A few fish Questions????

[HOBrien]

This is also posted in the Reef fish section.
First this if for stocking in a 200gallon system.

1. Out of these Chromis/Damsels would be my best bet as in a school or shoal of 5 or 6 specimen: B/G Chromis, Yellowtail(parasema) Damsel, Lemon Damsel, Blackbar Chromis, Yellowbelly(auriventris) Damsel, Talbots, Alleni Damsel, BiColor Chromis, Sunshine Chromis, Starks Damsel?

2. Along with a school of the above which of the following Anthias would be best for the same size of group: Bartletts, Lyretail, Dispar?

3. As far as Butterflyfish which would be best as a pair or treo do deal with a Large Angel? Barberfish, Singular Bannerfish, Pyramid BF, Speckled BF, Spotfin BF, Teardrop BF, Reef BF, Latticed BF, Yellow Teardrop BF, Lemon BF and the Horned Heniochus?

This tank will eventually become a reef after the last fish is added.

Thanks for all the help and any comments, suggestions, and opinions are welcome with no hard feelings.

 

[LisaD]

Can't help you with 1. or 2.

3. I would try one of the Heniochus species with a large angel - just check to be sure you get one that is reef safe, not all are.

 

[Stuart60611]

Damsels do not school nor shoal. If you have multiple, they will usually take territories far away from each other. If you go damsels, I would recommend the yellow tails because they are very attractive and brightly colored, maintain their color as adults, mild mannored for damsels, and extremely cheap. It is recommended that you keep odd numbers of them.

 

[HOBrien]

Can't help you with 1. or 2.

3. I would try one of the Heniochus species with a large angel - just check to be sure you get one that is reef safe, not all are.

I was trying to stay away from one that had a really long appendig like the B/W Heniochus has. Majority of the ones I listed are considered more reef safe by the Anglefishes & Butterflyfish Book by Scott Michael.

I was trying to keep ones that stay 6" or smaller since I will have the Large Angel or two and also a Decent sized Tang or Tangs as well.

 

[HOBrien]

Damsels do not school nor shoal. If you have multiple, they will usually take territories far away from each other. If you go damsels, I would recommend the yellow tails because they are very attractive and brightly colored, maintain their color as adults, mild mannored for damsels, and extremely cheap. It is recommended that you keep odd numbers of them.

So you are saying that if I got 5 of the Yellow Tails they will not spend a good amount of time together like the chromis do?

If that is the case then all of the none Chromis are out.

 

[Stuart60611]

Damsels will not shoal or school. They spend some time together, but usually squabling over territory or food. FYI, chromis will not school and only schoal to some degree in very large tanks. Also, unlike damsels, most people report that when you house multiple chromis they kill each other off until there is just one. If you want fish that schoal (none school in but the largest aquariums), the best I have read are certain cardinal fish. However, because of their passive nature, you have to house them with fairly non-aggressive tankmates.

 

[HOBrien]

Damsels will not shoal or school. They spend some time together, but usually squabling over territory or food. FYI, chromis will not school and only schoal to some degree in very large tanks. Also, unlike damsels, most people report that when you house multiple chromis they kill each other off until there is just one. If you want fish that schoal (none school in but the largest aquariums), the best I have read are certain cardinal fish. However, because of their passive nature, you have to house them with fairly non-aggressive tankmates.

Ok so would a group of 7-10 OrangeStripe Cardinals wouldnt fair well in a tank with the large Angel?

 

[Stuart60611]

I am not sure whether these cardinals schoal and depends on the angel and tanksize. But a large angel (on the less aggressive side) and multiple shoaling cardinals could work.

 

[HOBrien]

I am not sure whether these cardinals schoal and depends on the angel and tanksize. But a large angel (on the less aggressive side) and multiple shoaling cardinals could work.

They are one of the Cardinals that shoal(swim together) and the main big angel is a Cortez.

 

[Stuart60611]

Don't know anything about the cortez, but I know that some angels, like a passer, can be real brutes and probably not a good match for passive fish, like cardinals. If the cortez is not too aggressive and those are the species of cardinals that shoal, I do not see why this combination would not work with sufficient tank size. I would also add that cardinals are not very active swimmers and pretty much stay relatively sedintary for much of the time. Therefore, if you are picturing a group of cardinals actively moving about the tank in a group you may be disappointed.

 

[HOBrien]

Don't know anything about the cortez, but I know that some angels, like a passer, can be real brutes and probably not a good match for passive fish, like cardinals. If the cortez is not too aggressive and those are the species of cardinals that shoal, I do not see why this combination would not work with sufficient tank size. I would also add that cardinals are not very active swimmers and pretty much stay relatively sedintary for much of the time. Therefore, if you are picturing a group of cardinals actively moving about the tank in a group you may be disappointed.

That is also why I am going to do a group of Anthias.

 

[Stuart60611]

Sounds good to me.