PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[rogermccray]

I am going to downgrade my ~200 gallon bowfront tank to a 125 gallon tank and I wanted to check to see if my stocking list plan is going to be okay with this.

My current live stock
Occelaris Clown
Yellow Tang
Mandarin (I have a refugium)
blue/green chromis
sixline wrasse - will take out as he can be a bit of a bully
hippo tang -will take him out as he is going to get too big (was planning on removing him from the current tank as well)

Planned Stocking
carberryi anthias x4
Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse
Kole Yellow Eye Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)

How is that for bioload?

Thanks again for your continued advice!

 

[rogermccray]

I am going to downgrade my ~200 gallon bowfront tank to a 125 gallon tank and I wanted to check to see if my stocking list plan is going to be okay with this.

My current live stock
Occelaris Clown
Yellow Tang
Mandarin (I have a refugium)
blue/green chromis
sixline wrasse - will take out as he can be a bit of a bully
hippo tang -will take him out as he is going to get too big (was planning on removing him from the current tank as well)

Planned Stocking
carberryi anthias x4
Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse
Kole Yellow Eye Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)

How is that for bioload?

Thanks again for your continued advice!

Would replacing the Kole tang with a chevron tang or a Blue Caribbean Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) make a difference?

 

[snorvich]

I have a newly set up 28 gallon Nano cube. I don't even have water in it yet, so not cycled...I won't be ready for a fish for a while. I have a protein skimmer, and an auto top off, right now I have BRS reef saver rock and plan to seed with a few pieces of live rock from LFS. I plan to try different sorts of coral and have a few fish. For CUC I plan an assortment of snails, but don't know how many or what kinds....also like this red star fish I saw that is supposedly reef safe. For additional filtration I have an In Tank thing with chemi pure, purigen, and charcoal. I also plan to have some macro algae in the DT.

The fish I'm thinking about are:
1. Some sort of blenny or goby. I'm thinking this will be the first fish I add. I like the idea of the pistol shrimp/goby pair, but have read some things about the pistol shrimp being agressive and troublesome. Don't know if what I'm reading is true or accurate.
2. A flame angel fish. I am aware they may mess with corals or they may not from what I've read. I LOVE the color and I try to talk myself out of this fish and keep going back to it. HELP!
3. Not interested in clown fish or Damsels, although I do like the bright colors of the clowns.
4. So, basically, I'm looking for a small, dramatically colored fish (flame angel!) that will be happy in this small system. Can I get corals that the angel doesn't like to eat or feed it enough so it isn't interested in the coral? Open to suggestions for more appropriate knock out brightly colored STAR for my little tank. I sort of know the angel isn't the best choice, looking for an alternative that will satisfy my pretty fish craving and not bully my other fish (blenny or goby).

Well dwarf angels are great looking with dramatic coloration and except of the propensity for eating meaty LPS corals, would be what you want. It is impossible to tell in advance what corals dwarf angels will not eat, so you have to prioritize your need: corals or dwarf angel.

 

[snorvich]

I am going to downgrade my ~200 gallon bowfront tank to a 125 gallon tank and I wanted to check to see if my stocking list plan is going to be okay with this.

My current live stock
Occelaris Clown
Yellow Tang two tangs will become problematical in the small tank
Mandarin (I have a refugium)
blue/green chromis
sixline wrasse - will take out as he can be a bit of a bully will also compete for copepods with a mandarin in a smaller tank
hippo tang -will take him out as he is going to get too big (was planning on removing him from the current tank as well)

Yes, needs a longer, larger tank

Planned Stocking
carberryi anthias x4
Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse on the aggressive side and in the long run will lose coloration absent a female
Kole Yellow Eye Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus) better than the yellow tank but should not try both
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)

How is that for bioload? should be ok, the mandarin needs a mature tank with much live rock

Thanks again for your continued advice!

