Fish Stocking question

[tsunami]

The question is how many fish can I put in my 125 for at least a couple of years. I have 2 triggers, picasso and clown, 2 puffers (1 stars and stripes and one dogface) and I wanted to put 2 tangs in there (sailfin and hippo). Is this too many fish. I relize that the puffers and triggers get big but will they be fine for 2 or 3 years? The triggers are 2.5 inches, the stars and strips is 3.5 inches and the dogface is 5 inches. The two tangs are 3 inches in length. That is a total of about 20 inches.

I am also wonder how fast the triggers will grow in optimum conditions. One is a clown and the other is a picasso.

I have a sump and the water is turning over 10 times per hour. I also have a coarl life skimmer rated for the 125, 40 pounds of live rock and 130 pounds of live sand. Thanks.

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

I bet it's possible, just look at Simon who has about 200 tangs in a 90g, but yet he does have a 400g sump.

 

[tsunami]

I could put a bigger sump on it and keep up grading the sump as needed. thanks

 

[mojo]

I'd be concerned about agressive fish (the triggers) against the less-agressive fish (the tangs) in that scenario. Also, keep in mind that planning to remove fish rarely happens (too hard to get the fish out). I'd also be very concerned about your bioload capacity of a skimmer rated to 125 (skimmers are typically very overrated) and only 40lbs of live rock. If you add the fish, they may be ok for a while, but I'd expect problems with keeping the water / tank clean and nutrient-free.

 

[tsunami]

So are you suggesting to keep the 2 triggers and the 2 puffers, add a 100 gallon sump or?

I heard that the coral life skimmer's were rated accurately even though most are not. What do you think?

 

[mojo]

I don't have much experience with triggers or puffers, so can't say that you'd be ok for sure. I do know that both triggers and puffers are agressive and eat a lot (high bioload). I wouldn't be surprised if the triggers terrorized the tangs, nipping fins, etc, until they died, but again, I don't have firsthand experience - just realize that it's a high risk.

Again, I don't have any direct experience with coral life's skimmers, so can't comment directly. However, as a general rule, skimmer manufucturers are notorious for rating them much higher than what the skimmer shoudl be used for. Keep in mind that there's no exact formula for skimmer size, so one clownfish in a 300g system wouldn't need a big skimmer, but a heavily loaded 10g system would need a medium sized skimmer. A Corallife skimmer rated to 125g may or may not be ok for that much bioload. I'd venture to say it wasn't enough, but maybe I'm too cautious...

 

[broreefr]

I have Several triggers and a Dog faced Puffer "Jerome", (as in Bettis because he looks like a bus) in My aggressive Tank along with some Yellow Tangs, they have been in there for six months and are all fine, they did kinda grow up together though. Tangs are a very adaptable species, when mine were first introduced they prefered flakes and brine shrimp but now they have become just as agressive as they other fish come feeding time. There were some battles but they are all good now.

I have a 125 tall tank with a 55 sump/refuge - I run a coralife 220 on it and produces at least a cup and a half of wet skim daily, I do feed fairly heavy to avoid TOO much aggressiveness but I would guess that with a 125 skimmer of the same type, you are pushing the envelope so to speak. Triggers are big eaters and big poopers (make your own visual please I see it first hand) but I regress. If It were my Tank, I think the best investment right now would be additional Live Rock. my 2 cents

 

[tsunami]

I think I'm going to give it a try becuase I went and measured all the fish and the tangs have about an inch on the triggers and the puffers seem to keep to themselves. I'm going to move up to the 220 coralife and give it a try. I'll keep ya'll posted.

How much live rock should I have, 1 pound per gallon?

 

[broreefr]

You should be fine especially with the skimmer upgrade.

There isnt a cookie cutter formula for Rock but most will say betwwen a pound and a half to two per gallon for a reef tank, but with your aggressive setup, a lb per gallon with good flow should work out well.

keep us posted please.

 

[tsunami]

thanks.