Help me rebuild my tanks...

Mog, see one of my latest posts in which I said the only real change was going to be the clowns and the BTA. I'm going to put the Tomato clowns and BTA in the 29, and move the Maroon to the 55. I might move the Yellowtail over to the 55, but I'm not sure yet. The overcrowding was too big a concern for me to pack them into the 29 like that.

So, it would be

  • 29g
  • Tomato Clowns
  • Bubbletip anemone
  • Coral Banded Shrimp
  • Yellow Tail Damsel - maybe

    55g
  • Maroon Clown
  • Foxface Lo - might find a new home for this guy.
  • Coral Beauty Angel
  • Mandarin
  • Yellow Tail Damsel - maybe
  • Green Chromis
  • Chocolate Chip Starfish
 
Should be fine. And, adding a dwarf lion won't endanger the mandarin--those bright colors let predators know they don't taste good. We kept out mandarin in with a volitan for about a year (recently moved the mandarin to the reef tank), and had no problems. The lion would watch the mandarin, but never made an attempt to eat it. Those mandarins are little bullies--ours will back the trigger fish down from food--we moved the mandarin because we were worried the trigger would soon realize it could beat up the mandarin.

The chromis and the damsel may have problems--depends on the fish. Our blue damsel has always been a model denizen, but I've seen them be terrors.
 
Ya know, I totally spaced the fact that Mandarins are poisonous and that the Lion would know this. Ok, the Lion might not be out of the question them. I'd flirted with the idea, but risking the life of my happy and healthy mandarin for a Lion that may or may not survive shipping was not something I was willing to do. Whould you put a Radiatta or an Antenatta in a 55g Onion? My buddy had a Radiatta in one for a long time and he had no problems, I'm just curious if he was an anomoly. The Dwarf Zebra Lion is nice, but not my first choice.

On the Damsels, my Yellowtail is totally docile with the Maroon Clown. They swim near each other with no aggressin from either side. Might change with the Tomato Clowns, but I doubt it. The Green Chromis is also very docile, usually hiding in the rockwork. Mixing them though, might be a bit different. Territorial little punks!
 
I think that as long as you make sure there is an overhang or cave the lion can claim, either should be fine. All my experience with lions indicates they are peaceful, laid back fish--though they can pout with the best. The volitan gets cranky and will threaten us if we mess around in 'his' part of the tank, but is otherwise very mellow. I like the Antenatta better--think they look more like the volitan.

The chromis would be the only one I'd worry about--he may see the damsel as an invader--so I would make sure to re-arrange the tank quite a bit before, to give everyone an equal chance at claiming turf.
 
Well, I think if that Lion hits the 55, the chromis is going to either be in a new home or be a snack. Same goes for the Yellowtail. I'm defintely going to decide on the Lion before I move the Yellowtail. I've got no desire to try catching that sucker once he gets loose in my rockwork. Same goes for the Chromis, but he is already in there... <sigh> What do you think of cohabitation, in a 55, of an Antenatta and my Foxface? I'm thinking it's going to be one or the other, not both.
 
Btw, here is an Antenatta lion, for anyone that hasn't seen these. They are, IMHO, the nicest of all the Lion fish...

lion6.jpg


They only get about 6-7" long and can be kept in a 55g.
 
I don't think there should be a problem with the foxface and the lion. They don't have the same food needs, which is the most common conflict between fish, and they don't look similar, which is the second most common cause. Rabbit fish and lions are listed as compatible on the charts I've seen.
 
I was asking mostly about tank space. The Foexy is a veg-head for the most part, but I'd call it more of a goat. It will eat, or at least try to eat, just about anything.. I saw the thing chewing on a powerhead cord once! Freak of a fish... Ok, so does anyone see any problems with how this is working out? Any input, positive or negative, is greatly apreciated..
 
Originally posted by Corax
Ok, so does anyone see any problems with how this is working out? Any input, positive or negative, is greatly apreciated..
Click to expand...

Yes, a major one, I think you should move everything at my place. ;)
Hey, I got a spare 75 that is sitting dry and needs to be setup. Thinking about the same type of set up you have for the 55. But it all sounds good, good luck with the Alage problem. I know what its like to have a reef tank become a swamp due to an alage issue. Reason why I have an empty 75 right now, but since I have moved, the girlfriend is talking me into a reef tank again for the bedroom. I have all the hardware, for the tank except for a stand. :(

jim
 
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