Am I Done Or Can I Add More?

[Marco S]

I have a Red Sea Reefer 750 XXL with the following fish:

1 Purple Tang
1 Powder Blue Tang
1 Blue Hippo Tang
1 Whitetail Bristletooth Tang
1 Onespot Foxface
1 Harlequin Tusk
1 Coral Beauty Angel
2 Banggai Cardinals
2 Oscellaris Clownfish
1 Blue/Green Chromis
3 Blue Reef Chromis
1 Neon Dottyback
1 Splendid Dottyback

I have the V3 Sump, with a Reef Octopus Regal 200-Int Skimmer, 2 large Marine Pure Bricks, several Marine Pure Balls, Chaeto in the refugium and use the filter socks that it came with. I feed very heavy, but have very low Nitrate and zero Phosphate so I am really not too concerned about the bio-load, but more concerned with space. In case it matters, I also have the following CUC...

10 Large Turbo Snails
2 Tiger Conches
10 Nassarius Snails (Will probably add 10 more)

My question is, should I add a Bluethroat Trigger, (Or a pair)? Or am I at max stocking level or do I have too many fish already? If you comment that I am currently overstocked, please let me know what fish I should consider moving. I eventually plan on getting a 300+ gallon and am already planning on moving the Hippo, but that will be a couple years still.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Marco S]

Anyone...

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Evening

Like you mentioned it’s not the bioload so much as the room. I would say if everyone is doing good now I would wait until you get the 300

I don’t like saying overstocked since not my call, but the blue tang and husk will out grow the tank along with the other tangs following close behing

 

[Marco S]

Evening

Like you mentioned it’s not the bioload so much as the room. I would say if everyone is doing good now I would wait until you get the 300

I don’t like saying overstocked since not my call, but the blue tang and husk will out grow the tank along with the other tangs following close behing

I honestly don't know how to judge the stock level and there really isn't a lot of guidance, (that I've found) when it comes to saltwater fish stock besides each individuals tank size recommendation and if you can add multiple in the same tank or not. I am used to freshwater fish and I know I can fill a tank with hundreds of Cardinal Tetras and be OK and it actually looks full. With these guys my tank looks empty even though I realize they will be huge full grown.

That is the main reason why I posted this, and if you want to say, "overstocked" then say it. I am looking for that guidance. If it were up to me I would have stocked it the same as a freshwater tank so it would look full and then I would be in serious trouble when they started growing and fighting for space. Someone needs to tell me to stop! Or I will keep going.

 

[bhuyett]

I dont know if necessarily you are overstocked and if you plan on upgrading you could always go into a holding pattern until such time you are ready.

Myself I could see a way to easily reduce 10 fish right off the bat, just be removing the bottom 6 fish on your list... In my opinion they are all something I wouldn't have in a nice display tan since they are starter fish. As for a Blue Throat trigger... I would look for something much better like a Red Tail or Crosshatch pair for a 300, but I'm sure you already know they need to be one of the last in your tank. They are much nicer patterned fish, then the plain every day Blue Throat.

 

[Marco S]

I dont know if necessarily you are overstocked and if you plan on upgrading you could always go into a holding pattern until such time you are ready.

Myself I could see a way to easily reduce 10 fish right off the bat, just be removing the bottom 6 fish on your list... In my opinion they are all something I wouldn't have in a nice display tan since they are starter fish. As for a Blue Throat trigger... I would look for something much better like a Red Tail or Crosshatch pair for a 300, but I'm sure you already know they need to be one of the last in your tank. They are much nicer patterned fish, then the plain every day Blue Throat.

For the 300 gallon I will be getting a Clown Trigger. That fish is the reason I went saltwater in the first place and I was crushed when I realized I could not have it in a reef tank. I would love a Crosshatch, but I specifically went with a Bluethroat because everyone says they are the best reef Trigger to get. I did see a Red Tail at my LFS and personally think the Bluethroat is better looking though.

As far as the other, "starter fish" go, my Dottybacks and Banggai are some of my favorite fish and even though they are smaller and considered beginner fish, I will have some in every reef tank I have going forward. The Chromis were just because I wanted some kind of schooling fish, but it didn't really work out. I went through about 10 Blue/Green before I finally gave up and realized it wasn't going to happen. Some got eaten, some got bullied to death and some just died with absolutely no signs of stress or disease. Most died in QT, but 3 made it to my DT and 2 have just disappeared so far.I will never get Chromis again.