This may sound like a completely stupid question or maybe one of those that has been asked a million times, but here goes....lol. I have an established reef. Its a standard 120 with a yellow tang, a Foxface Rabbit fish, six line wrasse, 2 clowns, and a Flame Angel. The local aquarium service suggested that I add a fish or two. He said a powder blue or a purple tang. My first thought is "do I really want to do that". Right now everybody gets along and the polyps are safe. If I disrupt that harmony that could all change. However, if I can a basslet or dottyback or something like that it will add some color and activity to the tank. I have two questions really. Thoughts and opinions on adding a fish or two and secondly, quarantine aside (I quarantine everything) how do you acclimate a new fish to an established community to minimize the disruption? I appreciate any help.
Adding new Fish
- Thread starter Bxr126
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BackToTheReef
Valuable Member
Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in but it does seem like you have room for some more fish. Is your 120 the standard 48 x 24 foot print? You said it was established, how long has it been running?
There were always a couple suggestions we had for customers when adding new fish which were to rearrange the aquascape. This isn't always the easiest thing in the world or feasible at all, especially in reefs where you might have cemented stuff together or coral growth just prohibits.
The others were turning the lights off when you add the fish and/or using an acclimatization box. They weren't as common the last time was in the hobby as they are now but people seem to have good luck with them.
I would say you have a couple fish that can tend to be feisty to newcomers so I think fish type and social acclimatization is going to be important.
There were always a couple suggestions we had for customers when adding new fish which were to rearrange the aquascape. This isn't always the easiest thing in the world or feasible at all, especially in reefs where you might have cemented stuff together or coral growth just prohibits.
The others were turning the lights off when you add the fish and/or using an acclimatization box. They weren't as common the last time was in the hobby as they are now but people seem to have good luck with them.
I would say you have a couple fish that can tend to be feisty to newcomers so I think fish type and social acclimatization is going to be important.
Flame2hawk
Valuable Member
Hope its at least 72” long as most 120/125’s as yellow and any other tang would need at least that long of a tank. The YT will not take kindly to adding purple to your tank as they are from the same family and will fight at least for a while. I love blue tangs but you have to give them at least a 30 and preferably 45 day of QT with copper. Buy him on the small size as they tend to be less aggressive and will grow together with others. Acclimation suggested would be the drip method over a 1 hour period of time then release at midnight after all the fish have been sleeping for a while. I myself would probably have him in a large acclimation box for 3 says or so. TYhis step is taken bu few but I find healful especially when working with PB which is prone to ich. Good luck.
I wouldn't do it, both the new additions you mentioned are on the aggressive, sometimes nasty side. While similar, yellow tangs can sometimes live well in a 4' tank, purples not so much; and I would say that about the powder blue as well. It will definitely disrupt your harmony. Looking for another tang in that mix, consider a tomini or kole.
