Advice for stocking a 225

[TheMikey]

Originally Posted by JDigital

Actually Swallowtails are known for being quite reef compatible.

My entire concept of life, the universe, and everything has been shaken to its very core. What madness is this? A reef safe angel? Such a thing was thought not to exist.

What else has this hobby been keeping from me?!

[Dez]

I've had terrific luck with angels. I have a goldflake angel, a flame angel and a coral beauty and they all do not touch anything. I have 5 clams and a blue sponge. I consider myself very fortunate.

I would be tentative toward a royal gramma and a purple pseudochromis (these are a couple of my favourite fish) because they can tend to get super aggressive. I guess it's a chance you take. The royal grammas aren't much of an open swimmer either and typically hide a lot.

Just my 2 cents and reasons why I didn't introduce some of the same beautiful fish into my tank.

[Delphinus]

Actually the orchid dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani) is not too bad, better so than the purple dottyback (Pseudochromis porphyreus). They look similar so I think people get them mixed up a lot. But the orchid dottyback really isn't all that bad for aggression, at least IME (and is the prettiest of the dottybacks, IMO). You can keep them in pairs if you have a male and a female but I don't know how to tell them apart. Not a good idea to keep a pair if not a known pairing.

The swallowtail angels are the most reef safe of the angels, pygmy or otherwise. But do better in pairs (there is a fair bit of sexual dimorpohism between the sexes: there is no mistaking who is a boy and who is a girl .. at least in the swallowtail/Genicanthus angels). Nice choice BTW they are really nice angels.

All very nice choices, honestly I don't really see any huge problems with the list. Let's face it, it's probably going to be subject to change anyhow as you go along so it's not something I'd sweat too much at this point.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by TheMikey

what were you thinking for your centerpiece fish?

The Kole actually. If I had my way it'd be either a sohal, naso or both. But I'm going to attempt some self-control here as I feel they get too big/active.

Originally Posted by Leah

The square spot Anthia's are beautiful, how many are you thinking of adding? I have noticed mine do not like brite light

Yeah I read something about their colours fading under bright light and my tank is certainly bright. Maybe I'll have to choose a different anthias. I'm a really big an of the red striped ones as well.

Originally Posted by Dez

I would be tentative toward a royal gramma and a purple pseudochromis (these are a couple of my favourite fish) because they can tend to get super aggressive.

Like Tony said the orchid is less aggressive. I had one of these in my first tank and he was very close to a model citizen. He and my tomato clown would size each other up but nothing ever came of it. I didn't know the gramma could be aggressive tho.

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Let's face it, it's probably going to be subject to change anyhow as you go along so it's not something I'd sweat too much at this point.

Oh yeah I'm sure things will change. The list will be longer in its final form. Happens to everyone! Don't you have one of those angels Tony? If so just a male or both sexes?

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Does anyone know what the fish is for the basslet area on live aquaria? The two-tone purple fish that doesn't appear in the category itself? I'd choose this over the orchid as it looks BOSS.

[naesco]

Just my opinion. Ditch the royal gramma (too aggressive)
Add a powder brown tang (A. japonica) the one with orange on it, and add a mandarin 6 months after start up to give the the critters a chance to get up to speed.
(the kole needs film algae so keep the end of your tank dirty.)
But except for the royal nice choices.
Go slow with the additions. real slow.
Good Luck

[lastlight]

My last orchid hunted and ate pods and critters off the rocks...all day. Perhaps that's why he didn't have time to cause much trouble? I'm avoiding the mandarin for this very reason. Does flow affect pod count? I'm going mainly SPS...flow is slower right now but will eventually be cranked high. Watching these little guys crawl around in the fuge it seems that they wouldn't really do too well in the display where the water moves over the rocks pretty quickly. Wouldn't they have little chance t even hang on let alone flourish?

Kole will most likely be my only tang. Unless my wife...yeah my wife...really wants another...or two.

Tony's sailfin is super cool as well but they get HUGE too. I think that too many large fish upset the visual balance...realism in our small tanks.

Thanks for commenting.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by lastlight

I think that too many large fish upset the visual balance...realism in our small tanks.

I like the way your thinking! That's one thing that I hated about my 200 when I had it...way too many big fish. I had 4 big tangs (7" sailfin, 6" hippo, 4" yellow, 5" naso), a large rabbit (6") and a large tusk (6" or so).

At the time I couldn't figure out what I didn't like about it...it wasn't any individual fish but then I saw a 400G (I think, may have been bigger) tank the other day on RC that made me realize what it was.

This tank was very mature, massive sps colonies (which he didn't over do, just let a few colonies grow very large), beautiful open coralscape and I think he estimated over a hundred fish! None over a few inches other than a large school of anthias. All small gobies, blennies, a few clowns, blue eyes cardinals ect. Basically what people call nano fish.

The video of the tank was incredible with all the fish going in and out of the rockwork. Such a natural looking reef!

I think your list is really great.

Having only had a 34G tank now for a while, I have come to realize most of the small fish are nicer to keep than the big guys because they really seem to act quite naturally. Not much if any pacing of the tank or begging for food. They just seem to go about their business and defend their small territories.

[Delphinus]

I don't think flow will really affect the way 'pods are able to take hold. They manage under all kinds of conditions.

Originally Posted by lastlight

Don't you have one of those angels Tony? If so just a male or both sexes?

I have a "pair" (but it could just be that they're a male and a female, but not really a "pair", per se. I'm not sure, but they sure don't act like a loving couple. OTOH, they act like most married couples I've known, so maybe they are after all.) Interestingly, the females in Genicanthus tend to be more colourful than the males; although the males get more pronounced swallow-tail effects. I think pairs are the way to go with these guys.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Does anyone know what the fish is for the basslet area on live aquaria? The two-tone purple fish that doesn't appear in the category itself? I'd choose this over the orchid as it looks BOSS.

This guy? http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_...1+47&pcatid=47

Black cap basslet. Yeah, pretty fish! .. I know nothing of it though.

[lastlight]

Yeah you're right:

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/bas...ackcapbasslet/

Damn forget the orchid or the other gramma. I need this badass. Sounds like a smart addition like the 4-stripe is a smart addition lol. I'm heading towards a cichlid-like tank haha.

More good info here:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums...hp/t-3784.html