180 Gallon FOWLR w/ Inverts stocking
 

So in the not so distant future, I plan to get one of these and here is what the stocking may or may not look like. It should be a peaceful tank who should not harm the inverts.
2x Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse
1x Spotbreast Angelfish
7x Dispar Anthias
1x Court Jester Goby
1x Firefish
1x Foxface Lo
6x Blue/Green Reef Chromis
6x Spotted (Pajama) Cardinalfish
As for the inverts:
24x Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab
10x Astraea Turbo Snail
10x Nassarius Snail
4x Peppermint Shrimp
6x Emerald Crab
4x Porcelain Crab
3x Banded Coral Shrimp
So what do you think? Good stocking? Too much inverts, bad mixes of fish? Thanks for any input.

I would do a tang, like a blue or yellow. But only one, because more would lead to agression.

I think it is a good mix without a tang.

Thanks for the replies! I actually currently have a juvenile yellow tang in my 29 gallon who i will be either selling back to a store or moving to that tank, but if i added him would that be overcrowding? I like the rule 1 inch per gallon and those come out to 177.5 at maximum size for them all. Yellow Tang grows to at most 8 inches causing 185.5/ 180 gallons. Not horrible or anything but I was just wondering. I am aiming for a peaceful community tank, and as long as Tangs are the last one added, they should be peaceful right? I once added a tang to my tank and he never touched the peaceful clowns that were in there. I tried adding a Flame Angel and he harassed it to its death. So yeah. Thoughts on that?

Inch per gallon rule doesn't really apply to sw and is generally a poor rule. However most of the fish you want are smaller other than the foxface. I think you'd be ok with the yellow tang too. Just add him last. Maybe pick the anthias or the chromis actually. You have 3 schooling fish and IMO chromis are boring. I'd stick to anthias and cardinals but that's me haha.

I had chromis in my tank, 3, and they were VERY timid things. But other than that I liked the blue on them, and thats why i thought to add them. Also yeah, three schooling fish is kind of a lot but I thought why not. If you could suggest a replacement blue peaceful community fish that would be great :) I was also thinking maybe a sandsifting goby, like 2 diamond watchman gobies? I love those guys, but I am pretty sure any sand sifting goby would make me happy.

Instead of Court Jester, putting in Hector's Goby

Very light on the clean up crew...

No issues with the tang and overall light stocking for a 180 gallon tank.

You think it is light? Haha I thought I may be overdoing it with the hermit crabs xD but as for the fish I know it is a small group for a 180

IMO, the inch per gallon rule isnt really a good way to measure how a fish will like its new home. A maroon clownfish and a juvinile yellow tang are both about the same size, but the tang will swim far more than a clownfish will. So i would not worry about it in terms of overcrowding.

I try using it to determine to try to give fish ample swimming space to make them happy. but a good counterexample is you wont put a 10 inch fish in a 10 gallon tank. But yeah thats it i just want to make sure they aren't overcrowded and imo for bigger tanks, it works better. However it tends to understock so any advice or comments

I think for a 180g you are fine. You don't even need a CUC, so light or heavy stocking on that is whatever you want, IMO.

For who needs what space, I suggest you use liveaquaria.com Their suggested tank sizes tend to be larger than most other places, but you can't go wrong giving fish more room. Too little will cause stress and sometimes territorial problems.

That's what I always use for reference. And I tend to like clean up crews :) They are neat and keep the rock work tidy. But those fish and their personalities are fine? No conflicting ones in a normal setting? Thank you!. It is pretty pricey though. At cheapest i found them for 720 at both liveaquaria and vivid. 680 at blue (but they were not all stocked). Or do you think I should ask my LFS to order them for me and I buy it from them?

I'd get them locally if possible and not sure if you know, but dont stock them all at once. lol I just setup my 180g and added the fish in three waves, adding the next wave a few weeks after the previous. Gives the tank a chance to get settled as well as the fish.

i also agree that you are doing a good job at stocking, most people just go hog wild and plan on dozens and dozens of fish. lol

Yes I knew that. I was going to start with the chromis and pajama cardinals with all the inverts at once. then 2nd wave was anthias, goby, and firefish, then 3rd wave was wrasse, angel, and foxface. And yeah. I have seen people gone insane with stocking!

