180g Stocking Help - What Next?

[Silencer]

I need help deciding on the next livestock for my tank. It is a 180g with 125g sump/fuge. It will eventually be a primarily SPS tank but for now is stilll a new tank at only 3 months old. It is also my first saltwater tank so it's probably best if I stick with easier and hardier things. I currently have just a single Firefish and a cleanup crew (12 Jumbo Turbo, 40 Astrea, 40 Cerith, 2 Queen Conch).

I would appreciate any advice or suggestions on the following list, especially about the Banggai/Kaudern Cardinals as I think those are what I SHOULD add next along with a Fire Shrimp.

(2x) Banggai/Kaudern Cardinal (ready for 2 now, but can't find a pair and am worried that 2 random ones will fight/kill each other)
(1x) Rainford/Courty Jester Goby (ready now, I think, but hear they don't do well in aquariums and should be avoided)
(3-5x) Green Chromis (ready now, but worried that they will fight/kill each other off)
(1x) Green Clown Goby (maybe ready now, worried that it won't be happy without any corals in the tank, though I do have a few SPS shaped Mashall Island rocks)
(1x) Panda Clown Goby (same as above)
(1-2x) Fire Shrimp (ready now, can't decide if I want 1 or 2)
(2-4x) Pedersons Cleaner Shrimp/Similar (ready now, I think, can't decide how many)
(5-7x) Lyretail Anthias (tank isn't established enough)
(1x) Spotted Mandarin (tank isn't established enough)
(1x) Green Mandarin (tank isn't established enough)
(1x) Zebra Moray (will be added late/last)

Other random things I'm intersted in and would consider, but either haven't researched yet or know that they probably wouldn't work well...

Clown Tang (I want this the most but probably too big/aggressive)
Sohal Tang (alternative to above, same problem)
Emperor Angel (second favorite but probably too big and possible coral threat)
Gold Stripe Maroon Clown (Pair) (probably too aggressive)
Other Clown (pair)
Other Anthias (small school)
Flashlight Fish (a few) (very expensive)
Lamarck Angel (lfs has beautiful one, forgot why I shouldn't get it)
Flame Angel
Any colorful and uncommon tang/angel (can't seem to find any I like except those listed above)
Leopard Wrasse
Snowflake Eel (too aggressive when it grows)
Copperband Butterfly
Tube Anemone

 

[wade1]

(2x) Banggai/Kaudern Cardinal (ready for 2 now, but can't find a pair and am worried that 2 random ones will fight/kill each other)

Could happen... although in a decent sized tank they should be ok if you start small.

(1x) Rainford/Courty Jester Goby (ready now, I think, but hear they don't do well in aquariums and should be avoided)

I've never had a problem with these, although they do require a fairly well established tank to find enough food.

(3-5x) Green Chromis (ready now, but worried that they will fight/kill each other off)

IME, chromis will always pick out the weakest link. I'd start with 2-3 more than you want, because they will slowly decline in number. One key is feeding them enough.

(1x) Green Clown Goby (maybe ready now, worried that it won't be happy without any corals in the tank, though I do have a few SPS shaped Mashall Island rocks)

Stay away from any clown gobies until you have good sps growth. I have personally watched them devour a frag they got a taste for in less than a day. Once you have the coral diversity and mass, then they are fine.

(2-4x) Pedersons Cleaner Shrimp/Similar (ready now, I think, can't decide how many)

You will likely not see them in a larger tank.

(5-7x) Lyretail Anthias (tank isn't established enough)

Establishment is secondary to feeding. They need constant feeding to remain healthy. Just keep temp and salinity stable.

(1x) Spotted Mandarin (tank isn't established enough)
(1x) Green Mandarin (tank isn't established enough)

I'd avoid it unless you find one locally that is eating food that is placed in the tank.

(1x) Zebra Moray (will be added late/last)

Massive amount of waste and high risk to small fish. Not on my reef list, although I know someone who maintained one. They just get too big.

