200g FOWLR stocking?

dianapickles · 03/03/2016, 05:44 AM

So my 200g is currently stocked with:
2 Damsels
2 Yellow tangs
1 Lipstick tang
1 Blue tang
1 Foxface
1 Sailfin tang
2 Clowns
1 Copperband
5 Chromis
1 Snowflake Moray

Generally I would say this is heavily heavily stocked but I'm new to the whole FOWLR thing as I always had reefs. Although, my fish all do their own thing and don't bother each other. I'd have thought the tangs would fight but they actually swim together. They are all really small though so that might be a factor. Also, the height of the tank almost creates the illusion that the tank is pretty much EMPTY.

Is my tank stocked up or do I have more room? If so, any interesting fish I could put in there to spice things up? I do feed heavily but I change about 20% of water volume a week. (Including the 60g sump.)

kmbyrnes · 03/03/2016, 06:09 AM

You've got some soon to be large fish in there, so be careful what you add.
I would go with a few of the smaller butterflies, if anything.
Pearlscale, Yellowhead or Vagabond are hardy and swim about quite a bit.

dianapickles · 03/03/2016, 06:24 AM

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. They're all so tiny right now! I keep worrying I'll overstock then bam huge fish in a few years.

I guess if I'm not overstocked I'd love to add a butterfly! Now that it's a FOWLR, no chance of corals being picked at :P

I really wanted a lion fish or some other exotic (ish) fish but my tank is a peaceful one so I don't want to disturb that. Although, with the gigantic live rock, they hide so easily so I guess it's "possible".

dianapickles · 03/03/2016, 06:30 AM

At the very least if there isn't enough space, I desperately want a pair of moorish idols and I'm happy. Although I have no idea where I'm at with stocking :S

scooter31707 · 03/03/2016, 08:07 AM

IMO, you have too many Tangs in that tank. It's requirement that the Naso and Hippo needs a 8ft tank. I would not add anymore fish. Don't take this the wrong way, but you may have a ticking time bomb on your hands with all them tangs. It's a just a matter of when.

dianapickles · 03/03/2016, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter31707

IMO, you have too many Tangs in that tank. It's requirement that the Naso and Hippo needs a 8ft tank. I would not add anymore fish. Don't take this the wrong way, but you may have a ticking time bomb on your hands with all them tangs. It's a just a matter of when.

In all honesty, I did worry about having 5 tangs in my tank. I've considered removing, but after observing them for months, they're all happy, healthy fish. The only fish I would consider removing at this point, would be the naso.

My blue tang was covered in ich just after I put him in my tank. After some TLC he fought it off. (Unfortunately my tank obviously has ich in it now).
Considering his ability to fight off ich, eat like a piggy and that not a single other fish was even touched by the ich I'd say they're all quite stress free.

With such a large tank, I don't see why it's a problem. 5 feet is also acceptable for a blue tang.

scooter31707 · 03/03/2016, 09:28 AM

Well if one fish has ich, you have to assume your tank is infested with ich. You need to take all your fish out and treat for ich via TTM and let the tank go fallow for at least 72 days. The fish are probably happy right now, but when they mature and get bigger, their territory expands meaning more aggression. Like I said before, it's a matter of when. 5ft tank is not acceptable for a Blue Hippo Tang, most experts recommend a 8ft tank for them. My bad, I was assuming your tank was 6ft long, but it's only 5ft. In this case the only tang you should have in their is Yellow.

dianapickles · 03/03/2016, 10:11 AM

As I said, my tank unfortunately has ich. So yes, I'm more than assuming my tank has ich in it. Also, taking all my fish out is impossible, impractical and also pointless. I don't exactly have another gigantic tank lying around let alone is it really practical to maintain that for 72 days. I can treat my display with hypo. Although, it's not necessary right now as the fish aren't affected. Why stress fish that aren't sick?

Also, yes 8ft for normal tanks. My tank is 60 inches deep. That is more than enough space for a blue tang. In fact, more than enough space for all the tangs in there. Fish don't only swim horizontally.

Also, 5ft is definitely considered acceptable for a blue tang. Yes, a few experts may say 8ft but really? How many experts have you seen with 5ft tanks and blue tangs. Plenty.

dianapickles · 03/03/2016, 10:27 AM

Also, just to add, I've raised most of my fish from juvenile age. The yellow tangs, clownfish, sailfin and Foxface etc. A lot of tangs aren't able to really be captive bred but they are captive raised and especially if raised from juvi in one tank, they adapt to that space.

