fishyheaven
New member
Im ctseng on wamas, i will try to visit there a bit more.
Fun tank shots of fish and some mixes that "don't work"
- Thread starter davelin315
- Start date
Im ctseng on wamas, i will try to visit there a bit more.
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
Can I share one?
There are actually three yellows in there. And, I've added another zebrasoma (sailfin) several months after everyone else was established. A couple of days of posturing and everythings fine. It's not how I would have done it if I had the choice, but it worked out.
There are actually three yellows in there. And, I've added another zebrasoma (sailfin) several months after everyone else was established. A couple of days of posturing and everythings fine. It's not how I would have done it if I had the choice, but it worked out.
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
Accepted tang wisdom: "Keep only one specimen of each tang genus per tank." That's all.
Amoore311
New member
A 480 is big... don't get me wrong.
But for the kind of aggression you typically see between "same genus" tangs, a 480 wouldn't be nearly big enough to curb that.
It's obvious there is no standard set of rules to abide by in this hobby. Proven by many with tanks such as the 2 pictured above.
It also goes to prove the quote:
"What is recommended to a novice and experienced hobbyist are two completely different things."
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
Well, and recommendations are there to avoid worse-case scenarios. I understand that and the risks I'm taking by not abiding by them.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
I just hope this thread doesnt turn into a "do what you want, previous experience and advice means nothing" type of thread. There is a LOT of experience and advice which is spot on.
Really, though, the fish are whats being risked, not you. You may lose the money from their purchase, but they are the ones that will likely suffer, or worse.
Really, though, the fish are whats being risked, not you. You may lose the money from their purchase, but they are the ones that will likely suffer, or worse.
Big E
Premium Member
I think it would be good to hear more specifics about your tanks, the population, how they were added,fed,aquascape, experiences, ect.,
From what I see that's common......
Large tanks--300+
Mutiple species of tangs
I see the problem with these type of threads more of why, how, not explained & people just doing it because they saw a pic.
From what I see that's common......
Large tanks--300+
Mutiple species of tangs
I see the problem with these type of threads more of why, how, not explained & people just doing it because they saw a pic.
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
I've never kept tangs before as my previous tank was only 4' long. We needed to do a remodel on our house and I took the opportunity to design a new tank with tangs in mind. It's a room divider, so not as wide as I would like (2'), but at its longest the tangs could have a 14.5 foot length to swim (tank is L shaped). The short side of the L is 12.5' total length. And they use it.
As far as stocking goes, I set out to try to pair/group as many of the fish as possible. The dussimieri tang does not have a mate, but I have nowhere to put a second fish if pairing did not work out. I don't have multiples of the sailfin yet. My solarensis killed its two mates. And I'm still looking for a female Banggai. All the other fish are in multiples (royal grammas (5), dottybacks (2), starry blennies (2), B&W clowns (2), dragonface pipefish (2), green mandarins (2), cleaner wrasses (2), lyretail anthias (3), chromis (3), purple tangs (2), yellow tangs (3)). Most of them have spawned for me, which is pretty cool.
Because the spawning is important to me I feed a lot. Because I feed a lot, a lot of nutrients process through the tank. There's never a lot of measurable nitrates, but the tank's clearly working to move them through. In order to handle the feeding, I keep a large water volume behind-the-scenes (about 2x display volume).
Corals have been a bit problematic so far, but that also may be because it's taken a long time for the tank to mature (I didn't use much live rock--concrete instead--so helper populations needed a long time to get going) or it may be because of the nutrients. It's still an experience. But I think I may have found evidence of my first coral spawn (torch) yesterday.
Personally, I believe that getting lots of fish to coexist with relatively few problems is (for the most part, dang solarensis wrasse) all about space and keeping their stomachs full. Fish that can get away from each other when necessary and who aren't worried about hunger are less likely to try to eliminate competitors.
As far as stocking goes, I set out to try to pair/group as many of the fish as possible. The dussimieri tang does not have a mate, but I have nowhere to put a second fish if pairing did not work out. I don't have multiples of the sailfin yet. My solarensis killed its two mates. And I'm still looking for a female Banggai. All the other fish are in multiples (royal grammas (5), dottybacks (2), starry blennies (2), B&W clowns (2), dragonface pipefish (2), green mandarins (2), cleaner wrasses (2), lyretail anthias (3), chromis (3), purple tangs (2), yellow tangs (3)). Most of them have spawned for me, which is pretty cool.
Because the spawning is important to me I feed a lot. Because I feed a lot, a lot of nutrients process through the tank. There's never a lot of measurable nitrates, but the tank's clearly working to move them through. In order to handle the feeding, I keep a large water volume behind-the-scenes (about 2x display volume).
Corals have been a bit problematic so far, but that also may be because it's taken a long time for the tank to mature (I didn't use much live rock--concrete instead--so helper populations needed a long time to get going) or it may be because of the nutrients. It's still an experience. But I think I may have found evidence of my first coral spawn (torch) yesterday.
Personally, I believe that getting lots of fish to coexist with relatively few problems is (for the most part, dang solarensis wrasse) all about space and keeping their stomachs full. Fish that can get away from each other when necessary and who aren't worried about hunger are less likely to try to eliminate competitors.
kourt11234
New member
sweet!!
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
BTW, there are a lot more fish in this system. But we are talking compatibility issues, so that's what's in the display.
davelin315
10 & Over Club
Andy, that's a gorgeous mix of fish there! Very similar to mine. Your dussumieri is nice, displaying the lighter colors there that mine typically do not display. What are the sizes on your fish?
