?? about restocking tank after fallow period

[Dreed3043]

Hello and thanks for giving me a read. I looking for opinions and experiences that could help me decide how to put my fish back in my display tank.

The display is a 120 gallon (48x24x24) and there is a 55 gal sump. Half of which is a refugium. There is enough live rock to scale most of the back wall of the aquarium so there are lots of hiding places for the fish I plan to put in it.

These are the fish I have:
4 1/2" pink spotted watchman goby
3" blue tang
3" blue velvet damselfish
pair of juvenile percula clowns 1"+

So the goby is already in and has been for a few weeks.
I've put the damsel in the refugium for now. I'm either going to add him last or not at all. He was very aggressive before. I suspect him to be the cause of death for at least 2 clowns in the past. I'm worried to add him at all, even last. I like him though, he would be nice to keep even though he's a jerk
The clownfish are together in a 10g QT being treated for fin rot.
The tang is in another 10g tank waiting...
I still have 2 other fish to buy. I want a green mandarin and a royal gramma. Money is tight right now so I don't know when I will get around to them. In the mean time, I don't want to leave the tang in a 10g for any longer than needed.

So here are my questions:

1. What has been your experience with adding peaceful fish after a blue tang,or any tang, has been established?

2. More specifically, Do you find that tangs mostly ignore any small, peaceful, fish added that don't directly compete for the same food?

3. In your opinion, should I keep the damselfish and add him last, or sell him back to the LFS? I really like him, but I'm a little gun shy because of his past behavior. Also because he's really, really, really, hard to catch. Ended up removing all rock and draining most of the water last time. :headwally:

Thanks for any input that you might have.

 

[nereefpat]

So here are my questions:

1. What has been your experience with adding peaceful fish after a blue tang,or any tang, has been established?

2. More specifically, Do you find that tangs mostly ignore any small, peaceful, fish added that don't directly compete for the same food?

3. In your opinion, should I keep the damselfish and add him last, or sell him back to the LFS? I really like him, but I'm a little gun shy because of his past behavior. Also because he's really, really, really, hard to catch. Ended up removing all rock and draining most of the water last time. :headwally:

1. Tangs typically should be added last, but I don't think it would cause a problem with clowns or your goby.

2. In general, I really have only seen tangs bother other tangs or other similarly shaped fishes (butterflies, angels). The exception is that Ctenochaetus (bristletooth genus) HATE lawnmower blennies and their relatives.

3. That particular damsel is nasty. I would take it back or keep it in the sump. If you want a damsel for the display, look into Chrysiptera genus (yellowtail, sapphire, Talbot's, etc).

Additional note. The tang you chose isn't a good fit for a 4 ft tank, since it grows to about a foot itself. The usual recommendation for a regal is somewhere between a standard 180 and a standard 240. A better replacement would be any Zebrasoma except the two sailfins (yellow, purple, scopus) or any Ctenochaetus except chevron (kole, white tail, tomini, etc).

 

[shaginwagon13]

In general, I really have only seen tangs bother other tangs or other similarly shaped fishes (butterflies, angels)

My experience is the same. Tangs are algae eaters and see other tangs as a thread to their food supply.

I have added other fish after my Powder Blue, Blond Naso and Yellow tangs and they could not care less about any of them.