# of fish??? Help!

[Ryan7]

If you are looking for SUGGESTIONS on how many fish you can keep in your 50G tank, and you already have a yellow tang and clown, then the answer is NO MORE. If you want to do the right thing and remove the tang, then you will have room for 3-5 small fish tops, with proper skimming and water changes.

 

[dgin]

Trying to suggest how many more fish is difficult because many factors can affect this number. Some things to consider:
- How large will the fish get?
- How territorial is the fish?
- How compatible is the fish with the other inhabitants?
- How much swimming room does the fish require?
- Does your tank have the right environment to support the particluar fish (i.e. mandarin)
- Is the fish a heavy meat eater?
- Are you planning on upgrading to a larger tank in the future?

My suggestion would be to make a fish stocking plan for your tank taking some of these things I noted into consideration. The plan should include the order as well. Since you have a tang and clown already, you may be able to get away with some small, not too territorial fish such a goby or blennie, royal gramma, chromis, etc. Generally though, you want to add fish from least aggressive/territorial first.

Not sure how big your tang is now but it will outgrow that size tank - they get up to 8", I believe.

 

[ereefic1]

We have, in our 55 gal...............

1 yellow tang
3 green chromis
1 clarks clown
1 tomato clown
1 scooter blenny
1 watchman goby
1 coral beauty
1 black and white damsel

Everyone gets along fine, no sick fish. Everyone would say this is to much, but it works.

 

[naesco]

sslarrison.
As you don't like to hear the advice given to you by knowledgeable tang reefers on this board, perhaps you will take the advice of the well known reefer and author Scott Michael.
Scott Michaesl recommends a minimum tank size for the zebrasoma species like the yellow tang and a 6 foot tank (135 gallons) minimum for the other tang species.
Notice he said minimum not optimal size. He also notes that this is provided the tank is not filled with corals and that there is a throughfare from end to end for the tang to swim.
Most reefers today strive towards providing an optimum environment for there critters. If you agree please work towards providing a larger tank for you tang. In the meantime I would suggest you not add any further fish.
This is not a flame but in the future please hold back any urge you have to flame reefers who provide you with advice even if you do not like the advice given to you

 

[Anonymous]

Gobies or a small wrasse make great additions to a reef. Maybe get a few neon gobies (they double as good fish cleaners too - I have 3 TR and they are very proactive cleaners) and a blenny ( I have a midas blenny - cutest fish imaginable and great personality).

 

[AllenF]

And those are just some of the reasons most people refrain fromt trying to specify a finite number of fish or inches etc for a given tank.

Capacity of the tank not only has to do with water volume (dilution of waste build up) but also with surface area of water to air (gas exchange). A sump and refugium not only add water volume but also surface areas....

Add to that the difference in size of fish (1 inch of neon goby is definatly not as waste producing as 1 Inch of a Moral Eel) and the various metabolisms of the fish....and you begin to see the difficulties involved.

In general though, its a good idea to stick to the water volume in the tank and the surface area of just the tank.....wouldnt want to see what happens to those overstocked fish in the event of an extended power outtage which abruptly removes both the sump and the refugium from the equation...

 

[brewerbob]

Good point, Allen.

Now without trying to jack this guy's thread, what is so special about tangs? Why do they need so much "leg" room? Is this a "big" fish kind of thing? That is, do triggers, butterflies, and groupers need a lot of swimming room even if teh gas exchange rates and all are correct?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

With current techonlogy and the way we set up reef tank today, how many fish in a tank have very little do with how much waste can be process by the set up. Rather, what and how many fish depends entirely on how they interact with each other. For example, you won’t be able to keep two female maroon clowns in the tank but able to keep a pair plus other fishes.
A Dotty back in you tank is fine. Most of them tends to be very aggressive and will harass smaller fish and invertebrates. Orchid Dottyback is great. You can keep a pair in your tank.
About the Yellow tang, I is also my opinion that your tank will be too small for him soon if not already.
Minh Nguyen

 

[AllenF]

Minh,

I plan on getting Maroon clowns, Is there a way that I can tell if Im getting a female and a male, should I just stick with one to be safe, or do I look for a pair that seems matched at the lfs??

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Minh,

I plan on getting Maroon clowns, Is there a way that I can tell if Im getting a female and a male, should I just stick with one to be safe, or do I look for a pair that seems matched at the lfs??

Allen,
Just to let you know, female Maroon clown can get to about 6 inches and can be a very mean fish. People have reported that they drags fish that they don't like and stuff them into the anemone. However, I think they are the nicest looking clown fish. They also only accept BTA as host in nature.
If you want a pair, just pick two that is different in size. I would pick the largest and smallest in the LFS. These two will grow up and the dominant one will becomes a female and the other becomes a male. If you put two maroon clown together, the fight for dominate can be bloody. If they are evenly match, one can kill the other.
Good luck
Minh Nguyen

 

[AllenF]

Perhaps maroon isnt so good after all, it will have some timid tank mates such as firefish.

