Fish stocking input
 

Ok, so here's a bit of a final list that I'm thinking I will have in my 6' X 24" X 30" - 210 gallon.

1 - yellow tang
1 - Desjardini sailfin tang
1 - blonde naso tang
The wife wants a hippo tang, but I'm not sure...
1 - flame angel
1 - starry blennie
1 - yellow watchman/pistol shrimp combo
2 - true percula clowns
3 - green chromis
6 - Lyretail Anthias 1 male - 5 female
a few skunk cleaner shrimp
1 - coral banded shrimp


1 - RBTA
3-4 maxi mini's
1 - tuxedo urchin
1 - halloween urchin
various LPS, SPS and soft coral
Misc snail CUC


I would also like to add a couple of Wrasses - I'm looking at a Carpenters (or perhaps a McKoskers) and a Exquisite wrasse.

I would really like honest comments. If you really think the Sailfin and Naso are going be highly uncomfortable in a 210, let me know now (although it is honestly not what I want to hear, lol) but I need to hear it if it's the truth.

Looks pretty reasonable to me :)

Yellow naso, redsea sailfin, and hippo(I think you will love the color combo) will be great additions to the tank, I would take out the flame, yellow watchman and pistol combo (or just the pistol it self) I was annoyed with it clicking all the time all through the night. Starry blenny is cool when they are young but I think there are so many others that would be more interesting. Lastly, I think the chromis could be replaced by some bangaii cardinals.

This is just some of my suggestions, really it all boils down to personal preferences. After all, it is your tank.

for me if i had a tank that size, a group of 8 yellow tangs would look cool with a hippo for color and blond naso just love that fish. chevron or a achilles would be great choices as well. Man I wish i could upgrade to a bigger tank.

I had 4 tangs in the 180, good for a while and then it went horribly wrong. :razz:

If you like chromis, look at some vanderbuilts, nicer fish and don't kill each other.

lol i currently have 3 in my system with foxface and have had them for 4+ years. I agree with the chromis they look good initially but in time your left with one lol. vanderbuilts sound interesting i should look into those.

I would change out the chromis for either Vanderbilts Chromis or Allen's Damsels. I have 18 Allen's Damsel in my coral tank and they hang around in the same area. Very beautiful fish.

I would recommend putting the two sailfins in as the last tangs and also at the same time due to their similar body shape. Another nice fish is the Orange Spotted Rabbitfish from Fiji.

Rich is right... I would also remove the pistol shrimp as it will drive you nuts. The Blue Spotted Jawfish are very cool too. I would recommend one of them over the Yellow Watchman but both are equally peaceful.

I wouldn't recommend the vanderbuilts, from my personal experience they are incredibly prone to ick and just die at the drop of a hat.

The chromis I have already, and being in Port Alberni means not a whole lot of options for selling/giving away. So that's the only reason I have them on the list. As they die off, I'll definitely look at the Vanderbilt as a replacement option. Unless I can find someone to take them with the bicolor pseudo chromis that is certainly not making the transition to the bigger tank.
I also have the yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp. Yes, he does snap a lot, but after having him 3 years already, I'm used to him.

Any thoughts on the Wrasse I have listed? Any issues or suggestions for substitutions?

How about flasher wrasses instead of fairy wrasses? If you get a mff trio the male will have amazing colors and will flash to the females in the evenings.

Ya, I was looking at the Carpenters (that is a flasher isn't it?). I've never had a tank this big so I'm still not used to being able to have so many fish, lol. Can I have a MFF set of Carpenters, with an Exquisite and the rest of what I mentioned before?

Ya the Carpenter is a flasher. If you have the budget, go for a trio of Flame Wrasses - their show is amazing even though they are fairies. They get a bit bigger too. I think your combo is fine. I'd suggest you don't order the wrasses unseen - quality really varies.

Pardon the hijack, but what is the reasoning behind a trio? Does the male display better colours in a trio than a pair?

lol...
it's not even your tank and you can;t make up your mind...

you would be doubling up the motivation for your male to display...

Just checking with J&L on availability and they've only got male wrasses in at the moment. Everything I've read tells me to add the females first if I can't put them in at the same time.
Also they've only got female Anthias. Will a dominant female Anthias turn male?

Woohoo! Just got an email from J&L, they just got a MFF trio of Carpenters wrasses :)

The colors would be the same. But sometimes the male will pick on the female. if you have two or three females and one male it helps to spread out the aggression.