New 300 gallon reef tank fish

tableforglasses · 06/18/2018, 03:49 PM

So I am setting up a new 300 gallon saltwater reef tank. I have added live rock, live sand and had it set up for several weeks now but I haven't added fish. I know several different types of fish I want to add eventually but the biggest tank I have ever had is a 100 gallon saltwater. Which fish do you think it would be best to start with? I am not looking for cycling fish but fish that will permanently remain in the tank. Thinking about territory and good first starts for a tank of this size.
Thanks for the suggestions.

on the spot · 06/18/2018, 03:59 PM

You said you have a list - let's start with that. no reason to suggest redundancies or catastrophes.

tableforglasses · 06/18/2018, 05:30 PM

sure, (these are just some I like, also open to suggestions)
Anthias
Some form of clownfish
sixline wrasse
powder blue tang
diamond goby
school of green chromis
fairy wrasse
lunar wrasse
flame angel
Potentially Niger Trigger (I have had luck with them in reef tanks know that is not always the case)

alton · 06/19/2018, 05:09 AM

What about large angels? You could start with either a small juvenile African Emperor Angel or a juvenile Regal Angel? On the Flame try getting a pair?

scooter31707 · 06/19/2018, 11:10 AM

If it was me, I would leave the 6-line wrasse off the list. You could do 2-3 dwarf angels and get you couple large angels. And maybe add 2 more tangs to the mix.

tableforglasses · 06/19/2018, 01:29 PM

I really like the idea of the emperor angel. I also can lose the 6 line wrasse I just like them because they are always out in the open. Any other fish that are good like that?

scooter31707 · 06/20/2018, 06:43 AM

I would replace the Niger with a Bluethroat or Redtail Trigger. You can do some of the Hawkfish, foxface, and blennies just to name a few. majestic and/or regal angels are good candidates. You have a lot of options with that size tank. IMO, I would take the Chromis off the list too. Most of the time they kill each other off until they are down to 1.

alton · 06/20/2018, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tableforglasses

I really like the idea of the emperor angel. I also can lose the 6 line wrasse I just like them because they are always out in the open. Any other fish that are good like that?

Since we are assuming a large budget Black Tangs are big puppy dogs that are easy going

Michael Hoaster · 06/20/2018, 12:29 PM

A 300 gives you plenty of room for several schools of small fish, like gobies, blennies, grammas, dart fish, cardinals and more. Natural behaviors, schooling and spawning are the rewards.

oldhead · 06/21/2018, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tableforglasses

sure, (these are just some I like, also open to suggestions)
Anthias
Some form of clownfish
sixline wrasse
powder blue tang
diamond goby
school of green chromis
fairy wrasse
lunar wrasse
flame angel
Potentially Niger Trigger (I have had luck with them in reef tanks know that is not always the case)

Do your research on the Anthias, some are hard to keep. The school of green chromis I would nix because you won't end up with a school. The six line can be a mean fish. The rest are okay.

tableforglasses · 06/21/2018, 10:39 AM

Thanks for all the feedback guys, and yes a tank of that size gives me tons or room to work with. I guess I will eliminate the chromis and I do like the blue throat trigger too will look into that. Tank is up and ready to roll with live sand and live rock/base rock just have to complete the sump system!

JWClark · 06/25/2018, 11:43 AM

On the chromis:

From what I have read the "only one" result is due to a school that is too few in size. Think 7 (or 9) was the magic number, above which a linear aggression hierarchy no longer existed, so the the bottom guy is no longer always the focus of everyone's attention until it dies. Pretty sure I saw it here somewhere, but schools greater than this number never dwindled.

cjohn214 · 06/30/2018, 09:33 AM

I would suggest a foxface. Great colors and very cool. Anthias are hard to keep, especially males in my experience. Our bartlett anthias girls did well, but we lost several lyretails. Firefish are also a small fish that adds some variation to a tank. Good luck!

