Maxed out on Fish in a 4' 85 Gallon?

[mrhongkongwong]

Hey Guys,

I have a 4' 85 gallon tank and it is a mixed reef but primarily LPS and Softies with 2 SPS.

Was wondering if my tank is maxed out on how many fish I should get for long term reasons. I was thinking about adding 1 or 2 more fish

Current stock list
7x small green chromis
4x lyretail female anthias (2 small and 2 sort of medium)
1x Powder Brown Tang
1x Midas Blenny
1x Coral Beauty
1x Pink Spotted Goby
edit: forgot 2x small percula clowns.

Nitrate and Phosphates are hard to get not bottom out.
Feed 3x flake food a day
RedSea Ab+ daily Max amount recommended

This was what I was thinking

Least aggressive approach
2x Lyretail Anthias
1x Chromis (possibly)

Most Aggressive Approach and would be probably only 1 or 2 fish from the below depending on what I get.

1x Tang (smaller side)
1x dwarf angel (really like a lemon peel or flame angel).
1x bi-color blenny
1 x goby (was thinking of a yellow watchman)


The coral beauty is pretty large, had it for a couple of years now, close to 3", maybe a little more. Midas Blenny and the Pink spotted are larger as well, probably 3" or so.

Any suggestions to different kinds of fish would be welcomed as well, I don't have a top and prefer not to have a top so I tend to stay away from fish that have a tendency to jump out (I know I took a risk with the midas blenny).

Thanks guys!

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Fish behavior, personal taste, and nutrient levels define what's overstocked. If your nutrients are low, the fish aren't overcrowded, and you want to add a few more, go for it.

 

[littlefoxx]

Hey Guys,

I have a 4' 85 gallon tank and it is a mixed reef but primarily LPS and Softies with 2 SPS.

Was wondering if my tank is maxed out on how many fish I should get for long term reasons. I was thinking about adding 1 or 2 more fish

Current stock list
7x small green chromis
4x lyretail female anthias (2 small and 2 sort of medium)
1x Powder Brown Tang
1x Midas Blenny
1x Coral Beauty
1x Pink Spotted Goby

Nitrate and Phosphates are hard to get not bottom out.
Feed 3x flake food a day
RedSea Ab+ daily Max amount recommended

This was what I was thinking

Least aggressive approach
2x Lyretail Anthias
1x Chromis (possibly)

Most Aggressive Approach and would be probably only 1 or 2 fish from the below depending on what I get.

1x Tang (smaller side)
1x dwarf angel (really like a lemon peel or flame angel).
1x bi-color blenny
1 x goby (was thinking of a yellow watchman)


The coral beauty is pretty large, had it for a couple of years now, close to 3", maybe a little more. Midas Blenny and the Pink spotted are larger as well, probably 3" or so.

Any suggestions to different kinds of fish would be welcomed as well, I don't have a top and prefer not to have a top so I tend to stay away from fish that have a tendency to jump out (I know I took a risk with the midas blenny).

Thanks guys!

A bristletooth tang would probably be okay! I would not do another dwarf angel with how established your coral beauty is! I wouldnt do another blenny with the midas since the midas is established already and bi colors are super small.

 

[i cant think]

Hey Guys,

I have a 4' 85 gallon tank and it is a mixed reef but primarily LPS and Softies with 2 SPS.

Was wondering if my tank is maxed out on how many fish I should get for long term reasons. I was thinking about adding 1 or 2 more fish

Current stock list
7x small green chromis
4x lyretail female anthias (2 small and 2 sort of medium)
1x Powder Brown Tang
1x Midas Blenny
1x Coral Beauty
1x Pink Spotted Goby

Nitrate and Phosphates are hard to get not bottom out.
Feed 3x flake food a day
RedSea Ab+ daily Max amount recommended

This was what I was thinking

Least aggressive approach
2x Lyretail Anthias
1x Chromis (possibly)

Most Aggressive Approach and would be probably only 1 or 2 fish from the below depending on what I get.

