75 gallon fish tang

[reefmaniac]

i have a 75 gallon reef tank, and im planning the fish, the fish are

1 tang (yellow purple blue or sailfin, which would be the best??)
1-2 percula clowns
1 angel (flame or coral beuty okay??)
1 yellow headed jawfish
maybe some gobbies or blennies (lawn mower or barnacle??)

is this too many fish, which tang and angel should i get? any other good reef fish??

thanks

[reefmaniac]

also, add to that list

1 anthias
1 long nosed flame hawkfish (or firefish)

and add to the questions which fish should i dump???

thanks

[Laura D]

OK,

Definitly not a sailfin, or a blue or purple tang, they just get to big for a 75, and they WILL grow and be unhappy in that size tank. I have recently adopted a sailfin that had outgrown his 75g home and placed him in my 155, it was amazing to see a quick growth spurt in him, and now I am starting to think the 155 may be to small after a while :rolleyes: .I think a yellow tang would be appropriate, or you may want to consider a scopas tang for that size tank, they are much prettier once they get established than they look in the store, and they stay pretty small.

I like perculas, if you get them very young get two and they will pair up.

With any angel you are a taking a risk that they will be coral nippers. I have heard that flames can USUALLY be trusted, but don't quote me on that. I love small angels, they all have such personality.

As for the jawfish, I have never had one, but a close friend of mine has, and she has had a real hard time keeping wieght on the little guy. They don't compete well with other fish for food, and they will eat everything out of your sandbed and then starve.

I have a lawnmower blenny and I really like him.

There are a few anthias that can be kept singly, I don't remember offhand, but I highly suggest you get your hands on a copy of Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes, a pocket guide." That book can tell you what species are best for a specific situation, but most anthias like to be in schools. They also need pristine water quality as well as frequent feedings, which can be tough to do.

I don't like hawkfish, because they eat shrimp, and I like shrimp in my reefs.

I think if you go with a smaller tang, one of the pygme angels mentioned, a blenny, and a couple percs you should be good. Maybe a firefish, as well or if you really want the hawk go right ahead.

[JohnL]

Hi reefmaniac,

Have you seen the replies to your other posts on this subject?

http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29366

http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29183

[reefmaniac]

whats a scopas tang? do they eat alage? could you get me a pic, if thats not too much to ask

[Laura D]

http://www.actwin.com/fish/species/index.php?t=9&i=172


Yes, they eat algea. This pics is not great, the back half is really very black.

[reefmaniac]

OK thanks

[hcs3]

1 tang (yellow purple blue or sailfin, which would be the best??)

long term, the yellow or pacific blue. short term, any of the 4 would work. purchase them when they are young, no more than 2" in length. get ready to trade them in around the 1 year mark, roughly 5".

1-2 percula clowns

2 would be better

1 angel (flame or coral beauty okay??)

coral beauties are hardier. but be careful with all angels. if you plan on keeping a large diversity of corals, it may be best to forget angels.

1 yellow headed jawfish

sound like a good plan. add the yellow head first, followed by he clowns, angel, and finally the tang. adding something like a lawnmower blenny wouldn't hurt, either, but do it before the angel. IMO i would stop there.

you may want to consider a scopas tang for that size tank

i'd be careful doing that. they do stay small, but they are considered the meanest of all the Zebrasoma. in a genus that contains the sailfin and the purple, that is saying a lot! in such a small tank, you may have difficulty keeping fish with the scopas. JMO

They don't compete well with other fish for food, and they will eat everything out of your sandbed and then starve.

hmm. this could be why your friend can't keep weight on their jawfish. THEY DO NOT EAT SANDBED FAUNA. in fact, this fish will only take food that is suspended in the water column. they are, however, very timid fish. if they are added last to an aquarium, there is a very good chance it will not acclimate. jawfish should be the first fish added to an aquarium and all subsequent additions should wait until he jawfish has constructed it's burrow.

There are a few anthias that can be kept singly, I don't remember offhand, I highly suggest you get your hands on a copy of Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes, a pocket guide."

better yet, get scott's "reef fishes vol 1". the chapter on anthias is roughly 45 pages covering (i think) every species.

HTH

henry

[reefmaniac]

i was thinking of adding the yellow tang first for alagea, i guess not:D would that be too many fish for a reef tank and could ii get any more?

Thanks a bunch this really helped

ps also, how do i cycle my tank with live rock? and i have a tidepool 2 bio-wheel, should i not use it? I was thinking have it for 6 months till the waters steady, then removing it, would that work? thanks again:)

[BrianD]

Reefmaniac, please read the responses to your previous threads. Your live rock question has been asked and answered in a previous thread you started, that you never acknowledged reading.

Brian

[reefmaniac]

would a six lined wrasse work in that if i took out the angel? or the clowns?