what fish for 100G

[ziyaadb]

HI all

I am inteding on setting up a fish only tank and need some advice on what fish i can keep?
I would like to get colourfull fish that are hardy, easy to keep and easy to feed.

The tanks dimensions are: 70 inches LOng * 19.6"High* 17.7" wide

I am going to be running a skimmer and dsp in the sump and not lots of live rock initially but i will increase the live rock as time goes by.

Thanks

 

[ziyaadb]

oh yes they must also have some personality as well

 

[LisaD]

Since you are new to salt water, I'd recommend you get the book New Marine Aquarium by Mike Paletta. Not only does it get you through the basics, but it has a great list of hardy fish.

 

[mattsilvester]

Good advice from Lisa D.

First question I would ask - what type of fish interest you?
i.e. big fish or small fish, aggresive fish, predatory fish, or "grazing" fish?

Second question - somewhat dictated by the first - do you want a clean up crew - i.e. snails, crabs, shrimps & stars?

Third question - DSB / SSB / BB in display?

Fourth Question - do you intend to q-tine your new fish? If I could offer anyone any single piece of advice (especailly newbies) it would probably be q-tine your new stock.

THe asnwers to these questions will largely dictate the fish recomemndations - i.e. if you want a clean up crew, then triggers and puffers are out - if you like lionfish, then small fish are out, if you want a DSB then gobies are out.... if you don't q-tine then most angels, b'flies and tangs are out...... that sounds negative negative negative..... but its not..... its just that if you establish these parameters from the outset, you can greatly reduce future problems

At this stage, I would be recommending q-tine for sure, and a clean up crew - they make life much easier..... and then I would be going with a nice selection of angels/butterflies & tangs.... with a couple of small character fish thrown in for good measure, like a hawkfish, a gramma and some small wrasse.....

I'd look at maybe a flame angel, yellow tang, regal tang, red backed butterfly and a falcula butterfly... then a scarlet or a long nosed hawk, an orange spot blenny and a couple of royal gramma's. Once properly q-tined, all these fish are hardy, relatively peaceful and easy to feed - and none of them are messy so you won't incure a high bioload and hence should get a good bang for your buck in terms of dispaly 'vs' running costs with water changes etc.

HTH

Matt

 

[LisaD]

Matt, as usual, gave a thoughtful and complete answer.

Ask yourself *why* you want this tank? How do you imagine it looks? Are there 2 or 3 fish that you really like? Do you want some large outgoing fish that immediately catch your eye, or do you want a peaceful community tank with many smaller, colorful fish? Is there a tank you have seen that you really, really like, and is it realistic for you to recreate it?

Once you know what it is that's most interesting/exciting about a saltwater tank, you can build around that idea.

If you want "hardy fish with personality, colorful and easy to feed" I have some suggestions that will probably do fine in your tank. In selecting fish, you will need to consider compatibility, though.

Start with this link from liveaquaria.com of "beginner fish". I basically agree with this list, though I don't think that butterfly fish or fairy wrasses should on it.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+1926

From their list, I think a good choice would be:

picasso trigger fish
foxface lo OR yellow tang
coral beauty dwarf angelfish
snowflake eel (start with a small one)

 

[ziyaadb]

Excellent thanks for the answers Matt and Lisa

To answer your questions Matt:

I would like a fewer bigger fish

NOt too interested in a cleaning crew but they would be ok if i can keep the fish that i like with them

I dont think i will be having a dsb in the tank because i want to have the DSB in the sump and run a Rdsb whats a SSB and BB?

Im sure i would be able to Q them as i have enough tanks around the house? (would this tank need a sump and skimmer as well)

To answer your questions Lisa:

why - i love the way marine fish swim and interact with their enviroment and their colours,

Larger outgoing fish that catch the eye,

There have been tanks that i love but beyond my finances as in a Full blown sps lps tank but i would be very very happy with a stable fo tank,

some of the fish that i like so far are the powder blue tang, regal tang, and the picasso trigger (wont my tank be too small)


Looking foward to your response

 

[LisaD]

ssb = shallow sand bed
bb = bare bottom (tank)

I think you are smart to avoid a dsb in the display. I have had problems with them, and have much better luck with shallow sand bed or even bare bottom tanks. when I have a dsb, I prefer it to be remote, and easily disconnected in case there is a problem. I like refugia much better for controlling nitrates (like a sump, but lit and full of macroalgae, such as chaetomorpha) - nitrates are fertilizer, the plants take it up, you export nutrients by "pruning" excess growth. even on smaller tanks, small, hang on back (HOB) refugia are very effective when used with a skimmer. here's a link to one example:

http://www.cprusa.com/products/aquafuge.html

for qt, I use a 20 or 29 gallon tank for smaller fish, a big sterilite or rubbermaid tub (that I use to cure live rock, normally) for bigger fish. you can have a very simple set up. I use a bare bottom tank, with at least 1 lb per gallon cured live rock for biofiltration, some macroalgae and a power filter or cannister. if I need to treat the tank with medication that is not compatible with the bio-filter or macro, I just remove them before treatment. if you are treating a tank without a biofilter, you need to do frequent daily water changes to keep ammonia down.

since you like larger, colorful fish with engaging personalities, I'll repeat the list I gave you of some "known" hardy species:

picasso trigger fish
foxface lo OR yellow tang
coral beauty dwarf angelfish
snowflake eel (start with a small one)

my personal favorites (which I currently have or have kept) include the following:

-emperor angelfish (may outgrow your tank) OR Koran angel (a bit smaller, hardy, not too expensive, for a large angel)
-mimic tang
-harlequin tuskfish
-dogface puffer (there are some cool color morphs)

you might have room for one more reasonable sized fish (under 10") or a moderate sized eel, but I wouldn't rush crowding the tank.

do get New Marine Aquarium - this book would have saved me a LOT of time and money if it was available when I was starting out with salt water.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-Step/dp/1890087521

good luck! let us know how it goes.

