new tank owner here. please help

E

elan

Guest
hi there.. thanks for reading in advance!
I just started my setup and still debating on whether to turn it into a reef or an aggresive tank. Rigth now, i have alot of rock, a few hermit crabs, and some emirald crabs along with an assortment of snails. I estimate the tank to be a few weeks away from the end of its first cycle, and i am planning on getting some fish.
question is this,
1) are aggresive fish going to eat any of my "cleaning crew" and if so, is there any other cleaning crew available out there
2) if i stick with smaller fish, can i eventually get a dozen or so aggresive fish in there?
3) are there any aggresive fish that do well in schools (4-5 fish)?
4) Is there any coral that will survive an aggresive setup?
thanks again for all who reply.
 
grouperhead

grouperhead

Active Member
Nice aquascaping.
Now, the answers....
1. Depends on what fish you have. Groupers, lions, planktonic triggers, and certain eels will be fine with hermits, serpent stars, and even some shrimp and crabs. Certain other triggers, eels, and large wrasses would be looking at a buffet though.
2. No. Aggressive fish (especially triggers and groupers) have to have an established territory in the tank. They mark off this area, and the other fish know this is not their ground. If you had that many fish, you would have A LOT of fighting. A 135 is still a very nice sized tank, and you could probably get away with 6 fish in there, it really all depends on what species you want.
3. Lionfish don't technically school, but will hang out in groups. You can get a harem (1 male and 2-3 females) of planktonic triggers. Certain wrasses can often be acquired in pairs.
4. Technically, groupers, lions, eels, and other 'gulpers' are reef safe. They will leave coral alone, but their messy feeding habits will often decay the water quality. You could probably do some 'shrooms.
HTH.
Bo
 
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elan

Guest
very interesting. If i end up getting some groupers, and then getting some larger docile fish like clown, with they both be ok?
 
adam13

adam13

Member
I have an aduly blue head wrasse, and aporkfish. They swim side by side all day long. I dont think this is a common occuance, but they almost seem to think they are mated. Is this a possiblility? Are these two specis known to nucleour hunt in the wild?
Adam
 
E

elan

Guest
yeah, thats what i plan on doing, but i wanted to explore some aggresive fish for the reef... Are there any aggressive fish that are "reef safe?"
 
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