Critique my fish list?

[dreaminmel]

Currently in my 72 bowfront I have:

3 green chromis = 3" each
1 green mandarin = 3"
1 six line wrasse = 3"
1 firefish = 3"
and 1 regal blue tang at about 3"

I am upgrading to around 125 gallons total with new tank and am definately keeping the above fish.

I would like to add a blue neon goby (2") and a female swallowtail angel (7").

Any reasons why I might have issues? Water quality won't be a concern as most of the fish are on the smaller size so the two main waste producers would be the regal tang and swallowtail angel...

Before I was considering a school of chalk bass or a desjardini sailfin but have ruled both of those out in favor of the swallowtail as I have wanted one of those ever since I got into this hobby but was always limited by tank space.

 

[Sk8r]

Are the 6-line and the mandarin getting along? Good if they are.

Sounds reasonable enough. The swallowtail angel---is it quiet in disposition, doesn't spook easily? The tang---that's not it's adult size. About 10 inches? What about the angel's adult size? 10? You'd have a herbivore/omnivore in the tang and a carnivore in the angel. At least they wouldn't be direct competitors, less bullying. Enough room for them to get apart. It seems to me it might work.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Thank you for eliminating the Sailfin from consideration!
The Chromis might pester a smaller Genicanthus- at least initally.
If it were my stocking list I'd get a pair of Swallowtails and a pair of Mandarinfishes (assuming you have a strong reproducing 'pod population.)
Congrats on getting a bigger aquarium!

 

[dreaminmel]

Sk8r,

The sixline and mandarin get along great. Once in a while the sixline will start trying to follow the mandarin like he's trying to learn the mandarin's hunting skills or something and the mandarin puffs right up and looks the sixline dead in the eye like "back off jack". It's quite amusing really. I was more concerned about the sixline vs. firefish but my firefish also has enough spunk to flare up at any fish that swims up to it. My real surprise so far is that I still have 3 happy chromis after 5 months. I've always heard that you end up with two...

According to Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes" on the swallowtail:
"This species readily adapts to aquarium conditions and foods. These fish are constantly active, and they need plenty of swimming space. Not overly aggressive, buy may chase small, docile planktivores, while ignoring other fish species, including other angelfishes." He also says they can be kept in pairs and that their max size is 7.1".

I know the tang can get up to 12" but am mainly looking at his current 3" size to compare fish loads as I feel my current fish load is adequate so if he attains 10" and I add a swallowtail and neon goby I'd end up around the same fish load in the bigger tank.

Gary,

Eliminating the sailfin was really hard but I know it's for the best. I would absolutely love to add a pair of Swallowtails but am worried that would push my fish load beyond acceptable levels. I'll have to think that over some more. My pod population is going strong even after the red bug treatment but kinda think that if I added another mandarin to the current mandarin/sixline competition that one of them would suffer. I've seen some pretty neat video of the mandarin dances though so maybe if the sixline becomes a problem in the future he'll come out and another mandarin will go in.