 

[ziyaadb]

excellent thanks Lisa, I want to have a Fuge and a DSB will show details as i go along, thanks for the info will see if i can get that book

 

[LisaD]

you mentioned you like:

powder blue tang, regal tang, and the picasso trigger

the powder blue tang is not a beginner level fish. in fact, I'm a biologist and have kept marine tanks for many years, and don't feel ready for a powder blue.

regal tangs are gorgeous, generally mellow and relatively hardy, but do get big. I'd hold off on this as well, at least until the tank is well established.

a picasso trigger will fit in this tank, just don't get a huge one, maybe 3-4 inches (tiny ones don't always survive well).

good luck with the tank. you'll enjoy the book. if you have amazon.com in SA, you should be able to get it easily.

 

[ziyaadb]

excellent thanks lisa, I have read on the powder blue and dont think i will be getting it any time soon, Is 3- 4 inches considered a good size i would think that thats a tiny size or are u refering to a smaller size 1 - 2 inches? also with picasso triggers are they predortory to the exant where they will eat other fish as they get bigger and what can i keep with a trigger?

 

[reefergeorge]

picasso trigger fish
foxface lo OR yellow tang
coral beauty dwarf angelfish
snowflake eel (start with a small one)



Lisa. This list is great. I have had my first large sw setup with a foxface, coral beauty, picasso, and a porc puffer. They are a fairly easy to keep fish with a proper diet, and very personable.

 

[ziyaadb]

thanks George

 

[LisaD]

excellent thanks lisa, I have read on the powder blue and dont think i will be getting it any time soon, Is 3- 4 inches considered a good size i would think that thats a tiny size or are u refering to a smaller size 1 - 2 inches? also with picasso triggers are they predortory to the exant where they will eat other fish as they get bigger and what can i keep with a trigger?

I'm suggesting 3-4 inches, as the tiny ones, 1-2 inches, often have poor survival.

Don't keep tiny gobies or blennies, or really passive fish (marine betta, lionfish) with triggers.

With Rhinecanthus triggers (picasso, bursa, assasi, etc.) there are no guarantees they won't get too aggressive, but they are a much better risk than any of the others that have "balist" as part of their genus name. See this article first a start:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/triggers/index.htm

Avoid these groups:

Abalistes - starry triggerfish
Balistoides - clown trigger
Balistes - queen trigger
Balistapus - undulated trigger
Pseudobalistes - blue line trigger

I have never kept Sufflamen triggerfishes, but they are supposed to be nice and reasonable sized as well. They are similar in size and appearance to the Rhinecanthus triggers.

 

[ziyaadb]

OOh ok thanks Lisa, My wife just Loves a trigger and I have just read that they are quite hardy fish as well, I personally Love the picasso, but will see what the pet stores have to offer once the tank is cycled and ready for fish, do you think a Maroon or Tomatoe clown will have a chance with a trigger in the tank assuming the clowns are bigger then the trigger and added 1st?

 

[LisaD]

I think a maroon or tomato clown would be fine (clarkii would be good too). They get decent sized and can stand up for themselves. Tank-raised to best, avoid wild caught clownfish.

The clown(s) don't need to be bigger than the trigger, just 2/3 the size or closer, IMO. I would avoid the maroon clown, they can get very territorial and mean. I had a really nice tomato clown for many years, it was a great fish. Avoid the smaller, more passive clowns like percula, ocellarus and skunk.

 

[ziyaadb]

Thanks Lisa, next question would be how do i know when a clowns being tank bred? anything to look for as i dont trust any LFS's

 

[LisaD]

most are tank bred now. you can ask where they got them. if they are from ORA, they are definitely tank bred. if there are a lot of them, and they are kind of small and look really healthy, they are probably tank bred, as well.

Here's a list of clownfish species bred by ORA:

http://www.orafarm.com/clownfish_species.html

They breed other fish species as well. BTW, most orchid dottybacks are tank bred now.

 

[ziyaadb]

where is ORA? I wish i could get to see lots of tomato clowns swimming around i only ever saw that with the normal flase clowns that 1 gets

 

[LisaD]

I believe they are in Florida. I forgot you are in South Africa, so I'm not sure if tank bred clowns are available in your country or not. Tank bred is almost always the better choice, but if wild caught is all that's available, be sure you get healthy specimens and be sure to quarantine. WC clownfish are notorious for carrying Brooklynella, which, which you do not want to introduce into a display tank.

 

[ziyaadb]

i have only saw the common clown that looked like they were tank bred as they were lots in a tank, Whats brooklynella? is it ok if the clowns are 1st in the tank?