If you could do it again: What reef frendly fish would you pick for a 150 tank?

[Skidder84]

Ok just looking for other thought. I have a 48x24x30 150gal. Thinking a yellow eyed tang first. My thoughts are add my main fish first then bulid around him. But this is about you, what would YOU have; How many? Witch ones? Why?

 

[dmatt88]

Lots of choices. Just add the most passive first, let em settle in then add more aggressive species.

Matt's DROIDX using Forum Runner since idiots hacked thru tapatalk.

 

[steved13]

If I had it to do over, I would do all small fish. More fish, less bio load, less waste.

 

[cheeks69]

Although the tank is big there isn't alot of lateral room so I'm with Steve go with smaller fish like gobies some wrasses of the Fairy/Flasher variety a harem of each is what I'd recommend and maybe a couple of Tangs one of each of the smaller Zebrassoma/Ctenochaetus variety. Like dmatt said always add the smaller lesser aggressive sp. first so you don't have disputes later.

 

[steved13]

Tangs are great, very active and pretty, but if I were doing it over, I'd leave them out. I have a purple and a yellow, and for the amount of feeding, and waste, I think I'd skip them next time. It's not just the size of them, it's how much they eat and excrete. If I removed those 2, I could probably have 20 more small goby - blenny type fish.

Don't get me wrong they are beautiful, and wonderful to watch, but everything in our systems is a compromise.

 

[dmatt88]

Barnacle blenny.

Watchman goby.

Oh n a shrimp companion.

Also. A Tahitian butterfly. Get em early cause some day somehow aiptasia gunna sneak in.

Matt's DROIDX using Forum Runner since idiots hacked thru tapatalk.

 

[Built347]

there are alot of fish that i would do so i will cover the ones i wouldnt do.. Damsels!!. they make the rest of my fish very unhappy and i cant catch them to get them out.. im rooting for the anemones. hopefully they will catch them..

 

[cheeks69]

Tangs are great, very active and pretty, but if I were doing it over, I'd leave them out. I have a purple and a yellow, and for the amount of feeding, and waste, I think I'd skip them next time. It's not just the size of them, it's how much they eat and excrete. If I removed those 2, I could probably have 20 more small goby - blenny type fish.

Don't get me wrong they are beautiful, and wonderful to watch, but everything in our systems is a compromise.

I agree definitely high bio-load with these fish but herbivores in a reef is a must IME.

 

[steved13]

Good point Robert, maybe it is unavoidable.

 

[reeferman]

anthias and wrasses

 

[LuckyReefer123]

+1 I would add anthias to my tank!! Super pretty!

 

[N83259]

I agree with the small fish idea. But here's a question regarding Cheek's comment:

I agree definitely high bio-load with these fish but herbivores in a reef is a must IME

So besides blennies, are there any small(er) free-swimming herbivores that would be OK in a 65 gallon that are useful in the algae grazing department? (say max adult size =< 4 inches adult size)

 

[foxsavage]

I agree with the small fish idea. But here's a question regarding Cheek's comment:


So besides blennies, are there any small(er) free-swimming herbivores that would be OK in a 65 gallon that are useful in the algae grazing department? (say max adult size =< 4 inches adult size)

I like the Pygmy Angels for algae grazing, they are my favorite. I have a Cherub and a Coral Beauty and they both eat algae and pods all day. The Cherub only gets a couple of inches.

 

[cheeks69]

Dwarf Angels graze on micro algae they don't touch macro algae at least none that I've kept over the years and I kept many.

 

[foxsavage]

Dwarf Angels graze on micro algae they don't touch macro algae at least none that I've kept over the years and I kept many.

I feed mine Gracilaria regularly and they love it, they don't touch the hair algae though. I don't have any other types in my tank except decorative types.

 

[pdawg]

If your going to get a tang, I suggest a yellow eye kole. I had one when I first setup up my tank, and it did amazing. Unfortunately I lost him due to ich and my poor knowledge, but ive tried 2 after that and my blue hippo and powder brown beat them, one died, the other i returned. Great fish if its going to be your first tang, and they LOVE grazing all day long on your live rock.

 

[dmatt88]

Nothing beats a yellow tang for algae control.

Matt's DROIDX using Forum Runner since idiots hacked thru tapatalk.

 

[DesertOrchid]

Tomini tangs are great grazers, stay small and are really quite beautiful and peaceful. As for other algae control fish... a lawn mower or starry blenny are GREAT and quite the characters with their expressions and attitude.

 

[N83259]

Thanks for the recomendations on the dwarf angels. They're certainly beautiful and I'm surely going to look into them. But I think I've read that they may bother corals? Have you found that to be true? Do they just "pick" occasionally or actually damage or even kill the corals? Thanks - PAT

 

[pdawg]

Thanks for the recomendations on the dwarf angels. They're certainly beautiful and I'm surely going to look into them. But I think I've read that they may bother corals? Have you found that to be true? Do they just "pick" occasionally or actually damage or even kill the corals? Thanks - PAT

I've had flame angels, bicolors, midnights, and currently a coral beauty. I have never had any problems with my previous angels, I have heard that they may occasionally nip, like my bicolor used to, but very rarely, I highly recommend getting a dwarf, but suggest only one per tank, because they wont get along. Make sure your tank is stable enough first because dwarf angels, especially flames, are known to be doing fine and eating, but then just drop dead, which has happened to a flame I purchased. But honestly man, I cant stress enough of how much I loved my kole tang, and they are usually pretty submissive, and im angry that its nearly impossible for me to get another without stressing out my powder brown.