Too Many Fish?

[xxBarneyxx]

I have a 150l tank (4ft long) which currently has, 2 Perc Clowns, 1 lyretail anthias, 1 purple firefish. It will be a soft coral reef system.

Just wondering what peoples opinions are on adding another 3 fish to this tank (3 carpenters flasher wrasses, 1 male, 2 females). I do weekly water changes, no skimmer on there at the moment but there will be. I will also be adding a 10g sump and turf scrubber.

Could potentially be too much (in terms of swim room and territory, dont think water quality will be as much of an issue)?

 

[Colin_T]

there should be plenty of room for those fish as long as the wrasses are a small species. However, I would rather see you get more anthias and firefish because they are schooling fishes that naturally occur in large groups in the wild.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Everything I have read about them though says that unless you have a large enough tank to get large groups (5 or more) only get a single specimen. If this is wrong please show me because I would LOVE to get more of these fish.

Edit: with the exception being if you have a mated pair (which is extremely difficult to find and not practical to get a group and wait for a pair in this size of tank).

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, that's pretty correct about th e Anthias. Most get far to large for a home aquarium in a decent sized shoal of 5 fish. I would say the flasher wrasses would be fine. Love to see the male flashing for the females, that's always sweet when they do that.

 

[Colin_T]

Anthias don't actually pair up. Males have territories that contain numerous females (and a few juvenile uncoloured males) and they display to other males and try to keep them out of their territory. All Anthias are females until they establish a territory, then they turn into males. If you get a couple of young Anthias they will stay female and you can have a small group of them.

Male Fire gobies grow slightly bigger than females and have a bigger head and mouth. The females are smaller around the head and face. They are found in colonies consisting of prs that normally have seperate burrows/ hiding places. These burrows are normally found within a few inches of each other. However, in an aquarium groups will often live together under the same rock. They will spend most time out in the open but take off under their rock when threatened.

Having only one of these fish will not be as good psychologically for these fishes.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah should have said when I was talking about a pair I meant the firefish not the anthias.

Very good article on keeping anthias:
[URL="http/www.reefs.org/library/talklog/s_michael_030401.html"]http/www.reefs.org/library/talklog/s_michael_030401.html[/URL]

Nemateleotris decora (purple firefish) are actually not found in shoals in the wild and are normally found singly or in pairs (well at least according to one of the books I have here from the same guy that wrote that article above).

 

[kj23502]

Anthias don't actually pair up. Males have territories that contain numerous females (and a few juvenile uncoloured males) and they display to other males and try to keep them out of their territory. All Anthias are females until they establish a territory, then they turn into males. If you get a couple of young Anthias they will stay female and you can have a small group of them.

I've been doing some research for an anthias shoal in my tank and I've read that if the tanks big enough then there could actually be multiple males dividing up territory. Don't think it'd happen in my tank (120 gallons 48"x24"x24"), but thought it was interesting so I added it.