Fish Addition?

[ClamKnuckle]

The other day I took my better half to one of the better fish stores that I know of in my are. This was the first time that she had been in a good store and has seen really nice fish. So now she wants to know why I don't have more.

I have a 90 gallon reef with 2 Three Stripe Damsels and a Yellow Tang

The damsels are of course very aggressive (I'd say ask the clown fish I have tried to add before but they're no longer with us) and from everything I have read a yellow tang should be the last fish to add.

So does anyone think I should add something else to the tank and if so what are some suggestions for a colorful reef safe addition that can hold it's own?

 

[lando]

You would open up more options if you get rid of the damsels. You are right, they are very aggressive. They will likely go after almost anything you put in the tank. With thoses gone, you can look at clowns, gobies, royal gramma, a copperband butterfly, maybe even another small tang (sorry tang police). Wrasses and firefish as well. You really have lots of options. I would hate for your $10 fish to beat up your $40 fish.

 

[FishRFrndsNotFd]

I am certainly no expert but maybe if you take the damsels out (put them in another tank for a couple of weeks?), move the stuff in your tank around, add new fish, and then re-introduce the damsels. maybe they will feel like the new kids on the block and won't beat up on your newer fish....

 

[austinsdad]

You sure you wanna keep the damsels?

Anyway, I'd suggest a nice shrimp and goby, a pair of purple firefish, a pair of clowns, and a bicolor blenny. The blenny to hang out the rocks. The clowns to swim out front up top. The firefish to swim out front, down low. And the shrimp goby at the bottom guarding the caves. All in their own space.

As far as colors, the firefish, clowns, and shrimp goby will provide some color, The blenny, well it's a matter of opinion on whether blue and gold do something for you.

Now, back to that tang and damsels....

The tang may be alright with those fish since no one looks like him. The damsels, well I never wnated any worrying about them stressing others out. I'd seriously think about replacing them with 3 blue/greem chromis.

If it were me, I'd go ahead and move the rocks, remove the damsels and tang and start again. Maybe that's only 'cause I had a yellow tang that got pretty mean as he got older towards new fish. He even started to pick on my brittle star from time to time.

Anyway, check my profile for my 75g reef safe inhabitants.

 

[quarryshark]

How about a Centropyge angel? Should be able to fend for itselfs. I agree, can you give the damsels a "time out" in another tank ? (if you can catch them)

 

[ClamKnuckle]

i've been tooling with the get rid of teh damsels idea pretty much since i learned about them....i was one of the listen to the people in the pet strore cycle with damsels have no clue at all when i started

the thing is i dont have the room to set up a tank to house them in, and if i take them to the pet store the way i see it they are as good as dead and i have a bit of a soft spot for them since i have had them for a year and they were the first SW fish i ever had

So pretty much if they stay i'm done with fish huh?

any idea how small of a tank could house the two damsels?

 

[quarryshark]

any idea how small of a tank could house the two damsels?

How big? Inch or two? You could get away with a 10 gallon temporarily.
I really think a Dwarf Angel could hold its own. Maybe others will chime in, but they are pretty tough.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

really think a Dwarf Angel could hold its own

I thought about that before, but I'm not sure i'm willing to go through the crap shot of getting one that will nip my coral or not

How big? Inch or two?

yeah one is about an inch the other an inch and a half maybe...I might be able to set up a nano if i can talk her into opening the wallet up for me (she hasnt opened up for my FW tank i've been wanting yet so i dont know), but i would want it to be a permanent home

 

[quarryshark]

Ah, the coral thing.....sorry. Being a fish guy I seem to forget about this factor. 8)
I think a 10 would be OK for these 2, if you could stretch to a 20...all the better.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

i'm scratching my head as to where i can put a nano cube none the less a 20...

so lets say i can get the damsels out...will the yellow tang allow me to add new smaller fish such as clowns or a wrasse or chromis?

 

[quarryshark]

Depends on the Yellow. Mine has allowed me to add addition fish with no problems (now my angel is another story) and I have heard of Yellows that were a terror to new arrivals. You really have to assess your own fish's temperament.

 

[klam]

See if any local reefer would take the damsels off your hands.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

See if any local reefer would take the damsels off your hands

would if i knew any..and like i said earlier i wouldnt want to sentence them to death at the LFS

You really have to assess your own fish's temperament.

all i have to go by is he's good with the damsels...my luck he'll tear up anything i put in there too!

 

[austinsdad]

IMO anything with a larger body might have problems with the tang. That includes angels. But like Kurt said, depends on your tang's temperment - which I know may be hard to judge with the damsels.

In the past, I added a foxface rabbitfish - yellow, with a similar shaped body to the tang. It was serious bully time for about the first week or so. Then the tang settled down and could be seen eating side by side. The only problem was either when they wanted the same hiding spot or if the tang just felt like flexing his muscles to remind the foxface that he was in charge.

Sounds like you may end up trying new fish and being prepared to move rock and catch fish in case of problems.

I can almost hear the dice rolling in your head about now.