My reef has been setup for around 8 months now, and I want add another fish. Currently I have two clowns, three blue chromis, a lawnmower blenny, various snails and crabs, a starfish, and a possum wrasse in my 72 gallon reef. I feel that things are established and I would like to get a yellow tang. Would this be possible without stressing my reef?
Bioload Question (Can I get another Fish?)
- Thread starter Dolomiteclay
- Start date
2 clowns?? Are they mated or something? Otherwise soon you'll have 1. You could probably get away with one or two more "SMALL" fish. Stuff like 6-line wrasses, maybe somebody who is competing on a diff. level than those fish like a rock dwelling flaming hawkfish (will go after ornamental shrimp). But you are reaching your cap for sure. And the bad thing about a yellow tang.. well several bad things.. he needs a lot of room, I wouldn't buy it from a LFS unless you quarantine it yourself for 4-6 weeks (However, Yellow Tangs are one of the hardiest most ich free tangs) or get it from a place that QT's their stuff good like LiveAquaria.com, and they tend to be aggressive. He'll be zipping around in your tank getting everybody else upset and on edge. If you want a tang the most peaceful are probably Pacific Blue's but again... QT stuff. Tangs are hard to avoid. They really are kool fish. There's a lot of good and reef beneficial wrasses out there too. Royal Gramma tend to pic spots and are pretty peaceful (altho you hear stories sometimes).
IMO, the main drawback to any surgeonfish will be the amount of space they require as they grow. While a juvenile YT will be okay for a couple of years, it will eventually need a larger system. Have you considered a kole tang? Subtly just as attractive and better suited to a system your size, IMO. A fairy wrasse would be pretty as well. You're far from overstocked so the tank can handle another fish or two. Just be cautious in terms of what you select.
There's lots of articles online about stuff like this. Reefkeeping.com has some specifically about diff. types of fish. A Pacific Blue is ok in a 70gal tank.. but that's his limit. Start off with a baby or something. Kole's are good too. They're good cleaners also. Both tend to be skittish and hide a little.
Foxface would be another cool one to add. Yes they do eat bubble algae. However, beware that they do nip at corals (hard and soft) and they also have venomous dorsal spines so use caution when you handle them. Not sure how he'd get along with your tankmates, but they are supposed to be pretty peaceful.
Big "NO" on the Pacific Blue/Regal/Hippo Tang. They are aggressive and get too big for a 4ft tank. Also, the baby 2" ones tend to have poor survival unless you take very good care of them.
If you want a tang: yellow, scopas, kole, chevron, & tomini are all good. But you will need to buy one small (not minuscule) and remember that they all really get too big for a 4ft tank.
Rabbitfish are nice; but they are very skittish. They really should not bother anyone.
I would say you should buy local. That way you can see what you are buying ; after all you should quarentine everything anyways.
If you want a tang: yellow, scopas, kole, chevron, & tomini are all good. But you will need to buy one small (not minuscule) and remember that they all really get too big for a 4ft tank.
Rabbitfish are nice; but they are very skittish. They really should not bother anyone.
I would say you should buy local. That way you can see what you are buying ; after all you should quarentine everything anyways.
I guess I need to set up a quarentine tank then. I have a 20 gallong long that I was going to use as my sump that wouldn't fit under my 72 that is just sitting in my basement now. Would that be big enough....I always thought that nano reefs were a little tougher. So I could use that as a sump, and go a little bigger...maybe a 40 long? If I do that I would guess that I would have to have lights and such that are comperable to what I have now on my 72?
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
