Questions about overcrowding

[a1beshouri]

Hey guys, I currently have a 75g Fowlr setup. The tank has been established for almost a year, I do water changes twice a week, and test the water once a week (always perfect)..... I want to know how many fish I can add before it becomes overcrowded.... currently I have

-2 gudgeon dartfish (2 inch ea)
-2 black ice clowns (1.5 and 2 inch)
-1 orchid dottyback
-one purple fire fish
-One diamond goby
-One dwarf fuzzy lion fish (only about 1 inch)
-Two blood red fire shrimp

I was wondering, is this already too much? or could I maybe add a few other small fish?

Setup is as follows:
-65 lbs LR
-Coral life super skimmer
-Coral Life 3x UV sterilizer
-Not sure who made wet/dry filter but the company who sold it to me said it was a wet/dry made for 125g tanks

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Joe0813]

id get rid of that lion fish since it will eat whatever fish fit in its mouth

 

[a1beshouri]

yeah hes real small right now but when he gets big enough to threaten the other fish I will put him in my other tank or sell him

 

[albano]

currently I have

-2 gudgeon dartfish (2 inch ea)
-2 black ice clowns (1.5 and 2 inch)
-1 orchid dottyback
-one purple fire fish
-One diamond goby
-One dwarf fuzzy lion fish (only about 1 inch)
-Two blood red fire shrimp

So far, the tank sounds empty to me! Lion may have to go, and dottyback may get aggressive... But otherwise IMO you could have room for a few more small fish.

 

[eugene2011]

you don't really have anything too big, minus the lion and he has to go.
if you had angels and tangs, well then you'd probably be full as they're really messy fish..
but gobies, clowns and one dotty isn't really all that much for a 75

 

[a1beshouri]

ya ive just been going slow because i QT each one for 3 weeks before adding...lion may end up getting sold in a couple months but i really like him for now...would love to add a few more fish...also just got my first coral today (big rock of star polyps) so Im gonna try to take things slow...thanks for the input guys!

 

[Rea17]

ya ive just been going slow because i QT each one for 3 weeks before adding...lion may end up getting sold in a couple months but i really like him for now...would love to add a few more fish...also just got my first coral today (big rock of star polyps) so Im gonna try to take things slow...thanks for the input guys!

Good job taking it slow! I wish I had at times. I agree that the lion should go when he gets a bit bigger, try to do it before small inhabitants start to go missing. I think a dwarf angel would be really nice in your tank, there's a huge variety to choose from.

 

[ca1ore]

So far, the tank sounds empty to me!

Me too

Echo on the Lion Fish, but you could definitely double the fish population (especially in a FOWLR) as long as you are keeping nutrients down through skimming, water changes, etc. Is funny, I have gone through many 'periods' in my marine tank keeping career, and right now I am really in a fish stage; more so than Zoo, LPs, SPS, etc. More fish - more better!

 

[namxas]

I dunno...I think the lionfish should stay, personally, as there's nothing as personable as a fuzzy dwarf. I suppose it depends on which fishes you like the best.

That being said, you do have a few easily-swallowed fishes in the tank, simply by virtue of their body shape, and the lionfish is capable of swallowing anything up to about 2/3 of its size. Not much of a threat at 1", but plan on it becoming more like 5" - 6" TL in captivity, altho they do grow a bit larger in the wild.

The shrimp may or may not get a "pass" as cleaners, but the fact that they're already in residence is a plus.

As far as keeping the lion for awhile, I suspect you'll become attached to it as it grows, and you'll want to keep it. Another tank never hurt anyone!

 

[Monkeyfish]

Another tank never hurt anyone!

That depends on how hard your wife hits.