I might have added too many fish!

[EnronExec]

Hi all, I would like to ask you guys if you think i might have a problem with my reef setup in the near future.

Just Monday i added a large amount of fish to my 75 gallon bow front tank. Before, i only had a Diadem Pseudochromis, 2" long yellow Tang, and a Blue Devil Damsel, Now there is a 3" long Coral Beauty Angel, a 2.5" Purple Tang, a 2.5" Yellow Eye Tang, a Lawnmower Blenny, a 1.5" long Tomato Clown, a 1.5" long 6 Line Wrasse, like 8 Turbo Grazer Snails, 8 Bumble Bee Snails, 2 Emerald Crabs , a total of 16 Red Leg Hermit Crabs, and 1 Blue Hermit Crab.

I have, I think, a large trickling sump, and a pretty good skimmer. Ive been fighting brown/green hair algae for 2 months, because i got real lazy a few months ago, and finally took all my rocks out and scrubbed them clean. Nothing was working and my Posphate/Nitrate tests where all too low to test. Do you guys think i will eventually have another case of crazy algae growth because of all the new livestock. I had originally bought all thee new fish with the intention that they will eat all the green and brown stuff, and they are! But I ordered them through an online store and the fish i got where at least 1/2" larger then what i had expected.

[Reefland]

The fish do look relatively small but I think in the long run you will be asking for trouble. I would try to remove some of them now before they get very large. Also be aware that adding this many fish at once will put a real strain on your filtration, keep an eye on your ammonia and nitrite.

[EnronExec]

Ohhh. 1 more pic

[Reefland]

Are these with all VHO lights on or just the actinics?

[SeaMe]

It's a full house in there, but it sure looks good! I would keep them and if at some point you feel they are crowded or the system is overloaded then get rid of a few.

[EnronExec]

Are these with all VHO lights on or just the actinics?

2 48" VHO bulbs. I forgot what wattage but its on the very low side for my tank. The lights in the house are turned off and it was like 9 PM at night when i took the pics.

[EnronExec]

It's a full house in there, but it sure looks good! I would keep them and if at some point you feel they are crowded or the system is overloaded then get rid of a few.

TY.


Does anyone know why my posts will leave out my first pic when it gets uploaded?

[Reefland]

TY.


Does anyone know why my posts will leave out my first pic when it gets uploaded?

Not sure what you mean?

[Ninong]

One point that you should always consider when adding animals to any aquarium is whether the size of the tank is adequate for their adult size and adequate to meet their particular behavior. A 75-gal tank is really a minimal size for any tangs. If one is determined to keep a tang in a 75-gal tank, the yellow tang is probably the best choice.

I wouldn't recommend trying to keep three different species of tangs in a 75-gal tank under any circumstances and I definitely wouldn't recommend keeping two different Zebrasoma species together in such a small aquarium. You may run into mutual aggression as these fish mature.

[EnronExec]

One point that you should always consider when adding animals to any aquarium is whether the size of the tank is adequate for their adult size and adequate to meet their particular behavior. A 75-gal tank is really a minimal size for any tangs. If one is determined to keep a tang in a 75-gal tank, the yellow tang is probably the best choice.

I wouldn't recommend trying to keep three different species of tangs in a 75-gal tank under any circumstances and I definitely wouldn't recommend keeping two different Zebrasoma species together in such a small aquarium. You may run into mutual aggression as these fish mature.

Thats alot of bad news to swallow. That reminds me... What happens to a fish when the tank is too small? I had a clown trigger and just live rocks a long time ago. He was maybe 3.5" long in the 75 gallon and was doing well, then he/she began to get lazy and just sat on the rocks all day, more and more to the point he didnt even want to eat. I tried live foods and everything but it was like he was going through depression and got really skinny. all of a sudden one day, he died. I loved that fish!

One more pic of the tank form tonight...

[EnronExec]

Not sure what you mean?

I have trouble putting up attachments. After i click the "manage attachment" button, then the "browse" button, pick a .jpg file, then hit "upload", i wait until it shows the files uploaded. Everyhting looks fine. But then i hit "submit reply" and i dont see the hyperlink to my pic i just uploaded.

[Ninong]

What happens to a fish when the tank is too small?

In the case of tangs, they become more aggressive as they mature in a tank that is too small. They are likely to attack other members of the same genus. Also, their behavior becomes spastic. They will swim back and forth across the front of the tank constantly. Their behavior becomes erratic and their health will suffer. They will fail to thrive.

[ghofmann]

9 fish is an awfull lot of fish in a 75 gallon tank. I have a scopus tang, a maroon clown and a damsel in my 55 and that's pushing it.

Tangs are eating and pooping machines. Aside from the obvious problem of aggression as the tangs grow, it will also be very hard to keep nutrient levels down in a tank stocked that heavily. So to answer one of your questions is you very likely will see another algea problem with all those fish as nutrients build up.