Wanting to add livestock

[Bpb]

After visiting aquadome this past weekend, and seeing aquarium world in houston, I'm really wanting to add to my tank. I just kind of want some ideas. I've done some reading but everything I want seems to conflict with something. Obviously I'll have a quarantine setup, and need to get a few medications for said quarantine first...but I want some fish ideas.

I've got a clarkii clown, azure damsel, and a pajama cardinal. 55 gallons, with a few soft corals. Pecking order with the fish is as I listed it, but everyone eats fine. The clown is a bit of a bully but not extreme. She is just a little territorial and will chase the other two on occasion. Never more than one lap around the tank, and never any actual contact.

I want to add more coral, not interested in an FOWLR tank. I would get bored with it. I really wanted a dwarf angel, specifically a coral beauty or flame angel, but they're not recommended with soft corals. Firefish are some of my favorites also, but they're probably too timid for my clownfish. I like sixline wrasses but I've heard so many horror stories about them killing tank mates and cuc.

Any ideas on some reef safe, colorful, tough fish I could add. Thinking just one or two. Any more would start looking crowded. I appreciate your ideas!

[JamesL]

I have never had issues with six lines in my tank. In fact, I was going to suggest some type of wrasse. They can be very colorful, and are very active. Most of the fairy wrasses are pretty peaceful. I have a 3 spot yellow wrasse (not sure it's exact name) that it very flashy and active. He does not bother tank mates or corals.

I just added a coral beauty angel, and understand your pain. I had a flame in the past that never touch a coral. This coral beauty seems to pick some on my gorgonians. I am still unsure what to do about him.

[Timfish]

As far as dwarf angels and corals I personally think the dwarf angels get a bad rap. I have dwarf angels in all my tanks with corals and in many have multiple angels. I have only once seen a dwarf angel actually eat a coral. I should say coral polyp because the angel only ate a damaged Frogspawn polyp and left the healthy polyps alone. What surprised me is how agressively it ate the damaged polyp, it spent several minutes ripping off pieces and I do mean ripping off pieces, not just daintily picking at the coral, until it apparently had enough and swam on. This angel and Frogspawn wer together for years before I saw this and it's been a over a year since and no evedence it has attacked any other corals in this tank.

I think what is often interpreted as "eating the coral" is in fact an angel picking at something on the surface of the coral not actually tasting it. I suspect this is probably reinforced when a coral reacts and contracts slightly when it's touched. I would liken this to sombody reacting in surprise when they are unexpectedly bumbed or touched, they were not actually hurt but an observer from a distance could not tell how much force was behind the contact only that there was a strong reaction. However, while this behaviour does not bother me to observe if a person has an instinctive reaction fearing they may have a rogue angel (unfortunately I'm quite sure there is an angel out there someplace who is quite happy to make me out to be a liar and fool ) every time they catch this out of the corner of thier eye maybe they should not add a dwarf angel to thier tank. Most of us keep aquariums for the enjoyment so it does not make sense to do something that will be a source of irritation even if there is no issue as far as the animals health is concerned.

[ClarkiiCircus]

What size is your Clarkii? Could your lights support an anemone? ...anyone else see where Im going with this? hehe.

[jaggedfire]

I see CC, but anem's aren't required. I would pair up the clarkii's none the less as they are great to watch as a pair!

[Bannerfish]

I too have never had a problem with six lines or my Coral beauty that I've had fit a while now. I like the six lines allot, have one in my living room and one in my bedroom tanks. I think the key is to not get a huge one, and to not put it in a small tank because they're very active fish. I've seen my beauty pick food or debris off corals but never irritate it or cause any damage.

Have you thought about one of the larger, bottom dwelling gobies? They're a good size but not to big and don't let themselves get bullied.

[jaggedfire]

Also, there are a few smaller tangs that would work, but you have to be careful. Gobies, dotybacks and blennies are fun and active. Hawkfish and SOME butterflies with caution. Try looking on liveaquaria.com for ideas.

[sifuentes31]

I have a Bi-color Angel that is very docile and never picks on my coral..Very bright yellow and deep blue....

