Too Many Fish for 72 Gallon Tank?

[downhillbiker]

I was just wondering what others thought about my stocking list for my 72 Bowfront. I think that it is fine, and everything is happy. This is my complete list, and I will not be adding any more fish.

My tank is light when it comes to amount of corals, and there is lots of swimming room.

2" Regal Tang
3" Tomini Tang
Gold Stripe Maroon Clown
Royal Gramma
Coral Beauty Angel
Flame Angel
Rainford's Goby

I also have 20 blue leg hermits, 5 emerald crabs, 1 sally lightfoot crab, 2 mexican turbo snails, 1 long spine sea urchin.

 

[schmidt01]

Your tank might be a bit small for the tangs... I have a regal tang in my 120 and I'm wondering if that will be big enough when he's full grown. Right now he's only about 2", but he'll get a lot bigger. I think you'll be able to get away with it for a while though...

 

[mikesommers]

Re: Too Many Fish for 72 Gallon Tank?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12321323#post12321323 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downhillbiker
I was just wondering what others thought about my stocking list for my 72 Bowfront. I think that it is fine, and everything is happy. This is my complete list, and I will not be adding any more fish.

My tank is light when it comes to amount of corals, and there is lots of swimming room.

2" Regal Tang
3" Tomini Tang
Gold Stripe Maroon Clown
Royal Gramma
Coral Beauty Angel
Flame Angel
Rainford's Goby


I also have 20 blue leg hermits, 5 emerald crabs, 1 sally lightfoot crab, 2 mexican turbo snails, 1 long spine sea urchin.

What are you using for Bio? I have a 75 with about 80 gal of water and

Blue Regal 2 in
Maroon Clown 2 in
Watchman Goby
Mandarin Goby
Yellow Belly Damsel

My bio load is borderline. I have to be careful how much I feed.

 

[black_majik]

Yeah.... I don't agree with the two pygmy's in a 72. They are territoral to their "feeding grounds" ( rockwork) and in a 72 that is not enough for two at all.
Regal is fine for now but consider upgrading or giving the regal to a larger tank in a few years or when he gets to be around 5 inches.
tomini is fine
I have no other issues. Cool stocking. Let's see some pictures.

 

[mikesommers]

My Regal is also very aggressive and will push the other fish around including the Damsel. They like to have a lot of room.

 

[SeaMac2]

It may work now, but I think you might be in some trouble in the not too distant future...I hope I am wrong. IMO 2 tangs and 2 pygmy angels in a 72g is too much...not to mention that the maroon clown can get pretty large as well.

I like your choice of the Tomini though. They are cool looking fish...I almost got one but went with a kole instead.

Good luck.
Chris

 

[skey44]

i think you'll be okay for some time as long as you have a strong filtration system.

 

[downhillbiker]

I use a canister filter for carbon, and clean the media daily(after i feed and clean the glass). I use a cheap, but VERY effective protein skimmer. Other than that no other filtration. My water quality is great. I check it often, and when i take my water into the fish store(both LFS) they both say I have perfect water quality.

I do weekly 5 gallon water changes, and watch everything very carefully.

The tangs get along fine, and so does the clown. I haven't added the 2 angels, they are in a 20 gallon qt tank, and are getting along perfect in there. They aren't territorial at all, they share the same clay pot(thats what i use for cover in qt).

I think that my tank is too small for the regal, eventually. I will be moving to Idaho in about a year, and will set up the new tank there, and have it all ready to go, then move all the fish and corals.

I think i will get a 120 and go with a shallower tank with a large footprint. I WILL NOT be adding any more fish when I get the new tank, so i think everything should work.

The tank is really coming along with beautiful, healthy, happy fish and corals, and I will update when I add the rest of the fish, and live rock. About 2-3 weeks(waiting on rock cycling).

 

[styndall]

You've got some time before you've got to worry, but the regal can get big. I've seen a ten-inch specimen in a fish shop, and I understand they get a bit bigger than that.

 

[downhillbiker]

wow. i thought that these fish were more like an 8" fish. i have seen on several websites and my LFS said they were 8" fish. either way it will eventually outgrow the tank. i will either upgrade, or sell the fish when it gets to be too big.

is the tomini a smaller tang?

 

[styndall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12323015#post12323015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downhillbiker
wow. i thought that these fish were more like an 8" fish. i have seen on several websites and my LFS said they were 8" fish. either way it will eventually outgrow the tank. i will either upgrade, or sell the fish when it gets to be too big.

is the tomini a smaller tang?

Liveaquaria and wikipedia agree that regal tangs top out at about a foot. The Tomini should stay smaller than that.

Do check around before buying your livestock in the future. LFS employees are often mistaken when it comes to biology.

 

[downhillbiker]

agreed. i was given wrong information. i will make it right though. i will not make the fish suffer. it will be fine at least for a little while.

 

[roxy]

a good excuse for a tank upgrade

 

[Billybeau1]

I've had multiple pygmys in a 72 with no issues. The trick is to make sure they each have their own place to sleep. This will keep them from getting territorial in most cases.

 

[jadams7]

Nice setup from the sound of things. keep a close eye on everything, from the sound of things you are...so I think you will be fine for a little while. good luck!