Increasing my tank load

[SeanH]

I have been asked to take on several fish from a reef system that crashed. The people who have the tank are moving to Japan, so they aren't going to rebuild. There is a hepatus tang, anemone-less tomato clown (the 'nem bit it with the corals), yellow tang, what I think is a Dascyllus of some species and a marine Betta, which I didn't even notice at first since it's so reclusive. The tang and the clown are pretty straight forward, but I don't know much about the betta other than it is basically a shy grouper, needs an out-of-the-way place to live and can be a picky eater. I believe it's eating flakes and pellets, but I haven't actually seen it eat. I have a number of nice caves in my reef, so I think it would be able to find some where to live, but I'm concerned about it getting along with my other fish.

 

I have a kole tang, lawnmower blenny, juvenile sailfin tang and (3) Ocellaris Clown along with (2) black mollies (lol). The mollies were in the tank when I set it up to help break in the tank. There were 3 mollies , but one got sick and subsequently died (and was cleaned up by the serpent star or the GBTA). The clowns get on very well with the current tank mates and all three are hosting in the GBTA. I was really surprised all three put up with each other, but I have to believe it's similar to cichlids where you have a female, a dominant male and a sub-dominant male. Or my clowns are just weird. In any case, at night the GBTA is a full house - it looks like a clown fish toast rack with all three crammed in to it. I can pull the mollies and acclimate them for a fresh water system and that removes them from the system (unless gwweber wants them back.)

 

I guess I have several concerns:

 

1) Do I have enough filter in a 65 gallon tank to take on (5) more fish?

2) Will the clowns have issues with each other?

3) Will all of the tangs get along, since they are very different from each other?

4) Will the Betta find this tank sedate enough to be happy?

5) or should I get off my ass and transfer everything to the 90 gallon tank I have? heh.

 

My current tank is a Red Sea Max 250 with a 1.5-2" aragonite substrate and I think 80-100lbs of live rock. The current tank the other fish are in is a 150 tall with a Megaflow 4 sump, an aragonite substrate and live rock. It was a functioning reef tank, but is essentially a FOWLR set up now. Dimensions on the Marineland tank they are in is 48x24x31".

[Chad]

I think you will have issues bith both water quality (at least initially, but potentially long-term) and aggression. That is a lot of feisty (or potentially feisty) fish to put in a tank as small as yours is. Sure, there is a potential that they will all do fine, but I think the probability is high it wont work out like that.

 

1) I dont think so. What is your friend doing with their tank? Can you set it up as a refugium or secondary display tank to add volume and add an area you can move offenders to?

2) Probably, but that may work out ok.

3) Usually it is ok in a tank where there are places to get away from line of site... but other times it is fine altogether. I think with those two, it is likely to be ok.

4) Hard to say, Im not sure on this one.

5) Yep. And use the 65 for a fuge!

[zygote2k]

get rid of the tomato clown and the damsel while you can. they're just trouble unless you have lots of room. keep the tang and the betta, and you should do fine.

[Incredible Corals]

get rid of the tomato clown and the damsel while you can. they're just trouble unless you have lots of room. keep the tang and the betta, and you should do fine.

 

+1, the Tomato and Damsel might be pleasant not but just wait.