[Bpb]

I LOVE tangs and butterfly fish. I was always under the impression that 4 foot tanks were a no no with those fish. If there are any specific varieties of either, do tell. Regarding the clarkii, "she" is pretty big. Definitely full grown and several years old. She loves to dig huge pits in the sand which is why I guess it's a she. I read something about that possibly being nesting. Maybe just digging up worms though who knows. She's about 5" nose to tail.

The previous owner said she was so rough with every anemone he tried and she had killed the 3 attempts he made at them. Lighting may not be sufficient either. 4 bulb t5 fixture. I love the clarkii and don't want to get rid of her, but more interested in a variety rather than a pair.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Keep em coming if you've got any

[Richard L]

I've got a coral beauty and a bellus angel that don't even know that I've got a ton of coral in my tank.

[Timfish]

. . . I was always under the impression that 4 foot tanks were a no no with those fish. . .

I would encourage you to get Dr. Scott Micheal's book "500+ Essential to know Aquarium Species" It has reccomended aquarium sizes. He also points out in the introduction refering to minimum size tanks for adults "Of course, juviniles and adolescents can be housed in smaller tanks". Some people feel fish should only be put in tanks that are large enough for maximum sized adults. This is understandable considering many new aquarists buy impulsively and get fish that are too large or will be too large very quickly for thier tank with the "intention" of getting a bigger tank "someday". Often the fish never settles in or adjust to a small tank, is jumpy or scittish and endlessly paces eventually wearing itself out. (I've seen this happen with small fish in large tanks [dwarf angel in 150 gal.] so sometimes this is indicative of a problem the fish had before it was acquired and not that it isn't adjusting.) Any rules of thump or generaliztions of so many inches of fish per gallon are TOTALY BOGUS and should not be considered - doubling a fish's length will at least quadruple a it's wieght or biomass if not more.

Behaviour of fish aquariums is a very, very complex subject. I typically don't have a problem putting 3-4 inch tangs or butterflies in a 4' long tank. I usually can catch it or them in a tank that size relatively easily when I need to. I am now hesitant to put a large number of zebrasome tangs in a large tank. At some point they are going to become sexually mature and the dynamics change almost always with a dominate individual or pair killing off others in the tank. In a large tank with mature corals when this happens it is just not feasible to tear the tank apart to catch the offending fish. It can also happen too quickly to have time to do so - one experience I had a Purple Tang paired off with one of three Yellow Tangs in a 350 gallon tank, one day it decided to take out the other two Yellow Tangs and did it in about three hours.

So when considering what fish you get take into consideration how easy it will be to take it out if it outgrows your tank or has pesonality issues with ohter fish.

[JamesL]

I have a Scopas tang (cream/brown color - similar body shape to a sailfin tang) and a Twin-spot bristletooth tang (dark blue) in my 75g tank. They do great cruising around.

[Bpb]

Solid advice. Gonna pass on the tangs and butterfly fish. I want to stick to ideal tank size for adult fish, rather than minimum tank size. Coral beauty angel is looking like a good choice. I would add it first since it seems to be on the peaceful side.

Now what are your thoughts on royal grammas? Would that be pushing it as far as aggression goes?

[mooric]

I had a Royal Gamma in my 28g Nano with a Tomato Clown and and Occelaris Clown and he was the low man on the totem pole.

[Bpb]

Good to hear. I've read similar things about sixlines and royal grammas. Some say they're terrors that kill tank mates and ruin the whole experience. Others say they're docile and are good at pest elimination. Perhaps tank size and keeping them well fed and having defined territories is the way to encourage good behavior.

[Timfish]

I really like Grammas. They are sequential hermaphrodites like clowns but the terminal phase is male instead of female. i would not have a problem putting 3 or 4 together in your tank with the fish you have. Part of the "dance" they do to maintain a hierarchy is to face off with mouths wide open but they very rarely casue any damage. They also will swim with thier bellys close to rocks so they will be seen swimming sideways or upside down. They are in the basslet group so if you try to keep them with others in that group you will definitely have problems. I also would not be surprised if they have issues with some of the wrasses but I've never had problems with them.

[Niko's Reef]

I don't have any issues with my gramma with my gobies or seahorses. He is on the bottom of my totem pole in my tank as well. I actually had to move him to this tank because he was getting picked on in another tank. Was cool to watch him stand his ground, but in the end he lost the battle to my wrasse. Got his tail bit up bad. He survived it though. Cool fish too have IMO.