RC Marine Fishes FAQ

[MattL]

Over the past weeks, it was noted that many questions are asked repeatedly in the Reef Fishes Forum. To provide consistency in answers and a ready source of information to the novice aquarist (less the need to wait for a reply), a list of the most frequently asked questions was compiled.

To each question, an answer was compiled. The answer was written after careful research of all educated answers provided to the specific question through the recent history of the forum. The answer was carefully written to represent the overwhelming majority of experienced opinions provided here.

Questions and answers were written and reviewed by BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich. This effort was taken with the knowledge and permission of the forum moderator, BrianD.

It is conceivable that over time, questions may be added and answers edited. Please contact me (MattL.) and I will have a moderator edit the post.

Questions were written for beginner hobbyists.

In many cases, the answer may not be what the hobbyist wants to hear. The driving force behind the wording and tone of the answers was to save the hobbyist time, money, and heartache. And save a fish's life too. The answers were written by hobbyists who possess combined experience on the order of decades, and every single author has made the mistakes they sincerely hope to prevent others from making via this effort.

Thank you for reading this.

BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: I bought a fish, added it to my tank, and I have a problem. Can you help me?
A.: Probably not. The vast majority of questions posed in the forum are seeking help from a situation with a fish already in the hobbyist's tank. The sad irony of this hobby is that a lot less help can be offered after the fish has been added. Some times, there simply is no resolution other than removing the fish in question. however, on the bright side, there are still some resolutions worth inquiring about.

Q.: What should I do before buying a fish?
A.: Lots of things. First, research your fish carefully. There are only so many fish in the hobby, and chances are, in the myriad of posts on RC over the years, someone has had the same questions about the same fish. Use the search function to this end. Second, make sure you are prepared to care for this fish for its natural life. Some fish are easy to care for. They'll eat anything and never get sick. Other fish may require live foods for their entire life. Culturing live foods is a laborious undertaking, so be prepared for the time, effort, energy, and money required. Finally, anyone who has been in this hobby for years will claim that the most important thing to do is simply be patient. Take your time. Move slowly. These fish are not going out of style.

Q.: What do you mean by a fish's natural life?
A.: Many marine fish in the hobby live for 10 to 15 years, or longer.

Q.: People are saying a fish is best left in the ocean. What’s the harm in buying just one fish to give it a try?
A.: Lots. When you buy a fish, you are telling the fish store that there is a demand for this fish. The fish store then passes this demand on up the chain of suppliers to the collector, who then takes another one of these fish out of the ocean. A cycle of collection and death results. Help break the cycle and avoid fish that should not be collected, or at least not in the numbers they are.

Q.: People are saying a fish will outgrow my tank. What's the harm in buying a juvenile and then getting rid of it after it outgrows my system?
A.: Lots. As above, many fish are collected that hobbyists are either unwilling or unable to provide for over the course of their natural life. Establishing a demand for this fish perpetuates a cycle of collection. Also, unlike many other things in life, marine fish do not necessarily increase in demand or value as they grow. Your tank wasn't big enough for the fish. Chances are, you are going to have a hard time finding someone else's who is.

Q.: The LFS has this fish I've been looking for and I need to buy this fish now because they have only one!
A.: Any person can acquire almost any fish any time in this hobby. As you build experience, you will build contacts of suppliers who can get you what you need when you want it. At the beginning level especially, there is never a need to jump on a fish in a store. Intermediate and advanced hobbyists acquire fish that may not even be listed on large online sites by going directly through suppliers. As the saying goes: there really are lots of fish in the sea.

Q.: The LFS says you guys are wrong.
A.: The LFS has something to sell you. We don't.

Q.: I have to get rid of my fish, will my public aquarium take them?
A.: Almost positively not. Aquariums do not accept donations from the public, although it may be worth enquiring about.

Q.: I need to get rid of my fish still. What else can I do?
A.: Life gets in the way. It is only natural that you may need to give your fish up for adoption. Use your online resources. Chances are, someone out there will want to help you out. People really care for these fish. Also, your LFS may accept the fish back for partial store credit.

Q.: What is this I hear about needing a second tank? The first one is enormous! Why do I need two?
A.: It is extremely difficult to go through this hobby without a quarantine tank. A quarantine tank is used to hold incoming fish to observe illness and disease. A quarantine tank may double as a hospital tank, where incoming fish may be treated for disease.

Q.: So what do I need for a quarantine tank?
A.: This is a topic in and of itself, but a quarantine tank should be large enough to comfortably hold each fish, one at a time, you plan on adding.

Q.: I'm going to buy a fish today. I just set up my quarantine tank. Is this okay?
A.: No. Your quarantine tank must be cycled just like any other fish tank. The rules of fish addition apply to any tank, whether it is for display or for quarantine.

Q.: I added a fish. It got sick. Now all the other fish in the tank are sick. What can I do?
A.: Did you quarantine this fish first? Again, the sad irony of this hobby is that a lot less can be done to help you after the fish has been added to a tank.

Q.: But the fish from the store looks perfectly healthy. Should I still quarantine?
A.: Yes. Many diseases and parasites can not be observed initially.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: I have a reef. Can I add an angelfish?
A.: Yes. But only some angelfish are known to be reef safe. All of the others have the potential to eat or sample your corals or clams.

Q.: My angel hasn't touched a thing. Is he or she guaranteed to be reef safe?
A.: No. Many times, an angel will be fine for a long time, and then all of a sudden, become destructive.

Q.: Can I stop my angel from becoming destructive?
A.: No. It is believed that feeding properly (multiple times a day and a varied diet) may deter some destructive behavior, but in the end, if the fish decides it wants to eat your corals or clams, that is exactly what it will do.

Q.: My angel is eating my corals and/or clams. Can I stop it?
A.: No. Once an angel takes a liking to your corals, it will not change its mind, nor can you do anything to change its mind.