For my fish, other than the "big guns" that are pictured, there's a pair of mandarins (female is too small to begin spawning yet but she's the first to survive introduction to the big male), a single firefish, a mystery wrasse, a solarensis wrasse, a lycopod that I see when I shine a flashlight into the crevices of the tank, a single gold headed sleeper goby (lost the female in the toilet debacle along with my school of anthias and one of the yellow tangs), and a 3 stripe damsel. I think that's all, although fish do surprise me periodically by popping up (shrimp, for example, are in there, but I see them about once every 2 months due to the rock).
I've got tons of rock and there's tons of spaces between them and lots of arches but also lots of open space for swimming. I feed heavily, about a handful per day, and also clip 2 sheets of nori in there every day or so. I rarely feed much else because my pod population is booming and every time you look into a crevice you can see the mysis swimming around.
Oops, forgot about my pair of black ocellaris and my pair of orange/pink skunk clowns that are currently going through some rough times and are doing a trial separation
. There's also other fish in various sumps or frag systems connected to this, but none have access to the display.
It is a good idea to look at this from the perspective that I have a lot of experience in the hobby, I take things slowly and I don't take on difficult species without doing thorough research and acclimating for a long time. I would say that out of the risks I took in this system, the biggest risk was introducing the Imperator after having the 2 regals.
The coolest thing is to still see them when I'm not in sight of them - they school as a large group back and forth, but when I'm down there it's all about getting my attention to eat.
For my fish, other than the "big guns" that are pictured, there's a pair of mandarins (female is too small to begin spawning yet but she's the first to survive introduction to the big male), a single firefish, a mystery wrasse, a solarensis wrasse, a lycopod that I see when I shine a flashlight into the crevices of the tank, a single gold headed sleeper goby (lost the female in the toilet debacle along with my school of anthias and one of the yellow tangs), and a 3 stripe damsel. I think that's all, although fish do surprise me periodically by popping up (shrimp, for example, are in there, but I see them about once every 2 months due to the rock).
I've got tons of rock and there's tons of spaces between them and lots of arches but also lots of open space for swimming. I feed heavily, about a handful per day, and also clip 2 sheets of nori in there every day or so. I rarely feed much else because my pod population is booming and every time you look into a crevice you can see the mysis swimming around.
Oops, forgot about my pair of black ocellaris and my pair of orange/pink skunk clowns that are currently going through some rough times and are doing a trial separation
. There's also other fish in various sumps or frag systems connected to this, but none have access to the display.It is a good idea to look at this from the perspective that I have a lot of experience in the hobby, I take things slowly and I don't take on difficult species without doing thorough research and acclimating for a long time. I would say that out of the risks I took in this system, the biggest risk was introducing the Imperator after having the 2 regals.
The coolest thing is to still see them when I'm not in sight of them - they school as a large group back and forth, but when I'm down there it's all about getting my attention to eat.
AngelsAnonymous
New member
Love the regal and emperor! Gorgeous colors
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
What do you percieve this to be? FWIW, a "school", you do not have. Schools are the same species, acting in uniform manner and direction. I believe your fish are merely aggregating for competitive purposes. A "keep your friends close, and enemies closer" type of deal. You have even mentioned the Dussumier leaves "kiss marks" I believe. That is aggression, plain and simple.
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
The purples are the biggest of the zebrasomas at about 6". The yellows were pretty small when I got them but have almost caught up to the purples now. Speaking of, the sailfin was only about the size of a quarter when I got him and needed six months in another tank to catch up. That one spent several days in an egg crate cube in the tank to get everyone used to each other before release. The dussimieri was only slightly bigger than the purples when I got him but I think he's over a foot long now. And the other fish in the photo, one of the cleaner wrasses, is about 5.5".
Here's the most recent full tank shot. This is the long (10.5') side. Water enters on the short side of the L (left side) and exits over a side overflow on the right.
Here's the most recent full tank shot. This is the long (10.5') side. Water enters on the short side of the L (left side) and exits over a side overflow on the right.
davelin315
10 & Over Club
Hmmm... I would have to disagree with that. Fish can school together that aren't related to each other from my own personal perspective. In nature it happens occasionally but as you said it typically happens with fish of the same species. My fish swim back and forth and when one changes directions, so do the others. They don't do this constantly but my tank is at the bottom of the stairs to the basement and when you look down they sometimes are swimming together back and forth. Schooling in nature is for protection and as there aren't any large predators in my tank they don't do it to protect themselves, but nonetheless they do swim together which, hobbywise, would appear to be schooling behavior to me.
As far as the Dussumieris, yes, there is aggression there, no doubt, but there's also a definitive pecking order in the tank that would happen regardless of the number, size, or species of fish. All fish that inhabit the same areas and spaces will establish a pecking order. In my tank the Imperator is the current king of all he surveys, or the Emperor
lol2 so to speak. Again, that's why I did come out and say that not everything works for all people. Remember, in nature, many tangs will swim together in schools. The recommendation for tangs in captivity is 5 of the same species so that the aggression is spread out, but I have found that it works with fewer numbers if the fish have a pecking order.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
Bear in mind, I'm arguing semantics, but you're using your terminology wrong. There is a difference between schooling and shoaling. Mist tangs, even in the wild, do not school, but shoal. They certainly do not school in your tank. If you still believe they do, please post a video- I would LOVE to see it.
As I mentioned the aggression you are seeing is territoriality of the fish, which is driving their behavior. I'm not saying it's necessarily a BAD thing, I'm just saying it's not a sign that it's a big happy family in there.
As I mentioned the aggression you are seeing is territoriality of the fish, which is driving their behavior. I'm not saying it's necessarily a BAD thing, I'm just saying it's not a sign that it's a big happy family in there.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
By the way, where did you come up with that 5 number? 6 is too much And 4 not enough?
Firefighter-rn
Member
I have a 76 gallon tank with a Regal, Yellow and a Blond naso tang. I this OK they seem to be doing fine.
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