Compatibility

[FLESHY]

Alright guys, Im working on a large FOWLR tank...but I am going to stock it with corals, and some inverts.

I know that I am going to have some casualities, and that is okay.

There will be astrea snails, blue leg hermits, conch's, possibly turbos, and maybe a colony of blood fire shirmip.

The tank WILL have these fish:

Paracanthurus hepatus (blue hippo tang)

AND

Another tang I have yet to pick.

It will have 1 to 2 triggers, which technically I can still pick. I will probably just do one of the more aggressive ones.

Pomacanthus navarchus

My harlequin tusk.
Cleaner Wrasse
Mystery Wrasse
Possibly a Lunare Wrasse

Anyone kept any of these fish with corals?

Im mostly worried about the Pomacanthus.

If anyone has cool fish recommendations for the triggers and tangs, I am open. Cool and unique...must work with everything else.

I am willing to spend some money, but all fish are probably going to have to be under $150.

 

[TheSwampFox]

I like the look of the Convict Tang personally.

 

[jworth]

I also like the convict tangs as well as the Desjardinii sailfin. I really enjoy the blue throat trigger but if you want beautiful and aggressive, then maybe a Queen trigger.

 

[FLESHY]

Im thinking queen...there are also the bluelines. There is a great one out here in LA that I am considering picking up.

I like convicts, but this being largely a pred tank, there are plenty of bland colors. I already have a lionfish in there.

So no to the convicts. I like sailfins, but they get a little big for a 125g, and unlike the angels or triggers, they grow fast.

 

[Heathd]

blue leg hermits

NO!!!

 

[spotfin]

How big of a tank? I think you should go with fish only or make a reef. With the fish you want to keep, you are going to have a hard time keeping corals and some of the listed inverts IMO. Queen triggers need a BIG tank. Perhaps a bluejaw or crosshatch? I'm a big fan of eels as well

 

[FLESHY]

Im not doing an eel, I want a tessy, but not in this tank.

Its the 125g (72" variety), but fish will be traded in if they get too big.

I have decided there will only be one trigger, unless I decide to keep the two I have now.

Frags are cheap. I have seen cleaner shrimp in the mouths of large fish, so we are going to see if we can do it in captivity. My niger trigger keeps trying to get cleaned by my coral banded shrmip. So I am going to remove the fish, add the shrmip, and then re add the fish.

 

[FLESHY]

NO!!!

YES! Blue legs do not eat snails, or anything else good in a reef.

They do however eat things that would otherwise rot in your tank and make ammonia, and they also provide the triggers with interactive foods!

 

[Heathd]

YES! Blue legs do not eat snails, or anything else good in a reef.

They do however eat things that would otherwise rot in your tank and make ammonia, and they also provide the triggers with interactive foods!

Hehe, well, at least they are blue legs. They are the most mild mannered hermits out of all the little jerks I have wandering about the tank.

 

[nonstophoops]

How big of a tank? I think you should go with fish only or make a reef. With the fish you want to keep, you are going to have a hard time keeping corals and some of the listed inverts IMO. Queen triggers need a BIG tank. Perhaps a bluejaw or crosshatch? I'm a big fan of eels as well

In a 125, the Bluejaw could work well. As would a crosshatch if he spends 500 on a fish lol.

I think it would be best to stick to 1 Trigger.

I am glad he said no to the eel. They are cool except you never see them and they create a ton of bioload on a tank. He is already pushing the limits of stocking for a tank and an eel would put him way over the limit.

I agree the Sailfin does get too big, but they are amazing, especially the Desjardini variety. The Hippo will get quite big, so a smaller one would be ideal.

My vote would be for either a Powder Brown or Kole Tang.
Both of them stay relatively small, though the PB would be a little tougher to keep. I think you are up for it though Forrest. Kole Tangs are really good algae eaters too.

A Yellow Tang would even add a different color to your assortment. They are obviously not rare however.