stocking advice

[jc]

I have my 180 gallon back to zero ammonia and I want to add some new fish. Right now I have 2.5" emperor angel, 2.5" yellow tang, 3" purple tang and a neon goby. All the fish seem to be getting along fine. The tangs push each other around a bit but they always hang out together. I want to add fish that get to be a nice show size. What do you think about adding a Powder blue and a Naso? Any other recommendations? Any new fish have to be snail and crab safe.

[fishcrazy]

Sohal Tang (red sea) They are great! Rethink the powder blue, very prown to ick. Since you have a emperor angel it seems this will not be a reef tank so I would look into a trigger and puffer, maybe a moorish idol even though they are hard to keep.

[jc]

I wouldn't trust triggers or puffers with my snails and crabs. I just ordered a large cleanup crew and I don't want them to be an expensive dinner. I think i'm gonna add a turbo twist uv to curb the parasites. I also have a cleaner shrimp and a neon goby for added protection.

[alton]

In all my test my imp. has been pretty reef safe except for zoo's. He doesn't even touch my clam. I do like the Sohal idea, so if you get one, get a small one and let me know how it works out if you go that way?

[jc]

Well the tank is fowlr so i'm not worried about what eats corals. The only thing I don't want is anything that would eat my cleanup crew.

[jc]

I went ahead and got a coral beauty and a halfblack dwarf angel. So that brings the list to yellow tang, purple tang, emperor angel, halfblack dwarf angel, coral beauty dwarf angel, and a neon goby. I'm starting to rethink the cleanup crew. Maybe I could risk getting a porcupine puffer, trigger or eel. Will the fuge keep the algae away? I'm thinking algae on the LR could be a good thing since the tangs and angels like to graze. I just don't want a tank with brown sand. I still want to try a powder blue tang before the others get too comfortable. Would I be overstocked if I added 2 more from this list: porcupine puffer, niger trigger, harlequin wrasse, snowflake eel, or zebra eel?

[Bill S]

Adding a porcupine puffer to an empty 180 may be overstocked... Ask Don!

[jc]

But they are so **** cute.

[jc]

O.K. the porcupine is off the list. The final list would be:
yellow tang
purple tang
emperor angel
half black dwarf
coral beauty dwarf
neon goby

to be added:
powder blue tang
pakistan butterfly
bicolor dwarf.

If this is not overstocking then it would be all the fish I would ever have in this tank. I also just got in my refugium running with the proper light and cheato. What do you guys think? Have I reached the limit or crossed the line?

[Ross]

Rethink any powder tang or butterfly. They can be tough to keep, not saying it cant be done they just need extra attention.

[Flobex]

what caused you ammonia problems in the first place, because adding allot of fish may just make things ALOT worse. just add slowly, and make sure everything is in check.

[Z4]

isnt there a thing about so many inches of fish per galon of water...???? i think that may work for u too.. i think its like 2.5 gallons per every inch of fish.. but someone correct me if thats not right....just my 2cents.

[Ross]

That rule doesn't really apply in saltwater, for freshwater its a basic rule but not something thats very important, especially in saltwater

[jc]

The ammonia spike was because the tank is new and I added some fish earlier. Of course, I added the fish when the ammonia was zero and now it is back to zero. Bicolor dwarf is off the list and I switched the pakistan to a semilarvatus butterfly which is listed as a good butterfly to keep according to wetwebmedia.