[jsgates]

Ok, I'm about to start adding fish to my tank finally in about a week. Just added some Candy Cane coral and a nice plate coral yesterday.......after a 35% water change the remaining algae mess has finally cleaned up some........will be doing 20% weekly water changes now for awhile. I have spent some time researching, and all my inverts are doing well. I know for sure that the first fish I am adding will be a pair of True Percula Clowns, and Royal Gramma. Below is a list of the fish I am wanting to keep, and I will be adding them slowly. All are reef-safe. I have read up on the Tangs and understand that multiple Tangs can be problems, but I plan on buying all of my fish small and gonna see how the tangs get along. My tank is an 80ga bowfront. Isn't the general rule something like 1 fish per 10 ga? Anyway, here is what a plan to keep, please share your experience with these type of fish and any conflicts I may run into:

2 True Percula Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Yellow Tang OR 1 Puple Tang
1 Powder Brown Tang (a MUST HAVE!)
1 Flame Angel
1 Convict Tang
1 Purple Firefish

I am also considering adding a pair of Coral Banded shrimp, but currently have 4 peppermint shrimp. Coral Banded shrimp supposedly may harrass other smaller shrimp. Anybody had problems with this? Thanks for any suggestions or input. Remember, all fish will be purchased as juveniles. Definately want the Power Brown Tang & Yellow Tang........Convict Tang is on a possibility. Thanks for any suggestions.

[jsgates]

Anybody got anything?

[RyanG]

I would advise against the flame angel, they are known to pick at corals, granted some people don't have problems with them.

You listed 3 tangs. All of them I love, esp the purple and powder brown which are my personal favs.

I would stick with 1 tang for now, the powder brown. Since you already have 4 peppermint shrimp I see no need to add a CBS...also the CBS will go after your purple firefish if you don't feed him regularly. (2x/day)

[siredmund]

Dont forget to use a Quarintine tank first. And I am not sure about how many fish you should add at one time without sending the bio-load into another cycle. With 80 gal I know its more than my 55 but I have only added 2 at a time, at the most, so far. But be sure to use a QT especially as you get the first fish established you dont want to wipe out your tank with a sick fish. I don't know what the fish per gallon is but I am sure someone will pipe in. Enjoy but remember take it slooooowly.
-E

[rlcline76]

Originally Posted by RyanG

I would advise against the flame angel, they are known to pick at corals, granted some people don't have problems with them.

You listed 3 tangs. All of them I love, esp the purple and powder brown which are my personal favs.

I would stick with 1 tang for now, the powder brown. Since you already have 4 peppermint shrimp I see no need to add a CBS...also the CBS will go after your purple firefish if you don't feed him regularly. (2x/day)

I do not know about that "will" part.

I do not feed my CBS twice a day. I need him to function as a worm eater...however, these inverts can become opportunistic feeders if hungry enough, and snoozing gobies make a great target. If you get a CBS that eats live fish, might be a good idea to take it out of the tank. Now that I said that, I better go and feed it!

I would stick with what you have now, as far as shrimp go. With inverts like shrimp, I like to stock with only what I need for specific functions.

[jsgates]

Thanks for the replies. Any other suggestions?

[Azreal]

i don't know the "official" rule, but i was told I could do 14 inches of fish in a 72 gallon bowfront tank, with 20 gall sump.

[rlcline76]

The 3 inches per gallon rule. I like to leave extra gallons...safer that way. Plus, personally, I have to consider where they will normally be in the reef tank. i.e., substrate fish, open swimmers, those that tend to stick closer to the rocks. Then there is the level of aggression. It all just depends.

[sarha]

the powder brown (acanthurus japonicus is an awesome fish with loads of personallity a must have for sure! also mine isn't all that agressive toward new arivals to the tank

[robe25m]

dont start with clowns, never get a angel, get a yellow tang!

[siredmund]

Why don't start with clowns?

[robe25m]

Clowns generally are listed as hardy but my reef exp has shown me otherwise.