Q.: What dwarf angels are reef safe?
A.: None. All dwarf angels (angels of the genus Centropyge), have the potential to sample or consume your corals.

Q.: Well, are some dwarf angels less reef safe than others?
A.: Sort of. Certain dwarf angels have a reputation for being more reef safe than others. Performing a search of the forum will lead you to see which dwarf angels hobbyists have had the best (and worst) experience with. But bear in mind: all fish are individuals. All of the different dwarf angels have been observed at one time or another by someone to not be reef safe. It comes down to luck, and what you are willing to risk losing. Do not purchase a dwarf angel if you have something that you could not bear to lose to a fish.

Q.: Are any of the large angels reef safe?
A.: Yes. Angels of the genus Genicanthus are considered reef safe.

Q.: Are any other larger angels reef safe?
A.: No. Some of the larger angels have reputations for being partially reef safe around certain corals, but all fish are individuals. At any time, an angelfish can become destructive, and once it starts, it will not stop.

Q.: Which angels have the worst reputation with regards to eating corals?
A.: Those of the genus Holacanthus.

[MattL]

Q. Can I keep anthias in my reef tank?
A. Yes. Anthias are planktivores which are well suited for a reef display. They will not bother corals or other invertebrates. The smallest shrimp may be in trouble with some of the larger species, but even that is unlikely.

Q. Do anthias need to be kept in groups?
A. Generally speaking, for many of the hardy, more commonly available species, no. Often the more aggressive, outgoing species are in fact better kept as single specimens, especially in the confines of a smaller tank. Most anthias have a complex social structure, which can lead to fighting in a home aquarium. More timid species do better in groups; providing them a sense of security which a single fish would lack.

Q. How many anthias can I keep in my tank?
A. This will depend on the species, tank setup/equipment, and husbandry/maintenance. While many species are small, relative to other commonly kept marine fish, their feeding requirements can put a significant strain on a system. Often, one will run out of “space� due to increase in the bioload of the tank before they run out of physical space for the fish. They are also very active, constantly swimming.

Q. Do I need to QT anthias?
A. Yes. Acclimation to captivity is the first reason. Newly imported anthias are often starved, and unaccustomed to eating prepared foods. They will often only accept the smallest, frozen meaty foods, and then, only in tiny portions, very frequently. They must be adapted to eating larger foods, eating more food per feeding, and competing for food with other fish. This is all much easier to do in a separate QT system, without the presence/intimidation from other established, more aggressive feeders. Of course, the second reason to QT is to observe the fish for disease. Bacterial infections, as well as worms/flukes are not uncommon.

Q. Can I keep multiple species of anthias in the same tank?
A. Generally, yes, depending on the species and the size of the tank. Anthias will pay much more attention to conspecifics, than to other species around them. Even males of multiple species will often live together without problem, especially if they have females to occupy their time.

Q. How do I tell females from males?
A. Depending on the species, some can be very easy to tell apart (ie orange female lyretails vs red/purple males) while others have only subtle differences, like dispar anthias.

Q. Why are my anthias fighting so much with each other?
A. Anthias all start as females. The most dominant fish will turn into a male. If that male dies, the next most dominant female will turn into a male. Because of this dynamic, each fish is always trying to keep its place in line, or advance to the next higher position in the group. In an ideal situation, amongst a group of females, one will be clearly dominant, and turn male; and the other females will have established places in the hierarchy as well. Complications arise when females that have already begun to turn male (not easily visible to us, if at all) are placed in a tank with a full male, or even another changing female. Adding new fish to already established fish can also cause issues. It is best to add a group one species all at once. If adding more fish to an already established group, it is best to only add small females, so there is no question to their sex, or their place in the group (bottom of the totem pole). New fish must be in excellent health. Anthias will detect and attack sick individuals, regardless of size or sex.

Q. Can anthias be kept with other fish?
A. Anthias get along with most other fish. More aggressive anthias species can bother very timid fish, and of course small species can be swallowed by larger predatory fish. But otherwise, they play well with others.

Q. Do anthias need to be fed five or more times a day?
A. Anthias do best when fed small amounts of food often. Many of the hardy, more commonly available species can be acclimated to each larger amounts, less frequently, and do just fine. Again, QT is invaluable for this process. It may take weeks to months for newly imported specimens to regain their proper body mass, so frequent feeding may be critical at first.

Q. What should I feed my anthias?
A. Any and all manner of small meaty foods can be fed. Finely minced frozen shrimp, squid, scallop, clam, mysis, plankton are just a small sampling of easily obtained foods. More finicky species may require live foods at first, or even throughout their time in captivity. High quality dry foods may also eventually be accepted.

Q. My anthias won’t eat, now what?
A. Try every food you can get your hands on. Also, fast movement of the food can often trigger a feeding response. Food blown out of a powerhead is an excellent way to achieve this. Live foods may need to be tried as well.

Q. Do anthias jump?
A. Like all fast moving, active fish, anthias have the capability of jumping out of the tank. Often this can happen when individuals get excited about the prospect of being fed. This can also happen during quick chasing incidents from other fish. Otherwise, generally speaking, anthias don’t “bolt� for the surface haphazardly.

Q. Why did I have more than one anthias turn into a male?
A. There is no easy answer. Perhaps the “females� were already in the process of changing, at least internally. Perhaps whatever stimuli keeping the females from changing were not present with only one male in the system. Sometimes multiple males will change, and still be able to live in the same tank. Other times, one or more fish will have to be removed, or risk death.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: Are any butterfly fish reef safe?
A.: Not really. No butterfly fish is considered completely reef safe. Some are the least reef safe fish possible, even being obligate corallivores! However, a few butterfly fish are considered safe enough around certain types of corals for reefers to try them and have success. But in the end, all fish are individuals, and do not put any type of coral in a tank with a butterfly fish that you cannot bear to lose. Research your intended butterfly fish carefully.

