Too much? Should i slow down?

Cerberusfish · Oct 2, 2020

I have a year old 75 gallon tank and am planning to upgrade to a 150 in the next year, going to move everything over. Rocks, sand, equipment, I'm even going to turn the 75 into a sump for it. I have 2 clowns, a tomini tang, a fox face rabbit, a firefish, 2 chromis, and just added a coral beauty. I would love to add a yellowtail blue tang, ive had my eyes on a very small one at my LFS I dont think my tomini would bother. I think a couple of anthias would really give it the activity and bright colours to make it seem more complete. Would this be too many fish taking up space in the 75? I'm not super worried about the bioload as my filtration is built to handle super heavy feeding and lots of fish, I'm just worried about everyone getting along in the tank.

Silverfish · Oct 2, 2020

I just want to point out that it’s not just about bioload. Fishes do have personalities and form relationships, territories, feed behaviors etc. Sometimes one fish too many throws off the whole balance. You really have to have a sixth sense when it comes to this. Good luck with what ever choice you make!

Hydrored · Oct 2, 2020

Anthias require to be fed a few times a day, keep that in mind

Cerberusfish · Oct 2, 2020

Silverfish said:
I just want to point out that it’s not just about bioload. Fishes do have personalities and form relationships, territories, feed behaviors etc. Sometimes one fish too many throws off the whole balance. You really have to have a sixth sense when it comes to this. Good luck with what ever choice you make!

Over the past year I feel I've been getting pretty good at that. I'm currently running 4 tanks, mostly freshwater and have been working in people who stores for a few years, mostly in aquatics so I deal with hundreds and hundreds of fish at a time and treat them like they're my own. The main issue I feel I'd have is that if they get along at first, but over the course of the next several months they grow and issue may start to form. By that point I'd be attached and would have a hard time rehoming them. I dont see any particular issues right now, most of the swimming space seems unused except by the tang and fox face who follows the tang like a puppy lol. I have a whole pile of rocks no ones living in as well, although I found that strange. Theres 2 rock towers and the tang is very territorial about the inside of 1, and the rest just sleep outside the other instead of venturing in.

Cerberusfish · Oct 2, 2020

Hydrored said:
Anthias require to be fed a few times a day, keep that in mind

I'm prepared to keep them well fed. Actually thinking of getting an auto feeder to feed them flakes/pellets a couple times a day, and then I can come in manually to feed frozen foods.

Jeffcb · Oct 2, 2020

Get another fish. Small is better.

Silverfish · Oct 2, 2020

Sounds like you have a great understanding of it all. Your right though, there is no telling how a fish might behave. My tang and fox face went at it hard at the beginning. Now they r frenemies!

Cerberusfish · Oct 2, 2020

Cerberusfish said:
Over the past year I feel I've been getting pretty good at that. I'm currently running 4 tanks, mostly freshwater and have been working in people who stores for a few years, mostly in aquatics so I deal with hundreds and hundreds of fish at a time and treat them like they're my own. The main issue I feel I'd have is that if they get along at first, but over the course of the next several months they grow and issue may start to form. By that point I'd be attached and would have a hard time rehoming them. I dont see any particular issues right now, most of the swimming space seems unused except by the tang and fox face who follows the tang like a puppy lol. I have a whole pile of rocks no ones living in as well, although I found that strange. Theres 2 rock towers and the tang is very territorial about the inside of 1, and the rest just sleep outside the other instead of venturing in.

I guess to clarify, I feel I could handle at least one or 2 of these fish, not including the coral beauty. But adding 3 to 5 new fish feels a little daunting. And with the anthias, any recommendations on how many/ what kind would be best provided I get the small blue tang? The tang is roughly the size of a blue green chromis. Very much a baby.

Hydrored · Oct 2, 2020

I like lyre tails, they have always done great for me along with my school of chromis

Cerberusfish · Oct 13, 2020

Alright, so I may have done this poorly, but I ended up adding a coral beauty and once again my tang is FURIOUS. he beat the heck out of it the first couple days I let it out of the acclimation box, which was surprising since he totally ignored it in the box. Now the beauty has found a small cave to hide in and only sometimes comes out at night. I try and throw plenty of food down to him, including when the lights are out but I dont really see him eat. I've tried the mirror trick and the extra feeding trick and it started to help a little. One day the beauty even came out and put up with the aggression for a while. Even ate that day while I watched. But then I guess the tang started getting bored with the mirror and now the beauty is back into his hole all day. I cant even get to him to take him back to the store or anything but I dont want him to starve.

Silverfish · Oct 13, 2020

Yea, my thinking is tangs should be added last, or at least towards the end of stocking due to their aggressiveness. I think the coral beauty should be fine. Generally they spend much of their time in the rocks. Especially when first introduced. The tang is just establishing dominance. If it was another tang I would be more worried.