Stocking ideas? Compatibility? Thoughts? Or am I full?

fishoholic · #1 05-01-2013, 05:34 AM

I recently sold my large blue line trigger and I must say my 230g folwr tank looks empty! Although really it's not. I feel the need to fill the space but my other half (Doug) says I'm fairly well stocked and should leave it alone. I figured I'd ask people's opinions on here and see what others think. First I'll start with a list of fish I have (8 in total) their size and temperament.

King angel 8" super mean (will kill any other type of angelfish so unfortunately no other angels for me) also hates rabbitfish

snowflake eel 12" peaceful but dumb and will try to eat small slow fish (tried to eat a 2" burr puffer

and my 4" Mexican rainbow wrasse went MIA but I'm not sure if the eel ate him or if the trigger I sold did, leaning towards the trigger since I've seen the tigger go after the wrasse before)

toby puffer 3" peaceful

clown tang 3" mean

kole tang 4" fights a bit with the clown tang and sometimes chases the hawkfish but otherwise is peaceful

freckled face hawkfish 3" fairly peaceful but was one of the last ones in the tank, tried adding a burr puffer after him but he attacked the puffer

not sure if it was because the burr puffer was new or if he just didn't like the puffer, never bothered any of the other fish not even the filefish which was added after him.

bursa trigger 3" (has been for years I swear he never seems to grow much at all, it's odd) peaceful

filefish 2" peaceful

That's all that's in the tank right now. I have a goatfish 4" that's very peaceful that's in my 80g that I planed on adding to this tank. However I'm worried that he'll get picked on by the hawkfish (similar body shape and colours) and the clown tang (clown tang chases the hawkfish) so I'm not sure if I should try adding him or just sell him. The mystery wrasse picks on the goatfish in the 80g so more aggressive fish might be a bad idea. Although there's a chance it could be fine, you never know. Thought the blue line trigger would eat the filefish but he never picked on him at all.

Fish I'm thinking of maybe adding (just possibilities not for sure going to add any of them and maybe only one or two if I do)

A grouper (thinking v-tail) cause they don't get a large as others, but might be a bad idea until some of the other fish get a bit bigger. Also might be bad cause I think it'd might fight with the hawkfish.

Harlequin tusk fish, but then again maybe not cause of the hawkfish. Also they have been known marine velvet carriers so I'm not sure I want to risk that

Niger trigger

large non reef safe wrasse

So what do people think?

FishyFishy! · #2 05-01-2013, 01:14 PM

I'd say you can easily add a few more fish. I would go with a Niger Trigger and a Red Coris Wrasse. Both are spectacular fish, I absolutely loved mine.

fishoholic · #3 05-01-2013, 01:15 PM

Been thinking about it and I'm kinda leaning towards a bird wrasse pair. I really like how different they are.

fishoholic · #4 05-01-2013, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishyFishy!

I'd say you can easily add a few more fish. I would go with a Niger Trigger and a Red Coris Wrasse. Both are spectacular fish, I absolutely loved mine.

I have a red coris wrasse who is supposed to be in my fowlr tank but he decided he likes my reef better. Removed all the rock dug through all the sand waited a couple of weeks and still couldn't catch him out of the reef!

Most likely will add a niger trigger as I do love triggers. I had one before that did well until the blue line trigger I had got bigger then him and chased the niger out of the tank! Now I have a tight cover and no blue line trigger so it should be safe

Reef Pilot · #5 05-01-2013, 01:32 PM

I had a male Green Bird Wrasse. Grew to over 6 inches and had to sell him. Was a very active fish, and ate a ton of food. Doesn't mix well with slow peaceful fish, like Butterflys. Can't keep any snails, shrimp or crabs with this one.

Proteus · #6 05-01-2013, 03:19 PM

I really do like the lunar wrasse. But can be mean

monocus · #7 05-01-2013, 04:04 PM

i had a pair-the male grew to 9",and yes they will eat anything that would fit in their mouths.a helfitchi gobie i added before i knew better lasted all of 10 seconds with the male

kien · #8 05-01-2013, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishoholic

.. but my other half (Doug) says I'm fairly well stocked and should leave it alone. I figured I'd ask people's opinions on here and see what others think.

So in other words you think Doug is full of fishpoop?

Doesn't Doug work in a fish store? If a customer were to come into the store with the same parameters as your tank and asked him the same question you asked, would he not give them the same answer?

Reef Pilot · #9 05-01-2013, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monocus

i had a pair-the male grew to 9",and yes they will eat anything that would fit in their mouths.a helfitchi gobie i added before i knew better lasted all of 10 seconds with the male

I will say the bird wrasse was very interesting and seemed quite smart. He would watch me, and get very excited whenever I was getting ready to feed. Despite his size, was not aggressive towards other fish, although could certainly defend himself well if attacked. My stupidly aggressive cinnamon clown would sometimes take a run at him. And while he tried to keep out of the way, would bite back, and left a few marks on the side of the clown then.

He sure could move around the tank, though, grabbing all the food at the surface (or anywhere), and lots of splashing. He was like a vacuum cleaner, and any slow feeding fish would lose out.

When feeding, I had to guard a turkey baster with a net to target feed the butterflys. That was also his undoing, as he would try to squeeze past the net to get at the food. I had no problem catching him then, when I decided to sell him. Otherwise, it would have been near impossible, with how fast he could swim and jump.

Coralgurl · #10 05-01-2013, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishoholic

I have a red coris wrasse who is supposed to be in my fowlr tank but he decided he likes my reef better. Removed all the rock dug through all the sand waited a couple of weeks and still couldn't catch him out of the reef!

FishyFishy took my red coris wrasse. I was able to catch him very easily. placed a large net in the tank for a few days, did nothing but adjust it occasionally. Then started putting the food in the net, all fish would dart in to grab some. Did this for a day or so. The red coris was caulky though and would stay in the net with the food, so I scooped him, no stress, no chasing and he was out. Might be worth a try??