Q.: What is a CBB?
A.: A copperbanded butterfly fish.

Q.: Can I keep a copperbanded butterfly fish?
A.: Probably not. Read the copperband butterfly fish primer at the top first. Despite their ubiquity in the hobby, these fish have dismal survival records, even in the best hands. They often live for several months, and then suddenly die.

Q.: I am interested in trying a copperbanded butterfly fish. What should I know?
A.: These fish are sensitive to aggression. Never (ever) buy one that is not eating at the LFS. Be prepared that you may very well have to have to feed live blood worms and/or decapsulated live brine more than once a day, which will require culturing. These fish can be a lot of work.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: What is this about a cardinal fish that will school?
A.: No fish offered in the trade will school in captivity. Certain species may shoal or associate with one another. Apogon leptacanthus are reported to be some of the best shoaling fish in the hobby.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: How many clownfish can I keep?
A.: Between 0 and 2.

Q. That's it? Can I keep more than 2?
A.: No, not unless you have a very (very) large tank. In that case, you can try and keep multiple pairs.

Q.: Can I keep two different pairs?
A.: Yes, but again only in a large tank.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: My damselfish is bullying another fish. What should I do?
A.: Damselfish, ounce for ounce, are extremely aggressive.

Q.: Will my chromis school?
A.: No. No fish will school in captivity. With certain fish, you may get some degree of association or shoaling, but never schooling. In the wild, fish don't school because they like each other -- they do it for survival. The theory is, a captive reef system is way too small, and thus the fish feel secure enough so as not to school.

Q.: Will my chromis shoal then?
A.: Maybe. Despite their reputation, chromis are not the best fish for shoaling behavior in captivity.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q: What do I feed my mandarin?
A: While most of them will eat frozen mysis and frozen brine, their natural tendency is to be an opportunistic grazer of copepods. That means they are hunting and eating pretty much all waking hours. As such you cannot feed mandarins frequently enough with frozen foods to sustain them absent a sufficient supply of copepods.

Q: Are Mandarins in the goby family?
A: No. They are in a family called dragonets

Q: My Mandarin does not hunt for copepods. Why?
A: Mandarins are often captured with cyanide; those that are captured in this fashion will not survive. If they sit around and do not hunt, that is likely the problem.

Q: What is considered success with a Mandarin?
A: Long term success is considered one year.

Q: Do Target Mandarins eat flatworms?
A: There are anecdotal reports, yes. It is not advisable to purchase a fish just to control a pest population.

Q. Can you have more than one Mandarin in a tank?
A: Yes, you can have one male and a female given sufficient copepods for two. Two males will not work.

Q. How do you tell a male Mandarin from a female?
A. Males have a spiked dorsal fin whereas females do not.

Q: Will Mandarins mate in captivity?
A. Yes, assuming you have a male and female and can simulate sunset

Q. What is the minimum tank size for a Mandarin?
A. It depends. Normally a 75 gallon reef tank with no other copepod feeders would be considered the bare minimum, but some people have maintained them in smaller tanks by attaching a highly productive refugium. The smaller the tank, the less your probability of long term success

Q. I hear you can train a Mandarin to eat frozen food. Is that right?
A: You can’t really “train� a fish to do anything that is not instinctive. Some mandarins eat frozen food without training, but they can be quickly outcompeted by other fish.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: Do I need a sand bed or substrate for a jaw fish?
A.: Yes. They feel most comfortable when they can make a burrow. Many have had success with more shallow sand beds lately, but please have a system where the fish can burrow and conceal its entire body.

Q.: Is it true jawfish will jump?
A.: Yes. If you want to keep a jaw fish, you must have a completely covered tank. Fish are notorious for finding any hole they can fit through, however improbable. Eggcrate does not offer enough protection – smaller holes are needed.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: Has anyone ever kept a Moorish Idol?
A.: Yes. But it is not recommended for all but the most expert fishkeeper. Read the Moorish Idol primer.

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: What tang will fit in my 30gal?
A.: None. Read the thread with the same title kept at the top of the forum.

Q.: What tang will fit in my 65gal?
A.: None. Tangs, while unfortunately ubiquitous in the hobby, have very special needs that most who buy them aren't prepared to meet. Most of all, tangs require large tanks, of which a 65 is most certainly not.

Q.: What is a large tank?
A.: Larger than many new to the hobby think. No tang belongs in a tank shorter than 4ft and/or less than 75gal. When dealing with tangs, a large tank is at least 6ft long and over 150gal.

Q.: I have a 4ft tank, can I get a tang.
A.: Yes, but choose only from the list of smaller tangs.

Q.: What are the smaller tangs?
A.: Tangs of the genus Ctenochaetus (the bristletooth tangs), the yellow tang, and the convict tang. All other tangs will require a 6ft tank or longer.

Q.: Will keeping a tang in a small tank stunt its growth?
A.: No. Tangs aren’t goldfish -- they don't stunt. While they generally grow to smaller sizes in captivity than in the wild, the difference is small.

Q.: A LFS or online vendor says that a tang will be fine in a smaller sized tank than you say.
A.: People here at RC have nothing to sell you – your LFS does. Many literature sources are outdated, still using preliminary husbandry data from before the hobby fully evolved. Other literature sources are for keeping an animal in a completely bare tank with no obstructions, for perhaps scientific or research purposes. Tank size data for tangs presented here has come from years and years of accumulated experience from hundreds of fishkeepers.

Q.: What will happen if I put my tang in a tank too small?
A.: When he or she outgrows it, lots of problems: Stress, disease, aggression, and destructive behavior are the most commonly reported.

Q.: Do tangs grow fast?
A.: Yes, but usually the larger ones grow the fastest.

Q.: I want to get a juvenile for my small tank and I'm upgrading later. Should I?
A.: No. Stock for the tank you have, not the tank you may someday probably possibly maybe have. Life can be unexpected, and we are talking about fish with life spans over 10 years.

