reef tank fish list. can you guys rate it?
- Thread starter vince
- Start date
misty
Member
Most of these fish sound good, but I agree about leaving out the damsels. I've also heard that flame angels are hard to keep alive (a lot of posts on this board...do a search). And, are flame angels reef safe??? I haven't really looking into them so I'll leave that question to someone who knows.
I would however cut back on the quantity of fish. That's quite a fish bio-load for a 75 gallon tank. I also have a 75 and am planning on no more than 7 small fish total (figuring 1-2 inches of fish per 10 gallons). Your list is at 13 total right now, and although most of them are small, that's still nearly 3-4 inches per 10 gallons. So if you cut the damsels and the angel (IF not reef safe), you're down to 10 fish. Maybe cut 2 of the firefish and you're down to 8, which is more realistic.
To give you an idea, my "list" right now of what I would like to have is:
2 percs (mated)
2 bangaii cardinals (mated)
1 six-line wrasse
1 sleeper goby
1 mandarin
Total of 7 fish, with the mandarin about a year away!
I would however cut back on the quantity of fish. That's quite a fish bio-load for a 75 gallon tank. I also have a 75 and am planning on no more than 7 small fish total (figuring 1-2 inches of fish per 10 gallons). Your list is at 13 total right now, and although most of them are small, that's still nearly 3-4 inches per 10 gallons. So if you cut the damsels and the angel (IF not reef safe), you're down to 10 fish. Maybe cut 2 of the firefish and you're down to 8, which is more realistic.
To give you an idea, my "list" right now of what I would like to have is:
2 percs (mated)
2 bangaii cardinals (mated)
1 six-line wrasse
1 sleeper goby
1 mandarin
Total of 7 fish, with the mandarin about a year away!
bassmaster
Member
I heard from some dude on a "Starting a Salt Water Aquarium" video say that in order to find out if you have too many fish for the size of your tank, here's what you do:
1. Estimate (in inches) how long each fish is.
2. Add all the fishes lengths together.
3. If the number is greater then or equal to the number of gallons you have in your tank, then you have too many. If fewer, then you're set.
So, do that and find out.
Another suggestion: get rid of the damsels. Unless they're the green chromis kind or royal (blue-finned) damsel, they're not worth the trouble.
1. Estimate (in inches) how long each fish is.
2. Add all the fishes lengths together.
3. If the number is greater then or equal to the number of gallons you have in your tank, then you have too many. If fewer, then you're set.
So, do that and find out.
Another suggestion: get rid of the damsels. Unless they're the green chromis kind or royal (blue-finned) damsel, they're not worth the trouble.
vince
Member
I've had them since the cycling periods for about 8 months already. I would feel terrible to see them go. You never know the outcome though. Maybe if I take out the damsels when I put my new fish in for awhile than put them back later. Flame dwarf angelfish does sound very nice to have though. I would love to have them.
zackt
Member
That sounds like it 'should' work. The only problem I see is that you seem to want more than 1 of each kind of fish in your tank. What I would do, is scrap the 2 scooter blennies and go with 1. Also, the neon gobies, in my opinion are best suited for a smaller tank. In a fairly large reef tank such as yours, I don't think you would enjoy them very much. Go with 2 firefish, you'll be much more pleased. The two clowns are a good idea, namely in a reef, but if you wanted to reduce the bio-load, go with a single maroon clownfish. Your damsels will probably give clownfish trouble, since damsels and clownfish are very closely related. The flame angelfish is a good idea, and are very reef safe, as are most dwarf angelfish. Keep the damsels if you want... they wont harm anything if introduce carefully. The best way to minimize aggression with the damsels is to add your live rock, and extra sand FIRST, then start to add your new livestock, that way your damsels will have a whole new 'home' instead of the one they have been in for 8 months. I would also add the flame angelfish and a clown parallel to each other...*add flame, then clown-clown, then flame* due to minimizing aggression between the damsels.
Also, try a mandarin instead of the scooter blennies, I just think they kick more ass.
Zack
Also, try a mandarin instead of the scooter blennies, I just think they kick more ass.
Zack
vermillion
Member
If you want damsels get green chromis, they do no harm at all and make a nice little school, 4 or 5 small ones would be cool. Plus they are great at eating really small pieces of food that other fish miss or just pass up.
bassmaster
Member
Hey Zackt,
You seem to know a lot about damsels and clowns, so hopefully you can awnser my question.
I have a royal (blue-finned) damsel, and a yellow-tailed damsel.
I want to mix two percula clowns with them.
Now I know your thinking, "A yellow-tailed won't work. Too aggressive," well not this one. For some reason, I think my domino damsel (getting rid of soon) has traumatized him so much that he's not aggressive at all. Not even to the royal. In fact, he's subservient to both of them.
So, basically, will a royal damsel and a (passive) yellow-tailed damsel be compatible with 2 percula's in a 20 gallon tank?
