Old Newbie

yardboy · 12-05-2005, 01:44 PM

Okay, okay. I know, I've asked a few questions here before, but I'm stumped on this one.
I've rearranged my tank, stuff was just overgrowing and shading and ended up not looking like I'd like it. My female tomato clown had gotten so huge that she was bigger than the yellow tangs. Her and the male weren't getting along so well, or maybe it was hormones, because they both attacked my hands every time I put them in the tank (maybe there's a lesson there) and she could have been on WWF as big of a rock or piece of coral she could throw, so I sold the pair (spawning, go more for them that way!) and now I'm after the two tangs. (they hassle my open brains to the point of me taking the brains out, but only temporarily). That will leave me with only two blue-green chromis, a coral beauty, a yellow-tail damsel (actually one of the nicest fish in the tank) and a LMB big enough to fry for supper.
I'm looking for more fish, but I've decided to go with relatively small guys, though this is a 150. So what should I get, knowing what I have. The damsel and coral beauty act like what I'd call "natural" in the tank, never cruising the glass but darting in and out of the rock, establishing their spots and hanging out. Remember I've got sps and lps corals, with a few ricordia, xenia, and zoanthids. I thoguht of more chrmis, but I started with five and now a year later have only two which do not school, though I've noticed that they are out more now that the clowns are gone.
Thanks for all the help.

tdwyatt · 12-05-2005, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yardboy

...I'm looking for more fish, but I've decided to go with relatively small guys, though this is a 150. So what should I get, knowing what I have. ...Remember I've got sps and lps corals, with a few ricordia, xenia, and zoanthids.

Personally, I'd think you need to decide on what is more important, keeping the corals or keeping the fish. If the corals win, then remove the Trachys, replace the tangs, and call it a day, this will keep your nutrient loads down and prevent some of the inevitable browning you'll otherwise see in a closed system that corals share with large fish pops. If the fish win, then get a whole school of cromis fishes, they are SOOOO kewl as a group, but in the estabishment of a pecking order, you will lose at least the smallest one to the schooling behavior. The size of the tank may help, but you might as well plan on losing at least one...

You will find that the tangs will not bother the chromis fish, but the clowns definitely would have, so these peaceful fish will now be able to display their schooling behavior. Might even consider getting a trio of Heniochus depheutes for the tank, but they will require frequent small feedings of mysiids or similar nutritious foods, as these are very active fish, and have little reserve in terms of stored CHO or fat/oils. If you don't replace the tangs in the system, think of a Siganus of some sort or some herbivorous Goby specie, I in particular like the multicolored species of the Foxfaces, but they and the Heniochus are both large specimen fishes. The problems with introducing the smaller fishes is that they qre either VERY shy, or very aggressive, only a few in the middle, and that makes the chromis school a problem for display.

Most of it will depend on what you like the most, throw out some thoughts on what you would like to have...

Geoff · 12-05-2005, 02:50 PM

how about a tilefish? a little long, but not "big". this does not fit into the usefull fishes that Tom likes, but they are pretty.

a school of longspine cardinals would be pretty nice also. yet another non usefull fish.

G~

yardboy · 12-05-2005, 03:34 PM

I know what you mean Tom. The Chromis might be the right way to go. One thing is that I'm a little (very little) concerned that once the tangs are gone, the algae might arrive. I've never had any sort of hair in the tank, but the cls overflow does occasionally get some, after several months, so my water change routine includes removing that, but then with two big tangs and clowns, they might have been contributing to the problem anyway. Herbivourous gobies? Which ones?
"...this will keep your nutrient loads down and prevent some of the inevitable browning you'll otherwise see in a closed system that corals share with large fish pops" You've just been waiting to give me that jibe since I complained about corals browning, I know! Well, you're right, anyway. (That pink Seriotopora is soo pretty in the nano with only one tiny blenny.)