Upgrading to a 180 stocking advice

bigbugoutfitters · Sep 19, 2024

Our house should be complete this december and ive already purchased a used 180 that a buddy and i are going to completely strip down and reseal. Ive just finished deciding on lighting, pumps, etc so i ve decided its about time to get on to the fun stuff.

Our current tank a reefer 250 currently has
1 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 longnose hawkfish
1 tailspot blenny
1 yellowtail damsel
1 filefish - Acreichthys tomentosus

And, well, a week after i bought the tank my wife brought home A VERY SMALL Two Barred Rabbitfish. Dont worry, the reefer 250 is plenty for for the next few months.

Our future plans include(in order of introduction)

Batch 1
A pair of yellow headed jawfish
Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Cirrhilabrus naokoae

Batch 2
Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Halichoeres marginatus(must have)
fill in the blank with one more wrasse. Maybe 2?
Synchiropus splendidus(wifes must have)

Batch 3
Longnose butterflyfish
Convict tang(preferred tang)
powder blue/powder brown/ or orange shouldered tang. Very open to suggestions on a second tang

Anyhow, that is my primary list. Other fish i am considering but just really not sure on are
Some sort of hogfish
2-3 hi hat drum

Tank is mixed reef 6x2x2’ 50:50 sps lps. Deep sand bed(5-6”) Plan on pretty heavy filtration, large fuge. Already raising pods and growing phyto.

Open to any suggestions, however i am not too into angels, anthias, chromis, and cardinal fish.

littlefoxx · Sep 19, 2024

Do not put a powdered tang with a convict, will probably kill it! Powder blue are devil fish!! Convicts are really shy and dont do the best with other tangs as Ive read, which is why Ive never gotten one since I keep more aggressive tangs

Zionas · Sep 19, 2024

IMO Clowns are one of those obligatory keep in pairs fish, so I’ll add a second Clown.

Not sure how big the Two-Barred Rabbitfish gets but the Siganus (Foxfaces) are generally considered to be the smallest of the Rabbits though they still get to a fairly decent size.

Jawfish need a sand bed that’s deep enough but since you’re getting some Wrasses that need sand, I believe you’re aware of their requirement for sand. However, I believe they don’t change sex so unless you get them as a pair, you have to ask around and see how to sex them. I’m no expert.

@i cant think and @OrionN are the go to for Wrasses here. You can also PM @cancun.

Longnose is not an easy fish, again @OrionN seems to be one of the few that has had a decent amount of success with them. Many never take to the full range of prepared food if that includes flakes and pellets.

I’m not sure about the Convicts, seems like it’s luck of the draw getting a healthy one that doesn’t die over time from internal parasites. Biota is working on them, however, so one route would be to wait for a captive bred one.

I haven’t seen you list any of the Zebrasoma or Bristletooth Tangs as the vast majority of them will fit just right for a 180. The Zebrasomas except both Sailfins, and just about any Bristletooth IMO. Biota has CB Yellow Tangs, and Quality Marine Labs and sometimes Bali Aquarich (sold via Biota) have Purple Tangs. Personally not a fan of the Black Tang, but for a more expensive one you can consider a Gem Tang.

Not sure how well the Hogfish will play with the other Wrasses, some of them get pretty large and boisterous but the sub-genus Trococophus (fairly deepwater) has some smaller species like the Yellow Candy and Candy Cane (Sepiacaudus). I’ve heard a bunch of people having issues with them being aggressive so maybe that’s something to keep in mind. Beautiful fish though.

I don’t know much about the Hi-Hats but 2-3 would definitely be pushing it for a 180, considering they are about the same size as many Tangs.

I would, however, recommend some Angels. Many have kept Majestic, Regal, Gold Flake / Flag Fin, Genicanthus (Swallowtail) and some other Angels successfully in reefs. A number of the Centropyge (dwarves) have been kept successfully in reef setups as well. General consensus has it that the Lemonpeel (Flavissima complex) and related species are on the riskier side, but something like a Coral Beauty, Flame, Flameback, Cherub, and some of the others regularly feature in many reefs.

You could also consider the Pyramid Butterflies which are planktivores and not grazers like the Genicanthus angels.

I would also consider some smaller fish like Gramma Basslets which are very pretty (Royal Gramma and Black Cap). Some of the Damsels aren’t overly aggressive and are successfully kept in community reefs by many. I would recommend Azure and Talbot’s, for something a bit higher end maybe a Starcki. If Biota has the Peacock Damsels again (Pomacentrus pavo), I think those are pretty as well.

bigbugoutfitters · Sep 19, 2024

Zionas said:
IMO Clowns are one of those obligatory keep in pairs fish, so I’ll add a second Clown.

I agree. I figure ill either get another clown or give this one away.

Zionas said:
Not sure how big the Two-Barred Rabbitfish gets but the Siganus (Foxfaces) are generally considered to be the smallest of the Rabbits though they still get to a fairly decent size.

