Fish AND Reef tank??

[woogie]

I've noticed that people either have fish, or reef tanks.

My tank is mostly fish and other inverts, w/ live rock. And I love the shrimps, and start fish, clams..ect, but I've started to add some hardy corals.

Is this breaking the rules? The general rule, i think, is about 1 inch of full grown fish per gal of tank for fish only tanks. Is there a rule for reef tanks, on how many fish I can have?

Also, My shrimp make it hard to feed the corals sometimes. They get right in there and take the food. Any suggestions on that problem?

Thanks for your help

[motorslave]

Its not neccisarily the amount of fish as it is the type of fish. Some dont make too much of a mess, others do. Its a balancing act between agressiveness, eating habits, animal requirements, and normal expectations of "civil behavior". Lots reading and research to be succesful. Onr thing to be careful of is not to put too heavy a bio-load on the system unless you have a mongo strength skimmer or someother means of of super duper filtration. Coral are more sensitive to the water parameters.

Robert

[Doug1]

True dat, I think alot of people underestimate the effects of fish presence and waste management issues in salt water, esp in smaller systems, it's the "old, one more can't hurt" syndrome. Larger tanks(like 120g and up) are still susceptable to over stocking but I think as a rule larger tanks have life support systems that are upsized to serious levels, as oppsed to small tanks that use inexpensive and somewhat marginal support systems.

[reefjerky]

I say just go for it! I plan to add at least 5 to 7 fish to my 40 gallon. I am just going to be careful and make sure they are small ones.

2 clowns
1 yellow tang
1 goby
1 blenny
and much much more!! If it crashes, then it crashes, well at least I had an interesting tank!!

[Phishnoob]

I think the perfect solution is to be like some of the weird people on this board and just get four tanks.

[reefBoyDc]

This is my second time around with my 39 gallon tank. The first time, I was putting too many fish in there, and not being careful about what type of fish, and the system as a whole suffered as a result. This time around, i only have 3 small fish and everything is doing much better, including the fish.

I know fish add movement to the tank that sesile inverts do not, but you have to be careful. IMO, understocking is much better than stocking the recommended "inches of fish per gallon", especially if your equipment is not top notch (specifically the skimmer).

I agree with all the posts above, except the squid named reefjerky. If you want a system that thrives, you have to be careful about what you put in there. I think that "if it crashes it crashes, at least i had an interesting tank" is not the right way to see things. Killing marine animals is not something to take lightly and a tank that crashes, IMO, is not interesting, but rather stressful and wasteful.

This said, there is nothing wrong with putting a few fish in a reef tank with corals. The balance is what is important.

[tims]

Yup
It all Depends on the fish and what you have in the tank and for the tank..
i do keep a "mixed tank" myself

Oh a 40 gallon is WAY too small for a Yellow tang Reefjerky! i would not put it in anything smaller then a 120g they need a lot of running to swim..

[Doug1]

Originally Posted by reefjerky

I say just go for it! I plan to add at least 5 to 7 fish to my 40 gallon. I am just going to be careful and make sure they are small ones.

2 clowns
1 yellow tang
1 goby
1 blenny
and much much more!! If it crashes, then it crashes, well at least I had an interesting tank!!

Please tell me you are kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A 40g tank is TOO SMALL for a yellow tang, even if its small, they grow and tangs are easily stressed, and as a result they are more susceptable to ich and other diseases.
The other fish on the list are probably OK if you get small clowns like percula or occelarus, but I would not add anymore than that.

I can't believe you are serious about the "Oh Well " attitude regarding tank crashes . While it's true this is a friendly and flame free board, expressing an attitude like that regarding living creatures that were plucked from their homes with no regard for them and then treated so cavalier, is at the least going to rate a lecture on responsible and ethical aquarium practices.
These are living creatures, not just "wet furniture" such a statement shows a lack of understanding about the responsibility involved in keeping an aquarium, esp a marine or reef tank. Unlike FW tanks where a lot of the livestock is farmed, the vast majority of marine creatures are wild caught so our participation in the reefkeeping hobby impacts a fragile ecosystem that takes years and years and years to mature. The worlds reefs are in jeapordy due to a variety of reasons, weather changes,climatic shifts, atmospheric changes, increased runoff into the sea(silt and chemical poisoning) as well as less than perfect harvest methods fore both the food and ornamental industries.
The reef and marine hobby always seems to be the easiest target for blame when things go wrong and the 2 goals of this board have always been to help beginners in the hobby be as successful with as little trial and error as possible and to Foster a better understanding of the ramifications of choosing to keep reef or marine aquariums.
Please rethink your viewpoint, "oh Well" is an attitude that hurts everyone

[SPC]

Well said Doug!

Steve

[Melissa]

Originally Posted by reefjerky

I say just go for it! I plan to add at least 5 to 7 fish to my 40 gallon. I am just going to be careful and make sure they are small ones.

2 clowns
1 yellow tang
1 goby
1 blenny
and much much more!! If it crashes, then it crashes, well at least I had an interesting tank!!

I think Doug said it better than I could have. This kind of post is really disheartening. You should probably get some plastic fish, reefjerky.

Melissa

[rottface4]

In this case I think 'reefjerk'y is really fitting his name. Jerk to the reef is what he must be if is he is planning to put those fish in there. I just hope he does his research before chosing his blenny and goby. I think it is possible to do that selection if he researches the fish, well with exception to the yellow tang. Putting a yellow tang in that small of a tank is like trying to raise a child in his bedroom, is just not going to happen. He needs room like everyone else said.


Just please be sure to research and plan out what fish you a thinking about having in your reef. It could mean the difference in the life and death in everything in the whole little ecosystem you are creating. Not to mention the life or death of the money in you wallet.

[125G's]

Well said Doug.

[Phishnoob]

It is hard to limit yourself to small enough fish for your tank. For a little tank a tang is way too much.

A pair of clowns and a goby and a cardinal still are just wonderful in our 55 to watch and they do fine. There is plenty of swimming space but having a tank crash would be a massive failure in our husbandry and the guilt here would be tremendous. The earlier post about a whatever attitude really struck a nerve here at Noob Manor.

I am now having a dilemma as I think my bird wrasse is outgrowing the 90g due to his activity level. It is tough to get the right fish, and even tougher to give away a fish. It has to be almost a total TRT consensus though that one unhappy or worse off dead fish is a team failure here.

[Melissa]

Originally Posted by woogie

I've noticed that people either have fish, or reef tanks.

My tank is mostly fish and other inverts, w/ live rock. And I love the shrimps, and start fish, clams..ect, but I've started to add some hardy corals.

Is this breaking the rules? The general rule, i think, is about 1 inch of full grown fish per gal of tank for fish only tanks. Is there a rule for reef tanks, on how many fish I can have?

Also, My shrimp make it hard to feed the corals sometimes. They get right in there and take the food. Any suggestions on that problem?

Thanks for your help

Woggie,
If you list your fish and inverts here, most people will be able to help with advice on adding corals. Also, the size of your tank, amount of live rock, and filtration methods would be helpful. What kinds of corals are you adding?

I know a lot of people target feed their corals. There are just as many who don't feed their corals at all. Depending on the corals that you have, it may not be necessary to target feed them at all.

Melissa