need help with my fish list

[jill]

We have been adding fish to our new 250 g for the past few months are are nearing the end of our list but I am starting to wonder if we need to stop now.

My initial understanding was that in a tank our size we could add 150" of fish (this is assuming what their size will be when they are full grown). But I think the tank is looking a bit crowded now. I don't want the fish to be stressed like the ones you see in Restaurants.

Our tank is a mixed reef and even tho its only about 4 months old the corals are looking great and even growing onto the live rock. The anemones, 2 fire shrimp and coral-banded shrimp are also apparently healthy. At night we see thousands of copepods and many amphipods. The
30 g refugium is teeming with life and supports 2 clams.
I am feeding a huge variety of foods. The fish we have look great. All my water parameters are perfect.

The dimensions of our tank are 64" by 31" which leaves a lot of empty head space (because most of our current fish are reef huggers or benthic) so my husband wants to add 3 Heniochus Diphrentes and a Naso tang.

We currently have one each of the following small fish:

Valentini Puffer
Purple Firefish
Blue Damsel
Coral Beauty Angel
Lemon Peel Angel
Royal Gramma
Yellow-Headed Gobi
Orchid Dottyback
Midas Blenny
Maroon Clown

And the following large fish:

Purple Tang
Foxface Rabbit
Blue-Girdled Angel

We calculated the new "fish length" the be about 130.
Does this sound reasonable given the fish we have and want?

 

[returnofsid]

The amount of inches of fish you are able to keep per a certain number of gallons is a very archaic and unreliable rule to use. There are so many other things that need to be taken into consideration.

Here's some great reading that may help:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35511
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29287

 

[maysorum]

this is what i've heard: 1" of fish per 5 gallons of saltwater so that would be 50 inches of fish, but like returnofsid said this rule is archaic.

 

[DonW]

Monitor your nutrient. I would guess with the angles your going to have to feed a lot to keep them from feeding on the corals. Yes that rule of thumb is far from correct. I know of a 50 that has more than 50 fish and is stunning and others that can't handle 3.

Don

 

[jill]

Thanks everyone. I read returnofsid's suggestions and see how complicated this is. I guess I'll just keep monitoring my water quality and hope for the best.

 

[jill]

what would you feed angels?

Monitor your nutrient. I would guess with the angles your going to have to feed a lot to keep them from feeding on the corals. Yes that rule of thumb is far from correct. I know of a 50 that has more than 50 fish and is stunning and others that can't handle 3.

Don

Hey Don,
What would you suggest I feed my angels? I'm giving Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 pellets and frozen spirolina and a ton of meaty treats. I don't think they like calurpa and I can't get them to eat dried seaweed.
thanks,
Jill