Reality Check----Please!!

[pixiefish]

I need a good strong lecture on how many fish one can keep in a 20H. I'm fearing my passion/obcession has taken a hold and I've lost all sense of reality. So I'm asking my fellow hobbiest for a dose of reality, a swift kick in the pants or simply the facts of how many fish I can safely keep in a 20H so I don't make the same mistake over and over again.
Currently, I have a four inch tang, two 2 inch clowns, three 2 inch chromis and one 2 inch firefish. Is this to many? I've moved several fish to another saltwater tank but fear this is still to many. I also got numerous CUC including 5 red/blue legged crabs, two snails, two brittle starsfish(one I got for free because it jumped out of the live rock I bought yesterday), four shrimps(1 cleaner, two coral banded and one strawberry)plus two featherdusters and elevan corals.
Have I over done it? Have I lost my mind? Do I need to be commited? Would appreciate any imput to keep me from overcrowding my tank or at least to know if I need to move someone to another tank.
Maybe the tang. He seems stressed and although eating is getting thin. Thank you

 

[teresaq]

ok, here goes, The tang need to go. They are very active, and get really big.
I think the three chromis need to go, also active swimmers and get about 3 inch each.
I would keep the two clowns, and the firefish, then you could add something small lilke a pair of neon gobie that stay perched on the rocks or a pair of clown gobies.
T

 

[pixiefish]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3029670
ok, here goes, The tang need to go. They are very active, and get really big.
I think the three chromis need to go, also active swimmers and get about 3 inch each.
I would keep the two clowns, and the firefish, then you could add something small lilke a pair of neon gobie that stay perched on the rocks or a pair of clown gobies.
T
Thank you for your imput. I appreciate it.

I'd already kind of decided on the Tang going but don't clowns get as big as chromises? Is it the activeness that's a concern? Will it bother the other less active fish and cause them stress?

 

[pixiefish]

Okay, removed tang. Now the firefish goby is out from hiding.

I haven't seen much of it since I put the tang in. Nice to see it's face again. Ruby is a pretty firefish.

 

[teresaq]

Yes, but you would have 5 3 to 4 inch fish, by takeing out the active chromis, you now only have 2 3 to 4 inch fish, and clowns tend to stick to what ever they are hosting (be it coral, anemone, or like mine, a patch of algea) and arent as stressed by a smaller tank.

 

[pixiefish]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3029685
Yes, but you would have 5 3 to 4 inch fish, by takeing out the active chromis, you now only have 2 3 to 4 inch fish, and clowns tend to stick to what ever they are hosting (be it coral, anemone, or like mine, a patch of algea) and arent as stressed by a smaller tank.
Ah Uh!! I understand now your reasoning now. That's good to know. Thanks. So maybe gobies you said instead? I like the citris clown goby or a green goby. I like gobies. I like my Ruby, who is a firefish goby alot. Isn't there a blue gobie. Real thin and narrow? Lurks at the bottom? Some of my corals are active and give me plenty of motion. That would make up for losing the chromis. I guess I like the chromis mostly because A)they're more peaceful then other damsels and B) they're blue. I wanted blue color in there. Is there a peaceful blue fish or blue coral I could get?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Pixiefish
http:///forum/post/3029663
I need a good strong lecture on how many fish one can keep in a 20H. I'm fearing my passion/obcession has taken a hold and I've lost all sense of reality. So I'm asking my fellow hobbiest for a dose of reality, a swift kick in the pants or simply the facts of how many fish I can safely keep in a 20H so I don't make the same mistake over and over again.
Currently, I have a four inch tang, two 2 inch clowns, three 2 inch chromis and one 2 inch firefish. Is this to many? I've moved several fish to another saltwater tank but fear this is still to many. I also got numerous CUC including 5 red/blue legged crabs, two snails, two brittle starsfish(one I got for free because it jumped out of the live rock I bought yesterday), four shrimps(1 cleaner, two coral banded and one strawberry)plus two featherdusters and elevan corals.
Have I over done it? Have I lost my mind? Do I need to be commited? Would appreciate any imput to keep me from overcrowding my tank or at least to know if I need to move someone to another tank.
Maybe the tang. He seems stressed and although eating is getting thin. Thank you
LOL obviously what you need is a bigger fish tank. You have been bitten by the saltwater bug, this is only a temporary cure, long term does not exist...we are always wanting more.
Until you can get the bigger tank, I have to agree that the tang needs to go for sure.

 

[reefer tom]

I recall you saying you took several fish out and put them in a different tank. What size is that and what type of fish, because you might run into the same problem as in the 20H.

