OK - What fish do I want next??

[hurrifan]

I currently have a naso, mimic tang, copperbanded b/f and g/s maroon clown in my 180 full reef. They are all doing very well and it is time to add another. I am looking for all suggestions. What is your experience good or bad. Some of the ones I am interested in are:

Orchid dottyback
Jawfish (any)
Long Nose B/F
Coral Beauty
Orange Spotted Goby
Purple Tang
Scott's Fairy Wrasse

I am also very interested if any of you have had success with puffers, triggers (niger or picasso) or angels in a reef tank. I know that these species are not good for reef tanks, but I know I have heard of a few success stories and am curios if they did anything special or different.

 

[naesco]

Go for the wrasse. The niger adds to your setup because of its unusual swimming so I would choose it over the purple tang. Don't consider the picasso.
The rest should be small fish as you are approaching max on your tank.
Add one fish at a time one month apart.

 

[Lynn]

four fish are approaching max???

 

[naesco]

Yes Lynn this is a 180 reef tank. He has 2 very large fish, (naso and trigger), 2 large fish, two small and is planning for four more off the small list. This is enough fish IMO.

 

[Jawbone]

I am very partial to the Coral beauty and I dont think you have too many fish.

If you have a sump and refugium with live rock or sand or both then the bioload should easily be able to handle many more fishes

 

[Jawbone]

Oh and the Picasso Trigger is the most beautiful of pastels that you will see in a trigger.

I had a gorgeous specimen back in the 80's that I had no trouble with at all. Very nice fish IMO

 

[EmilyB]

Oops, nevermind, I read it wrong

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: EmilyB ]</p>

 

[SPC]

Posted by Jawbone:
If you have a sump and refugium with live rock or sand or both then the bioload should easily be able to handle many more fishes

When you say many more, how many in your opinion?
Steve

 

[Marcosreef]

Hurrifan,
I feed my Coral Beauty every day. Although some have had mixed success with Pygme Angelfish in a reef tank, a big tank and lots of live rock will keep most busy and from nipping on your corals.

 

[Jawbone]

Why are you writing a book?

 

[hurrifan]

I do have a 40 gallon sump and a 20 gallon refugium. I do not think I am any where close to my max bioload. Thanks for all of the input guys.

 

[esmithiii]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

Why are you writing a book?

This board is for interaction of ideas. personally, I would like to hear some conversation on this matter.

E

 

[Jawbone]

Thanks for stoking the fire ernie!

My 2¢
It has been my experience the 1" or 2" of fish per 10 gallon rule is highly overated. Now yes I can see as a general rule for someone who wants a tank setup in their house or business with no worries or cares in the world nor the ability or knowledge of how to take care of their respective tank, Yes then we have a good rule. Obviously if you are intelligent enough to ask questions and seek out via the internet some futher informative resources then it is quite possible that the person asking these question may in fact take better care of their aquarium than the average person for wich the 1 to 2 inch guidline was established. Old rules have been around and yet we are constantly improving on either mechanical purification of our aquarium water or chemical control of our aquarium water for the eradication of noxious pollutants. With all these advances dont you think it is entirley possible that the rules have been and will continue to be broken and re-written as our abilities improve. If some people are losing fish due to poor water quality or the inability to maintain their aquarium's needs then those people should obviously be given more stringent guidlines to follow. For the rest of those that pay attention and address the issues as they come forth, then by all means live long and propogate (your reef that is)

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Jawbone:
<strong>Thanks for stoking the fire ernie!</strong><hr></blockquote>

I thought SPC's question was a good one as well.

Ernie - good job at being diplomatic about it. Glad you got here before me.

 

[esmithiii]

FWIW I think that Naesco is being a bit extreeme here, and in my 180 I am planning on the following:

1 Yellow Tang
1 Hippo Tang
1 Sailfin Tang
1 mandarin
2 neon gobies
2 Ocelaris clownfish
6 blue chromis

I have mixed feelings about the chromis, so I may do something else.

I do think that "understocking" a bit is also wise advice.

Jawbone- I was wondering also what you think is the right number of fish for a 180. No stoking intended here.

Ernie

 

[Jawbone]

You know to futher clarify this writing a book thing

It seemed to me that SPC was being a little belligerent about the statement that I made.(Belligerent - Hostile and inclined to be aggresive) I mean come on anyone with 2500+ posts must have seen this same exact conversation on this board at least a couple of times and to ask me "How many" Please How many stars are in the sky and how many sponges are in my tank I have no idea but I am sure we could keep adding fish to a well maintained aquarium above and beyond any books suggested limit.

If I was wrong maybe I need a chill pill but, Rule #1 is I am never wrong and Rule #2 is If I am wrong see rule #1

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: Jawbone ]</p>

 

[Jawbone]

Ernie I am not getting fumed or anything In fact I am laughing about this. I guess I would not have given such a snotty response to SPC's question if the question had been worded differently. But as it is I took it as condescending. I mean no disrespect towards anyone and wish I had not reacted but I did

Anyway if you read my last post you can see that IMO every situation is different and maybe your 180 will hold more or less than Hurrifan's 180 I have no clue but I like more than 18 inches of fish in a tank of that magnitude.

I aggree BTW about the damsels I have some and would probably not do it again... although I would miss them if they were gone.

 

[Kim D]

I, for one, am sick to death of hearing about overstocking and seeing people get flamed about what they have in their tank. I am not trying to fuel the fire here, just add my opinion. I am sure that there are A LOT of "overstocked" tanks out there that are doing just fine--including mine. Why, I wouldn't dare put what I have in my tank on this forum due to the fact that I would be flamed beyond belief. However, the point is that the tank perams are good, the fish and coral are healthy, and I don't have anything ridiculous like a tang in a 10 gallon. I agree to caution the new people about overstocking in the beginning---but I firmly believe that contientious, informed people can have great tanks that may seem overstocked to others.
Sorry to go off, but I get really tired of people getting so nasty on this and the other boards about stocking levels.

 

[SPC]

Posted by Jawbone:
It seemed to me that SPC was being a little belligerent about the statement that I made.

-Yes I could tell by your response you thought that I was "being a little belligerent". Thats the reason I didn't respond to you after that, it seemed to me like you might be just a touch belligerent yourself.

(Belligerent - Hostile and inclined to be aggresive) I mean come on anyone with 2500+ posts must have seen this same exact conversation on this board at least a couple of times and to ask me "How many"

-I asked you "how many" so that I could understand your point fully before I responded further.

Please How many stars are in the sky and how many sponges are in my tank I have no idea but I am sure we could keep adding fish to a well maintained aquarium above and beyond any books suggested limit.

-I don't understand this analogy.? I know you don't know how many stars are in the sky or sponges are in your tank, but I would think you would know how many fish are in your tank.

If I was wrong maybe I need a chill pill but, Rule #1 is I am never wrong and Rule #2 is If I am wrong see rule #1

-And this sums up exactly why I decided not to persue any meaningful conversation with you.
Steve

 

[esmithiii]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

It seemed to me that SPC was being a little belligerent about the statement that I made.(Belligerent - Hostile and inclined to be aggresive) I mean come on anyone with 2500+ posts must have seen this same exact conversation on this board at least a couple of times and to ask me "How many" Please How many stars are in the sky and how many sponges are in my tank I have no idea but I am sure we could keep adding fish to a well maintained aquarium above and beyond any books suggested limit

Steve has always been civil to me even when I have been less than civil in my posts.

good dialog, though.

Ernie