"School of Tangs"

[AaronS]

Thats absolutely gorgeous, all the tangs together. I hope it lasts long term.

 

[richards]

Thank you kindly. This is an experiment. I keep them well fed, lol. And started with small size of fish. The purple and yellow tangs were baby and agricultured, obtained this summer.

The Sohal is clearly the boss and ignored by every fish in the aquarium.

The tangs tended to swim in two or three shoals, until I recently added springerii damsels (which seem to act as “several dozen” dither fish).

 

[richards]

Just an update. Approaching ten months with aquacultured yellow (5) and purple tangs (4), and one mean sohal, and an aloof/peaceful pair of white tail bristle tooth tangs, in a tank with dimensions of six by four by 2.5 feet. The pyramids are entirely peaceful. These tangs have shown a rather dramatic growth, and the sohal picks on the tail fins of the purple tangs (food aggression). The fish really gained weight with the addition of Nori. A lot of fun! Best wishes.

 

[richards]

Pondering coral specimens that have shown great growth and color over the past 14 months since I set up the tank: red digi, green slimer, blue Oregon tort, Monti, leather, hammer, Duncan, zoa.... These sailed through the slime stages of a new aquarium, the bouncing of chemical parameters as I learned "the school of hard knocks" and calibrated filtration, and the introduction of fish. But only about half my torches survived the 1st few months (and have grown into colonies)In the first five months, before fish, I had to dose phosphate and nitrate for coral health, lol! Today, I do 15% weekly water changes, a few gallons every day by automation, and have 2 phosphate and 40 nitrate (ouch, but everything seems happy). As coral have grown, I have to chase alkalinity and CA, and dose trace elements, and now use the calc reactor, dose alkalinity and calcium, and all evaporation make up has kalkwasser.....Late last year, I added several dozen tiny springerii damsels, and they each live in a protected niche of the aquarium (and wait for food to float by; many have recently been digging nests in the substrate).

 

[civics14]

Pondering coral specimens that have shown great growth and color over the past 14 months since I set up the tank: red digi, green slimer, blue Oregon tort, Monti, leather, hammer, Duncan, zoa.... These sailed through the slime stages of a new aquarium, the bouncing of chemical parameters as I learned "the school of hard knocks" and calibrated filtration, and the introduction of fish. But only about half my torches survived the 1st few months (and have grown into colonies)In the first five months, before fish, I had to dose phosphate and nitrate for coral health, lol! Today, I do 15% weekly water changes, a few gallons every day by automation, and have 2 phosphate and 40 nitrate (ouch, but everything seems happy). As coral have grown, I have to chase alkalinity and CA, and dose trace elements, and now use the calc reactor, dose alkalinity and calcium, and all evaporation make up has kalkwasser.....Late last year, I added several dozen tiny springerii damsels, and they each live in a protected niche of the aquarium (and wait for food to float by; many have recently been digging nests in the substrate).

I love springerii damsel and how they hover around the coral colonies darting in and out. Your fish and corals look amazing. Let's see a full tank shot!