Existing reef fish-what to do?

[bbnd]

I know this topic gets bludgeoned time and time again, but being unable to resist the abuse I am likely to get, here goes.

I recently setup (upgraded from 75) to a 150 reef and moved over half dozen sps, a couple lps, some yellow polyps and a couple orange/blue rics. I intend on adding more sps, lps and maybe a couple mushrooms to fill in some of the caves/overhangs.

From the old 75 I moved over one dwarf angel (Harry - Coral Beauty - Centropyge bispinosus), a mated pair of clowns (Fifi and LePeu - Pink Skunk - Amphiprion perideraion), and a dartfish (Dante - Firefish - Nemateleotris magnifica). These had all accumulated in the 75 gallon and get along well.

I would like to add additional fish and from what I understand, ideally one should add peaceful fish first and then proceed to more and more aggressive fish for best success. I would like to add a blenny, goby, a couple reef safe wrasse (all in the peaceful category for the species I am looking at), followed by a school of something (originally thought anthias but am rethinking because of difficulty establishing) so likely a semi-aggressive damsel (talbots - Chrysiptera talboti?) maybe 5-7 and some type of tang (I would REALLY like to go powder blue - Acanthurus leucosternon, but difficulty comes in to play so likely will go Kole - Ctenochaetus strigosus or Powder Brown - Acanthurus japonicus). The order here is the order I am looking at.

So, finally (thanks for hanging in there) my conundrum. Am I playing with fire (no pun intended, sorry Dante) by putting some of these more peaceful fish in with the established clowns and dwarf angel? Even though I don't want to, should the clowns and angel go?

Whadayathink?

Thanks for reading
Don

Edit: Have since learned I should have said schoal, not school, gotta keep on reading!

 

[Tylt33]

That's a lot of fish. And I believe it's shoal.

 

[euod]

I do not see a problem. Add away. It is pretty much a new environment for your old fish as your new ones. Just quarantine and take it slow. Use eggcrates if you have to isolate a few. Good luck.

 

[chasekwe]

That isn't an unreasonable stock list at all. If you want a peaceful shoaling fish try looking at the cardinals. Furthermore, as long as you're able to feed often then some species of Anthias are not difficult.

Couple questions, what is the total system volume and how would you rate your nutrient export capacity. 14 fish in a 150g display may be overstocked for the capabilities of some systems while it may not even phase others.

As to your current residents. Do you have the ability to remove them from the display to an alternate tank while you introduce the more frightful of your new inhabitants? If not, none of what you have is famously aggressive, just potentially... so do the standard do, rearrange rockwork, introduce new fish at night, use a divider, etc.

 

[bbnd]

Thanks everyone for the response(s).

Tylt33:
thanks for the correction, you are correct.

euod:
eggcrate, good idea... QT - always have, go slow, well that is my middle name, probably go too slow at times.

chasekwe:
hmmm, I was led to believe the bangaii (sp) was not a good candidate for this? Maybe the pajama?

The tank is 150 minus ~180lb of very porous rock. 4-5" sandbed 30G sump (around 20G total volume) and 30G refuge, likely about 25G volume. It is nothing more than a guess, but I am thinking around a true 140 to 150G total assuming the rock/sand displaces what the sump and fuge make up.

I would say that export is fair to good at this time as I have a good macro supply in the fuge. I am short on skimmer as I got hooked by the cskim 1200. The new aspiration pump (psk2500) they sent me is a great improvement, but I think it is still overall undersized even with the light load I have now. I have only had the new psk on it for about a week and it is certainly better, (I am getting a good cup/cup and half of green goo a day) where the original pump would give me maybe a cup every third or fourth day. I am thinking of DIYing an 8 inch using the PSK or even two.

I did think of sacrificing the fuge for a period of time to house the clowns and angel until they could be re-introduced but that would leave me with only a 15 for QT and I would like to have larger (without buying new).

thanks again
don

 

[Gwynhidwy]

Most cardinals form pairs rather than shoals. The best shoaling cardinals in my opinion are Apogon leptacanthus.

 

[bbnd]

Thanks Gwynhidwy. Not having any clue what a Apogon leptacanthus was :hmm3: I googled and in google images I found most pics were a large eye semi-transparent/blue colored fish and some of the pics were of what I would call a bangaii/Kaudern's (Pterapogon kauderni). I assume the later was a mistake as on liveaquaria it is listed as the long spine cardinal, not Kaudern's.

So, would I want to keep these in an odd number or are evens OK? I have always read that MOST fish for some reason like odd numbers.
BTW, thanks for using the scientific name as I am trying to learn these as I go along.

don

 

[Gwynhidwy]

You are most welcome. I always try to use the Latin names as the common ones are often used for more than one species or change depending on the area you live in. I do not generally agree with the odd or even numbers being required for a peaceful group. I believe success comes down to the individuals and the environment provided. One word of caution with these fish is that they are very poor shippers and a >50% loss during shipping and acclimation is common. Also, they are gorgeous fish in person and in my opinion photos never do them justice.