Happy Tank?

[moonrs]

I was wondering if i should assume that the bioload in my tank is in the appropriate range for my size tank (30ga) if everything is flourishing, eating and swimming normally? I have 8 fish, 1 striped sleeper goby, 1 mandarin fish, 1 yellow tang, 2 clowns, and 3 damselfish. I also have 1 coralbanded shrimp, 1 sand shifting starfish, 2 emerald crabs (that get along, btw), and 5 small hermit crabs. Finally, I've also got a couple rocks with some nice zoo's, 2 anemones, a few discs(mushrooms) and a galaxia coral. That seems like alot, but everything appears very healthy. Am I just lucky or is this a reasonable max bioload? Like I said, nothing is having problems, just wondering. The pic is the best I have atm :-(.

 

[jedininja]

I'd hate to say it, but thats a prety big bioload. How long have you had the tank running? You may be lucky, but in order to keep all that, you must have excellent filtration, and be up on your tank maintainence. Even then its a gamble. Plus when the fishes get bigger, there will be will quite a bit of agression with some of the fishes. Also, mandarins are said to need at least 100 lbs of live rock with a huge pod population to survive.
How long have you had your tank up? How's the water?

 

[a&m aggie 04']

With that many fish you will have problems. You really do need to get rid of at least 3, the tang, goby and mandarin. Tangs grow very large, and the mandarin wont live long term. They are very picky eaters, and you dont have enough pods in the tank for him to survive. I think you could have 2 clowns and 3 damsels w/o problems but sorry to say but the others need to go.
Mark

 

[moonrs]

I will hopefully convince my wife that I need a (much) larger tank for Christmas... In the meantime, I've had the tank up for about 8 months. The most recent addition is the yellow tang, by about 1 month. I've had the mandorin for 2 or 3 months, and he seems very happy. Everything is happy, with little to no aggression among the fish. Of course, who's to say how they'll behave as they get larger. Thanks for the input.

 

[lesleybird]

Yikes! I'd make it an early Christmas!

 

[bdhough]

8 fish in a 30 is not good. You will notice in a couple more months. Especially once the tang starts growing. I would personally take the tang back unless you are for sure getting a bigger tank. I would also try and find the mandarin a home. You will notice a decline in health a couple of months from now. I personally would take the tang and mandarin back or find them new homes. Your bioload is probably fine if you do regulare water changes BUT the health of your fish as they grow may suffer due to lack of space for them.
EDIT: one more thing about that galaxia. I have heard that their tentacles can reach a foot in length. Your clowns can resist the sting of that tentacle but the rest of your fish can not so much. There is a good chance one of your fish may catch that tentacle....
AND the sand sifting star and goby. I would take the star back. Both are competing for resources. Unless you wish to feed both individually the star has a much better chance of eating the sand dry of anything and then starving from lack of food. I heard it all the time especially when i worked in the LFS....

 

[lovethesea]

find the nearest Santa.......
the trick to your mandrine is pods.
Read the recent postings on pop population. That is the key to their survial. The tang will need probably 75-100 gallon. Tell Santa you have been really good this year.