I was also thinking of throwing a butterflyfish into the mix. Like the one from nemo or any other type that would fit in my community

Personally I would steer clear of butterflys. I have a few established tanks and have recently tried FOUR and each one didnt make it. They are very very picky eaters and fragile fish. :-(

Thanks for the input. I don't like picky eaters. They are frustrating haha. Any other suggestions, or additions? I like fish :fish2:

Flame Hawk? Maybe some wrasses?

don't hawks eat inverts? i dont wanna do that if they do. i want a peaceful community and more wrasses wouodnt hurt

Yes they do. Stay clear of puffers, triggers,lions, anything of that nature because they do eat inverts. Tangs are the best fish i can think of, i know you have a yellow, so i would do 2 more tangs with it. What abt a blue and a naso? They would do good in your tank and get to a nice size

all My blue tangs Have Gotten ich In The Past. But i Just Got hired at my LFS so hopefully They'll teach me good tricks
My whole Goal Is For a peaceful Community.

IMO a naso needs larger than a 180. They get huge and swim like crazy.

What About a Sailfin

I think you'd be ok

Do you think all of those with a zoster butterfly fish would work? Along with a firefish of some sort and a blenny of some sort, like a midas blenny, i really don't have a clue what blenny.

I don't trust butterflies as they are all hard as heck to keep alive. Midas blennies are great. I'd add one

What about a firefish? I am letting go a bit and getting the itch to stock it more. I still like the idea of multiple schools of fish :)

I think firefish would do fine :)

Lets say I wanted puffers and triggers, throw out any ideas of inverts huh? My dad wants a lionfish, but I am personally against it.
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But going back to the original stock, diamon watchman goby would be fine too
?

If you got a lion all those small fish would be lunch lol. Blue throat triggers are usually a well behaved trigger. Um invert wise maybe an urchin? Idk if even that would survive a hungry puff

Thats what I thought. Hopefully I can convince him out of it. The other fish look better :). Finally sand sifting gobies would be fine as well right?

So I was not able to get the 180, but possibly a 100? I know it is a MUST to downsize the stock here. (100 is the bare minimum for the Yellow Tang right?) Anywho, I am not very excited about cutting fish from the list, nor invertabrates. So who wants to help do it for me?

If you want more than one coral banded shrimp, be safe and order a mated pair, just my experiences, but if they are not, they will fight.

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Oh woooowww this has been a while since I updated the list with a bunch more fish. here is my new "master plan stock":
1x Spotbreast Angelfish
1x Coral Beauty Angelfish
1x Yellow Tang
6x Honey Red/Blackbar/ Blue/Green Chromis (just the most peaceful)
x6 Dispar Anthias
1x Firefish
2x Scissortail Dartfish
2x Barred Dartfish
1x Purple Firefish
1x Hectors Goby
3x female 1x male Whipfin/McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
2x Teardrop Ocellaris Clownfish, Tank Bred
1x Midas or Tailspot Blenny
1x Sailfiin Tang
2x Diamond Watchman Goby
1x Foxface Lo One Spot
6x Pajama Cardinalfish
1x Lawnmower Blenny
Inverts
x6 Emerald Crab
3x Anemone Porcelain Crab
1x Blue Porcelain Crab
24x Hermit Crab (8 of each; red, blue, green)
10x Astrea Snails
10x Nassarius Snails
2x Onyx Nassarius Snails (maybe)
3x Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
10x Peppermint Shrimp (or possibly less)
1x Fire Shrimp

This is my dream tank, probably a bit overstocked huh? can cut down inverts, but it is going to be hard to cut down the fish...

That is an insane stock list!

The invert part of the list is okay, but the fish list is way more than a hundred gallon can take... I consider mine full, with less than half of that list, and it's a 150, well over two hundred with sump etc. I'd try and slim it down

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Just the spotbreast alone will grow to seven or eight inches. Don't know how good that would do with out lots of swim room

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That list is for the 180

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For 180
1x Coral Beauty Angelfish
1x Yellow Tang
6x Blackbar or Blue/Green Chromis
1x Firefish
2x Scissortail Dartfish
1x Purple Firefish
1x Hectors Goby
1x Whipfin or McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
2x Ocellaris Clownfish
1x Tailspot Blennny
1x Diamond Watchman Goby
1x Lawnmower Blenny
How does that sound

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That sounds much more reasonable.

I would like to special order teardrop ocellarris clownfish for maximum peacefulness, anybody have experience (aka i want the most peaceful clown and chromis)

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I have a pair of normal occies and they get along with my other fish. They just quarrel with themselvws

Ok..would that stock work in a 100

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Much better, imo, just do your rock work so there are plenty of caves and hiding holes for everyone, are you taking inverts out of the equation, or is this just the fish list?

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