Starting a 75g FOWLR - stocking ???'s

[tinyfish]

I have seen a lot of nice fish that I could not try. I would like to start out with some generalities and then narrow my selections with your help.

I would like the following:

1- Angel or dwarf angel or pygmy angel (Eibli probably)
1 - Trigger (Picaso)
1- Butterfly (Golden Semilarvatus Butterflyfish )
1- Blue Reef Chromis
1 - Hogfish (yellow faced with white body)
1 - Two Spot Bristletooth Tang
1-Yellow Wrasse (Canary)

Please tell me if there is a good reason not to have these together.

[LisaD]

I don't think you can keep these all together for compatibility reasons. However, more than that, your tank is just not big enough for that many fish, several of which are too large or active for a 75 anyway. If you really want fish like that, you will need a larger tank.

A dwarf angel will be fine.
You may be able to keep a picasso trigger in that tank for a while. They eventually get large, and can be aggressive, especially with smaller passive fish (i.e., chromis would be toast).
The butterfly is not a good choice for the size of the tank or tankmate mix.
Not sure which hogfish you want. Can you find it here? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/bodianus/index.htm Some are small, but many get quite large. For example...

http://www.seahag.com/extra/Sept2003/ChaseHogfishBig.jpg

The tank is most likely either too small or very marginal for the two spot bristletooth tang, especially if there are other large, active fish in there.

The canary wrasse is peaceful, and at 4 inches or so, would be ideal for a 75 gallon tank.

I think you could find substitutes for most of the unsuitable fish. Here's what I'd do with your list:

Dwarf angel - Eibl's is fine, I also like coral beauty a lot

Trigger - skip it, replace with a smaller filefish or maybe a toby (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tobies.htm) like this one:

http://www.imagequest3d.com/pages/general/news/puffertoxin/solanderssharpnosepuffer.jpg

Butterfly - skip it - that species, and many others, are not suitable for a 75. These are large, active fish, and need a larger tank.

Blue reef chromis - fine as long as you don't add highly aggressive fish.

Hogfish - I'd skip it, just stay with one wrasse (canary)

Two spot bristletooth tang - nice fish, at 8", very marginal in this sized tank. Might be okay if it's the only large fish (over 5") in the tank. Personally, I think you need a bigger tank for this fish, at least a 90.

Yellow wrasse (canary) - fine if other fish not too aggressive. Avoid other wrasses.

[WuHT]

75 gallon isn't as big as I can reasonably recommend for 5 of the bigger fish.

Even removing one of the hogfish/angle/butterfly/trigger should make it fine ..since the yellow wrasse and chromis won't get big.

The golden butterfly is one of the tougher ones, and are usually available in sizes much larger than a picasso trigger, so he'll probably be fine from harassment. However, the butterfly has the largest max aquarium size, so if you had to lose a fish i'd probably skip that one (im' not sure how big the hogfish you described will get)

[sevendigitcake]

you could probably replace the golden butterfly with a raccoon or a auriga. If you have the money you could go for one of the deepwater butterflies like burgess or declevis.
As for a tang, i think the kole tang stays smaller than the two spot brisstletooth tang.

[tinyfish]

I would like to say that I have spent hours and hours researching these fish and the minimum size tanks each requires as well as feeding and attitude.

I am a little curious as to why so far people think these fish are too large for a 75. It is not as if I am purchasing 7" fish initially.

Perhaps I should have stated that I will obtain the smallest of each of the more aggressive fish.

Yes, if I had 7 of the seven inch fish that would be overkill. I am new to FOWLR's but I am not insensitive to tank size constraints concerning large fish. If they get too big I will trade them in.

I am not trying to sound defensive (even if it does sound that way).

I do appreciate the comments and I will try to adjust my list as we go along. Since I can't edit the first post I will have to keep a new list as your concerns are noted.

Thank you for your thoughts and posts.

1- Angel or dwarf angel or pygmy angel (Eibli probably)
1 - Auriga Butterfly
1 - Any kind of Tang?
1- Blue Reef Chromis
1 - Blackcap Basslet
1 - Yellow Wrasse (Canary)

[sevendigitcake]

in smaller tanks, picassos are more aggresive. You can try it, but you may find that you will have to replace the more peaceful fish in a few months. Also your tank isnt quite big enough to have two tangs. You will find they will fight. But at the end of the day, it is your tank and who knows if it will work or not, some people made things work that no one would said would work.

[tinyfish]

I have removed the trigger. I just don't know if a 75 is big enough for any kind of tang.

Also, a LFS told me he could hand pick 3 dwarf angels that would get along together and even test them for me. They would be a Coral Beauty, Flame, and Potters.

I don't know whether to believe him or not. Of course I would have to delete some other fish on my list.

[sevendigitcake]

Im sorry i missed the fact that you omitted the trigger. Some people will tell you that a 75 gallon could hold either a kole, yellow, or convict tang. I personally agree with all but the convict (Acanthurus tangs are usually the big swimmers of the group). If you were to try the dwarf angels make sure you have a lot of rock work. Did the LFS tell you what size tank they would try it out in. I think it would make a difference. Im pretty sure that you could do two dwarfs in a 75, as long as they have anough rockwork to hide if they need to. But if you want to the last stocklist you put up, i think it would work well.

[BeginnerReefer]

I'm almost positive that your 75 gal could house a yellow tang. You could consider one of those, or a similar tang. But keep in mind tangs like to swim long distances fast so your tank should be longer than taller

[tinyfish]

I believe I have about 85-90 lbs. of rock stacked in such a way as to provide the maximum number of openings. The rocks take up the back half of the tank to provide for those fish that like rockwork. The front half of the tank is open to provide for swimming fish. This is a typical 75 meaning it is 48L x 18deep x 21tall.

[tinyfish]

I have added shoal grass to the tank now so no herbivores. What impact will that have on my last list?

[sevendigitcake]

dwarf angels do like vegetation so they may eat your shoal grass. Im not sure though. it would make sense since they eat seaweed(nori).

[tinyfish]

Would a Tomini Tang eat the shoal grass also?

So far my list got changed to:

Blue Reef Chromis - deleted
Trigger - deleted


Tomini Tang - if it doesn't eat the grass

Red striped Hogfish

Blackcap Basslet or other Basslet

Dwarf Angels


Copperband Butterfly - already stocked

Black Turbo snails - already stocked

Sea Hare - already stocked

Any other suggestions?

[tinyfish]

Stocked currently:
Sea Hare
Chalk Basslet
Copperband Butterfly

Due to the Copperband I am really unsure of what to stock now. I am afraid an angel will intimidate it.

[tinyfish]

Current stocking:
Sea Hare
Chalk Basslet
Twin spot Hogfish
Purple Firefish
Royal Gramma

[tinyfish]

I am still not getting anywhere with stocking my 75g.

Currently have:
2 chalk basslets
twin spot hogfish
sea hare
cleaner shrimp
2 blue porcelain crabs

I would like to get a larger type fish. Just one. Really don't want a yellow tang.

[TitanTV]

Get one Undulate Trigger :-)

And know you have the perfect stocking list for a 75 (as far as that trigger is concerned)

[sevendigitcake]

Get one Undulate Trigger :-)

And know you have the perfect stocking list for a 75 (as far as that trigger is concerned)

he already has some fish in there. the undulate would destroy them.

[LisaD]

How about adding a dwarf angel, as you mentioned in your first post? Another nice, moderate sized fish would be a flame hawkfish. Both would be good additions.

[TitanTV]

Whoops.. i was reading it as he was still working on a stock list