New To Reefing

[ryan1986]

Ok so atm im only PLANING my fish selection with this being my first large reef tank (redsea max 250)

All fish suggestions and advice welcome. But the mrs has made it know she wants a fairy wrasse or two.

I thought about getting clowns to start. Then a blenny. Followed by wrasse. Then once tank is more stable MABY a yellow tang. Flame angle and a mandarin.

But these are just thoughts.
So advice needed

 

[jart]

Welcome back to this amazing hobby. Looking forward to seeing your tank developing.

That is a cool potential fish list you have there.

I have some of the fish on your list (yellow tang, clowns) in my tank atm. Others are on my wish list.

A few things from my research:

* wrasse seem to be acknowledged as potential jumpers and I have seen/read many posts suggesting a tight fitting lid is something worth considering; some wrasse seem to be more known for jumping than others - not sure specifically about the fairy wrasse your wife likes

* mandarins - main advice I have read is twofold - make sure you see your potential new mandarin eating frozen before buying and they have a better chance of survival in an established tank that has a good pod population (also think of setting up an area in your tank/sump designed to encourage a robust and regenerating pod population)

Good luck with it. I am sure more experienced reefer will be along shortly.

 

[potatocouch]

Beware of YT price spike which I found it quite funny some store selling it for $300 odds

 

[jart]

Beware of YT price spike which I found it quite funny some store selling it for $300 odds

I was told at an LFS the other day that the price rise is due to a recent ban on live catching of Yellow Tangs and a few other specieis by Hawaii.

 

[potatocouch]

Yeah I get that but some store are still selling way below $300 so I just want @ryan1986 to be aware; I have not done the research myself about the cheaper one.

 

[ryan1986]

Mentone aquarium was $79 for a yellow tang.

My tank is a red sea max 250. So has the light and everything built into the hood so no were to jump to.
Hmm I'll look into area in rear for pod growth.

 

[Savage Henry]

I just lost my Yellow Tang on the weekend. A very sad occasion. I had had it for almost four years and it was 11.0cm from end of tail to tip of snout.

I lost it as I had placed it in a two foot tank overnight with some live rock as I took everything out of my tank to enable me to relicate the tank a metre away and to redesign some of the rock work. Don't know what happened, but it good damaged on its side and its fins deteriorated and it died over two days. I think it was combination of stress/low oxygen/bacteria of poisoning from having disturbed the tank. I wish I could turn back time and do things differently.

Anyway, sorry about the above: I was having a 'moment'.

Relevantly, I kept my yellow tang in a three foot tank for its whole live. I measured it about every six months or so. Btw, I found I was able to measure the fish within a couple mm accuracy simple by taking a photo of the tank and measuring the fish from that.

The Yellow tank grew from about 6cm to about 10.5cm, the. Slowly got the 11cm.

It was a very happy fish. It never behaved the way tangs are suppose to when they are unhappy.

I have videos to show this.

Anyway, I say go for a Yellow Tang, but only if you can get a small one to grow into your tank. I think the 250 will be OK.

I am hesitant to get another Yellow Tang cause I am worried it may not turn out as my previous one did.

Aside from the Yellow Tang, my tank had a pair of clowns, a wrasse, a Coral Beauty and a Cardinal Fish. There is also. Secretive goby that I have had for four and a half years, but I only occasionally see it.

If I didn't have the clowns I would also consider a marine betta, but it is a heavy bioload.

I'd definitely recommend the Tang + clown pair + dwarf angelfish + Wrasse for your tank setup. Plus a suitable blenny.

I wouldn't recommend a Coral Beauty as mine is very bossy.

 

[Savage Henry]

You could also go a smaller type of Tang, but you'll never be able to substitute the beauty of a Yellow Tang.

Also, in my experience, the bristle tooth tangs are super speedy fish that fly around the tank whereas the Yellow Tang goes about it's business more slowly and is more content to spend time picking at this or that rather than rushing off. I have kept previously a Lavender Tang. They are phenomenal at eating algae and will leave the Yellow Tang for dead in this regard.

 

[potatocouch]

I had YT and Kole Tang in the past, in fact 2 Kole Tang on different period. Kole seems to be more favourable in smaller tank but I still think Yellow gives you that colour in the reef tank, although in general, from my understanding Yellow is a tad more aggressive than Kole.

My tank is 2 foot cube CADE HL600.

Of course, i keep 1 at a time.

4 years sigh, i feel you @Savage Henry

 

[ryan1986]

Thank you for the advice with Kole tang ill look at them.

 

[ryan1986]

I just lost my Yellow Tang on the weekend. A very sad occasion. I had had it for almost four years and it was 11.0cm from end of tail to tip of snout.

I lost it as I had placed it in a two foot tank overnight with some live rock as I took everything out of my tank to enable me to relicate the tank a metre away and to redesign some of the rock work. Don't know what happened, but it good damaged on its side and its fins deteriorated and it died over two days. I think it was combination of stress/low oxygen/bacteria of poisoning from having disturbed the tank. I wish I could turn back time and do things differently.

Anyway, sorry about the above: I was having a 'moment'.

Relevantly, I kept my yellow tang in a three foot tank for its whole live. I measured it about every six months or so. Btw, I found I was able to measure the fish within a couple mm accuracy simple by taking a photo of the tank and measuring the fish from that.

The Yellow tank grew from about 6cm to about 10.5cm, the. Slowly got the 11cm.

It was a very happy fish. It never behaved the way tangs are suppose to when they are unhappy.

I have videos to show this.

Anyway, I say go for a Yellow Tang, but only if you can get a small one to grow into your tank. I think the 250 will be OK.

I am hesitant to get another Yellow Tang cause I am worried it may not turn out as my previous one did.

Aside from the Yellow Tang, my tank had a pair of clowns, a wrasse, a Coral Beauty and a Cardinal Fish. There is also. Secretive goby that I have had for four and a half years, but I only occasionally see it.

If I didn't have the clowns I would also consider a marine betta, but it is a heavy bioload.

I'd definitely recommend the Tang + clown pair + dwarf angelfish + Wrasse for your tank setup. Plus a suitable blenny.

I wouldn't recommend a Coral Beauty as mine is very bossy.

Sorry for your loss. Never nice to loose a fish.

 

[ReeferRob]

We're working on the ban as we feel it's unconstitutional under the US Constitution. It's working its way up through the courts as I type this. HOPEFULLY it will be struck down in the next few months. Hawaii is one of the best managed fishery and there are a few shit stirrers that started this.There are MORE tangs in Hawaii now than in the 80s.

 

[Nachoman]

Looks a good selection. Im looking at maybe a yellow eye Kole once i get my tank up and running.