Q.: Why can't I just give the tang away when it gets bigger?
A.: Who are you going to give it to? Most public aquariums will absolutely not accept donations from hobbyists. Also, think about what you are doing. Cute juveniles are taken from the wild and brought into the hobby because there is a demand for them. When you buy that fish, you are telling the supplier to keep collecting more cute juveniles. Part of that demand is from hobbyists who are unprepared to keep the animal for its natural life. As previously noted, tangs require tanks much larger than many novices are used to. Many hobbyists simply do not have tanks big enough to house adult tangs. Finding a home for an adult tang can be very difficult. So what you have done is provided the demand to encourage collecting more juveniles, and then dumped a large, adult fish back into the market for which there may be little secondhand demand.

Q.: What is this about length being more important than volume?
A.: Tangs are active swimmers. That is why they do so poorly in a small tank. They need to be able to swim for some length before turning around. So to a certain extent, length is more important than volume. Length is measured as the longest glass pane to the aquarium.

Q.: What is this about Naso tangs getting large?
A.: Naso is the name for a tang, and the name for a genus of tangs to which the Naso tang ( Naso lituratus) belongs. All tangs of the genus Naso grow very large, and ultimately require 8ft tanks when full grown. Except for the common Naso tang ( Naso lituratus), which is the smallest, leave the rest (like the Vlamingi, (Naso vlamingi) in the ocean where they belong, unless you have a sufficiently large system (over 8ft).

Q.: Can I get an Achilles tang?
A.: Probably not. Achilles tangs are very sensitive fish with special needs. Read the Achilles tang primer first.

Q.: Should I get a clown tang?
A.: No. That is, not unless you have a very large tank, 8ft long or bigger, and all aggressive tank mates. Clown tangs are offered as cute little juveniles. These fish are known for their large adult size and aggression, and as such, are best left in the ocean.

Q.: Should I quarantine my tang?
A.: Absolutely.

Q.: Are all tangs susceptible to ich?
A.: Yes, very much so. That is why quarantining first and then treating as necessary is extremely important.

Q.: What should I feed my tang?
A.: Tangs are herbivores. Some are more planktonovorous than others, but all require some vegetable matter in their diet. Be sure to provide them with ample green food daily. Appropriate green food is dried seaweed (nori), available at your LFS, and more nutritional vegetables that have been blanched.

Q.: Are you kidding, my tangs are perfectly happy.
A.: They seem fine to you. That doesn't mean they are. Like all wild creatures, tangs do not show weakness until they can physically no longer hide it. On the reef, weakness singles you out for predation. Therefore, a fish may be quietly suffering without you knowing. It takes a trained eye to be able to determine if a fish is stressed or unhappy in its environment.

Q.: Why are there so many FAQs about tangs?
A.: Tangs are probably the most abused fish in the hobby. Many novice aquarists are drawn to tangs, and understandably so. They are large, bright, colorful, active swimmers. The problem is: tangs have very special needs that the novice aquarist is either unprepared for or unwilling to meet, and that is where the problems begin. Perform a search in the forum for "tang" and "problem". Tangs are definitely big boy fish, and as the saying goes: don't keep big boy fish in school boy tanks. In reef keeping, the tank is one of the most inexpensive pieces of equipment. So why not just get your fish the tank it needs?

[MattL]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: Are fairy and flasher wrasses different?
A.: Yes. Flasher wrasses are a member of the genus Paracheilinus and there are 13 currently identified. Fairy wrasses are a member of the genus Cirrhilabrus. There are about 50 currently identified with more coming along frequently.

Q.: Are the personalities of all fairy wrasses the same?
A.: No, some are docile, some are very aggressive. In general, the females are more aggressive than the males. The more aggressive ones such as C. scottorum may eventually become intolerant of other fairy and flasher wrasses. More often though, you can mix and match fairy and flasher wrasses with no problem.

Q.: Do you need sand for fairy and flasher wrasses?
A.: No. They create a mucous cocoon when the sleep.

Q.: Do you need to have a female along with the male?
A.: No, but the "blue group" (those whose body tends to be blue based) tends to lose more coloration absent a female than does the "red group".

Q.: Can I keep two male fairy wrasses of the same species together?
A.: Generally no. They will fight. Also, in general two male fairy wrasses of similar size, coloration, and body shape can be problematical. The same is not true for flasher wrasses.

Q.: What kind of acclimation is required for fairy wrasses?
A.: Temperature acclimate, SG acclimate, and socially acclimate by floating new arrivals in a breeder cup to dispel aggression.

Q.: Will fairy and flasher wrasses jump?
A.: Yes. Not a question of IF but WHEN.

Q.: Will egg crate keep them in?
A.: No, you need quarter inch holes or a sealed tank.

Q.: What are the rarest fairy wrasses?
A.: In the USA, C. earlei, C. johnsoni, and C. lanceolatus "types" are rare

Q.: Do all males lose coloration?
A.: No. If you have females, the male coloration should remain constant and if you are lucky you will observe breeding behavior

Q.: What is a terminal male/supermale?
A.: A terminal male cannot revert to being a female. These are also called supermales.

[MattL]

*** to be completed :) Anyone want to write this section? ***

[MattL]

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If any time, effort, money, heartache, and maybe even fishes' lives can be saved, the effort will be worth it.

To clarify, different sections were written and proofread by different authors, although I did want to add a claim at the head of each post noting the present four contributing authors and reviewers having contributed to (parts of) the FAQ as a whole:

Bangkok Matt
MattL.
SDguy
snorvich

Would you like to write a section? Would you like to add a question? Let us know!

Matt:cool:

[Mentat]

Excellent reading! Thank you and congratulations for a job well done to all involved in this thread and project.

[reeferstace]

Fantastic Job, Matt! Thanks! :)

[SnookSlayer08]

Great job, very informative!

