135 FOWLR stocking plan - input

[nemofish2217]

Below is what I was thinking as far as stocking for my FOWLR (36x36x24). I am listing them in the order that I would add them... please let me know what you think as this is my first dive into FO...

1. Niger Trigger
2. Huma Huma Trigger
3. Porcupine puffer
4. Snowflake eel
5. Heniochus Butterfly (3)
6. Possibly eventually a Threadfin or Raccoon Butterfly?

 

[dkanka]

Why introduce the butterfly last? Least aggressive to most aggressive is usually the way to go.

 

[nemofish2217]

I was thinking the butterfly might need a more established tank... parameters wise... i dunno, like I said, I'm new to this FO thing...

 

[MrTuskfish]

Triggers love the banners of bannerfish.

 

[WuHT]

Triggers love the banners of bannerfish.

Odd... I've had my bannerfish go after the trigger of my blue throat triggerfish when it overeats and has to extend his triggers.

 

[Stuart60611]

Extremely overly and inappropriately stocked. None of these fish will work in this system except perhaps the eel and butterfly. All triggers kept in a community tank require a 6 foot tank. Moreover, the niger needs a much larger tank, as does the huma if you plan on keeping tankmates. The porcupine puffer also needs a much larger tank.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Extremely overly and inappropriately stocked. None of these fish will work in this system except perhaps the eel and butterfly. All triggers kept in a community tank require a 6 foot tank. Moreover, the niger needs a much larger tank, as does the huma if you plan on keeping tankmates. The porcupine puffer also needs a much larger tank.

I agree with Stuart 100% I have to stop the skimming posts and really read. I saw the 135 and assumed you had the more common, 72" tank. IMO, bannerfish need about the same room as tangs, for the same reasons. Before moving, I had a pair of bannerfish (an old name for Heniochus) that were over 8'' and very active. I can't imagine them in a 36" tank. Almost square tanks, like yours, are tough to stock with large fish.

 

[WuHT]

don't humas take a long time to grow ?

 

[MrTuskfish]

don't humas take a long time to grow ?

Yes, but they often don't take long to turn into real, live aggressive triggerfish. Even the cute little juvis available at every LFS are capable of maiming, tormenting, and even killing fish much bigger than they are. They are not harmless little fish; but that seems to be the C.W. I once had a very small Huma take a dislike to an adult Purple Tang (not a wussy fish) and destroy half its fins within hours; I found the PT cowering in a corner. If I had been gone much longer, he would have been killed for sure, Some little Humas play nice for quite a while and some don't. They are aggressive triggers and you can't change the DNA.

 

[Stuart60611]

Yes, but they often don't take long to turn into real, live aggressive triggerfish. Even the cute little juvis available at every LFS are capable of maiming, tormenting, and even killing fish much bigger than they are. They are not harmless little fish; but that seems to be the C.W. I once had a very small Huma take a dislike to an adult Purple Tang (not a wussy fish) and destroy half its fins within hours; I found the PT cowering in a corner. If I had been gone much longer, he would have been killed for sure, Some little Humas play nice for quite a while and some don't. They are aggressive triggers and you can't change the DNA.

+1. I have owned 3 different humas, all of which I had to get rid of b/c of aggression issues. Generally, humas start to become aggressive at sexual maturity which occurs when the huma reaches about 2.5-3.5 inches. At that time, humas become very territorial and often start to beat on their tankmates when the huma feels its terrritory is being encroached upon. Because the aggression is based on territory, tank size makes all the difference. A huma who is very aggressive in a 125 may be much more docile in a 225 which I personally observed when I got rid of one of my humas I kept in a 125 (who incidently was beating the crap out of a much larger purple tang and tusk) and sold him to a member here who has kept him in a 225 and described the huma as being fairly docile while he was a terror in my system.


In terms of growth, they grow fairly slowly, but grow faster when small. A huma will reach sexual maturity if you get one at the size of a quarter within about 2 years or so after purchase. Once they hit about 3 inches, their growth slows substantially where you can only expect 1/4 to 1/2 inch of growth per year.

 

[nemofish2217]

What are the reasons that a fish such as a Niger would need a 6' tank? I have never heard that about the Nigers before... Also, I feel like a porcupine, while he might eventually need a bigger tank, would be able to go for a while (couple of years) in this tank. Why wouldn't that be so? Yes, I have decided against the Heniochus... and probably the Humu Humu... I don't see why the Niger, Puffer, eel, and possibly raccoon butterfly wouldn't do well in the tank. Maybe there is just something I don't understand.