Re-stocking help

Master Kyle 297

Reef Freak
I like to plan ahead before I do anything. I am starting to remove some fish from my tank because they are misbehaving or getting too big, either or I would probably have some room to add some things to the tank whether it be fish, inverts, or corals. What are some cool things to add?

:wavehand: that means I'm removing it or thinking about it


Tank:
90 Gallon Semi-Predatory Reef
Fish:
Male Spotfin Anthias
Banggai Cardinal
Maroon Clownfish (pair):wavehand:
Percula Clownfish (pair)
Marine Betta Grouper (aka Sea Comet)
Longnose Hawkfish
Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish
Blue Tang
Sailfin Tang:wavehand:

Inverts:
Bulb Anemone (2)
Emerald Crab
Strawberry Crab (2)
Black Sea Cucumber
Feather Dusters
Red Leg Hermits
Coral Banded Shrimp:wavehand:
Nassarius Snail
Turbo Snails
Sand Sifting Starfish


Corals:
Pineapple Brain
Branching Frogspawn
Branching Torch
Toadstool Leather
Red Mushrooms
Red/Green Ricordea Mushrooms
Zoanthid Polyps
Green Star Polyps
Yellow Polyps
Button Polyps
 
I'm not giving up the betta or lionfish because i just got them on frozen food after months. I am willing to remove the sailfin and im kinda hesitant on the blue tang until he gets too big. I'm thinking of removing the maroons too because all they do is bark at anything passing by their anemone. Plus the coral banded has been eating all the small fish or crabs.
 
I'm not trying to be mean just warning you that your small fishes will probably become a tasty morsel...And I think it would be beneficial for you to go and read the Tank Sizes For Tangs Sticky. It might make your decision on giving the Blue Tang a suitable home where he can grow and be happy.
 
I definitely agree with button on the blue tang, it needs a much larger tank. I don't think the Betta will eat any of your other fish, I've had mine for years with small fish without issue and none of your fish are that small. I have no experience with the lion, it certainly might be a threat.

Also, great idea removing the maroon clowns, they would surely kill the perculas in short time.
 
Yeah if the lion causes any trouble im removing him even though I just got him on frozen krill, I agree with the Betta as he is a kinda shy fish and doesn't like to interact with the others. So with all the fish removed would I have room for some smaller fish?
 
I'm not giving up the betta or lionfish because i just got them on frozen food after months. I am willing to remove the sailfin and im kinda hesitant on the blue tang until he gets too big. I'm thinking of removing the maroons too because all they do is bark at anything passing by their anemone. Plus the coral banded has been eating all the small fish or crabs.


That's good that you've got them to eat. OK, with the lion and the betta as definite must keeps, build the rest of your stocking list around them thinking about the ultimate size, aggression and personality of each fish. Also, think about where each fish hangs out in the tank (bottom, rocks, water column) and what they eat and the kind of environment that keeps them happy. The hawk would be OK with these two. First step back and think ultimately, what type of tank environment and do research BEFORE stepping in the store of what fish will get along with who and how big and what temperament they have. Do you want fish you see constantly, or do you want it for "cool" factor, or? Anglers and scorpionfish pretty much just sit there, but I've seen some that look really cool. The blue tang are like marathon swimmers (they pretty much got their personality pat with Finding Nemo) Constantly swimming around. I have 2 and thinking about getting rid of them since they seem too big/active for my tank (and it's 2x the size of yours). Mine around 5" now and they aren't even half grown yet. Why do you like the blue tang? Color, movie? Maybe a smaller fish of the same color?

Also, you can have some sedentary fish and then some fish that swim around in the water column. I like to keep fish that do double duty. A good tang for you if you keep an eye on the stocking levels would be a mimic tang or one of the bristletooths. A young lemonpeel looks like a lemonpeel angel and will do double duty of algae control.

Get rid of the banded shrimp.
 
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Just because a fish has learned to take prepared foods, or even is stick-fed; doesn't mean he won't eat small fish. You cannot change the genetic make-up of a fish by feeding it and (IMO) it is inevitable that your betta or Lion is going to eat a smaller fish or two. the only "if" is when. Also: clowns, especially female maroons, won't tolerate other clowns in the tank for very long.
 
Any thoughts on a regal and flame angel?

Depending on the rest of your stocking plans a flame angel would do well in a 90g tank. I presume you're talking about a regal angel (and not regal tang), but in either case most people would recommend against it.

I think that the general consensus is that all large angels require a minimum of a 6' tank. They get rather large (some get huge) and they are active swimmers. If I'm not mistaken a standard 90g is 4' in length, so you'd be better off sticking with any of the dwarf angels. As with a lot of large fish that are active, the footprint of the tank is really important.
 
^^^^agree^^^
Regals aren't the biggest of the "big" angels; but they're one of the most difficult. I had one for many years before moving and have had my present one 4+yrs. These fish have a lot of nervous energy and IMO, a 90 just isn't big enough. I think difficulty with this fish is directly related to their origin; so I'd do some serious research on this fish if you decide to buy. I also think this is a fish that really needs to be the first larger fish in a tank, so they can establish territory.
 
Wouldn't territorial fish be added last? Anyways, what dwarf angel would go well with a flame angel? Eibli? Bicolor? Potter's? Multi-color? Coral Beauty?
 
All fish are territorial to some degree. Even something as passive as a firefish has territory. It maintains a dart hole where it runs to when it feels threatened. MrTuskfish is suggesting that while a Regal is a large angel and not a total pushover. They can be difficult to settle into an established tank, and they benefit from being able to settle into the tank at their leisure without aggression from other fish that pose a threat to them (ie. other angels, tangs, etc.).

As he mentioned they are generally thought of as a difficult species of angel to maintain.
I admit I do not have one and never have, so I can't add any personal experience on the matter.

With regard to dwarf angels it's entirely up to the individual. If you have a passive flame angel and end up with another passive dwarf angel you can literally add in any of the choices you listed. If you end up getting a very aggressive flame angel you will end up having no luck adding any other dwarf angels. There is no real way to know, and if you decide you want to add multiple dwarf angels I would search on here for some threads regarding the use of acclimation containers so you can observe aggression before just letting the fish have at it.

There is a great thread on here where someone was pairing and attempting trios with flame angels and it had a lot of info on what I just mentioned. If you search around I'm sure you can find it. Sorry I can't be of more help with regard to who wrote it, maybe someone else can chime in.
 
Wouldn't territorial fish be added last? Anyways, what dwarf angel would go well with a flame angel? Eibli? Bicolor? Potter's? Multi-color? Coral Beauty?

As Stumped said above, I don't think Regals are any more territorial than most angels. But when difficult fish are put into an established tank and have to find their place in the pecking order. it just adds to their stress. That's the last thing difficult fish need.
 
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