Hmm... I think I'm overstocked...

[siptang]

I have 3 year old 72 gallon FOWLR tank set up with 35 gallon sump in the bottom + protein skimmer + 150 pounds of live rock + uv sterilizer.
I have
3" Huma trigger
[strike]3" queen angel trading in for flame angel
3" clown trigger
1.5" maroon clown fish (gold bar)
4" red corris wrasse
3.5" purple tang
2.5" racoon butterfly
2" psedochromis
2" royal gamma [/strike]
2" Regal blue hippo tang
First of all, I'm not an impulsive buyer when it comes to my tank.
I recently lost my little boy due to SUDS and just went nuts and bought all the fish that he liked... (bold)
Everyone is getting along well so far... (2 1/2 weeks) I have been just staring into fish tank for hours but now that my senses have been coming back and I'm regretting my decision
because I think I have over populated my tank... bioload should be handled alright due to the skimmer and weekly water changes but I'm concerned about the future due to the growing nature of certain fish..
What are your thoughts? Can I keep them all?
Besides getting a new tank because this is tank that me and my boy used to feed the fish together and have alot of fond memories...

 

[2quills]

Hi, welcome to the site!
In the short term you might be alright. However, the triggers and the queen angel will eventually outgrow the tank. As a result you will more than likely see some serious aggression and territorial issues at some point. The tang I think you could get away with keeping as well as the remaining fish but the triggers and queen angel will be a bit too much, in my opinion. I'm not the livestock expert here though so we'll see what some other folks have to say.
Glad to have you aboard.

 

[2quills]

bump

 

[srfisher17]

I'd start thinning this group ASAP. A Clown trigger, possibly the most aggressive fish we keep, can go postal any time. It isn't a matter of "if', its "when". He's capable and willing to kill half the fish you have in a matter of hours.IMO, Your tank is WAY too small for the Tang and the Angel. Cramped quarters really make aggressive fish even more so, and you have several. I'm sorry, I don't think this is even close. IMO & IME, you're going to have serious problems and you are so over-crowded, even short term is dangerous. I seldom worry about bio-load, but that's sure a factor in your tank too. Again, IMO & IME ; the Clown trigger, Queen Angel, and Purple tang should have new homes ASAP.

 

[oceandude]

Very sorry about your son. My thoughts are with you.
No offense, the tank you have would be great for a Q/T for larger fish but several of the fishes you have already need more swim room than you are providing. Be a great time for a larger tank if you wish to keep them though.

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by srfisher17 http:///forum/thread/384694/hmm-i-think-i-m-overstocked#post_3371196
I'd start thinning this group ASAP. A Clown trigger, possibly the most aggressive fish we keep, can go postal any time. It isn't a matter of "if', its "when". He's capable and willing to kill half the fish you have in a matter of hours.IMO, Your tank is WAY too small for the Tang and the Angel. Cramped quarters really make aggressive fish even more so, and you have several. I'm sorry, I don't think this is even close. IMO & IME, you're going to have serious problems and you are so over-crowded, even short term is dangerous. I seldom worry about bio-load, but that's sure a factor in your tank too. Again, IMO & IME ; the Clown trigger, Queen Angel, and Purple tang should have new homes ASAP.
Nuke the wales but save the fish, eh? lol

 

[bcmayn]

So sorry about your lost. I just hate to imagine, all my prayers & hopes will be with you!
(I was wondering if you DO decide to get rid of some materials, if you could lend/donate me some Live Rock for my FOWLR aquarium I am building as well. I'm newly noobish to this hobby. But I only have a aquarium, Red Sea Salt, & Live Sand. As you can see I still need more materials, But I'm getting there!)
But if you could I would truly appreciate it!
(CONTACT ME BY SENDING ME A MESSAGE OR CONTACT ME @ contactsoloboyz@gmail.com)

 

[siptang]

Thanks for the replies and condolences guys..
like I said earlier, changing the tank is out of question because I have too many fond memories with my boy with it.. Was about to do so last year and was about to again this year and just turned down 150 gallon set up for $300 because the memories are still too fresh for me.
I had the clown trigger since she was less then 1" and since then has grown to 3.5" and she has been that size for about a year. Had her as long as I had my tank and he was one of my favorite and my son's. Her personality and how she swims always intrigued my son and I really don't want to get rid of her. I was told that her minimum tank space required is 55 gallons and told when I purchased the fish that 72 gallon should be sufficient and that they don't grow as much in captive as they grow in wild and he (lfs guy) said that she wouldn't really grow more then 4" max 5". He even showed me his 6 yr old 4" clown on same 72 gal bow front. He's quite mellow except when he's eating.
Purple tang has been there for 1 1/2 year now and has grown nice, she bullied other small tangs that I used to have but never really any other fish. She stopped growing for about 6 months now.
Also have been told by same guy from above who has same 72g bowfront as me that it's sufficient space but I'm getting mixed responses now.. I don't know what to go with now..
Huma has been there close to 3 years and longest survivor (survived multiple ick out breaks) and he is very mellow exception to meal time just like the clown trigger. She also stopped growing for over a year now.
Queen angel is possibly only fish that I can part with... I have been reading and they need min. 150 gals to thrive... damn fish store sales people and their lies to make a quick buck...
I got it 2.5" and it already grew so darn much... (.5" in less then a month!!) they said that she can grow into the tank for over a year before I give up on her etc etc...
All the water testing done yesterday and bio load was no issue and everything was on 0 minus phosphate (always had issue with phosphate even though I use RO water, phosphate remover, uv etc)
If they stopped growing, does that mean that I "stunted" their growth? I'm reading and finding out that it happens if you trap bigger breed of fish in small confined space. I feel terrible about it however, I'm in a very selfish mode at the moment and would like to keep them in memories of my son.
BC - hey, sorry at the moment, nothing is leaving my house.... these are very precious to me.
I know that I'm pushing this far but I thought I would tell you more about the tank and the fish that are in it to make better evaluation.
(yea, I know I'm in a denial stage but who wouldn't be in given circumstances and when you just blow your wad on fish?)