[MattL]

You're very welcome. And again, this is an "open" document. If you feel a topic or question was missed, please add. My understanding is that this will get a sticky from BrianD shortly.

Matt:cool:

[BrianD]

Thanks for the effort guys! This is a tremendous addition to the forum!

[michellejy]

In the cardinal section, could you please add that Bangaii cardinals can only be kept singly unless they are a bonded/mated pair?

I also see the same question about adding groups of firefish, but you don't have a firefish section. :)

For clownfish, you may want to say it is usually best not to mix species unless they are from the same complex (i.e. a tomato and cinnamon can be combined as a pair, but a tomato will probably kill an ocellaris). Obviously, there are some exceptions, but that's how it generally goes.

[michellejy]

Oh, and maybe something in the damselfish section about not using a damsel to cycle your tank, although that may be best in the newbie forum.

[snorvich]

I would certainly agree with of these observations. Thanks Michelle!

[michellejy]

Oh, a couple more...

Copperband Butterflies will eat feather dusters and Christmas tree worms. (I see that question a lot too, but maybe I just read weird threads. :lol: )

Copperband butterflies and yellow tangs should generally not be mixed due to their similar body shape. (I've seen a lot of threads that say "Help! My yellow tang is attacking my CBB!" I also know someone personally who did this and nearly lost a healthy, eating CBB as a result.)

[MattL]

Michelle, those are all great. Because only a mod can make the changes, I will wait to amass a series of added questions and then request that the change be made.

Matt:cool:

[Joel A]

very nice... sticky for sure IMO.

One question however... when pertaining to Tangs... you say that they don't "stunt" like goldfish... why/how is this.

I don't have any firsthand experience with this specific topic, so i'm certainly not going to argue it, but i would think that tangs would stunt if kept in a small enough tank... (think of a hippo in a 30, or a sohal/unicorn in a 65... are they really going to grow to full potential?)

[mflamb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14572729#post14572729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by michellejy
Copperband butterflies and yellow tangs should generally not be mixed due to their similar body shape. (I've seen a lot of threads that say "Help! My yellow tang is attacking my CBB!" I also know someone personally who did this and nearly lost a healthy, eating CBB as a result.) Michelle, do you think color has something to do with it also? I have a large Purple Tang and a large CBB. They are almost always together. They seem to take turns following each other around with no agression.

[michellejy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14574175#post14574175 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mflamb
Michelle, do you think color has something to do with it also? I have a large Purple Tang and a large CBB. They are almost always together. They seem to take turns following each other around with no agression.

The only tang I've heard of harassing a CBB is the yellow tang, so I'm guessing it's a combination of color and shape.

[MattL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14573182#post14573182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Joander123
very nice... sticky for sure IMO.

One question however... when pertaining to Tangs... you say that they don't "stunt" like goldfish... why/how is this.

I don't have any firsthand experience with this specific topic, so i'm certainly not going to argue it, but i would think that tangs would stunt if kept in a small enough tank... (think of a hippo in a 30, or a sohal/unicorn in a 65... are they really going to grow to full potential?) No, these fish would not stunt even in such small confines -- they would stress and die well before that.

While it is true that marine fish rarely reach the maximum reported size in captivity, they have evolved to live in an open water body, unlike a closed source like a pond.

Many freshwater fish use chemical signaling to control growth and prevent overcrowding. These fish emit a chemical signal. The higher the signal they in turn detect, the less they grow.

Saltwater fish would likely have no such adaptation, as chemical signaling would not be reliable in the open ocean (it would be infinitely diluted).

This was my understanding. I will hope that someone with more experience chimes in.

Matt:cool:

[agreeive?fish]

Please consider sections for

seahorses/pipefish

fish that will eat your prised little fishy such as groupers/lions/ect

odd ball stuff

eels

my2" blue throat trigger is mellow will the 15"queen trigger at the fish store be good tank mate

thanks in advance as i know this thread has taken a lot of work and time to put together

[g8gxp]

can you expand on the clownfish section? it seems like this is a pretty popular fish. also expand on why only pairs can be kept and how big the tank needs to be for multiple pairs. thanks!! great faq, keep up the good work!

[chilihedkc]

I am pretty new to this hobby and relish this kind of information. I want to do things correctly the first time to minimize investment in both money and losses of livestock. I had heard that Chromis were best kept in groups, and found in this thread the reason that I have lost a couple from an original group of five despite apparently great water quality. Any additions to this thread would be greatly appreciated by guys like me.

[BangkokMatt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14940295#post14940295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chilihedkc
I am pretty new to this hobby and relish this kind of information. I want to do things correctly the first time to minimize investment in both money and losses of livestock. I had heard that Chromis were best kept in groups, and found in this thread the reason that I have lost a couple from an original group of five despite apparently great water quality. Any additions to this thread would be greatly appreciated by guys like me.
Water quality is of prime importance for all live stock. However, Chromis quickly form a hierarchy and then start to kill each other off. This is most likely the cause of your losses. Poor water quality would have shown with other fish as well.

[adtravels]

Good work all. Lets hope people read them.

[tpdpercula]

This is awesome!!!

[RegalAngel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14560953#post14560953 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MattL
(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: What is this about a cardinal fish that will school?
A.: No fish offered in the trade will school in captivity. Certain species may shoal or associate with one another. Apogon leptacanthus are reported to be some of the best shoaling fish in the hobby.

So, no SW fishes school? When I was younger and had FW fishes the zebra danios and neon tetras schooled nicely. Nothing colorful for SW fishes?

[BangkokMatt]

They may have loosely hung together but they certainly didn't school. No fish will (well..maybe coral cats) in a home aquaria.

