Need Info on These Fish. Plz Help

[euphoria]

hey guys,
I saw a few fish at the LFS that I really want to have in my tank. I don't have much info on them, so I'd like your expertise.
FYI, my tank is a 60 gallon reef tank. Levels are -> ammonia = 0, nitrites = 0, nitrates average 10.
Here are the fish I need some info on:
Copperband Butterfly
Clown Tang
Yellow-eye Tang
I am really in love w/ the copperband butterfly, but it says they need excellent water quality. What exactly is this 'excellent' level? Are they very hard to keep alive? Are they reef safe?
Also, LFS told me that Clown Tangs are not reef safe AT ALL, but this site says they are. Which is it?
If I can't have the clown tang, I'd like to have the yellow-eye tang. It's about an inch in size and I have a yellow tang in my tank that's less than 2" long. Will 2 tangs be too much in a 60 gallon (4' long) tank?
Thanks a lot

 

[cgpuffers]

I Wouldn't Get Either Tang For A 60 Gallon, But I Believe The Copperband Would Be Alright As Long As Its Eating Right And Your Tank Has Been Running For At Least 3-4 Months:happy:

 

[euphoria]

The tank's been up since March of this year. I'm kind of afraid of my average nitrate level of 10ppm, but then again I don't know what exactly they mean when they say you need excellent water quality for the butterfly.

 

[cgpuffers]

I Don't Consider Anything Whenever I hear "Perfect Water Quality" Unless Its From One Of The Dealers I Have Chosen AS Excellent Dealers, Or From The Renowned People Here. You'll Probably Be Fine, What Other Fish Are In Your Tank?

 

[ophiura]

Yup, what other fish are in the tank? What is your pH? Alk? How much rock do you have? Will this be a full reef tank (corals, etc)?
IMO, one tang is plenty in that tank, and it is probably still on the small side for the one. Remember to stock according to adult average size of the fish...not when they are little babies. You'll have a tough time with two tangs.
Both the copperband and the clown tang, IMO, are going to be tough to keep. The clown tang should be eliminated from the start, IMO. They are not an easy tang to do well with in any situation, and your tank is on the small end plus there is already a tang in there.
Copperbands can be very tough to get established as well and, IMO, need a more mature system. Remember that they do best in reef tanks for a reason...they like to eat little tube worms and such. Keep that in mind.
The yellow eye tang is a better choice but the tank is really too small for it and the yellow. Both of those tangs get quite large.

 

[jourdy]

i was told that butterflies are hard to feed in captivity.
(maybe that's why i always see more dead butterflies than anything else in the lfs)