 

[btldreef]

Sorry for your loss.
My suggestion would be a compromise.
Get a larger tank for the fish that need the larger space and leave the smaller ones in this tank.

 

[2quills]

Agree, I would keep the tank but also look into another tank. These fish are still small but they are growing and once they start to get some real size and begin to mature I think is probably when things are going to become like a ticking time bomb. You're right about some LFS people. Lots will tell you just about anything to sell ya something. One thing you'll notice is that alot of their advice will differe from that of most hobbiest. I think the overwhelming odds of experience from people in the hobby often trumps that of what you read on a website that sells the critters are a local store which does the same. I'd keep up with water changes as best you can and feed well for the time being.
Keep us posted.

 

[siptang]

I wanted to find this out from you guys.
Do you think I stunted their growth? They stopped growing for close to a year. (exception of queen angel)
I guess I will have to compromise and see if I can take that 150g tank. (If wife is ok with it and if the diameters will fit my house..)
I feed them spectrum a+ pellets small pellets for tang and smaller fish, omega with garlic flake food along with diced up seafood mix (squid, shrimp, scallop, very small minced garlic), mysis and bloodworm. (pellet + flake + one meat course rotation of course) Everyone eats like a champ and bellies bulging out.
yea, I often check many websites as well for info but noticed that often is different from what many hobbyists will tell me.
Live and learn I guess....
Thank you so much for your inputs guys.
Until then, I am planning to add little bit more live rock for them to hide and swim around. Is this a good idea or bad idea?

 

[mr. limpid]

Sorry to hear of about your son. I would leave the tank as you want it, the fish will be fine keep them all well feed and if that clown trigger starts anything throw a krill at him. The only thing i would change is stop feed the flake and use frozen emerald green or formula II, plus algae sheets and frozen krill for clowny. Water changes and siphon out as much detritus as you can, because you probably can't keep a clean up crew with two triggers. Good luck

 

[siptang]

Mr Limpid - Thanks for the reply, actually I have about 20 astro snails, 1 jumbo snail that came with my live rock, 20 blue leg hermit crabs, 1 large red leg hermit, 1 large emerald crab.
I forgot to mention that I do feed dry nori sheets for the tang once a week. (clown trigger actually eats it too... strange fish that one...) Shrimps however never stood a chance...
So you think it's ok for now?

 

[siptang]

Quick update..
So far, no trouble in the paradise..
Queen shows little temper here and there but nothing really serious.
For bio loads I do 10% weekly water changes as usual, but have added additional sponges down in the sump to filter out the water and change them weekly. (filthy)
Ozone is in full swing and so is my protein skimmer. I'm happy that all of them are getting along fine.. I know that I will have to get rid of queen soon and I'm sad because my son really loved that fish but I don't want to stunt his growth like every other fish in my tank...
Thanks for all the replies and condolences. I was kind of out of my mind to think straight these days.

 

[mr. limpid]

Glad to hear that life is getting better in your tank, I hope the same for you.

 

[1guydude]

Sorry man that must be really hard... hope you get the bigger tank so you dont have to rid yourself of your memories.

 

[siptang]

Thanks guys.
Yea, I'm looking into getting a bigger tank while keeping my old tank but i'm looking for a great deal because i had to switch out both of my cars because it was just too damn painful riding in them because we used to take him every where with us... (wanted to change the house as well but no money for that...)
I will post pics of the tank and fish to show you all the lovely fish that he loved so much. We used to sing songs while feeding fish together and he loved the clown trigger because it always followed his finger which excited my son greatly.
I also re-arranged the rock work and took out alot of rock so that fish will have more room to swim. I put the rocks in my sump so that I can transfer them to bigger tank later. I was told to do this from couple of other people because they said that they need more room etc etc. Is this right move? I made alot of caves and hiding spots and seems to be no problem so far.
Thanks again.

 

[siptang]

I hope these are re-sized while being uploaded...
Well as I promised earlier (sorry was on a trip in attempt to forget and bury everything which I failed miserably), here's the picture of my tank.
My queen has gotten huge in matter of couple of months and my friend at the LFS is switching the fish out for the flame angel. I hate to see her go but I can't really afford 150 gallon tank at the moment..
Took alot of rock out (in sump and in my dad's tank) to create ample room for swimming.
Thanks for looking again and all the advises and all the well wishes.

 

[mr. limpid]

LFS is charging you 150 to trade a Queen Angel for Flame. They should be paying you, not a true friend they are ripping you off.
PS Love that wrasse had one once.

 

[siptang]

No I meant to say I couldn't afford 150 gallon tank. I paid 39.99 for the queen and he's willing to give me 30 dollar credit and I have to pay about 7 dollars additional for the flame.
I understand that queen is more expensive fish considering that it grew alot more then when I first got her but I understand business is business..
Thank you for the compliment on the wrasse. It was either this one or the lunar wrasse but I'm glad that I got this one instead .I had her for a while and she's been awesome. Doesn't bother any fish, snails or hermits but she does some rock re-arranging as she sees fit and spits out sand on top of my live rock. Very colorful and never has been shy around any one.
I think I stunted her growth though... she hasn't grown any in past year and some change. I had no idea at the time and took advise of LFS associate... bright move, I know. I have learned about those people after reading forums...