do an Azure, readily available and inexpensive. Biota’s Pavo Damsels, and if you can find a healthy one, a Starcki would be good as well.


So you could end up with something like this:

(1) Tomini Tang

(1) Foxface

(1) Marine Betta (really awesome)

(1) Coral Beauty / Flame Angel

(1) Orchid / Striped / (maybe) Springer’s Dottyback

(1) Hawkfish

(1) Damselfish (Azure / Pavo / Starcki)

(1) Diamond Watchman Goby (after a year or more)

(2) Cardinalfish

(2) Ocellaris Clownfish

And then the choice between the Mandarin Dragonet or a wrasse or two.

This will give you a well-stocked tank with fish in every niche.


Your main sources of bio load will be the Tang and Foxface, in this build the Marine Betta’s not all that active of a species and has a fairly low metabolism despite the size. And the wrasses if you go down that route. The rest of your fish will either be smaller, or not contribute much bioload.

Already Stocked

2x Clown pair
3x Cardinal fish ... hope there is a male female still in this group
1x Coral Beauty
1x Firefish
1x Royal Gramma

I have 3 Banggai's. I hope to end up with a pair. Their have been the 3 fish for two months. I have noticed just this week that one grew substantially bigger than the other two. One has also been rejected and hangs out on the other half of the tank, so I think there may be some aggression that I have not personally seen yet.

Tomini Tang and a foxface have been added to my quarantine tank. My female clown is bigger than them.

I will look into the Marine Betta. Not something that was even on my radar.

The wrasse selection is vast with a few really nice looking fish. When I first started planning my reentry into this hobby, I planned on having a 20 gallon remote refugium with the primary job of copepod production. These are early photos. I don't have a current one since chaeto and copepod seeding but this gets a visual of what my brain was prepping for a mandarinin the future.

 

[jdthome]

My cleaner lives in a nano. He wouldn't survive one second in my big tank

That may also need to be an option. I have a 10 nano that I would like to put flower rock anemones and some sexy shrimp in that might work for the cleaner shrimp. But that project is further down the road.