Need help deciding on whether or not a fish is right for your tank? Post here and we'll help!

[dbl]

I always do my own research before asking questions, but this one is coming up as a coin toss. Here's the question...

Wife fell in love with a beautifully colored, seemingly mature, Yellowed Eyed Kole Tang. Problem as I see it is I already have a Yellow Tang that's been in the 120g for nearly three years. Other inhabitants are as follows:

One-Spot Foxface
Blue/Green Chromis (5)
Melanurus Wrasse
A.O. Snow Flake Clowns (2)
Flame Hawkfish
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Above mentioned Yellow Tang

So looking for your thoughts on trying to introduce the Kole with the Yellow. Some say yes, some say no - like most things in this hobby...lol. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Brew12]

I always do my own research before asking questions, but this one is coming up as a coin toss. Here's the question...

Wife fell in love with a beautifully colored, seemingly mature, Yellowed Eyed Kole Tang. Problem as I see it is I already have a Yellow Tang that's been in the 120g for nearly three years. Other inhabitants are as follows:

One-Spot Foxface
Blue/Green Chromis (5)
Melanurus Wrasse
A.O. Snow Flake Clowns (2)
Flame Hawkfish
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Above mentioned Yellow Tang

So looking for your thoughts on trying to introduce the Kole with the Yellow. Some say yes, some say no - like most things in this hobby...lol. Thanks in advance for the help.

I can't help with your question, but I would like to ask one of you. How long have you had those chromis together for? I'd love a school but I've seen many horror stories of whittling down to 1 over a year.

 

[dbl]

I can't help with your question, but I would like to ask one of you. How long have you had those chromis together for? I'd love a school but I've seen many horror stories of whittling down to 1 over a year.

I guess I've been lucky because I read all the time they tend to whittle down to one. Mine have been together for 2.5 years. Started at about 1/2-3/4" and now 2.5"+.

 

[Brew12]

I guess I've been lucky because I read all the time they tend to whittle down to one. Mine have been together for 2.5 years. Started at about 1/2-3/4" and now 2.5"+.

I really need to give that more thought once my QT is empty again. Do you enjoy them as much as I expect?

 

[dbl]

I really need to give that more thought once my QT is empty again. Do you enjoy them as much as I expect?

I would say go for it. And to answer your question...probably more.

 

[Brew12]

I would say go for it. And to answer your question...probably more.

Fantastic, and thanks!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I always do my own research before asking questions, but this one is coming up as a coin toss. Here's the question...

Wife fell in love with a beautifully colored, seemingly mature, Yellowed Eyed Kole Tang. Problem as I see it is I already have a Yellow Tang that's been in the 120g for nearly three years. Other inhabitants are as follows:

One-Spot Foxface
Blue/Green Chromis (5)
Melanurus Wrasse
A.O. Snow Flake Clowns (2)
Flame Hawkfish
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Above mentioned Yellow Tang

So looking for your thoughts on trying to introduce the Kole with the Yellow. Some say yes, some say no - like most things in this hobby...lol. Thanks in advance for the help.

It should be ok, but established tangs can be persistently aggressive. Add thew tang using a large social acclimation box for a couple of days. When you release it, shut the lights off. Also, putting a mirror along the outside of the tank can distract the established tang.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Can I put 2 Lawnmower Blennies in a 60 gallon?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Can I put 2 Lawnmower Blennies in a 60 gallon?

No, they will fight badly.

 

[dbl]

It should be ok, but established tangs can be persistently aggressive. Add thew tang using a large social acclimation box for a couple of days. When you release it, shut the lights off. Also, putting a mirror along the outside of the tank can distract the established tang.

Thanks TJ...I appreciate the guidance.

 

[NakiFantaki]

Started cycling my tank today. It's a Nuvo Fusion 20 Gallon.
Stocking goals
CUC
Perc clownfish pair at first and a few weeks to a month later a yellow watchman and pistol shrimp.
Maybe a month or two after that I want to slowly start with soft corals and zoas.
And last but not least (once my tank is very established) I really want to put a mandarin dragonette. I know that 20 gallons is small for the little guy however I have the source that will get me one that will eat frozen food and not only copepods. I really think that since mandarins are such a slow moving critter a 20 gallon that's not over stocked should be okay.. especially since food won't be a problem.

