fish compatability q

[freddy949]

HI
I am new to the saltwater world, and have a couple of questions. I bought a used 55 gallon tank with live rock and sand a yellow tang and a sailfin tang. I spent the last week reading and debating wether to go reef or fish only.I think I have decided to start fish only and then maybe convert my 55 gallon freshwater into a reef later on. i heard that the yellow tang and the sailfin tang are the more aggresive tangs since they are true tangs and not surgeon fish. so if I was to add a violtan lion fish and a porcupine puffer to the mix what would haappen? would the lion fish and puffer atack the tangs or other way around or would they get along? would a fuzzy dwarf lion be a better bet?
any input or other suggestins greatly appreciated
ohh and it is an accurlic tank with built in filters in the back, (sponge and bio balls) and i have a protein skimmer with bio sponge on teh way
thanks
freddy

 

[danedodger]

1. All tangs can also be called surgeonfish.
2. Just my opinion but a 55 is too small for either a porky or volitans with or without other fish in there.
3. Some people would say that with two tangs in a 55 you're already overstocked. To be on the safe side many people use the "1 in. per 5 gallons" rule of thumb. The yellow can reach about 7-8", the sailfin a whopping 15-16" times 5 = 110 gallons. I think it's not TOO bad but is certainly risky as is without adding a thing to it! Even using a less conservative rule of thumb like 1" per 3 gallons you get 66 gallons needed for both fish plus there's the consideration that tangs like a long tank that they can really stretch out and swim fast in and these two are going to be "tripping over" each other trying to do that which equals more stress which gives you a greater chance of problems. Adding more animals to that just increases the risk of problems! Personally I'd be tempted to make the move in your other 55 to salt as soon as possible and seperate out the tangs so that they don't become as stressed as they grow larger. You can keep either in a reef tank since they're largely herbivorous so that won't ruin your plans.
I hate to say it but I'd honestly get rid of the sailfin at least. He gets awful big for a 55 gallon.
If you're dead set won't listen to anything else on keeping both my best advice and opinion is to seperate them into one per 55 gallon, stock the one with the sailfin VERY lightly as even at a BROAD rule of thumb he takes up almost all of the capacity (and even then adding more fish to a 55 with him in there will increase your risk!), and use the one with the yellow as your reef.
But if you want to know what I'd personally do I'd take back both tangs for smaller fish or get larger tanks. Everything I said above will make it safer and more likely for you to succeed but isn't considered ideal at all.

 

[freddy949]

hmmm seams like I am very limited with the 55 gallon. maybe i'll just make it a reef tank. what do u think about if I was to get rid of the two tangs and get 1 or 2 mandrain dragonets, 2 clown fish and 1 more small fish and then some corals or anemones.whats ur oppinion on corals vs anemones? any suggestion on other suggestions or tips?
thanks

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by freddy949
hmmm seams like I am very limited with the 55 gallon. maybe i'll just make it a reef tank. what do u think about if I was to get rid of the two tangs and get 1 or 2 mandrain dragonets, 2 clown fish and 1 more small fish and then some corals or anemones.whats ur oppinion on corals vs anemones? any suggestion on other suggestions or tips?
thanks
Thats a great idea on removing the tangs but NOT for mandorin dragonettes. They need a VERY mature tank with lots and lots, DID I say lots of pods to eat. Corals and anemones will both do fine in there with the proper lighting.

 

[danedodger]

Yep, mandarinfish would fit in there just fine but, as stated already, they need a very mature tank with loads of pods in it!! Also some corals and anemones are easier to keep than others but even the hardier ones are fairly touchy. Most people start with fish only but leave enough room to add the corals and anemones later down the line. Before you add those plan on probably having pristine water conditions and upgraded lighting.
Your best bet is to cruise around the web, talk to other hobbyists, and look up any and all animals making note of what they require, max size, compatibility, etc. then make a wish list of all of them that you think you'd like to try. You can post it on here and people will tell you what they know about them. There's SO MANY to choose from!!! :joy: Just fish that would fit into a 55 nicely are gobies, blennys, dwarf angels, some anthias, dottybacks, cardinals, damsels, clowns, chromis, some wrasses and lots of assorted others! Like a little school of chalk basses or chromis with a few other fish for variety might be gorgeous! Just do some research on any you like before you buy

 

[freddy949]

thanks for the input guys. a couple of more question what are pods? and I heard corals and anemones don't get a long is that true, and I also heard that clown fish can bond with both coral and anemones. if they don't get a long which do u recomend?

 

[humutang]

Hi All,
I have a Humu, Picasso Trigger about 3.5" living all by himself. He is kind of a messy eater and I also get a good bit of algae buildup, which he doesn't eat. I'm looking for ideas of any fish I could add to the tank that might help clean things up a bit in the bottom, and maybe eat a little algae (or both), that the trigger wouldn't bother. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[danedodger]

freddy, pods are tiny little critters that look like white specks usually. They come on your liverock or sometimes in good macroalgae and are an excellent food source for your fishies.
You can keep both corals and anemones in the same tank but, just like the fish who vary in aggression and such, you need to research each before you buy because some can be very aggressive towards each other.
And yes! Sometimes you'll have a clown host in a coral rather than an anemone! It's cute! You just have to make sure that the coral can take it or the clown may accidently love it, literally, to death.

 

[freddy949]

oh ok i think i have some of those pod things on my rocks. they guy i got the tank from had the tank and the lr for about a year he said. i see the tangs eating some stuff of the rocks everynow and then. i got a cleaner sharimp from the store but all he does is hide in the corner do u think the tangs could be picking on him?

 

[danedodger]

I seriously doubt a tang would pick on a cleaner shrimp. Watch em all carefully to see. It may just be that the cleaner is new and hasn't picked a spot to hang out or he actually likes that spot and will set up his little cleaning station there.

 

[freddy949]

ok i got my new light it is a 1x96W bulb 12000K & 1x96W bulb actinic blue and 3 blue led lights. i was wondering what would be a good light schedual to use? if i am going for a reef tank also i was wondering what the recomeded ph is for a reef tank.
thanks