You seem to know a lot about damsels and clowns, so hopefully you can awnser my question.
I have a royal (blue-finned) damsel, and a yellow-tailed damsel.
I want to mix two percula clowns with them.
Now I know your thinking, "A yellow-tailed won't work. Too aggressive," well not this one. For some reason, I think my domino damsel (getting rid of soon) has traumatized him so much that he's not aggressive at all. Not even to the royal. In fact, he's subservient to both of them.
So, basically, will a royal damsel and a (passive) yellow-tailed damsel be compatible with 2 percula's in a 20 gallon tank?
vince
Member
. I would also add the flame angelfish and a clown parallel to each other...*add flame, then clown-clown, then flame* due to minimizing aggression between the damsels.
two questions, I really can't understand what you mean by that.
I thought mandarins are for species only tank? Will they do good in a reef tank?
zackt
Member
Mandarins are ideal for reef tanks. At least all that I've read has told me so. As long as your tank is well established and has an abundant population of copepods, they will normally do well. What I meant is to add the flame angelfish and the two clownfish one after the other... b/c the odds of your two damsels messing with an angelfish 2-3x the size of themselves is highly unlikely.
In regard to bassmaster's question...
The only complication I see with the 2 damsels and 2 clownfish is the size of your tank. Also, just b/c your yellow tail is not being aggressive does NOT mean that it wont be aggressive to other fish that you add. Like Dburr said, your yellow tail is at the BOTTOM of the pecking order, if you add the two clowns, odds are there will be fights to see who is the new 'bottom'. To help this, get 2 larger clownfish, and make sure you have plenty of places to call 'home' so that the damsels and clowns can establish themselves. If you can support an anemone or a host coral, get one so the clowns will have a preference of where to go... Or you could get a maroon clown, they are some tough MF*ing clownfish... and would hold their own well. You say you are getting rid of the domino damsel you have, why not just get rid of all your damsels? You'll have MANY more
opportunities for fish if you do get rid of them.
[ August 04, 2001: Message edited by: zackt ]
In regard to bassmaster's question...
The only complication I see with the 2 damsels and 2 clownfish is the size of your tank. Also, just b/c your yellow tail is not being aggressive does NOT mean that it wont be aggressive to other fish that you add. Like Dburr said, your yellow tail is at the BOTTOM of the pecking order, if you add the two clowns, odds are there will be fights to see who is the new 'bottom'. To help this, get 2 larger clownfish, and make sure you have plenty of places to call 'home' so that the damsels and clowns can establish themselves. If you can support an anemone or a host coral, get one so the clowns will have a preference of where to go... Or you could get a maroon clown, they are some tough MF*ing clownfish... and would hold their own well. You say you are getting rid of the domino damsel you have, why not just get rid of all your damsels? You'll have MANY more
opportunities for fish if you do get rid of them.
[ August 04, 2001: Message edited by: zackt ]
yelllowtang
Member
You should leave the damsels out.
I just took some out of my tank because they were even attacking my way much bigger coral beauty.They are very aggressive and mean.
But for as the rest of your list it looks good.
I hope you enjoy your tank like I do mine.
I just took some out of my tank because they were even attacking my way much bigger coral beauty.They are very aggressive and mean.
But for as the rest of your list it looks good.
I hope you enjoy your tank like I do mine.
yelllowtang
Member
And I also wanted to say that instead of damsels get some green chromis they are really cool fish. I love mine.
But you might be over stocking your tank so you have to watch out.
But you might be over stocking your tank so you have to watch out.
bassmaster
Member
Man.. I've really grown attached to my royal damsel. If only I had a bigger tank...
piscesblue
Member
I'm worried about the 2 Scooter Blennies with the 4 Neon Gobies. I can't believe nobody else picked up on the fact that all six of them will be relying on the same food source. My Neon Gobie will not take any food I place in the aquarium and I feed a variety of frozen. I finally saw him eating copepods after 2 weeks. Scooter Blennies are just as stuborn, many people have them waste away and not know why. They also rely on copepods for their food supply. I'm not sure that a 75 gal can supply enough food for all of them. If you get the Mandarin, scratch any of the above fish. I feel it's better safe than sorry when you are dealing with such a beautiful and sensative fish such as the Mandarin. Go with 2 neons and 1 scooter and you should be fine, but make sure you don't add any small mouthed fish like a yellow wrasse, as they also will compete for the food. I had a yellow wrasse and a scooter blennie starve to death in my first 30gal reef. I wish you luck and recommend that you talk to your LFS guy about fish diets.
zackt
Member
I picked up on it, rblehm. That is why I said he should only have one type of dragonette, and that is also why I said he should scrap the neon gobies. Although I never knew that they fed on copepods. To answer you though, copepods are the little white things you will see scurrying around the glass of your aquarium at night. If your sand is deep enough you can even see them in the daylight... but to be really sure if you have them, remove your filter pad and see if there are some "small shrimp like things" in it. Those are your pods.