Working out a stocking list

I recently got a Potter's angel. LOVE it. Great color and personality. If you want a centerpiece fish then you don't want something that everyone and their dog have. Yellow tangs are cool, but everyone has got one. Find something that is a different and is tasteful for you. If it's a yellow tang, then great, but i'd go for something a little more unique to your tank.

 

Yeah i want a unique fish. The Pakistan Butterfly fish has caught my eye. If I wanted to add corals in the future would i be able to.

 

don't bother with the butterflies.. the heniochus i've kept on three different ocassions at 3 different time lines of my tank and it never worked out.. always picked at my corals.. all that being said.. believe me.. save yourself the hassle and don't bother getting a butterfly fish... it'll just not work out in the end.. sps, clams, brains, all those corals are possible victims to the butterfly fish

 

hmm guess I will stick with a flame angel and maybe add another fish to my stocking list. If I got a flame angel what order would I want to add it in.

 

What about
Lamarck's Angelfish
(Genicanthus lamarck)
QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Compatible: Yes
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max. Size: 9"
Color Form: Black, White
Diet: Omnivore, Plankton Eater
Compatibility: View Chart
Origin: Australia, Indo-Pacific, Melanesia
Family: Pomacanthidae

 

I would go easy on the fish there. Its tempting but fish consume a lot of oxygen and produce waste.

I have a 120 gal/50 gal sump with 220Lbs of live rock and 3 fish. One baby maroon clown, one orange anthia, one black and white clown. Thats it.

Low bio-load makes the hobby more enjoyable?

 

wow thats it. I have really fallen inlove with the Lamarcks angel

 

They are beautiful fish. The LaMarck's angel is also the hardiest of the genus (Genicanthus, the swallow-tailed angels). They are the least expensive too, a great value of a fish. they do get a bit big, but IMO, are not really fast growers. you may be able to keep one in your 72 for life. Get one thats about 3", that size is a good size for survival. Make sure your your tank get well established and very stable before you add this angel. They can be paired, but I'm not sure your tank is big enough for two adult LaMarck's angels.

Some other really nice fish that I have kept in community tanks:

orchid dottyback - one of the best behaved dottybacks, had mine for years.

black sailfin blenny - lots of character and eats some nuisance algae - I've had mine since 2005.

six line wrasse - some people say they are bullies, and cannot be kept with other wrasses - mine was a model citizen. They can jump - found mine on the floor after I'd have it over three years. And the tank was covered.

royal gramma - one of the best fish, but might not be compatible with the dottyback, pick one. I had one for over 7 years.

engineer gobies - they do get rather large, but they are sooo cool. I have two.

I would stay away from the butterflies for now. JMO. Many don't do well in captivity, and most will pick at corals. Some are pretty good sized and very active - too big for your tank. They are beautiful, but I'm sure you can find a right-sized, hardy specimen from among the many closely related angelfish species. You may be able to also add a dwarf angel if you keep a LaMarck's. You will want one with very different coloration to avoid fighting, maybe a coral beauty or a flame - both are hardy and not hard to find.

BTW, don't ever accept the tank size you see a seller list without checking with experienced keepers on the forums. Even the best and most ethical sellers tend to underestimate minimum tank size for adult fish. It is in their interest to sell as many fish as possible to as many people as possible. Most people have 10, 20, 29 or 55 gallon tanks. A few have 75s. Much fewer have tanks 90 gallons or over. So a lot of fish that are marginal at best in a 70 or 75 gallon tank have that size listed. I'd keep a LaMarck's angel in a 90 gallon tank, minimum, preferably a six foot 125 or even larger.

 

Hmm the Lamarck's seems the great. If i kept the rest of the bioload low would i be able to pull of a lamarck's angel

 

If I wanted a Lamarck's angel could I get a 6 line warsse, 2 orange spot gobies , 3 chalk bass, and maybe a clown fish or two.