How Would You Stock A 120 Gallon

that comes in on thursday cuz im still building its facility. for my tank though with 2 triggers what else would work and which triggers

 

anyone know what 2 triggers would be the best in my 120? what could be safe with the triggers?

 

what type of eels would work? i saw an interesting eel at my lfs and they called it a yellow headed eel. anyone heard of these and would it work for my tank. if not what are some other eel options that i could put?
My stocking list as of now or fish im interested in
-Niger trigger
-Clown Trigger (too big?better to get humu instead or can a clown work?)
-Sailfin Tang
-Miniatus Grouper
-Dog Face or Porc Puffer
-Eel? (alot of waste and more problems than worth?)
-Wrasse? (if so what type?)
-Vol. Lion?
Well these are the fish i am interested in so if i could get some input on what fish i could mix and that would work that would be great. If you have some replacement suggestions that is fine too. thanks

 

It's very good that you are asking a lot of questions, it's actually refreshing to see the level of planning you are doing with your stocking list. However, you need to be able to make a judgment call with what you know. I'm sorry more people haven't been able to give you more first hand advice, but there are a lot of good books on fish that you should take a look at. If I were you, I would gather all the info I know about a fish, then sit down and decide if the tank you have planned will be the best home for it. You should take into consideration the adult size, feeding requirements, aggressiveness etc. I don't know enough though to say, these two triggers will be great for you. A lot of this hobby is trial and error, just make the best informed decision you can.

I think at some point you will need to just dive in and do a trial and error. I'm not familiar with triggers very much, I just know they are considered aggressive and that they will eat inverts in the tank. As for eels, you need to watch out as some grow very large, 4'+. A believe a snowflake eel would do well in that sized tank.

 

alright thanks for the advice. i might not do an eel just because i hear they are really messy but im not saying the triggers wont be.

 

id still like to know how many and what fish would work in my tank. thanks

 

well i think this will be my list
-niger trigger
-humu or clown trigger (need input please for a better one in the long run)
-sailfin tang
-dogface or porc puffer
-miniatus grouper
What should i do for a cleaner fish? should i do a cleaner wrasse? Do you think putting in any more smaller fish would be to much? what about putting in a snowflake eel? any helps would be great

 

Hi Adam, The niger trigger is ok for those who like them, generally on the docile side for a trigger. I had a huma huma and a clown trigger. They are right up to the glass a lot. My clown was cool but you can see his teeth and it scares me. The huma huma would bite my fingers anytime I put my hand in so I had to fight him back with a clenched fist so he couldn't grab anything and I would push him away from me. Believe it or not and don't try this at home but I had a huge queen trigger that loved me and would brush my hand and once when it was sick it layed in my hand. True stories. My favorite was the pink tail he was just a bundle of happiness. Triggers have incredible personalities. Puffers are ok I was never big on them though. Porcupine was funny to look at. The grouper idea I'm not big on. The Miniatis grouper is a very aggressive fish and can get out of hand in a 120 gal tank. A nice wrasse or two might be a better option. I had a dragon wrasse that was my show for when I had company. I would tell my guests at 6:30 pm he will stack a bunch of small rocks and coral in the center of the front of my tank and circle it and then dive into and under it for the night. Everyday without fail. I had my prize possession a Harlequin Tusk. I paid $200 for him and he was gorgeous to look at. The Sailfin Tang is a docile tang that doesn't swim around like most tangs so that would be a good choice but remember all of these fish grow and grow and grow so get the babies when you can. That's my experiences. Throw in an Asphur, or Majestic or Regal tang as they are slow growers and good luck.

 

so which 2 of the 3 triggers would do the best in my 120? i was thinking of a lunar wrasse which seem pretty cool but read that they are pretty aggressive. What should i do for a fish for parasites? should i put in a cleaner wrasse? Which order would i put these fish in? Thanks

 

I would say try the Niger and the Clown. I only say the clown because the coloration of the fish is an awesome site. Get babies of each. The wrasse is up to you. I was partial to the dragon because of his goofy way of swimming and the 6:30 thing. I have a solar wrasse in my 210 and he's basically a cool fish but no comparison to the dragon. I also liked the Harlequin Tusk because of the coloration but they get big and expensive. A dragon is around $25. I would put 3 cleaner wrasse's in the tank and keep adding new ones when the others die off. This is the trade off for not being able to have cleaner shrimp but you will have some awesome fish. As far as the order as I always say, put any tangs in last and all at once if more than one is to be introduced. The triggers would go in just before the tangs. These fish really with just the exception of tangs will be fine in most any order. Your really not introducing any delicate fish. Oh, one thing what about a pair of tank raised percula clowns? I would put them in first as they are strong to new tank situations and can actually cycle the tank. Also with these fish your nitrates are going to have to be checked regularly. I would also suggest using a sheet of floss in the filtration and changing it out every other day. I do this with my reef because I have so many fish that poop at will.