So I am in the process of building my tank. I've got a 90 gallon DT (48x18x24) and a 30 gallon sump. I've got a reef octopus NWB-150 rated for 150 gallons.
I have been combing the internet looking for ideas for stock, and I am already starting to lose interest because of the limited choices recommended to beginners.
I think I want a trigger of some sort, but I want more than one fish. The things you read on the web are that triggers are murderous villains that will eventually murder anything in the tank.
Here's a list of stuff I'm interested in and I would appreciate any feedback MFk could give me on combinations of the below listed species:
Triggers -as near as I can tell there are the milder ones ie. niger, pink tail, blue jaw, the mediums ie rhinecanthus species, and the killers ie clowns, undulates, blue stripe, queens, titans, etc.
Eels- considering a snowflake although if I could keep a different species that would be cool.
Angels- originally wanted a smaller growing "big" angel like a blue ring, but research suggests that dwarves are gonna be the biggest thing I can keep. What would be the best dwarf for a pretty aggressive stock list?
Lions- cool fish but I've seen videos of triggers snapping off the spines. Also they don't seem very active. I'd like to have more than one fish.
clowns- mostly because of the hosting behavior, but I've read that they don't always host, and that anemones are hard to maintain.
drgonets- cool but need lots of pods to thrive. I plan on building a relatively large fuge chamber in my sump, but not sure what to stock with it.
ornamental shrimp/inverts- seem cool but triggers will eat them.
puffers- again pretty cool but not sure which ones are appropriately sized for my tank and weary about tank inhabitants.
Angler/frogfish- cool but not sure about tankmates.
butterfly- cool looking but I've read that they are not for beginners and I don't know what to keep with them.
Wrasses- not that interested with the exception of the harlequin tuskfish. What sort of tankmates would be good for one of these?
tangs- koles and blue tangs look pretty cool, but blues are a bit on the cliche side. The yellows are the least attractive of any fish to me fresh or salt.
corals- I like the way SPS corals look but I'm not too interested in having a Ca reactor and metal halide lights. Also I keep aquaria for fish, not corals and I don't like the idea of being constrained by the water quality requirements of a coral environment.
I guess that about covers it.
Any suggestions on how to best optimize a system like this with cool fish?
I have been combing the internet looking for ideas for stock, and I am already starting to lose interest because of the limited choices recommended to beginners.
I think I want a trigger of some sort, but I want more than one fish. The things you read on the web are that triggers are murderous villains that will eventually murder anything in the tank.
Here's a list of stuff I'm interested in and I would appreciate any feedback MFk could give me on combinations of the below listed species:
Triggers -as near as I can tell there are the milder ones ie. niger, pink tail, blue jaw, the mediums ie rhinecanthus species, and the killers ie clowns, undulates, blue stripe, queens, titans, etc.
Eels- considering a snowflake although if I could keep a different species that would be cool.
Angels- originally wanted a smaller growing "big" angel like a blue ring, but research suggests that dwarves are gonna be the biggest thing I can keep. What would be the best dwarf for a pretty aggressive stock list?
Lions- cool fish but I've seen videos of triggers snapping off the spines. Also they don't seem very active. I'd like to have more than one fish.
clowns- mostly because of the hosting behavior, but I've read that they don't always host, and that anemones are hard to maintain.
drgonets- cool but need lots of pods to thrive. I plan on building a relatively large fuge chamber in my sump, but not sure what to stock with it.
ornamental shrimp/inverts- seem cool but triggers will eat them.
puffers- again pretty cool but not sure which ones are appropriately sized for my tank and weary about tank inhabitants.
Angler/frogfish- cool but not sure about tankmates.
butterfly- cool looking but I've read that they are not for beginners and I don't know what to keep with them.
Wrasses- not that interested with the exception of the harlequin tuskfish. What sort of tankmates would be good for one of these?
tangs- koles and blue tangs look pretty cool, but blues are a bit on the cliche side. The yellows are the least attractive of any fish to me fresh or salt.
corals- I like the way SPS corals look but I'm not too interested in having a Ca reactor and metal halide lights. Also I keep aquaria for fish, not corals and I don't like the idea of being constrained by the water quality requirements of a coral environment.
I guess that about covers it.
Any suggestions on how to best optimize a system like this with cool fish?