If a tank is new or something just happens Clowns normally get sick first, Clowns have a much better success rate in established tanks. Clowns also normally dont recover from Ich, thats my exp but its shared with many..

Clowns IMHO need a Anenome to make it a true reef, so i would wait till you can have both

Establish your tank, a tellow tang would be great for this. Purple tangs can be fickle and in some places way to much money, they also can hate other tangs, they also require vitamins contantly.

All fish listed are cool but I would start the tank with 4 chromis and soon after a yellow tang, a six line wrasse is also needed on that list....

[Azreal]

it can't be 3" per gallon!!! That's 216 inches of fish in my 72 gal tank. I think you might mean 3 inches per 10 gallons?

[rlcline76]

Holy crap! Talk about my chi being off balance.

I believe it is more like 3 gallons per inch of fish. Like I said, when I have my coffee, I refer to the rule and then put more emphasis on everything else. Thanks!!!!

[rlcline76]

Originally Posted by robe25m

Clowns generally are listed as hardy but my reef exp has shown me otherwise.

If a tank is new or something just happens Clowns normally get sick first, Clowns have a much better success rate in established tanks. Clowns also normally dont recover from Ich, thats my exp but its shared with many..

Clowns IMHO need a Anenome to make it a true reef, so i would wait till you can have both

Establish your tank, a tellow tang would be great for this. Purple tangs can be fickle and in some places way to much money, they also can hate other tangs, they also require vitamins contantly.

All fish listed are cool but I would start the tank with 4 chromis and soon after a yellow tang, a six line wrasse is also needed on that list....

I have never EVER lost a clownfish to ich...and yes they had it. We push QT here, BIG TIME! Fish get some nasty funky diseases no matter what order they are put into the tank.

Where are you getting this info? Rob, if this is what you do with your tank, that is entirely up to you. This is your risk. In practice, I can see a lot of beginners quitting the hobby after getting a nasty infestation in their tank and nothing but empty pockets.

Most would say not to add clowns first because they are territorial.

Everyone: please take the time to do some serious research before employing any method!

[clown shrimp]

this is what you should do, add the fish by level of aggression, i would add them in this order:
purple fire fish
2 clowns "add at the same time!!!!"
flame angel
leave two months for the bacteria to culture
now add all tangs at the same time!!!! this will greatly reduce aggression!!
now for the most pugnacious of the bunch that beautiful royal gramma!
Be careful with the gramma and the fire fish! they look some what similliar and the gramma will fight it. the gramma also likes shrimps if you know what i mean " Munch Munch Munch"
best of luck with your tank

[robe25m]

rlcline76,

My family has been into salt forever, myself i have setup many tanks, I have run 2 personal reefs for over 2 years and always grew up with saltwater fish.

You will hate me for this but I dont think fish should ever get sick, In my practice we preach to keep your hands out of the damn tank and keep that water quality high..

Lets face it, it all comes down to water quality and daily management....

I will never run a QT, I could set one up in under 1 hour if need be, its simply a matter of hardware..(yes i do have a spare 30g)

You said beginners quit, read what I wrote again and tell me how that isnt advise to prevent just that....I'm gonna call you a ballbuster buddy lol..I would also rank clowns as the least hardy of any fish listed on this page scratch the purple tang...

I'm done with the internet at 2am....

[pete york]

jeese....someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning

[rlcline76]

Well, I guess "ball buster" is better than what I am usually called...

As far as waking up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. That is cool, I wake up on the wrong side of the bed every morning. So maybe I am ahead...

lol

[pete york]

hahah damn straight

[Taras1]

Ditto RyanG on the Tangs. My Powder Brown is outstanding, though gets a bit testy with my One-Spot Foxface. Clowns were the first fish in my tank along with their anemone. I try to buy tank raised clowns as juveniles. Didn't have a problem.

Sorry, RyanG, I've found that my Flame Angel, bought as a 2" juvie, has been quite happy with both SPS and LPS corals. I'm not too sure right now if I want to add a clam though. I've heard that that's their real target.