World War 3 in my Tank! Help!

[kkgaskin90]

I know I've messed up, and now my tank is a war zone. PLEASE help!

I stocked too much too fast and probably the wrong fish. It's a mix of listening to bad LFS advice, impatience, spouse buying random fish without research, and ... Well it's a lot of things. Bottom line is I need help!

75 gallon FOWLR. Known Ich problem (after all fish were in). We immediately lost an Eebli Angel, then two weeks later a sailfin (that's when I saw Ich).

A few days ago, one damsel turned on another and started chasing it around biting it. I rescued him and the poor thing is now in my sump. Today, the Niger Trigger (juvenile) began biting the clownfish and swimming around with them in his mouth. SO after much effort, both clowns are also in my sump.

SO here's my stock list. How do I fix this mess? They obviously can't all live together, and I'd like to catch all of them and quarantine for Ich treatment, but that's going to be hard and I need a bigger quarantine tank.

Niger Trigger (2") *aggressor*
Three stripe Damsel (1")
Flame Hawkfish (2")
Hippo Tang (1.75")
Blue Damsel (1.5") *aggressor*
Blue Damsel (1.25") *victim*
Picasso Clownfish Pair (1.25" ea.) *victims*
Gold Head Sleeper Goby (3.5-4")
Snowflake Eel (6-7")
Cleaner Shrimp (<1")
Urchin
Brittle Star
Snails
Hermits

 

[ohio reefer]

I know I've messed up, and now my tank is a war zone. PLEASE help!

I stocked too much too fast and probably the wrong fish. It's a mix of listening to bad LFS advice, impatience, spouse buying random fish without research, and ... Well it's a lot of things. Bottom line is I need help!

75 gallon FOWLR. Known Ich problem (after all fish were in). We immediately lost an Eebli Angel, then two weeks later a sailfin (that's when I saw Ich).

A few days ago, one damsel turned on another and started chasing it around biting it. I rescued him and the poor thing is now in my sump. Today, the Niger Trigger (juvenile) began biting the clownfish and swimming around with them in his mouth. SO after much effort, both clowns are also in my sump.

SO here's my stock list. How do I fix this mess? They obviously can't all live together, and I'd like to catch all of them and quarantine for Ich treatment, but that's going to be hard and I need a bigger quarantine tank.

Niger Trigger (2") *aggressor*
Three stripe Damsel (1")
Flame Hawkfish (2")
Hippo Tang (1.75")
Blue Damsel (1.5") *aggressor*
Blue Damsel (1.25") *victim*
Picasso Clownfish Pair (1.25" ea.) *victims*
Gold Head Sleeper Goby (3.5-4")
Snowflake Eel (6-7")
Cleaner Shrimp (<1")
Urchin
Brittle Star
Snails
Hermits

It's not really that they can't get along, it's that you have territorial fish in a small tank. I'd ditch the trigger (100%) damsels, and the hippo tang even at that size needs a larger tank. That is a extremely heavy bioload. I'd keep the snowflake, clowns, goby and inverts. Get rid of the rest.

 

[TheSaint216]

It's not really that they can't get along, it's that you have territorial fish in a small tank. I'd ditch the trigger (100%) damsels, and the hippo tang even at that size needs a larger tank. That is a extremely heavy bioload. I'd keep the snowflake, clowns, goby and inverts. Get rid of the rest.

+1 Damsels arent worth Owning, especially Three stripes. I had three and they try and take over a tank.

 

[tuna_bullet]

get rid of the niger and the three damsels and your tank should be mellow....the blue tangs usually are the ick magnets...

 

[kkgaskin90]

Thanks everyone! Took me all day but I finally caught them!

 

[JMSKI333]

Thanks everyone! Took me all day but I finally caught them!

I can only imagine what a pain that must have been!

 

[tyler1503]

It's not really that they can't get along, it's that you have territorial fish in a small tank. I'd ditch the trigger (100%) damsels, and the hippo tang even at that size needs a larger tank. That is a extremely heavy bioload. I'd keep the snowflake, clowns, goby and inverts. Get rid of the rest.

+1 I'd remove the trigger, tang and damsels.

I have a snowflake that's about 8" and he eats shrimp about an inch and a half long. It's a very real risk your cleaner shrimp could end up as dinner. But then again, you may have a more tolerable eel who might leave him alone and even let the shrimp clean him. Mine wouldn't, he's is a menace!
If you really do want a damsel in your tank I recommend the Talbots damsel. I believe it's also called a sunset faced damsel. I've owned several and they were always calm and docile.

 

[kkgaskin90]

My eel (knock on wood) has been a model citizen. So far he has only eaten from the tongs. I'm not sure he even knows the shrimp exists!

I don't have my heart set on damsels... At all! I was actually disappointed when they came home.

So now with my new stock list, am I pretty maxed out on fish??
Flame Hawkfish
Clownfish Pair
Sleeper Goby
Snowflake Eel
Inverts

 

[mainereefer]

nothing should touch the shrimp. the color pattern on it tells the fish the shrimp will help them......

you could probably get an anthias or something that will swim around in the tank

 

[kkgaskin90]

^^ that's pretty neat!

Anthias are pretty - I'd love movement in there. Thanks!

 

[jschultzbass]

One of the smaller bristletooth tangs would also work in a 75, IMO.