[snorvich]

Actually, in a very large tank, I believe that glassy sweepers will "school" or at the least "shoal". The remainder, such as cardinals, will not really even shoal except when they are distressed (which hopefully is not the case)

[snorvich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15237378#post15237378 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RegalAngel
So, no SW fishes school? When I was younger and had FW fishes the zebra danios and neon tetras schooled nicely. Nothing colorful for SW fishes?

Actually, those fresh water fishes also did not "school"; they will loosely shoal.

[OceanDweller]

I don't know if its just me but chromis seem to knock each other off pretty frequently. Cardinals though not colorful seem to group together well.

Think about freshwater fish and how you see quite a few tanks around the 55 gallon range with a ton of fish and the fish growth is not out of control. It is extremely hard to replicate that in SW and usually only with a insanely huge external water volume like say a 100 gallon with 500 gallons total water volume.

On a side note many shoaling type fish and other fish like tangs are kept in small tanks 20 gallons or less in groups at LFS for quick sales. I think this is one of the biggest contributors to death in the hobby outside unknowable LFS staff due to new hobbyists thinking these fish can be kept in the same size tanks or some that are just a little bit larger.

[Henryreef]

This is a great thread and very useful! Thank you for making it! :thumbsup:

[charnkiat]

Thank you for such a wonderful thread ...
After reading though, now I'm really sad. I won't be able to keep most of the fish I've dreamed of. Sighhhhhh.

[dnahas]

I wanted to add. This is a great thread and very useful! Thank you for making it!

This is a good start and a must read for everyone who wants to enter the hobby, BEFORE they buy an aquarium.

[areeftank]

better than wikipedia that says yellows and purples can be keept in 55's maby somone should upload this info to wikipedia as MAKING IT BETTER

[SDguy]

Very happy to read that people find this useful!

[jasonk440]

Thanks for the info on the tangs! It was very helpful.

[Finsky]

Michelle, those are all great. Because only a mod can make the changes, I will wait to amass a series of added questions and then request that the change be made.

Matt:cool:

It would be interesting to have a section about Damsel Fish.

[Finsky]

Michelle, those are all great. Because only a mod can make the changes, I will wait to amass a series of added questions and then request that the change be made.

Matt:cool:

It would be interesting to have a section on Dart Fish.

[dnahas]

It would be interesting to have a section about Damsel Fish.

My definition- Although They do well in groups of the same species,They are mean little sob's and are good to cycle new aquariums.

[Finsky]

I have a Black Mouth Damsel, a Blue Damsel, an Azure Damsel, a Three Stripe Damsel, a Golden Domino Damsel, two Yellowtail Damsels, two Four Stripe Damsels, and Three Two Stripe Damsels.

I think they are one of the most interesting species of reef fish available if given space, live rock, and regular vitamin soaked food.

I preferr them over anthias by far with their many varied species to choose from although this is my personal opinion.

Is a reef tank without a damsel a reef tank?

I also have a pair of Zebra Barred Dartfish who are very entertaining.

[jacob.morgan78]

Feeding would be a great issue to discuss here or at least in its own sticky...

Very nice thread btw

[LONGATTO]

still waiting for the wrasse and dart fish sections

[snorvich]

Fairy and flasher Wrasses

Fairy Wrasses belong to the family Labridae. They are relatively small, and most species are both sexually dimorphic and dichromatic. Fairy wrasses usually occur in large groups in the wild often with a variety of intermingled species. These fish are planktivores. The coloration of juveniles and females is often very similar which makes it difficult to determine what species you have in some cases. Most species (with some exceptions that are highly aggressive) are ideally suited to the home aquarium although they will do best if housed with a male and multiple females of the same species. They are not compatible with other small planktivores such as basslets or dottybacks and can often intimidate firefish. Best if fed multiple times per day. Those whose body coloration is blue based lose the most coloration absent a female, and when illuminated under very intense lighting. When kept as a harem, they will display nuptial colors which can, under proper circumstances become semi-permanent.

Q.: Are fairy and flasher wrasses different?
A.: Yes. Flasher wrasses are a member of the genus Paracheilinus and there are 16 currently identified. Fairy wrasses are a member of the genus Cirrhilabrus. There are about 50 currently identified with more coming along frequently.

Q.: Are the personalities of all fairy wrasses the same?
A.: No, some are docile, some are very aggressive. In general, the females are more aggressive than the males. The more aggressive ones such as C. scottorum may eventually become intolerant of other fairy and flasher wrasses. More often though, you can mix and match fairy and flasher wrasses with no problem. The best way to introduce new ones is using an an acrylic acclimation chamber or with the use of a divider to section off a portion of the aquarium.

Q.: Do you need sand for fairy and flasher wrasses?
A.: No. They create a mucous cocoon when they sleep.

Q.: Do you need to have a female along with the male?
A.: No, but the "blue group" (those whose body tends to be blue based) tends to lose more coloration absent a female than does the "red group".

Q.: Can I keep two male fairy wrasses of the same species together?
A.: Generally no, except in very large tanks as they will fight. Also, in general two male fairy wrasses of similar size, coloration, and body shape can be problematic. The same is not true for flasher wrasses.

Q.: What kind of acclimation is required for fairy wrasses?
A.: Temperature acclimate, SG acclimate, and socially acclimate by floating new arrivals in a breeder cup to dispel aggression. All fish should be quarantined and treated if necessary.

Q.: Will fairy and flasher wrasses jump?
A.: Yes. Not a question of IF but WHEN, and even in covered aquariums, they can also find their way into overflow boxes in reef ready displays.

Q.: Will egg crate keep them in?
A.: No, you need quarter inch holes or a sealed tank.

Q.: What are the rarest fairy wrasses?
A.: In the USA, C. earlei, C. johnsoni, and C. lanceolatus "types" are considered rare in the aquarium trade.

Q.: Do all males lose coloration?
A.: No. If you have females, the male coloration should remain constant and if you are lucky you will observe breeding behavior

Q.: What is a terminal male/supermale?
A.: A terminal male cannot revert to being a female. These are also called supermales.