 

[rogermccray]

How is that for bioload? should be ok, the mandarin needs a mature tank with much live rock

For moving the mandarin...

I am going to take all the rock and sand from my tank and move it to the new tank, and use the same sump/refugium. With the rock and sand being submersed in water the whole time. Am i going to lose the copepod population that I have right now and cause the mandarin to starve?

 

[adikira]

187 gal. (5 ft x 2 ft x 30 inch tall) w/ 52 gal. sump. My fist fish was introduced about 4 mo. ago after the tank got cycled (it's my first tank - so I'm new to the hobby).

Current list (leaving aside all the unfortunate casualties )
* hipo tang
* powder brown tang
* sailfin tang
* naso tang
* fox face
* 2 royal gramma (pair?)
* pair of yellow band maroon clowns
* pair(?) of false ocellaris clowns
* melanurus wrasse
* diamond watchman goby
* marine betta

So far I've seen the powder brown chasing the wrasse once and never again then chasing the hipo tang a couple of times (which now stays mostly hidden for this or some other reason - because I also saw him out and powder brown around w/out any problems).

then the female maroon was beating really bad the false ocellaris (missing parts of fins) chasing them to the other side of the tank. I kept knocking on glass (acrylic) when seeing that then getting a net inside chasing it and now the much reduced (not sure because she sees me around and behaves or not... but sometimes I noticed reduced aggretion, meaning either not chasing them or just chasing them a little even when I was from a distance when she probably couldn't see me). the falce ocelaris seem not to care on go over the maroon's territory ... I would have thought they would learn...

I was concerned that the marine betta might eat the royal grama or the smaller clowns but so far so good.

Do yo guys foresee other problems with this stocking? (I guess I should have asked before stocking)... thanks.

 

[adikira]

For moving the mandarin...

I am going to take all the rock and sand from my tank and move it to the new tank, and use the same sump/refugium. With the rock and sand being submersed in water the whole time. Am i going to lose the copepod population that I have right now and cause the mandarin to starve?

I'd guess some will survive, some will possibly be lost.

It may be advisable to get some copepods to replenish the sump just in case.

Another alternative may be to teach your mandarine to eat regular food. See this link: http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=351. Others suggest putting a sponge filter on a power head and squirting food on it when the mandarine comes along, hopefully he will pick at it and learn how to eat from the sponge as some mondarines learned this way (http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f46/mandarinfish-14639.html).

I don't have one yet but I'd like to at some point... hopefully the marine betta won't eat it.

 

[snorvich]

For moving the mandarin...

I am going to take all the rock and sand from my tank and move it to the new tank, and use the same sump/refugium. With the rock and sand being submersed in water the whole time. Am i going to lose the copepod population that I have right now and cause the mandarin to starve?

Should be fine

 

[snorvich]

I'd guess some will survive, some will possibly be lost.

It may be advisable to get some copepods to replenish the sump just in case.

Another alternative may be to teach your mandarine to eat regular food. See this link: http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=351. Others suggest putting a sponge filter on a power head and squirting food on it when the mandarine comes along, hopefully he will pick at it and learn how to eat from the sponge as some mondarines learned this way (http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f46/mandarinfish-14639.html).

I don't have one yet but I'd like to at some point... hopefully the marine betta won't eat it.

This thread is answered by Reef Central Staff only. While your participation is strongly encouraged elsewhere, it would be most appreciated if you would not answer in this thread. Your cooperation is appreciated.

 

[snorvich]

187 gal. (5 ft x 2 ft x 30 inch tall) w/ 52 gal. sump. My fist fish was introduced about 4 mo. ago after the tank got cycled (it's my first tank - so I'm new to the hobby).

Current list (leaving aside all the unfortunate casualties )
* hipo tang
* powder brown tang
* sailfin tang
* naso tang
* fox face

Actually having five algae grazers in a moderately sized tank is not a great idea. Naso tangs and hippo tangs as well as sailfin tangs will all exceed one foot in length if properly cared for.

