135 stocking list

[Brando457]

I will be setting up my 135 in the coming weeks.

I am putting together a list of planned fish and wanted people's opinions.

- pair of ocellaris (black & orange) already own
- hippo tang
- Pygmy Angelfish or Coral Beauty
- bluespot jawfish
- mandarin
- naso or powder blue tang
- midas blenny or sixline wrasse
- cleaner shrimp + fire shrimp or cleaner (I already own one cleaner) any pros or cons to having a fire?
I know for the mandarin I need an established tank with lots of pods.

I will be setting up a 30 gallon or so fuge and will have pods purchased to supplement the population in the fuge.

Any other recommendations for fish?

 

[mnat]

Does your tank have a cover/canopy? That bluespot will jump if you don't. As far as cleaners vs fire shrimp go, we have a pair of both in our 20g. Fire shrimp generally are very shy and hide a lot and you might not see them. The best thing to do it get a pair which makes them more adventurous. Same goes with the cleaner shrimp, plus when they spawn you get some free fish/coral food. Only annoying thing about my shrimp is that they steal food from lps when you try and spot feed them. Cleaners also have bigger claws and I have seen them use the claws for some pretty nefarious purposes.

For our mandarin we bought DT pods and poured them into our fuge to start the population. We did that for a while, but our mandarin finally switched to taking frozen food. She is nice and fat and we have not put in new copepods in months.

For the angels for a tank that sized you could look at some of the bigger dwarf species (bellus, lamaracks). They are also a bit more peaceful and know to be the most reef safe of the angels. They are also very easy to pair as the males and females have different markings. The only downside is they are much more expensive.

 

[JRWOHLER]

I like your list a lot. 
They pygmy angel is safer then the coral beauty FYI, the two that mnat gave you are also pretty safe.  Flame is probably a tad safer then the coral beauty.  All angels (IMHO the pygmy is really almost completely safe) present some risk. +1 on cover with blue spot you don't want a jumper at that price. 

That tang combination is a good one.  I have no issues same pair, both are active but not too belligerent(IE not yellow or purple).  Get them together so they are used to each other, the worst problem I have is tug of war with nori. 

I think if you are going with mandarin and blue spot I would pick the Midas Blenny for the following reason. I have a 4 line wrasse and it stays close to the rock work the same as a six line and it is pretty strong personality.  Think the six line badger will your mandarin and blue spot, the Midas I believe is more of a water column eater and should have less territorial disputes then the six line.


FYI here is my stocking in a 120 Naso, Hippo, 4 line, coral beauty, bangaii (CB), pair clowns, and starry blenny. Cleaner and peppermint shrimp. Various CUC.  Pretty similar must be why I like it.

 

[mnat]

Noticed I said cleaners have bigger claws, meant the fire shrimp. They can be the nasty little guys.

 

[Nickjr000]

Are you setting up a reef? If you are id pass on the dwarf angels, Theyre hit or miss, seen a coral beauty pick at everything in my friends tank , i had a different one in my tank and it was always fine. you just never know untill its too late and you cant get them out. as for the shrimp youll be fine, the tanks big enough for any combo of them. Id wait on the mandrin for about 6 months. This way your tank will be established and have plenty of pods for them to eat. Wont have to worry about stocking the dt pods at all

 

[Brando457]

yes it will be reef mixed lps, soft, sps.

If not the angels then what other fish maybe a goby or something?

 

[Brando457]

any other fish suggestions ?