New tank / new fish adding compatibility question
 

I had a plan of adding a couple of new fish to my new tank which will be 250 g.

The fish in my existing established tank that will be moving in are:
Purple Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Regal Tang
Tomato Clown

I have tried in the past to add a small fish or two to the old system at seperate times 2 Firefish-Purple, Banggai Cardinalfish. That did not go very well I had to get them out rather quickly before they got ripped apart. That was a couple of years ago. I did learn from my lesson and new it would be pretty much impossible to add new tank mates.

My theory was since I was upgrading to a bigger tank I could add a few fish before I add the older fish to the system. After reading a post in a other compatibitity thread I have to question that plan.

I have in a quarantine tank right now a Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhirus cyanopleura) and a Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhitus armatus) The plan is to transfer coral, rock and water to the new tank add the new fish then add the old fish in a short time frame. I also have the Firefish that has been living in my sump/ref. that I was hoping to add.

Is this going to work? Are the tangs and clown going to turn them into fish food. The tank will contain lots of rock and lots of hidding places.

Thanks
Dave

The adding of new fish to a larger system will be fine IMO ... just moving rockwork around worked for me in the past ... I think it will work out fine.

Re: New tank / new fish adding compatibility question
 

I personaly feel there is one to many tangs for even a 250 gal, and if they were mine the purple would go to a new home. as for adding the smaller fish, give them lots of places to hide and put them in first for a few days to find there hiding spots. then add the more aggressive ones.

Steve

I think that the 3 Tangs are fine especially if they get along already right now.

I knew the Tang police would say something, I agree it may be pushing it a bit. They have all been together for some time now and grew up together since being very small, they have zero aggression issues. The Tomato Clown is the king of the tank anyways.


Tanks for the replies.
Dave

Personally the fish on my wish list is doliatus Rabbitfish, Siganus doliatus:

http://species.fishindex.com/species..._doliatus.html

I understand they have venomous spikes to ward off aggressive Tangs who might want to attack them, also they eat algae like crazy, also they are quite beautiful. I suggest you consider this fish.

Thanks Tril. I'll do some reasearch on it, looks cool for sure.

Well that is what i love about this site that there are no stupid things like tang police.
In my 280 i had a
Achilles
Sailfin
hippo
scopas in there with 2 coral beauties, a yellow wwrasse and a six line wrasse
a bangi cardinal
dotty back.

and they all got along IMO and IME

not trying to start anything here either. just my opinion.

mike

but yo better havea kick butt skimmer on there for the tangs.

What has usually worked for me is placing any fish about to be introduced in an isolation chamber for 3-5 days before releasing. I built mine out of white flourescent lighting grating material from HomeDepot and it measures 8" wide x 8" long x 12" deep. You cut the rectangular and square pieces out, line them up & zap strap them together. I suspend it in my tank (100g plexi mostly fish with some soft corals). The new fish gets acclimatized to the community tank with good flow, but it is protected from attacks by your established fish. Gives them a fighting chance since the other fish will be more likely to lose interest and accept them with only minor squabbles when you do release them into the general population.

Just my two cents worth. This idea was introduced to me by some other marine fanatics.

I think you will be fine as well.

Regarding the tangs, In my 230, I now have

-Scopas tang (3 years old)
-Chevron tang (Don't know how old)
-Naso tang (1 year old)
-Clown tang(1 month old)

All tangs are best friends......For now anyway :biggrin: