Hello all, Just looking for some thoughts about what to add next to my tank. I have a 180 gallon bowfront. The livestock all seem to get along pretty well, and include: 1. 3.5 inch powder brown tang (great fish, incidentally) 2. 4.5 inch yellow tang 3. three percula clowns 4. two firefish 5. 1.5 inch six-line wrasse I also have a few pieces of coral, including a torch coral, green meat coral, and a bit of red montipora. I'm trying to find things that will still allow me to keep coral, and will get along with the current inhabitants. However, I'm willing to give some "with caution reef safe" livestock a try. It's not like I have all that much in the way of coral (yet!). I'm thinking: Copperband butterfly Blue-jaw triggerfish Some other kind of tang that would get along with my current/planned inhabitants. Any thoughts or suggestions that folks have would be much appreciated. Thanks! Ali.
Copperband butterfly is a great fish. Mine is absolutely coral safe. He is also invert safe except for tube worms and snails unfortunate enough to fall over and not be able to right themselves. That's why I don't keep astrea snails...just trochus, turbos and ceriths. Feather dusters, coco worms, christmas tree worms are out. Another tang in a tank that size might be a problem. Powder Brown's can get pretty territorial as they get larger. I would try a different genus than the two you have if you add a third. A Magnificent Foxface might be a good substitute although the resident tangs might not like him either. Blue Jaws are cool fish...no shrimp or snails are likely to survive though. I think about getting one every time my skunk and blood shrimp steal food from my corals. They are very personable fish in addition to being quite beautiful. If you want larger fish a genicanthus angel would be a great choice (watanabei, bellus, masked are all great). If you are willing to take a little risk a dwarf angel would be beautiful. I think Coral Beauty, Flameback and Venustus are the most reef safe. LPS/meaty corals are most at risk. SPS not so much. If your six line will permit (some will not allow any other wrasse, some will) you could add a bunch of wrasse in a tank that size(10+).
Thanks! In fact, I think it was your copperband that really got me in the mood to get one myself. I recall seeing it at the meeting a few months ago. That fish was simply gorgeous. I'm going with a copperband butterfly and a male bluethroat triggerfish. Here's hoping they all get along, well, swimmingly. Best, Ali.
