At what point do the "rules" not apply?

Pdandy · Apr 14, 2016

We all have heard the "rules" of fish keeping. Do not keep A with B, or do not keep two A's together.

But at what size tank do the rules not apply anymore?

I ask because I have a tank that has a foot print of 84" by 24" and a height of 31" (265 gallons). I have a pair of clarkii clowns and a pair of occelaris clowns in the same tank. I also have a six-line wrasse and a melanurus wrasse in the same tank. I do see the occasional chasing but since the tank is so long and there is a lot of rock work the "victim" seems to be able to get away from the aggressor and stay out of sight for the most part.

Am I past the point where most of the usual "rules" don't apply? Or am I going to walk in to a massacre one morning?

DeniseAndy · Apr 14, 2016

Really depends on what you are trying to put in there. I have skunks and ocellaris in my 210g and will be adding clakriis and hopefully percs when I get them hosting in something. I still think most large tangs and angelfish are out. Multiple males of anthias or some wrasses will be still out.

Guess it depends.

eatbreakfast · Apr 14, 2016

It depends on each fish, though the larger you go on tank size, the more rules that can be broken.

Some species of clowns rarely venture beyond a 2' square area. Many cryptic species also stay in the same area. I have seen groups of yellow tangs coexist for years in tanks 10'+, so it really all depends on the species and the size of the tank.

NeuroticAquatics · Apr 14, 2016

I see so many tanks online that break the rules and it seems that some are okay. I honestly think it ends up being a large dose of luck and there is no accurate way to predict in all cases.

IMO, if there is a fish being constantly harassed, the something needs to be done. Occasional darting at one another is probably not a concern. Monitor and adjust as needed. In your case, none of that raises big red flags in a 240. If it were smaller, I'd probably worry about the clowns.

ca1ore · Apr 16, 2016

As an owner of the same tank I can tell you it is not big enough to prevent fish that are determined on beating the crap out of each other from beating the crap out of each other.

Pdandy · Apr 18, 2016

ca1ore said:
As an owner of the same tank I can tell you it is not big enough to prevent fish that are determined on beating the crap out of each other from beating the crap out of each other.

It's almost as if you know what you're talking about. Lol

Walked in this morning and I could only find one occelaris. The other is hiding in the rocks, which makes me think he's hurt. I caught the one I could and put him in my sump. Going to wait for the other one to come out and catch him too.