[snorvich]

Dartfish

Dartfish are characterized by their bright colors and elongated bodies. Dartfish make a great addition to a peaceful saltwater community or reef aquarium but since they are easily intimidated there can be no aggressive tank mates. Putting them in a smaller aquarium with a pair of clownfish may not turn out well in the longer run. They require an aquarium with plenty of hiding spots and at least 2 inches of substrate for burrowing. Dartfish are prolific jumpers, so a tight-fitting canopy on the aquarium is a must. Egg crate, specifically will not keep them in.

The Purple Firefish, also known as the Decorated Firefish, Purple Dartfish, Decorated Dartfish, or Flame Firefish, was first discovered in the Indo-west-Pacific Ocean in 1973 by Randall and Allen. The colorful body base is varied degrees of yellow to white, and deep shades of purple which begin at the head and ends with maroon-tipped fins.

This fish can be housed in small aquaria, even as small as 10 gallons or larger aquarium with plenty of loose coral rubble as part of the aquascape, and a tight-fitting lid to prevent it from jumping out of the tank. It will rarely become aggressive towards other fish, but is territorial, and will fight with its own kind unless they are a mated pair.

One of my favorite dartfish, the Purple Firefish will feed mostly on prey suspended in the water column, but will pick food off the substrate. Its varied diet should consist of chopped or shaved seafood, frozen food preparations for carnivores, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. The vibrant coloring will fade if not fed a vitamin-enriched diet including cyclopeeze.

Dartfish are planktivores and will eat finally chopped meaty foods, cyclopeeze, etc. They should not be housed with fish that can/will eat them, nor should they be combined with fish that will intimidate them such as certain wrasses.

[snorvich]

Dottybacks

Dottybacks, also known as Pseudochromis, are brightly colored, exceptionally gorgeous but intensely aggressive fish that reach a size of about three inches. Since they are small and very hardy aquarium specimens that adjust well to captivity, there is a temptation for new aquarists to add them as their first "spectacular" fish. This is a mistake. Due to their aggressive nature, especially in a smallish tank, this will often preclude the addition of additional fish later on Despite their relative smallish size, we recommend putting them only in significantly large tanks where their aggression will be dissipated on a variety of fish. They are totally incompatible with fairy or flasher wrasses or other wrasses of a similar size. They have been known to go after fish considerably larger than they are. The least aggressive dottyback is Pseudochromis fridmani.

Dottybacks feed on plankton, small crustaceans, worms and will accept most prepared foods, especially meaty foods. The aquarium should include a well-sealed lid, and plenty of rockwork and hiding places as they tend to be somewhat cryptic. Only one species should be maintained in an aquarium.

[gamecockfan803]

Excellent reading alot of good Q&As every beginner should stop by this forum

[volivier]

Triggers? I've seen a nice sps tank with a pink tail trigger, would love info on the triggers that are reef safe...if you believe they are?

[Finsky]

Dottybacks

Dottybacks, also known as Pseudochromis, are brightly colored, exceptionally gorgeous but intensely aggressive fish that reach a size of about three inches. Since they are small and very hardy aquarium specimens that adjust well to captivity, there is a temptation for new aquarists to add them as their first "spectacular" fish. This is a mistake. Due to their aggressive nature, especially in a smallish tank, this will often preclude the addition of additional fish later on Despite their relative smallish size, we recommend putting them only in significantly large tanks where their aggression will be dissipated on a variety of fish. They are totally incompatible with fairy or flasher wrasses or other wrasses of a similar size. They have been known to go after fish considerably larger than they are. The least aggressive dottyback is Pseudochromis fridmani.

Dottybacks feed on plankton, small crustaceans, worms and will accept most prepared foods, especially meaty foods. The aquarium should include a well-sealed lid, and plenty of rockwork and hiding places as they tend to be somewhat cryptic. Only one species should be maintained in an aquarium.

I have a full sized Splendid Dottyback 4" which runs the length of my five foot tank by appearing and dissappearing into the live rock. He will sometimes swim out front. He is not to be triffled with although he rarely goes after other fish. He was put into the tank about a year ago and is one of my most beautiful fish.

I have had a trio of Zebra Dartfish about 4" long for nine months. They were very shy at first and then started to appear at feediing time and would then dart into their hole in the live rock. They like vitamin soaked mysis and brine shrimp and Ocean Nutrition one and Two flakes.

[BangkokMatt]

I am pleased to see this post still stickied.loads of great info here.

[snorvich]

Triggers? I've seen a nice sps tank with a pink tail trigger, would love info on the triggers that are reef safe...if you believe they are?

When I get some time, I will prepare one on triggers. "Reef safe" might be an overstatement but "coral safe" is a different issue. Some triggers are hyper aggressive, but some are only moderately so.

[Azasb]

Great information!

[jdnidle]

I know this is an older thread, but there is a lot of good information here.
Thank you for the information.

[69bird]

Hi, great info here. Like the information on tangs and angels specifically. I guess my new aquarium dimensions will have to be modified to hold my Vlamingi. It is 256g but at 5'-6" x 3' it is not long enough. Went by the volume measurement from LFS. Crap, its starfire glass to boot.

[covers]

I have always purchased fish and most coral from local pet store. My issue is that recently about 75% of the fish die within 1 week after they come home. I run full drip acclimation for at least 50 minutes and my water is in spec with exception of phosphates that range from 0.2 to 0.5 ppm.
My coral purchased locally from the reef stores live and grows well but not the fish.

I have had better success with lower priced stores like Petco than local reef stores.
A lot of the local stores have their tanks tied together on a central system which worries me about sickness like Ich spreading from tank to tank.

How successful is it to ship fish direct from a distributor, diver or aquaculture farm?
I have done this with sponges, inverts and gorgonians with excellent results.