LA says they get 11” or so, will probably be the biggest fish in the tank

Zionas said:
Jawfish need a sand bed that’s deep enough but since you’re getting some Wrasses that need sand, I believe you’re aware of their requirement for sand. However, I believe they don’t change sex so unless you get them as a pair, you have to ask around and see how to sex them. I’m no expert.

Yep, going with a 5-6 inch sandbed. If i get a pair of jawfish I certainly plan on buying an established pair.

Zionas said:
@i cant think and @OrionN are the go to for Wrasses here. You can also PM @cancun.

Longnose is not an easy fish, again @OrionN seems to be one of the few that has had a decent amount of success with them. Many never take to the full range of prepared food if that includes flakes and pellets.

Yea, im planning on doing a fair bit of research on them. I do like the recommendation of the pyramid butterflyfish though! Thank you.

Zionas said:
I’m not sure about the Convicts, seems like it’s luck of the draw getting a healthy one that doesn’t die over time from internal parasites. Biota is working on them, however, so one route would be to wait for a captive bred one.

If i get any tangs i am planning on getting them from dr reef quarantined

Zionas said:
I haven’t seen you list any of the Zebrasoma or Bristletooth Tangs as the vast majority of them will fit just right for a 180. The Zebrasomas except both Sailfins, and just about any Bristletooth IMO. Biota has CB Yellow Tangs, and Quality Marine Labs and sometimes Bali Aquarich (sold via Biota) have Purple Tangs. Personally not a fan of the Black Tang, but for a more expensive one you can consider a Gem Tang.

For whatever reason the zebrasoma dont quite do it for me. Not sure why

Zionas said:
Not sure how well the Hogfish will play with the other Wrasses, some of them get pretty large and boisterous but the sub-genus Trococophus (fairly deepwater) has some smaller species like the Yellow Candy and Candy Cane (Sepiacaudus). I’ve heard a bunch of people having issues with them being aggressive so maybe that’s something to keep in mind. Beautiful fish though.

For hoggish i had been thinking either axilspot or cuban. I do like the yellow candy cane as well. Been reading up on em for a year and it sounds like the it can go either way, but plenty of success stories that have me intrigued.

Zionas said:
I don’t know much about the Hi-Hats but 2-3 would definitely be pushing it for a 180, considering they are about the same size as many Tangs.

Ive kept hi hats before. Had 1 in a 90 gallon that never seemed cramped. If i dont get a hogfish I’ll probably get a couple. Especially seeing that i am only going for a mac of two tangs. They stick to the bottom of the tank so shouldnt have many issues there.

Zionas said:
I would, however, recommend some Angels. Many have kept Majestic, Regal, Gold Flake / Flag Fin, Genicanthus (Swallowtail) and some other Angels successfully in reefs. A number of the Centropyge (dwarves) have been kept successfully in reef setups as well. General consensus has it that the Lemonpeel (Flavissima complex) and related species are on the riskier side, but something like a Coral Beauty, Flame, Flameback, Cherub, and some of the others regularly feature in many reefs.

For whatever reason, angels have just never really done it for me. I had a coral beauty for a while that was a model citizen but i ended up giving it to a local reefer that was wanting one. Pretty fish though.

Zionas said:
You could also consider the Pyramid Butterflies which are planktivores and not grazers like the Genicanthus angels.

I would also consider some smaller fish like Gramma Basslets which are very pretty (Royal Gramma and Black Cap). Some of the Damsels aren’t overly aggressive and are successfully kept in community reefs by many. I would recommend Azure and Talbot’s, for something a bit higher end maybe a Starcki. If Biota has the Peacock Damsels again (Pomacentrus pavo), I think those are pretty as well.

I actually do really like my yellowtail damsel. Perhaps a starcki. Hmm. Thanks again!

bigbugoutfitters · Sep 19, 2024

littlefoxx said:
Do not put a powdered tang with a convict, will probably kill it! Powder blue are devil fish!! Convicts are really shy and dont do the best with other tangs as Ive read, which is why Ive never gotten one since I keep more aggressive tangs

I am certainly open to the idea of only one tang. If i were to get another acanthurus tang do you have a recommendation?

littlefoxx · Sep 19, 2024

bigbugoutfitters said:
I am certainly open to the idea of only one tang. If i were to get another acanthurus tang do you have a recommendation?

Lavenders are pretty and underrated I think!

littlefoxx · Sep 19, 2024

Chocolate tangs too

exnisstech · Sep 19, 2024

I'd skip the powder blue and brown but that's because I've never been able to keep one and the blues can be mean SOBs . They always end up with ich and succumb to it. I love my convict tang, he's a non stop grazer.

Bristletooth and yellow tangs are my best CUC members. You could grow out a baby biota yellow. I added three last march and they colored up nicely. Maybe a copperband for aiptasia control if you have the patience to get one eating.