 

[pixiefish]

Originally Posted by Reefer Tom
http:///forum/post/3029710
I recall you saying you took several fish out and put them in a different tank. What size is that and what type of fish, because you might run into the same problem as in the 20H.
29 gallon and pretty much the same type of fish except just one chromis and one clown. The chromis was smaller then the other three and got bullied alot and one clown because these are juvenile and I wanted two to become a pair. So with the exception of that tang and the others, I got of a royal gramma in the 29 instead of the firefish. I suppose you're going to tell me that the 29 is to small for the tang? To active for the clown? I starting to get this vibe here.

Edit: I did want to put some other types of fish in there later too. Maybe a firefish goby, a wrasse, a Hannesen black and white butterfly fish. What you think?

 

[flower]

So you have a 20g and a 29g???...You need a 55 or larger to satisfy your need to have more fishys.

 

[spanko]

Please do some reading on the Tangs and Butterfly fish. Short term, maybe just months, in a 29 if they are very small but they will quickly become stressed in the environment and this will adversely affect their health. Please get a good research type book on marine fish and their keeping to help you to understand their needs.

 

[oceansidefish]

Actually I think you really need to consider getting yourself a 120 if you want to keep all your fish...Unfortunately the tang is to much for even a 55g....Although I don't know what kind it is.

 

[meowzer]

I'm just not sure about this thread....I do not understand how you could have purchased SO MANY large fish with 2 small tanks and NO ONE ever mentioned they need bigger tanks....

Keep your small tanks for qt's and go out and either get a 125g...or get rid of most of your fish...

 

[pixiefish]

I asked for a reality check and I got it. Admittedly, I am guilty of not doing enough research or considering the needs of my fish. This was not done with evil intent although it may have had the same effect on the fish. I'm also guilty of putting the horse before the cart or in this case the fish before the tank. I had always intended to someday get a larger tank for ALL MY FISH but my obcession/passion to obtain them NOW got the better of me.
Therefore, before further hard is done to the fish and my reputation as a fishkeeper is sullied I will return the tang immediately to ***** where I bougth it. I will monitor the chromises for any stress they appear to be having on the clowns and at such time they get to big or bossy I'll return them also to *****.
If I gave anyone the impression I'm a bad fishkeeper. I'm sorry. I try to do the right thing and I do love my fish but I'm also human and I made a mistake. I'll be more mindful of what types of fish I purchase for what size tank in the future.

 

[meowzer]

Let me give you one more little bit of advice...fish from ***** ....QT QT QT

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3030056
Let me give you one more little bit of advice...fish from ***** ....QT QT QT
Good advice! But I'd probably say "Let me give you one more little bit of advice...fish from ***** ....NO NO NO !"

 

[fishyfun2]

Originally Posted by Pixiefish
http:///forum/post/3030044
I asked for a reality check and I got it. Admittedly, I am guilty of not doing enough research or considering the needs of my fish. This was not done with evil intent although it may have had the same effect on the fish. I'm also guilty of putting the horse before the cart or in this case the fish before the tank. I had always intended to someday get a larger tank for ALL MY FISH but my obcession/passion to obtain them NOW got the better of me.
Therefore, before further hard is done to the fish and my reputation as a fishkeeper is sullied I will return the tang immediately to ***** where I bougth it. I will monitor the chromises for any stress they appear to be having on the clowns and at such time they get to big or bossy I'll return them also to *****.
If I gave anyone the impression I'm a bad fishkeeper. I'm sorry. I try to do the right thing and I do love my fish but I'm also human and I made a mistake. I'll be more mindful of what types of fish I purchase for what size tank in the future.
Don't be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. Just in the last 2 months, I made an impulsive buy without doing research and bought a fish that ended up starving in my tank.

Lesson learned, just be glad your fish didn't die! It's hard to be strong and just put a few in. Especially when your LFS is telling you that you can do one inch of fish per gallon (mine likes to say that!)

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/3030150
Good advice! But I'd probably say "Let me give you one more little bit of advice...fish from ***** ....NO NO NO !"
Well I agree to a point...If you get them on shipment days, and QT them...even the ***** fishy's need homes

 

[flower]

I was kinda hoping you would go for the bigger tank. I don't think your a bad fish keeper. I think you just really like the fish...a 90g like mine isn't that much bigger than a 55 and you could have so much fun setting it up a little at a time. It wouldn't cost so much all at once and satisfy your shopping urges to the fish store.

 

[pixiefish]

Thanks everyone for not bashing me. I appreciate it. But here's the deal. It doesn't matter what size tank I'd get I'd always want more fish then what can be kept in it. I have a hard time saying "no" to myself. It's a little disorder called "fish-itish" or the more serious clinical term I believe is "obcessive/compulsive disorder". I suffer from that in real life. I love fish and this is true but add to this a disorder and we have over-stocking and poor choices problems. Until I can get my disorder under control I think I best stick with the size tanks I have and be grateful for the fish in them. Sometimes, less can be more.
Someday, I'll have that huge tank but not today. Got to have something to look forward to in the future.