Do you have a large tank?

[fishinator]

I have a 300 gallon aggresive fish only tank. I'm looking for others who have done about the same thing, and are interested in collaborating on quantity and compatibility issues. I'm still stocked pretty light, trying to make sure that I get things in the right order. It seems that most of the "rules" around compatibility and quantity don't really apply when the tank is this big. Here's what I have so far: Blue Damsel, Picasso Trigger, Yellow Tang, Radiatta Lion, Tomato Clown, Flame Angel, Valentini Puffer and Blue Tang. Lost a porky but will replace as soon as the lfs get's one I like. (poor guy got sucked into a pressure relief slot on the overflow box and "puffed", half in, half out. My daughter's boyfriend had to cut him in half to get him out. This of course always happens while I'm out of town!)
Where would you go from here??

 

[mr . salty]

Mine is not quite as big as yours,but I have had alot of socalled noncapatable fish in there together.Mostly tangs. I lost most of them from a bacterial infestation a few months back.It happened when I switched to a nonleaking tank.Must have stirred something up out of the substrate.All my tank info,and tons of pics are on my website(look at link below).

 

[fishinator]

Your tank looks great. You have a flame angel and a coral beauty. Any problems with them? I originally purchased my flame and a coral beauty at the same time, thinking if they went in together they would get along. the Coral Beauty only lasted a couple days before I found her on the bottom of the tank with no face or tail. I'm not sure who got to her, but the flame was beating up on pretty good. You also have a fair number of tangs. I would like to get several more but was afraid. My yellow is a vicious, evil mean and nasty SOB. He picks on the new guy in town no matter species. I put a blue tang in the other day. So far he seems to be doing ok, but the yellow still chases if the blue gets close. If I could get away with it, I'd still like a couple more blue tangs (3?), a purple and a lipstick. That would be 6 all together. I'm pretty sure it would be chaos. How are yours getting along?

 

[saltwater4me]

When you add your fish I wouldn't add two or three at a time. I would add one at a time. Tangs are usualy nice, but I heard yellows are little nasties.

 

[mr . salty]

The two angels get along fine,always have. The only problem I had with all those tangs were the yellow and the sailfin.They eventually worked out thier problems. The powder blue was by far the meanest one in the tank.Kinda glad that he is gone now.Just have the yellow,sailfin and a hippo now.I also have three percs and a gold stripe in there.They get along fine also.That goes against the rule of only even numbers,and not mixing clowns.

 

[fishinator]

I agree with one at a time. However, in the case of the two centropyge angels, it was recommended that I put them in at the same time to reduce the chances for "battledome". Going forward with the tangs, I would likley add them one at a time. The only exception I might consider is adding the two additional blue tangs at the same time. Your thoughts?

 

[fishinator]

Salty, you encourage me. I think I might try another coral beauty. I like your flagfin as well. Is it a dwarf angel? I orginally had 3 yellow tangs (Larry, Mo and Curly) Alas, Larry was the only one to survive "the cycle". I noticed a lemon peel angel at the lfs the other day. I think it's a dwarf as well. I think I might be over the edge with 3 dwarf angels. Have you ever tried a small sanctuary tank inside your tank to let everyone get used the new guy?

 

[fishinator]

I appreciate the input 'yeller. I'm beggining to understand, as you suggest, that fish are individuals, with unique behaviors. What works for one, will not neccesarily work for another. So, I think I will try again with the CB and be prepared to take him back if it doesn't work out.
I'm encouraged about the tangs as well. They're great looking fish, and they occupy the middle of the water column. I had almost given up mentally because my yellow is so mean. I hate to give him up though because he's been there from the beggining, plus I was able to bring him back from the dead in a Q tank with anti-biotics and copper. (maybe that's why he's so grumpy!) would love to see a picture of your tank. Can you paste pictures into these message boxes? I'll post one of mine if that's doable.