These fish come from the ocean so even 8ft is a far cry from acceptable one could debate. But it's really unnecessary to say the only fish I can hold in my tank is a yellow tang. Especially with a depth of 60 inches. Obviously as the fish grow, if I see stress, I'll relocate. But even then, only 1 or 2 tangs would have to go. If only just for conspecific aggression.

scooter31707 · 03/03/2016, 12:18 PM

Well, all I can say is good luck.

T Haynes · 03/03/2016, 02:38 PM

you may end up with only one yellow tang at some point. then maybe youll have room

03/03/2016, 05:44 AM	#1
dianapickles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 171	200g FOWLR stocking? So my 200g is currently stocked with: 2 Damsels 2 Yellow tangs 1 Lipstick tang 1 Blue tang 1 Foxface 1 Sailfin tang 2 Clowns 1 Copperband 5 Chromis 1 Snowflake Moray Generally I would say this is heavily heavily stocked but I'm new to the whole FOWLR thing as I always had reefs. Although, my fish all do their own thing and don't bother each other. I'd have thought the tangs would fight but they actually swim together. They are all really small though so that might be a factor. Also, the height of the tank almost creates the illusion that the tank is pretty much EMPTY. Is my tank stocked up or do I have more room? If so, any interesting fish I could put in there to spice things up? I do feed heavily but I change about 20% of water volume a week. (Including the 60g sump.)

03/03/2016, 06:09 AM	#2
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	You've got some soon to be large fish in there, so be careful what you add. I would go with a few of the smaller butterflies, if anything. Pearlscale, Yellowhead or Vagabond are hardy and swim about quite a bit. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

03/03/2016, 06:24 AM	#3
dianapickles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 171	Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. They're all so tiny right now! I keep worrying I'll overstock then bam huge fish in a few years. I guess if I'm not overstocked I'd love to add a butterfly! Now that it's a FOWLR, no chance of corals being picked at :P I really wanted a lion fish or some other exotic (ish) fish but my tank is a peaceful one so I don't want to disturb that. Although, with the gigantic live rock, they hide so easily so I guess it's "possible".

03/03/2016, 06:30 AM	#4
dianapickles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 171	At the very least if there isn't enough space, I desperately want a pair of moorish idols and I'm happy. Although I have no idea where I'm at with stocking :S

03/03/2016, 08:07 AM	#5
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	IMO, you have too many Tangs in that tank. It's requirement that the Naso and Hippo needs a 8ft tank. I would not add anymore fish. Don't take this the wrong way, but you may have a ticking time bomb on your hands with all them tangs. It's a just a matter of when.

03/03/2016, 09:28 AM	#7
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	Well if one fish has ich, you have to assume your tank is infested with ich. You need to take all your fish out and treat for ich via TTM and let the tank go fallow for at least 72 days. The fish are probably happy right now, but when they mature and get bigger, their territory expands meaning more aggression. Like I said before, it's a matter of when. 5ft tank is not acceptable for a Blue Hippo Tang, most experts recommend a 8ft tank for them. My bad, I was assuming your tank was 6ft long, but it's only 5ft. In this case the only tang you should have in their is Yellow.

03/03/2016, 10:11 AM	#8
dianapickles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 171	As I said, my tank unfortunately has ich. So yes, I'm more than assuming my tank has ich in it. Also, taking all my fish out is impossible, impractical and also pointless. I don't exactly have another gigantic tank lying around let alone is it really practical to maintain that for 72 days. I can treat my display with hypo. Although, it's not necessary right now as the fish aren't affected. Why stress fish that aren't sick? Also, yes 8ft for normal tanks. My tank is 60 inches deep. That is more than enough space for a blue tang. In fact, more than enough space for all the tangs in there. Fish don't only swim horizontally. Also, 5ft is definitely considered acceptable for a blue tang. Yes, a few experts may say 8ft but really? How many experts have you seen with 5ft tanks and blue tangs. Plenty.

03/03/2016, 10:27 AM	#9
dianapickles Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Australia Posts: 171	Also, just to add, I've raised most of my fish from juvenile age. The yellow tangs, clownfish, sailfin and Foxface etc. A lot of tangs aren't able to really be captive bred but they are captive raised and especially if raised from juvi in one tank, they adapt to that space. These fish come from the ocean so even 8ft is a far cry from acceptable one could debate. But it's really unnecessary to say the only fish I can hold in my tank is a yellow tang. Especially with a depth of 60 inches. Obviously as the fish grow, if I see stress, I'll relocate. But even then, only 1 or 2 tangs would have to go. If only just for conspecific aggression.

03/03/2016, 12:18 PM	#10
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	Well, all I can say is good luck.

03/03/2016, 02:38 PM	#11
T Haynes Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 279	you may end up with only one yellow tang at some point. then maybe youll have room