so when my tank is ready to add to

[poksal]

I know I must wait a few weeks, but want to be ready with a choice so I can do the research.

I need suggestions of a fish that I can add that will work with fit the following data:

95 gal

fish:
...two 1.5" "think they own the tank" yellow tail damsels.. they don't bother any of the below...
...two 1.5" blue fin damsels
...two matched "nemos" one at 2-1/4" and one at 1-1/2"
...one 2-1/2" lavender tang
...one 2" sixline

I have shrimp
hermits

tank is mostly shrooms and intend to add eagle eyes...
some tube fans
no anems

 

[Bifferwine]

Coral beauty or flame angel. :)

 

[poksal]

Coral beauty or flame angel. :)

I'll have to look those up.. I thought the flames were hard on coral???

 

[ErinCahir]

Dwarf angels are 50/50. It depends on the individual.

 

[Bifferwine]

Not necessarily. Most of them will not touch coral, but some will. And only certain types of coral, usually. They generally are fine for reef tanks.

 

[poksal]

all,
nice.. I think flames are interesting .. I'll have to do the "research".. so a flame will hold it's own against these two yellow tails? Although, they haven't even attempted to bother my new little clown.

 

[Bifferwine]

They probably won't bother the flame. And if they did, the flame could kick their ass.

 

[poksal]

LOL... they could use it....
So.. do you "guys" make a deal with the LFS when you purchase a flame to exchange it if it is one that has a taste for coral... and I suppose watch it in the tank and which tank it is in before purchase.??

Is like my lavender tang.. they don't mess with him and doesn't mess with them.. but if they crowd him he puts them "down the trail"???

 

[Amba]

IMO I would ditch the damsels. I really hate those Fu@%$%$. Mine got nasty and I had to rip my tank apart to get him out of there.

 

[poksal]

IMO I would ditch the damsels. I really hate those Fu@%$%$. Mine got nasty and I had to rip my tank apart to get him out of there.

Yep.. but they are living and are my responsibility to provide a quality life now. If something happens to them they will not be replaced, though.


When the times comes to add I understand that a Clown Coral Goby and/or Royal Gramma Basslet can be added and not be bullied by the damsels or the lavender tang. Any comments?

As far as a Flame, my friend tells me from experience that the lavender tang won't allow the flame to survive in his tank. Too bad, those flames are lookers.

 

[Neno reefs]

Yep.. but they are living and are my responsibility to provide a quality life now.

+1 :sfish:

 

[Amba]

From my experience, damsels will bully anything as they grow. Mine was very peaceful when I got it, but it seemed the larger it got, the more it picked on everyone else. It killed several of my fish, including a lemonpeel angel that was much, much larger than it. You may lose the clown goby in that large of a tank.

 

[poksal]

From my experience, damsels will bully anything as they grow. Mine was very peaceful when I got it, but it seemed the larger it got, the more it picked on everyone else. It killed several of my fish, including a lemonpeel angel that was much, much larger than it. You may lose the clown goby in that large of a tank.

Well, I will qualify like this:
If any fish takes to killing already established tank mates it is a removal or capital offense. If required I have a spear gun I built years ago when into fresh water tanks. It does the deed without having to destroy the tank. .. but only if a fish has become a serious criminal in that tank's eco. I'm a careful judge and blame myself first... then if absolutely required.. swift results to minimize stress to all parties in the tank... and a speedy death to the accused. IMO, I avoid ripping apart a tank if at all possible because of the mass stresses on other life forms. What I am saying is, I consider the stress and health of all life forms in my tank before and carefully figure how to best remove an offensive creature. If lucky it can be caught easily and provided a home elsewhere. I have built some seriously creative designs of fish traps temporary built for specific fish and vermin... with mixed results but it is ALWAYS worth the try.

 

[ErinCahir]

It's not really fair to punish an animal for acting in it's nature.

If you have problem fish, you should take them out and bring them back to the LFS so they can be re-homed.

 

[poksal]

It's not really fair to punish an animal for acting in it's nature.

If you have problem fish, you should take them out and bring them back to the LFS so they can be re-homed.

Absolutely.. but... if it is going to require major stress to numerous other animals, wrecking a tank, dislodging coral, and totally upsetting the eco system .. you have to make a tough choice sometimes. And, no it is NOT FAIR. ..AND it needs to be the last careful choice. Between netting and trapping.. I can think of only one time in 30 years I have had to kill a fish to remove it from the tank family.. and that time it was a tough decision..

 

[Northstar24]

Tangs can be territorial, if you are only planning on having one, make it the last fish added to your tank. If the angel is in the tank before the tang, there should not be any issues.

If there are issues, there are some fairly easy things you can do to distract the problem fish, like hanging a mirror on one side of the tank. The fish will see its reflection, and it will forget about the new addition to the tank. I have used this trick on several occasions when I was adding the various tangs to my system

 

[poksal]

The mirror is a cool idea. I'll remember that.. I do remember it was a good way to get beta's to show off.

 

[Samhain]

The mirror trick has worked wonders for me when adding fish to my semi-aggressive tank as it is now. I have two tangs, a dwarf angel, a cream angel, and a maroon clown. The clown is tiny and the cream angel and yellow tang have never bothered anything. But the Caribbean tang and dwarf angel (added at the same time, before the yellow tang, cream angel, and maroon clown) took SERIOUS exception to the addition of the yellow tang and cream angel (but not the clown, so IDK there). Of the two, the dwarf angel took the prize for biggest butthead in the tank, outdoing even the tang-on-tang aggression. The mirror was essential in attracting the worst of the aggression from the two meanies in my tank. I left it up for a week or so after each addition, and no one ended up being battered to death. A few tattered fins were the worst anyone had to endure!

I would say that you could certainly try a flame angel in with your tang. Each fish is individual, and there may have just been a problem with that particular combination of fish in your friend's tank. Just make sure that you keep the tang supplied with plenty of nori, turn the lights out for a day or two, string up a mirror, and perhaps rearrange some rocks if possible.

 

[poksal]

I'd say two tangs, a dwarf and cream angel are a tough match.. "you done good" ...
as stated I added a little clown the other day and no one cared. The much larger clown noticed it instantly and I thought the little one was done for sure... but the instant the larger one got next to it it postured and head snapped and just hung around with it. It never touched the little one. "she" was the welcome committee. I doubt I am brave enough to add a tang. It would have to be one larger by an inch or two than my lavender tang. It has a savage bite.

I put a mirror in my tank (this is a piece of mirror out of an old big screen TV and has incredible optics) for a test run and learning curve. . and.. to get my old brain to record it well (nothing like an experiment in lab to tap into the neurons), ....the lavender tang is hanging out there challenging the image in the mirror about 90% of his time. LOL.. yeah that would be a great distraction.. and the tang would think there two new tangs to challenge. cool trick... fresh water fish were much easier.