Please input on fish list

[TonapahNorth]

I have 3 tanks at home of various sizes under 90g. I am almost ready to start adding fish to my 200g at work.

I would like to add some livestock from home to the larger tank. Please give me thoughts on this.

I have the following at home:

1. Purple tang, yellow tang, and sailfin and desjardini sailfin in one tank.
2. I have a powder blue and powder brown in another. They are still quite small and aren't showing any aggression.
3. I plan on ordering juveniles of a sohal and a kole when the tank is ready. Another week or so.

I would like to have clowns, a couple groups of anthias, and several wrasse, which will all be ordered

Can I get some thoughts on order and/or advisability of whether any of this is a good idea? Any specific thoughts on types of anthias, wrasse, or other fish recs?

 

[TonapahNorth]

Perhaps my question was too big. My apologies.

Let me refine this a little.

What are your thoughts on the tangs?

Should the be added first or after I put in clowns, blennies, anthias, wrasse?

#reefsquad

 

[Zack K]

@4FordFamily @Humblefish

 

[TonapahNorth]

@4FordFamily @Humblefish

Thanks

 

[Zack K]

Thanks

@melypr1985 may be helpful as well. Anytime!

 

[Jim C]

I would wait for the experts, but in the meantime....

I think the powder blue and powder brown will go down to one as they mature.

And I definitely would not add a sohal.

 

[sc50964]

You can have either one of the powders, together with either the yellow or purple, and the kole in the 200g. Or you can choose either the sohal or the one of the sailfin, together with one of other tangs except for the powders.

 

[sc50964]

All small fish would go in first before any of the tangs. The sohal and sailfin are definitely the last.

 

[Zack K]

@eatbreakfast is another good one

 

[4FordFamily]

In a 6 foot tank you can house several tangs but I would be careful with the two closet related acanthurus tangs -- better with another added in but they're very difficult to keep because you'll need to 100% properly qt everything now and forever to keep them.

Regarding the zebrasoma tangs, they'll be fine in groups like that. I worry a bit about the two sailfin but if they get along now they'll be fine. Kole is a fine addition, sohal can go either way. I love mine she's not that bad but as they get larger they can turn to Satan.

 

[Humblefish]

IME; the best way to mix tangs is to add them all together at the same time. However, adding that many tangs all at once can cause a mini-cycle unless your 200 is well established.

The other problem is if those other tangs are significantly larger than the Powder Blue & Brown, then it could be rough going for them until they catch up in size.

This is something you could "try", but make sure to have a fish trap handy in case serious fighting breaks out. I agree with @Jim C about not adding a Sohal to this mix.

 

[melypr1985]

I think I would pair down the list a bit. Putting 8 tangs (even if they are small now) in a 200 would make me very nervous especially with the acanthurus tangs. An excellent and very strict QT protocol will be needed for everything that goes into that tank including inverts and corals. The tangs will certainly need to go after the other smaller fish. I feel like your list will be mostly a "try it and see" deal. Be ready to get them out if fighting starts.... especially the powders.

 

[TonapahNorth]

thank you all

Maybe I'll rethink this strategy. I just love the looks of tangs.

So with the tangs I have, the powder blue is the biggest at 3.5". The rest areo still in the 2.5-3" range at best. I haven't got the Sohal so I'm feeling ok with skipping him if I need to. Am I reading accurately that it might be a good strategy for a third acanthuridae?

Are you all suggesting problems might occur between the zebrasomas? Same thing? Should I add a third sailfin? They seem to get along without much stress for the last 4 months (60 in QT together and 60 in a 60 cube). I just knew they would need more room so I was planning them for the 200.

 

[TonapahNorth]

I think I'll keep the powder blue at home. This should solve most of my concerns. Maybe one of the sailfin too.

I have a good QT protocol system for incoming fish and corals. So I "think" I'm ok there. I feel like I need to be better prepared with a hospital tank but that should be ready in the next week or so.

 

[Humblefish]

Mixing tangs is a funny thing. If your tank was 100 gallons larger, I'd feel more comfortable with your stocking list. I've seen people successfully house a dozen or more different tang species in 500+ gallon systems.

 

[TonapahNorth]

Mixing tangs is a funny thing. If your tank was 100 gallons larger, I'd feel more comfortable with your stocking list. I've seen people successfully house a dozen or more different tang species in 500+ gallon systems.

I KNEW I shoulda gone bigger!

 

[4FordFamily]

thank you all

Maybe I'll rethink this strategy. I just love the looks of tangs.

So with the tangs I have, the powder blue is the biggest at 3.5". The rest areo still in the 2.5-3" range at best. I haven't got the Sohal so I'm feeling ok with skipping him if I need to. Am I reading accurately that it might be a good strategy for a third acanthuridae?

Are you all suggesting problems might occur between the zebrasomas? Same thing? Should I add a third sailfin? They seem to get along without much stress for the last 4 months (60 in QT together and 60 in a 60 cube). I just knew they would need more room so I was planning them for the 200.

Only another acanthurus if you'll be very strict with proper qt and even still it can backfire (they may fight)

Also I was thinking, two sailfin in a 6 foot tank is pretty close quarters they get massive. Trade one for a smaller tang like the Kole!