ItsGiuliano · 06/30/2018, 05:39 PM

I suggest adding a Blonde Naso Tang for sure! It's got lots of colors and it's just so beautiful to watch them swimming back and forth from one side of the aquarium to another. Most tangs will be happy in a 300 gallon aquarium, especially if you buy them at a small/medium size. I agree with eliminating the chromis as they would kill each other until there is one left.. Maybe you could even consider getting a few different kinds of wrasses as well.

Joe0813 · 06/30/2018, 10:31 PM

Always add tangs last too. Start with some wrasse and anthias

tthouston · 07/01/2018, 09:03 AM

Make sure you treat them well before introduce them in the big tank, less headache in the future.

roberthu526 · 07/01/2018, 12:11 PM

I am in the process of a 300 too and I love angel fish. So I am going to dedicate the tank to SPS only. I know a lot of LPS are relatively safe with angels but I just don’t want to risk it. This is why I also set up a 150 for just LPS. Hope this helps.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Joe0813 · 07/01/2018, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roberthu526

I am in the process of a 300 too and I love angel fish. So I am going to dedicate the tank to SPS only. I know a lot of LPS are relatively safe with angels but I just don’t want to risk it. This is why I also set up a 150 for just LPS. Hope this helps.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't know much about angels but I thought a lot of them would eat the polyps off of SPS

roberthu526 · 07/01/2018, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tthouston

Make sure you treat them well before introduce them in the big tank, less headache in the future.

You are right. My hope is with a big tank filled with corals, a nip here and there won’t do too much damage. The reader has I have done tells me SPS is the best bet with angels.

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Steve175 · 07/01/2018, 10:46 PM

No such thing as a Chromi “school” 7 or 9 or 11 will lead to 11. They are damsals. You have a good list. If you plan to add more than 1 tang add them at the same time. Otherwise, add your list slowly (to build denitrification) and all will he well.

Myles · 07/02/2018, 04:27 PM

Never kept one but the lunar wrasse and other wrasse from the same genus have a bad reputation for being aggressive. If you want a large wrasse I've had good luck with bird wrasses (except they eat too fast making it difficult to feed other fish adequately) and a triple fin Maori.
Myles

earwicker7 · 07/02/2018, 05:46 PM

Start with fish that hug the rocks.

Next round, do fish that tend to stay in one area of the water column.

Wrap it up with fish which can't sit still and use the whole tank.

06/18/2018, 03:49 PM	#1
tableforglasses Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 29	New 300 gallon reef tank fish So I am setting up a new 300 gallon saltwater reef tank. I have added live rock, live sand and had it set up for several weeks now but I haven't added fish. I know several different types of fish I want to add eventually but the biggest tank I have ever had is a 100 gallon saltwater. Which fish do you think it would be best to start with? I am not looking for cycling fish but fish that will permanently remain in the tank. Thinking about territory and good first starts for a tank of this size. Thanks for the suggestions.

06/20/2018, 12:29 PM	#9
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	A 300 gives you plenty of room for several schools of small fish, like gobies, blennies, grammas, dart fish, cardinals and more. Natural behaviors, schooling and spawning are the rewards. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

06/25/2018, 11:43 AM	#12
JWClark Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: MD Posts: 576	On the chromis: From what I have read the "only one" result is due to a school that is too few in size. Think 7 (or 9) was the magic number, above which a linear aggression hierarchy no longer existed, so the the bottom guy is no longer always the focus of everyone's attention until it dies. Pretty sure I saw it here somewhere, but schools greater than this number never dwindled. __________________ Back after a 13yr hiatus--much to my wife's dismay. Though she sure loves looking at the tank and feeding the fish! Current Tank Info: Reefer 450 seed tank for the retirement 315gal Reef Savvy build.

