Tangs Dominating Tank

[tjdj0214]

I have a 120 Gal tank w/ 30 gal refug , all of which has been dark for >10 years ago when everything died due to an electrical short. I am trying to get it going again. It is planned to be a reef tank. I have a yellow blenny .75", a bicolor benny 2", a coral beauty 1", a Flame angel 1.75", 2 yellow tangs 2.5 ", Purple tang 3.25. The tangs get along famously and dominate the tank; everyone else hides.

What do I do next? I have considered a 5" yellow mimic tang or possibly four anthias or 4 blue chromis, or ... I just do not know what to do next.

HELP!!! Any thoughts appreciated :)

 

[Sean Clark]

I would stay clear of the Chromis as they often have urenimea and you may not want that extra risk.

 

[slingfox]

Tangs are unlikely to bother anthias or chromis. I have 3 anthias and 7 blue-green chromis in my 125 gallon display along with 3 tangs, a Copperband, 2 clownfish, 2 wrasse and one Hawkfish.

Both the anthias and chromis are always out and about swimming in the open. Therefore, they are great dither fish:

“The term dither fish refers to an arbitrary group of aquarium fish, commonly used by aquarists, to help reduce innate timidity and aggression as well as to promote normal social behaviour in the other fish housed within the same aquarium”

 

[slingfox]

Nothing about chromis I didn’t realize is they can get pretty large (ie, 3”-4”). The chromis do not bother any other fish but are basically the hungriest fish in the tank. They are like a pack of piranhas whenever there is food:

Auto feed turns on: They go into swarm mode trying to get every pellet

Put nori on a clip: They rub shoulders with th tangs and bite at the nori and snatch any small tidbits that float into ten water column

Frozen food: Pure madness with fish swimming everywhere

Frozen food out into a Copperband feeder with holes: They will swarm around the feeder to pick off the many bits which escape the Copperband

The only thing they haven’t figure out how to eat yet is the single clam tied to a rock put into the tank once a week for the Copperband and 2 wrasse. I have only been doing this for two weeks so it is only a matter of time before the Chromis become clam eaters.

 

[tjdj0214]

Thanks for your input!