Clown Tang (I want this the most but probably too big/aggressive)

Very very hard to find one that will survive collection and transport unless you have alot of food/space in the tank. I'd avoid it... like you say they are also nasty if they start to dominate a tank.

Emperor Angel (second favorite but probably too big and possible coral threat)

No possible threat... it will eat various corals and sponges. And they also get very big. Avoid it.

Gold Stripe Maroon Clown (Pair) (probably too aggressive)

Only aggressive to your hand generally. Fully acceptable. They might move frags around on your though.

Other Clown (pair)

Only kind I have ever had coexist is percula/ocellaris and skunk clowns, but they will need different homes.

Flashlight Fish (a few) (very expensive)

Absolutely not.

Lamarck Angel (lfs has beautiful one, forgot why I shouldn't get it)

Very fragile, hard to get good specimen. Commonly die after a couple of months for no apparent reason (likely diet).

Flame Angel

Once the tank is well established, these are not a problem IME. Just avoid while corals are small.

Leopard Wrasse

Very very hard to get a healthy one that will eat. Vast majority die shortly after shipping.

Snowflake Eel (too aggressive when it grows)

See above eel issue.

Copperband Butterfly

These seem to train well to mysis and food... but you have to wait a long while until you have alot of background biota. They will devour ANYTHING that remotely looks like a worm. Almost always eat all feather dusters first before shifting to aips.

Tube Anemone

Avoid it... they get huge. One can stretch out 2-3 feet. Initially they have an evil sting, although it goes away with time in the tank.

 

[Silencer]

(2x) Banggai/Kaudern Cardinal (ready for 2 now, but can't find a pair and am worried that 2 random ones will fight/kill each other)

Could happen... although in a decent sized tank they should be ok if you start small.

It's a 180g so there is a decent amount of space to it. As a precaution I may see if the LFS is willing to take one back or swap one if they start to fight. Do you think this would be ok?

(3-5x) Green Chromis (ready now, but worried that they will fight/kill each other off)

IME, chromis will always pick out the weakest link. I'd start with 2-3 more than you want, because they will slowly decline in number. One key is feeding them enough.

Yeah that's what I worry about. I only want like 3 of them for a little green/blue color, but I'm worried that it will be a never ending battle of buying 'replacements' and them killing each other off.

(5-7x) Lyretail Anthias (tank isn't established enough)

Establishment is secondary to feeding. They need constant feeding to remain healthy. Just keep temp and salinity stable.

The constant feeding is why I don't think my tank is ready yet. I don't think I'll be able to feed them as often as you should and the tank doesn't have enough for them to scavenge between feedings yet.

Gold Stripe Maroon Clown (Pair) (probably too aggressive)

Only aggressive to your hand generally. Fully acceptable. They might move frags around on your though.

Even with all the little peaceful fish? Recently I've read a number of 'fish you regret' threads and GSM clowns make a fairly frequent appearance.

Other Clown (pair)

Only kind I have ever had coexist is percula/ocellaris and skunk clowns, but they will need different homes.

I meant that instead of GSM clowns I could maybe get a different pair, not that I would have multiple pairs at once.


I think right now my best bet is to get a Fire Shrimp and to see if one of the LFS will let me return or swap one of the Banggai's if I get two and they start fighting. Maybe Chromis too if I can get a good price. Does that sound ok? If I did get Chromis and wanted 3 of them how many should I get, like 5? Thanks.

 

[Meloco14]

It sounds like you already have a good handle on things, along with good advice from wade. Your plan for fire shrimp and cardinals should be fine right now. And yes, if you want to end up with 3 chromis 5 would be a good number to buy. If you decide against the maroons and choose a pair of ocellaris, perculas, or skunks, those would also be a good first fish to add. Just another note on the eels, they will possibly eat your fire shrimp, and they are even more likely to eat small shrimp like pederson's. Another good choice for a first fish that I don't see you listing would be a goby. Either something like a neon goby or a bottom dwelling goby like a yellow watchman or any prawn goby. They are reef safe and will get along with most other fish you may add. HTH