1x Tang (smaller side)
1x dwarf angel (really like a lemon peel or flame angel).
1x bi-color blenny
1 x goby (was thinking of a yellow watchman)


The coral beauty is pretty large, had it for a couple of years now, close to 3", maybe a little more. Midas Blenny and the Pink spotted are larger as well, probably 3" or so.

Any suggestions to different kinds of fish would be welcomed as well, I don't have a top and prefer not to have a top so I tend to stay away from fish that have a tendency to jump out (I know I took a risk with the midas blenny).

Thanks guys!

I’d personally say you’re maxed out - In a 4’x2’x2’ tank I have 13 fish (the 14th isn’t in the tank yet).
Fish want territory and an 85G tank likely wouldn’t have the territory for any new fish. Also remember, powder browns are nasty once settled and I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned against any new introductions (especially tang introductions).

 

[mrhongkongwong]

Fish behavior, personal taste, and nutrient levels define what's overstocked. If your nutrients are low, the fish aren't overcrowded, and you want to add a few more, go for it.

It definitely doesn't seem too overcrowded at all, the chromis sort of create their own aggression but when the midas or powder brown swim by, it seems normal.

edit: the chromis seem to like to school with my 2x small percula clowns (forgot to add that to the list) and midas blenny

A bristletooth tang would probably be okay! I would not do another dwarf angel with how established your coral beauty is! I wouldnt do another blenny with the midas since the midas is established already and bi colors are super small.

Was definitely thinking of a bristletooth tang if I were to choose one and I was worried about the dwarf angel and blenny because they were of the same species.

I’d personally say you’re maxed out - In a 4’x2’x2’ tank I have 13 fish (the 14th isn’t in the tank yet).
Fish want territory and an 85G tank likely wouldn’t have the territory for any new fish. Also remember, powder browns are nasty once settled and I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned against any new introductions (especially tang introductions).

The powder brown has been in there for a a year or more and has grown a lot, I put up a mirror a while back just in case there were any issues in general. After adding the chromis and anthias, it seemed okay.

However, this is why I was thinking of going with the least aggressive approach possibly, which would be the 2x lyretail anthias females. I only have 1x of the orange ones and wanted 2 more as I have 3x of the orange/magenta colors. Wanted it to look uniform haha.

 

[littlefoxx]

Your could do the tang and the lyertails! Only issue with the tang is youre going to have to take it slow with an acclimation box because powder browns can be nasty to other tangs! My purple is nasty to any new tang and a week in the box calms his attitude down then he is okay with them.

 

[mrhongkongwong]

Your could do the tang and the lyertails! Only issue with the tang is youre going to have to take it slow with an acclimation box because powder browns can be nasty to other tangs! My purple is nasty to any new tang and a week in the box calms his attitude down then he is okay with them.

Do you have a recommendation on acclimation box?

I saw this but not sure if its adequate. Breeding box from fluval.

How big would the bristle need to be to attempt this?

 

[littlefoxx]

Do you have a recommendation on acclimation box?

I saw this but not sure if its adequate. Breeding box from fluval.

How big would the bristle need to be to attempt this?

How big is your powder brown? And I just got a very basic one from amazon thats about 5-6 inches and just put it in the top of the tank and use suction cups to make it stick where flow goes in the box. Mine has grills on the side. Im using it right now for rock flower nems and a sick starfish but you can kinda see it! Usually if you have an aggressive tang most say to get one bigger than your current tang, but thats never been how it worked for me, my yellow is smaller than my purple when I put him in. I did have a yellow eye kole (bristletooth) tang that was small but the meanest fish! Had to take her out cause she caused a ton of issues. When you release the tang you will see them fight, I usually separate when I see some bad tail strikes that leave marks then try again a week later! But since powder blues and browns have a rep of being nasty (never had one, my powder blue is shipping in a few weeks due to a recent health issue) I would for sure use the box and put your bristletooth in for a few days then release. If the fighting is bad and the bristle is getting beaten on catch the brown and put him in the box (or maybe use a tank divider since tangs are hard to catch) to keep them separate and let the bristletooth get comfortable for a week and then try again. I did this twice with my purple when my yellow was introduced and now they are best buds! This is my box I got from amazon

 

[littlefoxx]

If you read research about introducing a new tang some mention the mirror trick, getting a bigger tang than the current one and re doing the rock scape and introducing them at the same time. What I explained above is what I used when I put my purple with my blue and then a yellow with the two of them and it worked for me!

