How much fish in a 60 gallon.

[gixxer1000]

I currently have a clown fish and a naso tang. The naso tang is new if he didnt like the tank i was going to take him out but not the case he loves the tank. He is a small and we be moved to a bigger tank anytime till june. I would like to at least get a blue hippo tang as well a small one. I have the live rock set up against the back of the tank so alot of room up front. The naso tang and the clow swim all around. First active clown ive ever had. Will the blue hippo be too much i only have 2 fish so far. The naso tang is very active in the 60 gallon hex. The store had had him in a 20 or 15 long so im sure he is happy. He is about 2-3 inches. Let me know.

 

[rangermonroe]

no, Three will be fine. Just remember,regular water changes, and if you dont have one, buy a Nitrate test kit and keep an eye out. As the fish grow, the ammount of waste will increase...this will stress them if their water is not kept clean. Both the naso and the hippo can grow fiarly large.

 

[ross]

I wouldn't add a hippo. It will probably fight with the naso. I hope you know that the naso can get up to 18in and the hippo up to 12. I sure hope you are gonna upgrade. I would add a smaller fish like some kind of gobie or dwarf angel. Maybe a mate for your clown.

 

[gixxer1000]

Yea i know they can both grow large fairley qick. My freind at the fish store warned me on that. My birthday is in june so i am hoping to get my big tank then. I acutally wanted to buy a little hippo the day i got the naso but the just arrived that day and said i should wait. I seen the naso and he was pretty small and so cool. But im deff getting the hippo way smaller. I always thought that naso tangs were hard to keep. When i heard they are pretty hardy and have a great personality i had to get one. He is very happy so i guess ill keep him. By the way he is a pig!!!

 

[gixxer1000]

By the way how big will the naso tang get in 5 months. Here is a list of my favorite fish i would like to add.
1. small bue hippo 1-2 inches
2.corral beauty
3.small flame angel
4.another clown (thought they would fight)
5.choclate chip star fish
Im still confused weather to keep this a fish only with easy keep things like mushrooms how hard with it be to make a hex a reef. And what kinda lightting would i need for a 30inch depth. I have a medal halide sitting in my closet from my freind. I seen a 50/50 power compact for 90 bucks 96w that prob too weak.

 

[ndpb6b]

A few things, from what I have read and listened to people say who know more than I, I wouldn't try the hippo with naso. For one, yeah a bigger tank is a must for the naso, they grow upwards and beyond 16" or so. I always believe in giving fish MORE room then they need and I have seen for the naso that with there length and swimming habits that they need at least 135g and upward.
For the compatability of the two tangs a quick reference guide is to look at the body shape of the two. Notice when it comes to these two they are the longer more oval shape opposed to a yellow or sailfin tangs which are more round in shape. Unless you introduce them at the same time they could argue.
The whole thing of if the fish look pretty close to the same with almost all kinds, there is a chance that they could squable a bit.
I thought about a hex as a reef tank and I think it would be neat but the depth is an issue. I don't know enough to advice anyone.
Newt

 

[gixxer1000]

Ok then how about no naso and i get a super small babby hippo and something else like a small flame angel. I bought the naso a few days ago so ill prob get ripped off when i trade it in. i paid 40 bucks for it. Id really like to keep it till i get my new tank. Plus id rather have him in my 60 then in there 20. And the naso and the clown get along so well. I did tell my freind at the store that i would be getting my new tank in june he said he wont grow that much till then. I could see if he wanst happy. But how big can he get in 5 months. Also will a 60 hex stunt his growth cause even when i get him in the new tank i dont want a 16 INCH NASO THATS HUGE> IF he reached 9-10 inches id prob trade him in and get another and starte over. I likke them when they are small to medium,

 

[ross]

I would personally keep the naso. They are not easy fish to keep and you are lucky that you have one that is eating and doing well. BTW he will probably not get to be more than 8 or so inches in capativity. That size fish would need a huge tank like 200+gallons. It will take several years for him to get that big.
You will have to chose between a coral beatuy and a flame angel. They are the same shape and will fight. The chocolate chip starfish aren't good in reefs. They might start eating corals. Depending on what kind of clownfish you have, you could add another one.
You could turn your hex into a reef tank. I don't know the dimensions of it, but your metal halide would allow you to keep corals. You just probably couldn't keep anything but shrooms at the bottom.

 

[gixxer1000]

YEa i had to get him my freind said he was very healthy. HE would put his finger in the tank and the naso would come over and nibble on it. The tank is 27Lx24Wx28H. I have the rock set up against the back for max room. But the fish can still get back there. The naso swims everywhere he is also amazed at the wet dry filter i have on the back of the tank i have no backround dont like them on a hex. I have a sl-5 wet dry hang on and he will check it out and then nibble on the powerheads lookin for food. I was planning on getting the small hippo about inch 1/2 at my freinds job but sombody said not a good idea he small and perfrect though. Well cang go against nature

 

[gixxer1000]

also i had to try this food that the LFS uses my freind said he thinks its the best flake the fish like. Its called spirulina green flake stuff naso eats it all. The clown also eats it but he has his favorite food. If the fish store is open today i would like to get the naso some good food any thoughts.

 

[ozadars]

i wouldnt put a naso under anything a 200 gal and a hippo under 150 gal even if they are 1 inch. Two of them 150 + 200 = 350 gal for a hippo and naso
They should grow few inchs in 6 months

 

[gixxer1000]

And your prob right. But not always true my freind had a ahh 3 inch hippo under and 55 for 3 years and counting. And a freind with a hippo in a 30 gallon reef and counting. Theres always a way around things. Me personally if i could fit a 200 gallon in my room it would be there. I cant give up the big screen. IM so desprate that im putting my new tank in my walk in closet in my room. i could fit a 75 a 90 maybe even a 125.

 

[ozadars]

And your prob right. But not always true my freind had a ahh 3 inch hippo under and 55 for 3 years and counting. And a freind with a hippo in a 30 gallon reef and counting.
i didnt say they will die in small tanks, what i mean is in 3 years a hippo tang should be at LEAST 7-8 inchs not just 3
I wouldnt want a fish in my tank that grows unnaturally, you can understand that they dont EVEN GROW.

 

[ndpb6b]

Something I did for my 42g hex when it was setup was to cut a strip of background and just put it on the one panel of glass right behind the rock (the very back). It helped to hide my hang on filter. I thought about having it on a few of the glass panels but it obviously looked weird that way.

 

[jscarb2]

i personally don't have no problems with naso and hippo together.but that is in a much larger tank same thing with the dwarf angels i have a bicolor, coral beauty and a midnight dwarf all together and they never bother each other, again in a much larger tank. i gave my brother a hex like yours and it is not really good for tangs or dwarf angels it don't have the surface area. it is just deep! I would stick with what you have until you get the new tank then you have more options. What size tank are you planning on getting?

 

[gixxer1000]

YEa i think i will be returning the naso. I like him but i do feel bad. I will be getting maybe a corral beauty or a flame angel. Or maybe just get some more live rock. I found this pic with sombody with a hex with real good rock work. The rock goes all the way up the back. Whomevers tank this is cool idea. Boy are these lights gonna cost me anyway i could use pcs.

 

[ross]

I think it would be a good idea to take the tang back. You can get a yellow or purple or another smaller tang when you get your new tank set up. Maybe until then you can get that metal halide setup and start working on turning it into a reef.