Another fish?

[TylerMoore]

Hey, my Dad has a 125 gallon tank with about a 50 gallon sump filled to the brim with algae. It is a reef tank with soft corals and LPS mostly, but it has a strange fish combination (according to most of you at least). So far there is a yellow tang, hippo tang, maroon clown, grouper and a baby volitans lion. He was wanting to put another fish in there, and I wasn't really sure what to tell him as far as what to put in.

I'm sure the tank can handle another fish, as it seems fairly understocked for how much water there is. But I'm curious what fish you think would work well with all those aggressive tank mates? I was thinking perhaps a zebra morray? I've heard they will not try to eat fish, and they are fairly easy to care for.

 

[SDguy]

What kind of lion and what kind of grouper? It may not be understocked for long as these fish grow up big and fast!

 

[TylerMoore]

it is a Pterois volitans lion, as mentioned. And the grouper spotted grouper that has kept his size for around 6 months at about 6 inches. It doesn't seem like it is going to grow any bigger.

So... regardless of the bioload, which may or may not be too high, is there a species that would work well with this obscure combination of fish? Anybody have any experience with that moray?

 

[SDguy]

The zebra moray would not bother the fish. They can sometimes be shy, and occasionally difficult to get feeding at fish (shrimp and other shellfish). They are rather clumsy in a reef. I'd make sure your rock is pretty secure. The volitans is going to get big. And you really should find the species of the grouper to get an idea of eventual size.

 

[TylerMoore]

The species of grouper is spotted grouper. I've read a maximum of 1' for these guys.

Any ideas about a chain linked moray? are they in the same boat as the zebra?

 

[SDguy]

Sorry about the typo. That should read "and occasionally difficult to get feeding at FIRST (shrimp and other shellfish)."

For the record, a species would involve a "genus" and "species" name. Spotted grouper is not a species name. There is a species of "spotted grouper" off Florida that gets 700lbs :eek2:

 

[TylerMoore]

haha, sorry. I should know better. The species is a Epinephelus summana I believe.

Thanks for the help. Its not my tank, but I still value the animals too much to have him slop some stuff together that kills themselves, so I've been trying to give him pointers from time to time.