 

[mrhongkongwong]

I went with two anthias because thinking of trying to pull out the tang stressed me out. The fish are so small in the tank that it looks naked still

 

[Jekyl]

I have 9 in a 90g. If you don't have a personal cave / hiding space for each fish, you're over stocked imo

 

[mrhongkongwong]

I have 9 in a 90g. If you don't have a personal cave / hiding space for each fish, you're over stocked imo

The only fish that hide at all are the following

Powder Brown Tang
Midas Blenny
Pink spotted goby
Coral beauty
And couple of anthias

Majority just swing along the front back and forth.

So really based on what you are saying there are a lot more hiding spots for other fish?

 

[Jekyl]

The only fish that hide at all are the following

Powder Brown Tang
Midas Blenny
Pink spotted goby
Coral beauty
And couple of anthias

Majority just swing along the front back and forth.

So really based on what you are saying there are a lot more hiding spots for other fish?

I should have included sleeping in the description before. Just that each fish can have its own area unless talking about pairs. When you run out of areas like that, it can cause aggression which I try to avoid.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Don't they hide at night? My 7 green chromis (approximately 5 years old) hide every night each in their own hole . All my fish hide at night, all in their special place. I have 14 fish in a 125 G and I think your tank is max out. You have 17 fish in a smaller tank. Your fish are currently small so it is ok, but your tang, the chromis and the lyretail anthias will grow bigger, and the tank will be very crowded then.

 

[mrhongkongwong]

Don't they hide at night? My 7 green chromis (approximately 5 years old) hide every night each in their own hole . All my fish hide at night, all in their special place. I have 14 fish in a 125 G and I think your tank is max out. You have 17 fish in a smaller tank. Your fish are currently small so it is ok, but your tang, the chromis and the lyretail anthias will grow bigger, and the tank will be very crowded then.

I havey 7 chromis which don't hide at night or my 2 clowns. Really wanting a couple of more fish (and I mean 1 or 2). Lol

 

[i cant think]

I went with two anthias because thinking of trying to pull out the tang stressed me out. The fish are so small in the tank that it looks naked still

It will until everything grows out, patience is the key as just throwing fish into the tank won’t work as you’ll eventually have now growing room for the fish let alone territory and ‘natural’ food sources.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I havey 7 chromis which don't hide at night or my 2 clowns. Really wanting a couple of more fish (and I mean 1 or 2). Lol

My 2 clowns never hide either, I guess they have the instinct to hide in anemones, not in rocks and I do not have any corals.
However my 7 chromis hide every night, and every time they are spooked by something. They have a pecking order, and the one at the bottom, is constantly going in and out of her hiding place, especially when the top male chase her.
I do not think your chromis have the possibilities to hide in your tank. It may increase their stress, or speed their demise.

 

[mrhongkongwong]

My 2 clowns never hide either, I guess they have the instinct to hide in anemones, not in rocks and I do not have any corals.
However my 7 chromis hide every night, and every time they are spooked by something. They have a pecking order, and the one at the bottom, is constantly going in and out of her hiding place, especially when the top male chase her.
I do not think your chromis have the possibilities to hide in your tank. It may increase their stress, or speed their demise.

It appears that the chromis stick to themselves in a small little open cave cut out. They are tightly packed for the most part. They seem to do more damage to themselves prior to the over feeding that I've done. Now the one that was hurt is all healed which right now is a plus while I try to raise my nitrates.