Too much?

[J2FcM]

30 gal bio cribbage.

1 - Tomato Clown 2 in.
1 - Blue Damsel boss fish 2.5 in
1 - Mantis Shrimp 3in timid Chiragra

Additions -

1 - Blue Spot Jaw fish 2.5 in
1 - Spotted Hawk Fish 2 in


I'm not worried about the Mantis, I've kept enough of them, that I'm willing to risk any death battles, and I have caves, PVC's and areas of safety, but just in terms of that much water and those fish breathing livin and loving. Previously it was Peacock Mantis + Dwarf Lion (4in) + the Tomato and Damsel.

Wondering if that Hawkfish Blue Spotted Jawer combo is too much. My Mantis is super docile.

Any opinions I can listen to? (meaning I will listen to all) eesh.\

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

IMO, the jawfish and the hawk will just be sitting ducks. The hawk is a percher and the jawfish a bottom dweller and both would be easy pickings for the mants. Even if you say it's docile, it's in their nature to hunt for prey. I wouldn't risk it. Those are some expensive meals for a mantis. The other problem is the tomato clown and the damsel. I highly doubt any new occupants would survive for long. Those are two of the most aggressive damslefish in that species.

 

[gofor100]

Even without the mantis waiting to pounce on the bottom-dwelling fish, I think that you might be overstocking if you have a damsel, clown, hawkfish AND jawfish (I would probably take out the clown and/or damsel, and stock the tank with around 3 fish total)... plus, as Sugar Magnolia pointed out, you've got some pretty aggressive fish in their with the damsel and clown, add in the hawkfish AND jawfish (in addition to the mantis) and you're asking for a throwdown and an expensive meal or two for the mantis.

Or you can just convert your 50g freshwater tank into SW and solve all of your problems in choosing which fish to keep.

 

[J2FcM]

heheh, yeah I wish I could do that conversion now... anyways; yeah I agree on most points but it just feels right to hear it on the forums, hehe.
I will stick to 3 fish then, surprised the Hawkfish would get harassed so much.

I might be getting cocky with the Mantis's... but I guess its due to my track record of Smithii, Peacock, Wennerae, and Chiragras never so much as batting an eye at my fish. Altho one time my Peacock did flare at my Dwarf Lionfish when he like approached menacingly. I just try to train my Mantoids to be lazy and eat off my skewered food. My blue Damsel currently sleeps in a cave directly above the Chiragra...

But anyways, given a Hawkfish Damsel Tomato scenario, would they really get harrassed much? Poor comparison, but the Tomato and Damsel never so much as batted an eye at my young Dwarf Fuzzy