55 gallon, 50 lb live rock, protein skimmer, coil denitrider, 15 gallon refugium with 4" deep sand and 2X mangrove bushes, reactor with GFO, 2X 55 T5 lights.

Going to commit to a dedicated quarantine tank in the future but if I buy locally I may need to drug them once they are acclimated.

Live stock: Coral beauty angel, damsel, yellow goby, sea urchin, 2X star fish, sea cucumber, 2X prop coral colonies, large gorgonian, yellow sponge, red tree sponge, misc sponges.
Tank setup for 15 years.

[Finsky]

(All sections by: BangkokMatt, MattL., SDguy, and snorvich.)

Q.: How many clownfish can I keep?
A.: Between 0 and 2.

Q. That's it? Can I keep more than 2?
A.: No, not unless you have a very (very) large tank. In that case, you can try and keep multiple pairs.

Q.: Can I keep two different pairs?
A.: Yes, but again only in a large tank.

I have had a mated pair of Tomato Clownfish for seven and a half years and they now have four red rose and one green bubble tip anemone on the left side of a five foot 120 gallon tank with 200 pounds of live rock.

I have also had a large Clarkii Clownfish for over a year and a half in an 18" True Carpet Anemone on the right side.

The Clarkii started out hiding on the left side peaking out of the rocks for food and was chased back to her cave by the large female and smaller male Tomato Clownfish. Then the Clarkii started hovering near the surface at night on the left side when the Tomatos were sleeping in there anemones. Finally, the Clarkii made her way to the Carpet Anemone and has been there for a year.

The female Tomato Clownfish originally gave the Carpet Anemone a sniff and brush and turned her nose up and then went back to her bubble tips to lay some eggs.

[Venom0vv0]

Plenty of food for thought. I thought the hobby would be challenging and rewarding but it appears that it is close to boat ownership. If it becomes more work than fun do you scuttle the project? LOL

[m.adamschwartz]

I just stumbled upon this thread, great read and extremely informative!

[anflyer]

I Hola I I the the n Jaret hiya one of these skimmers would be the better skimmer for a steer 400 gallon mixed reef with Heavy Bioloadw.
I on u pidió the
I know they basically are both the same, but I was wondering if the 5000int would be more efficient since it would seem that the bubbles would have more contact time since they are injected at a lower part of the body.

I have plenty of room in the sump for either one.

Anflyer

[anflyer]

very nice... sticky for sure IMO.

One question however... when pertaining to Tangs... you say that they don't "stunt" like goldfish... why/how is this.

I don't have any firsthand experience with this specific topic, so i'm certainly not going to argue it, but i would think that tangs would stunt if kept in a small enough tank... (think of a hippo in a 30, or a sohal/unicorn in a 65... are they really going to grow to full potential?)







Feeding would be a great issue to discuss here or at least in its own sticky...

Very nice thread btw

[Finsky]

I Hola I I the the n Jaret hiya one of these skimmers would be the better skimmer for a steer 400 gallon mixed reef with Heavy Bioloadw.
I on u pidió the
I know they basically are both the same, but I was wondering if the 5000int would be more efficient since it would seem that the bubbles would have more contact time since they are injected at a lower part of the body.

I have plenty of room in the sump for either one.

Anflyer

I have used a Turbofloto Multi-1000 for up to a 250 gallon tank on my 120 gallon for years and still have the original pump and a backup pump for it. Just cleaned the body of the skimmer and in less than day it skimmed a half of collection cup of black water. The fish went crazy with joy. All the triggers, puffers, and large angel in addition to two RBTA and one True Carpet.

Aqua-Medic has the 76" tall model, the Aqua Medic Turboflotor 5000 Series protein skimmers, are motor driven external protein skimmer for aquaria from 250-1250 gal. To supply the skimmer with water, a separate pump with a capacity of 500-1,000 gph, like an OR 3500, is required. Ozone resistant protein skimmer priced at almost $949 on their Web site.

The aCone skimmer in two different sizes.

The aCone 1.5 is rated for aquaria up to 400 gal. The ECO Runner venturi pumps including air wheel are very quiet in operation coupled with high air capacity. The aCone skimmer are for in-sump operation. No additional pump for the water supply to the skimmer is required. Ozone resistant protein skimmer.

The aCone 3.0 is rated for aquaria up to 650 gal. The ECO Runner venturi pumps including air wheel are very quiet in operation coupled with high air capacity. The aCone skimmer are for in-sump operation. No additional pump for the water supply to the skimmer is required. Ozone resistant protein skimmer.

I was thinking of their new hang on rated for tanks up 375 gallons and they suggested the aCone 1.5.

Finsky

[pauljefferson6]

I have a 1 inch baby Yellow eyed Kole tang that has become mr social to all other fish in the tank. However I just noticed my 1.5 inch female clownfish running him away and I can see a few bites out of his tail fin. Any advice? The kole tang is swimming back and forth in the front of the tank and seems pretty stressed. I shut off the light hoping he would just go into the rock and hide, which he has. The clownfish isn't picking on anyone else... Any advice?

[Marshall O]

Relocate the clown, even temporarily. What size tank is this in? Is the clown being hosted by anything? I am assuming it is not a pair and just the female?

[crankbait09]

add any more Q&A? this is good stuff

[Squibege]

This is a great resource! should be stickied in the 'New to the hobby' section (I don't remember seeing it there)

[norfolkgarden]

Still fantastic information! Just enjoyed reading the entire thread again.
Thank you!

[CassandrAlys]

Thanks so much! This is all invaluable information!

[GinoV84]

Do fish enjoy corals or is keeping corals strictly for ourselves? I’ve been debating if I should start up a FOWLR system for a new tank build I’m working on. I’d love to keep some non reef safe fish but if most fish enjoy corals then I’m not going to consider it. I thought I heard in a reef group before fish act themselves in a reef compared to a FOWLR system. Thanks!