Do you think Id be better off with a diff type of clown or perhaps just trying a single and forgetting the pair?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Three clownfishes that I like because they stay small, not aggresive and beautiful are: Percula, Ocellaris and Pink Skunk clowns. In keeping clowns, I think it is best to keep pairs. There is no problem with keeping single clown fish but they are so much more interesting in pair. With these three clown fish, you can keep more than two if you have the room and if they have an anemone. I have three Ocellaris in my tank. I will try to obtain a black Percula pair in the future (not in the same tank)
Ocellaris clowns are the most popular clown fish. They are beautiful. They were what attracted me to Marine aquarium many years ago.
Minh Nguyen

 

[beerbaron]

Brewerbob and Beerbaron,
I thought it was obvious that i was asking for suggestions but I guess I was wrong.

ok well

When they buy my fish they can tell me what to put in my tank.

im not giving any suggestions to someone who wont listen to them anyways.
Ohh and where did you come up with

Also, I would be willing to bet that niether one of you have put to use all of the advice you've recieved on this site.

I guess from now on when you two genius's are logged in here Ill be more detailed.

what exactly makes you say this? i believe i gave someone else information that i thought was valuable, along with examples, showing that there is no set ratio of fish per gallon. now if your gonna get all pissy over this, then i will remember to lie to you and tell you what you want to hear. your tang will be fine and im sure he will appreciate many more fish.

 

[beerbaron]

Now without trying to jack this guy's thread, what is so special about tangs? Why do they need so much "leg" room? Is this a "big" fish kind of thing? That is, do triggers, butterflies, and groupers need a lot of swimming room even if teh gas exchange rates and all are correct?

Well tangs are more open water swimming type of fish. so do a few other types of fish, im not sure exactly which because ive never had experience with them, but i believe some anges and butterflies are also in this category. not so much of a big fish thing more of a hyperactive fish type thing . exchange rates help, but the most important thing IMO is an open rock structure.
HTH
BB

 

[sslarison]

Beerbaron, If what you gave was advice then you should ignore all of my further posts. Also my assumption that most reefers keep species in tanks that are not "optimal" for the speciman is based on reality. Just face it. Naesco When advice is offered Ido appreciate it. Unfortunately that was sarcasim.

 

[sslarison]

Brewerbob I apoligize for including you in my first reply. Thank you for your help. You made a good point. I want to talk about this a little bit. I just returned from Hawaii. While there I snorkeld everyday. I saw many tangs (yellow,Naso) and I also saw may Triggers(Bursa,Black). My experience showed that the triggers were very active. They are active swimmers covering hundreds of yards in minutes. So I cant understand why tangs need so much more room in a tank than a fish that in my opinion are just as if not more active.Naesco can you offer any info?

 

[brewerbob]

.... I just returned from Hawaii. While there I snorkeld everyday

You suck!! :wink:

Ok, here's a stupid question. Regardless of tank size (within reason) what is the difference between 1 lap around a 300 gallon tank and 5 laps around a 60 gallon tank (assuming the dimensions are in direct ratio too)?

A tang or any other fish can swim a 100 miles a day in my tank just as easy as the wild ones can on the Great Barrier reef. His scenery is going to be the same each lap in mine but as long as I keep all the rocks in the center...? If he gets dizzy from "running" in circles, he can turn around and go the other direction.

Now before the tang police show up, I'm not planing on keeping any in my 65gallon but I'd still like to understand the reasoning.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, here's a stupid question. Regardless of tank size (within reason) what is the difference between 1 lap around a 300 gallon tank and 5 laps around a 60 gallon tank (assuming the dimensions are in direct ratio too)?

A tang or any other fish can swim a 100 miles a day in my tank just as easy as the wild ones can on the Great Barrier reef. His scenery is going to be the same each lap in mine but as long as I keep all the rocks in the center...? If he gets dizzy from "running" in circles, he can turn around and go the other direction.

Now before the tang police show up, I'm not planing on keeping any in my 65gallon but I'd still like to understand the reasoning.

Not to be mean, just trying to make the point.

What is the difference in driving a race car around a 1/4 mile track and a mile track. You won't be able to gain the speed in the straightaways. You'll bump into the walls more often.

The longer tanks allow for longer bursts of speed. They allow for a longer "glide" time.

 

[beerbaron]

brewerbob; i agree, a tang can swim the same amount for the most part, but as you said the scenery will be the same, and more importantly, short bursts of swimming is different from longer bursts if you follow what im saying. there is only so much speed the fish can sustain in 4, 5 or even 6 feet of straightaway. people have suggested arranging the rockwork as you mentioned, which does help IMO. im no "expert" on the tang topic, but i know many who are say the same.
IMHO
BB

 

[beerbaron]

sslarison, i dont think you understand what i am saying. i gave you no advice. i am trying to make that clear. once you said the whole deal about buying your fish/ telling what you put in your tank, i chose not to. i think thats fair. i did however give my thoughts towards other peoples questions who i felt would actually listen to my advice/view. if you dont like that view than just dont listen to it, rathe than saying

Also, I would be willing to bet that niether one of you have put to use all of the advice you've recieved on this site. I guess from now on when you two genius's are logged in here Ill be more detailed.