Thoughts?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Started cycling my tank today. It's a Nuvo Fusion 20 Gallon.
Stocking goals
CUC
Perc clownfish pair at first and a few weeks to a month later a yellow watchman and pistol shrimp.
Maybe a month or two after that I want to slowly start with soft corals and zoas.
And last but not least (once my tank is very established) I really want to put a mandarin dragonette. I know that 20 gallons is small for the little guy however I have the source that will get me one that will eat frozen food and not only copepods. I really think that since mandarins are such a slow moving critter a 20 gallon that's not over stocked should be okay.. especially since food won't be a problem.

Thoughts?

It's not the size of the tank that matters with mandarins, it's the size of the system. You're right, in that mandarins are slow movers and don't need a lot of swimming space. However, it is their nutritional needs that must be accounted for.

Mandarins have a very short digestive tract. So they need to eat almost constantly. Finding one that eats prepared foods helps, however that alone is not enough. They eat several thousand pods a day, even with supplemental feeding a 20g is not enough. A mandarin wll slowly die in that setting.

Now if there was a substantial sized refugium attached (another 20g or so) a 20g might be feasible.

 

[NakiFantaki]

Bummer.
And there's no way to add those pods?

 

[Brew12]

Bummer.
And there's no way to add those pods?

There is, but it could become very expensive. There are a few other options, but they all require a fair amount of work.

Here is a link to a special feeder designed by PaulB but it also requires you to raise your own brine shrimp.

http://www.saltwatersmarts.com/diy-target-feeder-mandarinfish-pipefish-2804/

 

[Nooreef]

sorry if this is a redundant question. I found that Emerald Crabs could be too aggressive to coexist in a reef tank. They could eat the corals, hurt my Nemo fish, etc. I have a pistol shrimp and goby pair as well, and I can tell that they do not like the new crab I introduced to them. Now I have it quarantined in a separate container, after 30 minutes of chasing it around the live rocks.

How bad can they actually be? How big do Emerald Crabs get? Mine's about one inch. This guy's active and fun to watch. I'd like to keep him if I can. Are they gluttonous? Can I safely keep the guy with my corals and fish by making sure to feed him a lot so that he doesn't go for his tankmates? Any tips on how to feed and keep him together in my tank?

 

[eatbreakfast]

sorry if this is a redundant question. I found that Emerald Crabs could be too aggressive to coexist in a reef tank. They could eat the corals, hurt my Nemo fish, etc. I have a pistol shrimp and goby pair as well, and I can tell that they do not like the new crab I introduced to them. Now I have it quarantined in a separate container, after 30 minutes of chasing it around the live rocks.

How bad can they actually be? How big do Emerald Crabs get? Mine's about one inch. This guy's active and fun to watch. I'd like to keep him if I can. Are they gluttonous? Can I safely keep the guy with my corals and fish by making sure to feed him a lot so that he doesn't go for his tankmates? Any tips on how to feed and keep him together in my tank?

Any crab can be opportunistic and take advantage of an easy meal, such as a sleeping fish or damaged coral. Overall, however,my experiences with emerald crabs have been positive. They are less destructive and opportunistic than many other crabs and have a definite preference to plant matter. Emerald crabs top out at 2.5". A word of caution. I have seen a few other crabs in shipments of emeralds that were more destructive. Avoid crabs with black tips on their claws.

 

[marcussaw]

Hello,

I signed myself up today after reading this forum for the last couple days now.
I always had an aquarium (Freshwater) but a reeftank is always a wish, I never started it, cause I was sure that my knowledge wasn't good enough. I am still doubting If I would start one or not but hopefully this forum can give me the answer in the end.
I hope to learn a lot more here.

(p.s sorry for my english, i know it's not perfect)

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hello,

I signed myself up today after reading this forum for the last couple days now.
I always had an aquarium (Freshwater) but a reeftank is always a wish, I never started it, cause I was sure that my knowledge wasn't good enough. I am still doubting If I would start one or not but hopefully this forum can give me the answer in the end.
I hope to learn a lot more here.

(p.s sorry for my english, i know it's not perfect)

Welcome! Glad that you joined. Here at reef2reef there are plenty of people that do what they can to help out in a friendly way.

 

[kashman100]

I need suggestions for my next fish. I have a 120 gallon (4x2x2) reef tank with a rock wall. Lots of caves. I have 3 green chromis, 2 pajama Cardinals and a Hippo tang that is ready to come out of quarantine. I would like colorful fish but open to all suggestions.

 

[Duke4Life]

I need suggestions for my next fish. I have a 120 gallon (4x2x2) reef tank with a rock wall. Lots of caves. I have 3 green chromis, 2 pajama Cardinals and a Hippo tang that is ready to come out of quarantine. I would like colorful fish but open to all suggestions.

Fairy, flasher, and leopard wrasses