240 gallon Stocking Plan

[NASAGeek]

Ladies and Gents...

I'd like any feedback on my stocking plan.

System Statistics.
240 gallon Display... 6ft length, 24" front to back, 29" depth.
120 gallon refugium, 40 gallon sump.
approximate 350lbs live rock.
Apex controlled... 2 part dosing.... skimmer... heater/chiller...
All water parameters are solid.
Display tank's been up and stable for 3 months; refugium's been up for 12+ months. (I had a leak in my original DT and swapped it out for a new tank.)

I currently have the following.
Fish Name Quantity
Kole Eye Tang 1
Yellow Tang 1
Pajama Cardinal 4
Clown 1
Green Chromis 4

I'm thinking of adding these.
Fish Name Quantity
Flame Angel 1
Coral Beauty 1
Lyretail Anthias (male) 1
Lyretail Anthias (female) 3
Royal Gramma Basslet 1
Kaudern's Cardinalfish 4
Blue Reef Chromis 6
Gold Spotted Rabbitfish 1
Powder Blue Tang 1
Blue Tang 1
Powder Brown Tang 1
Blonde Naso Tang 1
Sailfin Tang 1
Clown Tang 1


That's 35 fish total... If I credit the tangs at 3" each, the angels at 2" each and everything else at 1" each, it totals to 44" of fish.

I planned to gradually add LPS coral. I plan to break the fish purchases into 3 groups and spread out the bioload increases to not shock the system.

A few questions
1) What do you think about the total quantity of fish for this system?
2) What do you think about the compatibility of the fish with each other?
3) What do you think about the compatibility of the fish with LPS?
4) Are there any fish you'd add to this? or delete?

Thanks much
Mark

[anbosu]

The quantity of fish isn't necessarily an issue, but I think you have too many tangs, and too many big tangs. I would scratch the blue tang (hepatus), Sailfin, naso, and clown tang. While they would be better off in your aquarium than many, I don't feel like any of the above fish would really thrive in a 240. I would instead consider the following:
Kole (existing)
Powder Blue
Yellow
Purple
Tennenti
Scopas
Powder Brown

I'm not suggesting you get all of those, but I think those are all good options for your aquarium. If you wanted to get a harem of royal grammas, or groups of Chrysiptera damsels that is a way to add a lot of color and activity to your system without increasing the bioload much. You could also probably get more anthias if you wanted.

[Hal]

I don't see a problem with the tangs although I think you've greatly underestimated the sizes. I've had the following tangs in my 250g (72x24x30) with no fish issues:
Vlamingi (12 inches)
Hippo (10 inches)
Yellow (5 inches)
Powder blue (4 inches)
Tomini (4 inches)
Kole (4 inches)
Sailfin, desjardin (4 inches)

As far as fish to add, I don't see any low water/substrate fish like blennies or gobies. Personally I try to also add fish with varied body shapes and colors. Triggerfish are good for varied body shapes (Niger and blue-throat seem to be fairly reef-safe and invert safe). I plan to add a long-horn cowfish too for visual interest.

+1 on more anthias. A tank that size deserves 7-8.

And get your clownfish a mate.

If you go forward, please post your results. I'm restarting my tank after moving cross-country and planning on a somewhat similar fish load.

[NASAGeek]

Thanks much for the inputs. Greatly appreciated.

M

[Dmorty217]

Too many tangs and a clown tang will never work in a 240g. Think long term and full grown on the tangs. Clown tangs are best left to species only tanks or one that are just huge (think thousands of gallons). If not they always end up killing all other tank mates

[NASAGeek]

How about this as a reduced list...

Species:Fish Name(Quantity)
Tangs: Yellow(1), Kole Eye(1), Powder Blue(1), Purple(1), Powder Brown(1)
Dwarf Angels: Flame(1), Coral Beauty(1)
Chromis: Green(4), Blue Reef (6)
Cardinals: Pajama(4), Kaudern's(4)
Anthias: Lyretail male(1)/female(3), Indian Ocean male(1)/female(3)
Basslet: Royal Gramma(4)
Gold Spotted Rabbitfish(1)
Clown,1

I'd like to get a bond pair of White Clown's as well. How will that work with the existing regular clown?

Very much appreciate the thoughts and critiques. I'd rather benefit from those more experienced and save some fish lives.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

The few times I've had multiple clown pairs in the tank it's worked when all involved parties were tamer species and there were multiple potential home bases - anemones or corals they prefer to host in.

Small tank, no anemones, multiple pairs of maroons - bad idea. Giant tank, several anemones, a pair of cinnamon and a pair of ocellaris - no problem.

I think you need way more bottom activity. Or, at least, you have capacity for it if you want it. A few pairs of shrimp gobies, a lawnmower blenny, a mandarin, stuff like that.

[anbosu]

What kind of clown do you currently have?

[NASAGeek]

Originally Posted by anbosu

What kind of clown do you currently have?

Typical Ocellaris clown... 1 1/4"

Next task is my inverts and coral stocking plan. What type of anemone do you recommend for the clowns?

[NASAGeek]

Originally Posted by der_wille_zur_macht

The few times I've had multiple clown pairs in the tank it's worked when all involved parties were tamer species and there were multiple potential home bases - anemones or corals they prefer to host in.

Small tank, no anemones, multiple pairs of maroons - bad idea. Giant tank, several anemones, a pair of cinnamon and a pair of ocellaris - no problem.

I think you need way more bottom activity. Or, at least, you have capacity for it if you want it. A few pairs of shrimp gobies, a lawnmower blenny, a mandarin, stuff like that.

I'm good with adding a mandarin.... can you have more than one... that's a Red and a Green and a Spotted? I read aggressive to conspecifics... but how close is too close in species?

Also agree with adding a Lawnmower Blenny.

I've also read to stay away from gobies because they'll screw with the sandbed bacteria etc. Read some horror stories and I've always stayed away from them. Always interested in hearing other opinions.

[Dmorty217]

Originally Posted by NASAGeek

I'm good with adding a mandarin.... can you have more than one... that's a Red and a Green and a Spotted? I read aggressive to conspecifics... but how close is too close in species?

Also agree with adding a Lawnmower Blenny.

I've also read to stay away from gobies because they'll screw with the sandbed bacteria etc. Read some horror stories and I've always stayed away from them. Always interested in hearing other opinions.

You can have more than one mandarine providing you have enough pods or if one or both are eating prepared foods

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally Posted by NASAGeek

I've also read to stay away from gobies because they'll screw with the sandbed bacteria etc. Read some horror stories and I've always stayed away from them. Always interested in hearing other opinions.

Some of the DSB purists were saying things like that years ago, but arguably you don't want a DSB in your display anyways. In a more typical approach, the stirring activity in the sand is clearly beneficial.

At any rate, I've been keeping sand sifting Gobies for at least a dozen years and can testify there is no negative side effect in a typical aquarium. Plus, they are unique and really fun to watch.

[ca1ore]

I hope you really don't work for NASA because your math is a tad rusty Dimensions you give more like 215, adjusted for typical wall thickness probably 190 actual gallons of water less sand, rock and other stuff.

Definitely stay away from the big tangs. Powder pair may be problematic as blue is nasty and brown passive, usually. A guarantee of hosting requires a natural host anemone. For Occelaris this means a trickier choice. BTA is 50:50 at best, magnifica almost 100% but hard to acclimate.

Few inches of a medium grain sand opens up your tank to all sorts of cool fish choices like gobies and wrasses. If you want a DSB, add the R.