PAT RICKELS

Hi, I'm new to chat rooms, so if I goof up, please forgive me! I currently have (2) 55-gallon tanks and (1) 29 gallon. Next week I'll be adding a 125 gallon tank. Why so many? It took me a while to figure out who gets along and who doesn't. I currently moved all my damsels to a 55-gallon tank at work. I'll be moving all my fish to my son's room and plan on having the 29 gallon as a refuge tank as needed. Anyway - here's my dilema. I absolutely LOVE the volitan lionfish, the sweetlips harlequin and juvi clown trigger. I know the lion and trigger are very aggressive and territorial. Has anyone had any luck keeping them together? I also want to know what other fish I can put with them in my new 125 gallon tank. I want as many different fish as possible and as many as I can possibly get in one tank. All tanks are fish only (well I actually have a condis? anemone in one 55 gallon tank, but doesn't look like it's going to make it.) I've unsuccessfully tried three other anemones, so this probably will be my last. I upgraded lights for this anemone and it's lasted longer than the others, but I see it shrinking. My other 55-gallon tank currently has (1) humu, humu trigger, (1) pajama cardinal, (2) bengai cardinal, (2) true percula, (1) purple tang, (1) keyhole angel, (1) dragonet, (1) banner fish. I know it's alot, but as they grow, I'll probably get another tank. I actually had to move the purple tang and keyhole angel to the 29 gallon tank because I just bought another "sweetlips" and banner fish and they were picking on them - but I suspect the humu, humu had "Sweetlips" for supper, because he disappeared. I know it's alot to digest, but any suggestions??? I've lost tons of fish by trial and error, but really want to get some "exotics" for my new tank in my bedroom.

ahill3780

Welcome to FishTankForums!!

OK, lets take this one at a time. First off, yes, too many fish in the 55 gallon. I would advise moving the purple tang into a bigger tank than that 29G if you don't want to lose more fish. Tangs need room to swim, and less than 48" long is causing stress.

How long have the tanks been established? I would not suggest trying anemones in any tank that has not been set up for at least a year and preferrably 2. Most have more specialized needs than what you would normally find in a FO tank, and lighting is only part of it. If you have lost so many then that tells me your tank is not stable enough for them.

I would put the tang back in this tank, remove the Humu Trigger, and the Angel and put them elsewhere. The Trigger will do fine with your Lion so long as they are both too big to eat each other. If you plan to keep the Lion and the Trigger in the new 125G then make it an aggressive (or predator) tank and keep only carnivorus species in there. Mixing aggressive and peaceful fish in a tank causes much stress (and not on the part of the aggressor).

The best piece of advice I could give you here is to research any fish you want before you buy it so that you know what it eats, what tank parameters it needs to have, its temperament, and which species it is compatible with.

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PAT RICKELS

Can you believe this? You replied to my original question 8-18-6 and I'm just now reading it. After a couple of days, I figured noone cared, so I quit checking. Thanks for your consideration. As you can see, I've had nothing but trouble, but I do know that you're helping me straighten them out! Thanks a milllion times over! I come to Gainesville, GA pretty often to go to church at Jentezen Franklin's church. Perhaps next time I come, I can buy you dinner or something in Atlanta for all your troubles! (I just ABSOLUTELY LOVE Mick's bleu cheeseburgers and crave one quite often!)