* 2 royal gramma (pair?)
* pair of yellow band maroon clowns
* pair(?) of false ocellaris clowns

Having two pairs of clowns in your tank will not work. Remove one pair before the GSM kills the other clowns

* melanurus wrasse
* diamond watchman goby
* marine betta

So far I've seen the powder brown chasing the wrasse once and never again then chasing the hipo tang a couple of times (which now stays mostly hidden for this or some other reason - because I also saw him out and powder brown around w/out any problems).

then the female maroon was beating really bad the false ocellaris (missing parts of fins) chasing them to the other side of the tank. I kept knocking on glass (acrylic) when seeing that then getting a net inside chasing it and now the much reduced (not sure because she sees me around and behaves or not... but sometimes I noticed reduced aggretion, meaning either not chasing them or just chasing them a little even when I was from a distance when she probably couldn't see me). the falce ocelaris seem not to care on go over the maroon's territory ... I would have thought they would learn...

Not a stable combination.

I was concerned that the marine betta might eat the royal grama or the smaller clowns but so far so good.

Still might.

Do yo guys foresee other problems with this stocking? (I guess I should have asked before stocking)... thanks.

Yes, you should have asked first. Now the only solution is removing some of these fish

 

[rogermccray]

Should be fine

Thanks

 

[adikira]

This thread is answered by Reef Central Staff only. While your participation is strongly encouraged elsewhere, it would be most appreciated if you would not answer in this thread. Your cooperation is appreciated.

sorry, I didn't know, duly noted now! And I see a point in doing that, making the answers more authoritative.

 

[snorvich]

sorry, I didn't know, duly noted now! And I see a point in doing that, making the answers more authoritative.

No problem. Glad to have you on Reef Central!!!

 

[adikira]

Yes, you should have asked first. Now the only solution is removing some of these fish

Thanks for your reply.

I didn't about this thread. I did research and make a plan (it did not include so many tangs and it only had one pair of clowns) but I didn't stick to it too well. Decisions I made at the LFS, on the spot or my wife's preferences it's the cause of that... (ironically when I made the plan I though I wouldn't make on the spot decisions at LFS).

So your recommendations are 1) to reduce the number of algae grazers; 2) only keep one pair of clowns and 3) keep betta with smaller fish such as royal grama and/or smaller clowns if I'm ready to risk them - correct?

Is too many algae grazers an issue because of their final size vs the tank size or due to competing for food resources (algae growing in my tank)? I would think the first one as feeding them enough algae sheets should satisfy their needs for alga.

For clowns, even though the maroon's aggressiveness seemed to have subsided you think that eventually she will probably still kill them eventually?

 

[adikira]

No problem. Glad to have you on Reef Central!!!

Thanks! My pleasure and my (and my fish') benefit!

I'll make sure I'll ask here before adding new fish.

 

[snorvich]

Thanks for your reply.

I didn't about this thread. I did research and make a plan (it did not include so many tangs and it only had one pair of clowns) but I didn't stick to it too well. Decisions I made at the LFS, on the spot or my wife's preferences it's the cause of that... (ironically when I made the plan I though I wouldn't make on the spot decisions at LFS).

Everyone has these problems, most especially temptation at the LFS. Some also have wife issues with preferences (welcome to that club)

So your recommendations are 1) to reduce the number of algae grazers; 2) only keep one pair of clowns and 3) keep betta with smaller fish such as royal grama and/or smaller clowns if I'm ready to risk them - correct?

Yes.

Is too many algae grazers an issue because of their final size vs the tank size or due to competing for food resources (algae growing in my tank)? I would think the first one as feeding them enough algae sheets should satisfy their needs for alga.