06/30/2018, 10:31 PM	#15
Joe0813 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Boston strong Posts: 2,766	Always add tangs last too. Start with some wrasse and anthias __________________ Joe and Jenny Current Tank Info: 180 reef

07/01/2018, 10:46 PM	#20
Steve175 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 1,186	No such thing as a Chromi “school” 7 or 9 or 11 will lead to 11. They are damsals. You have a good list. If you plan to add more than 1 tang add them at the same time. Otherwise, add your list slowly (to build denitrification) and all will he well. __________________ Steve ---------------------------------- Current Tank Info: 2 separate 250G bowfront rimless ELOS tanks plumbed to 260G sump, 220G refugium, 220G frag, BK DeLuxe 300, 400W MH x4, closed loops, 3/4hp chiller x2, Phos reactor, Kalk reactor, Charcoal reactor, Ca reactor, 60G surge tanks, & a huge elec bill

06/18/2018, 03:59 PM	#2
on the spot Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: West Michigan Posts: 1,010	You said you have a list - let's start with that. no reason to suggest redundancies or catastrophes.

06/18/2018, 05:30 PM	#3
tableforglasses Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 29	sure, (these are just some I like, also open to suggestions) Anthias Some form of clownfish sixline wrasse powder blue tang diamond goby school of green chromis fairy wrasse lunar wrasse flame angel Potentially Niger Trigger (I have had luck with them in reef tanks know that is not always the case)

06/19/2018, 05:09 AM	#4
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	What about large angels? You could start with either a small juvenile African Emperor Angel or a juvenile Regal Angel? On the Flame try getting a pair?

06/19/2018, 11:10 AM	#5
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	If it was me, I would leave the 6-line wrasse off the list. You could do 2-3 dwarf angels and get you couple large angels. And maybe add 2 more tangs to the mix.

06/19/2018, 01:29 PM	#6
tableforglasses Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 29	I really like the idea of the emperor angel. I also can lose the 6 line wrasse I just like them because they are always out in the open. Any other fish that are good like that?

06/20/2018, 06:43 AM	#7
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	I would replace the Niger with a Bluethroat or Redtail Trigger. You can do some of the Hawkfish, foxface, and blennies just to name a few. majestic and/or regal angels are good candidates. You have a lot of options with that size tank. IMO, I would take the Chromis off the list too. Most of the time they kill each other off until they are down to 1.

06/21/2018, 10:39 AM	#11
tableforglasses Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 29	Thanks for all the feedback guys, and yes a tank of that size gives me tons or room to work with. I guess I will eliminate the chromis and I do like the blue throat trigger too will look into that. Tank is up and ready to roll with live sand and live rock/base rock just have to complete the sump system!

06/30/2018, 09:33 AM	#13
cjohn214 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: kc Posts: 12	I would suggest a foxface. Great colors and very cool. Anthias are hard to keep, especially males in my experience. Our bartlett anthias girls did well, but we lost several lyretails. Firefish are also a small fish that adds some variation to a tank. Good luck!

06/30/2018, 05:39 PM	#14
ItsGiuliano Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Canada Posts: 7	I suggest adding a Blonde Naso Tang for sure! It's got lots of colors and it's just so beautiful to watch them swimming back and forth from one side of the aquarium to another. Most tangs will be happy in a 300 gallon aquarium, especially if you buy them at a small/medium size. I agree with eliminating the chromis as they would kill each other until there is one left.. Maybe you could even consider getting a few different kinds of wrasses as well.

07/01/2018, 09:03 AM	#16
tthouston Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 128	Make sure you treat them well before introduce them in the big tank, less headache in the future.

07/01/2018, 12:11 PM	#17
roberthu526 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 290	I am in the process of a 300 too and I love angel fish. So I am going to dedicate the tank to SPS only. I know a lot of LPS are relatively safe with angels but I just don’t want to risk it. This is why I also set up a 150 for just LPS. Hope this helps. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/02/2018, 04:27 PM	#21
Myles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 262	Never kept one but the lunar wrasse and other wrasse from the same genus have a bad reputation for being aggressive. If you want a large wrasse I've had good luck with bird wrasses (except they eat too fast making it difficult to feed other fish adequately) and a triple fin Maori. Myles __________________ Myles

07/02/2018, 05:46 PM	#22
earwicker7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 150	Start with fish that hug the rocks. Next round, do fish that tend to stay in one area of the water column. Wrap it up with fish which can't sit still and use the whole tank.