Well, not exactly, it is more complex than that. Fish that occupy the same ecological niche (algae grazers, for example), are very sensitive to the perceived size of their territory. And that perceived size will shrink as the fish grows. When fish feel cramped, they will take great pains to NOT feel cramped and this often means removing perceived competitors or in the case of tangs, "pacing". Of course a 16 inch fish or a group of large fish will also make your tank look small, and for most of us that is not desirable. BrianD keeps a full grown Hepatus tang in his 550 gallon tank and it is clear from watching a video of his tank, that the tank is appropriately sized. Naso tangs get even larger. My very favorite fish is Naso Vlamingi but I would never try to keep one in my 350 gallon tank

For clowns, even though the maroon's aggressiveness seemed to have subsided you think that eventually she will probably still kill them eventually?

There is no doubt that the GSM will be the only clownfish longer term.

We always recommend creating a stocking plan and then executing that plan rather than seeing a fish at the LFS that may be totally incompatible with existing fish. Fixing those kinds of mistakes is painful and not easy at all.

 

[rogermccray]

What about this for a 125 gallon tank

Stocking list
Occelaris Clown
Blue Caribbean Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) or Chevron Tang or Powder Brown Tang (Acanthurus japonicus)
Mandarin (I have a refugium that has been online for six months now)
blue/green chromis
carberryi anthias x4
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus)
White Banded Possum Wrasse (Wetmorella albofasciata)

Removing the following of my current livestock
sixline wrasse
hippo tang
yellow tang


Which one of those tangs is bolder? I am looking for a bold tang as the "œmain fish" with a lot of smaller fish filling in the rest"¦

Thanks again!

 

[snorvich]

What about this for a 125 gallon tank

Stocking list
Occelaris Clown
Blue Caribbean Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) or Chevron Tang or Powder Brown Tang (Acanthurus japonicus)

I would opt for a chevron

Mandarin (I have a refugium that has been online for six months now)
blue/green chromis
carberryi anthias x4 I have them and love them; excellent fish
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Gold Assessor Basslet (Assessor flavissimus)
White Banded Possum Wrasse (Wetmorella albofasciata)

Removing the following of my current livestock
sixline wrasse
hippo tang
yellow tang


Which one of those tangs is bolder? I am looking for a bold tang as the "œmain fish" with a lot of smaller fish filling in the rest"¦

Thanks again!

I think that list would be excellent after the subtractions

 

[whodeydan76]

Fish check

Fish check

75 gallon no sump (yet) ati sunpower 54x6 t5 light, corral life 250 protein skimmer, fluval 404 running carbon and bio balls only, 4" substrate sand crushed corral sand crushed corral layer of grunge and super grunge. 90# live rock, 3 rocks with corraline (red purple green) each with different type of feather dusters on them.
Live stock so far... diamond goby, lawnmower blenny, 5 blue/green chromies, kole tang, 30 red leg hermits (mini) and 60 snails. I want to add a small yellow tang that has been in a 75 gal tank for 3 mos... it was in a tank with a blue hippo tang, another yellow, and a kole, they all kind of picked on the kole... but I was thinking if the yellow was added soon, since the tang is established in the tank.. would they coexist or would the yellow pick on the kole still?

 

[snorvich]

75 gallon no sump (yet) ati sunpower 54x6 t5 light, corral life 250 protein skimmer, fluval 404 running carbon and bio balls only, 4" substrate sand crushed corral sand crushed corral layer of grunge and super grunge. 90# live rock, 3 rocks with corraline (red purple green) each with different type of feather dusters on them.
Live stock so far... diamond goby, lawnmower blenny, 5 blue/green chromies, kole tang, 30 red leg hermits (mini) and 60 snails. I want to add a small yellow tang that has been in a 75 gal tank for 3 mos... it was in a tank with a blue hippo tang, another yellow, and a kole, they all kind of picked on the kole... but I was thinking if the yellow was added soon, since the tang is established in the tank.. would they coexist or would the yellow pick on the kole still?

Two tangs in a 75 gallon tank is not likely to work long term. Sorry.