Wanted: Everyone's Opinion

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FishGeek

Elite Fish
#1
May 13, 2005
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South Carolina
#1
Ok, I dont know if you remember but a couple of weeks ago I had a problem with my fish. I lost all of them. I left the tank empty for a day and a half and then put 2 Damsels into the tank. (There was a deal and I wanted to take advantage of it) These Damsels survived for a week in the tank alone. Yesterday I went to my LFS and got 1 Snowflake Eel and 2 very tiny Voliton Lionfish. Before anyone jumps down my throat, they are small and I am planning (right now) on their new home. These are my ideas, feel free to critisize and advice in any way you see fit:
75 Gallon Tank-
1 Snowflake Eel, 2 Lionfish and: 3 Yellow Tangs or 1 Purple Tang or 1 Blue Tang
I am not planiing on filling the tank with rock so there will be plenty of room for swimming. Right now I have about 35 lbs of rock and would only add 20 lbs more at most.
What do you think??
Also what equipment do you recomend I get that I dont have? Could I even use what I have?
I Have:
Powerhead (for 20-30G)
Whisper 60 filter (used for water movement)
Protien Skimmer
Heater (for 30-60G)
 

lordroad

lordroad

Large Fish
#2
Sep 2, 2004
989
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Shelby, NC
www.joshday.com
#2
Can lionfish be kept together? I'm asking cause I don't know...

With the tangs, I think I'd only go with one. As I understand, they need massive amounts of swimming room if you elect to have more than one. But I haven't had tangs before so I can't really sound off here...

I'd be sure to have a steely eyed missile man of a protien skimmer. The whisper seems kind of pointless, but it will work in the stead of more powerheads.

Also I'd add more rock, at the minimal sixty pounds, for optimal bio filtration.
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#3
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
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#3
Why did you lose all your original fish? As a good few diseases have a lifecycle stage involving a stint of the substrate IF it was ich, velvet or a few other thingsyou can plan on losing all these fish too, so what you've done in the name of saving a buck is purely irresponsible.

Is this the short term or long term plan. Have you ever seen a full grown lion or eel. The eel is pretty static , but to plan to put a couple of adult lions in a 75 is plain dumb, so I'm assuming you mean juvies. With fully spread fins they'll be like swimming basket balls. Also they will all have a pretty hefty bioload so your hardware, unless you get a big, super awesome skimmer is just undersized.

One tang only in that size tank, unless by a blue tang you mean a hippo, not a powder blue or atlantic blue (both too big for long term success). When you start talking 8 inch plus fish, which are aggressive , a 75 does not seem so big.

Basically this is not a good stocking plan. Lots of big dirty fish in not neatly enough water. For a couple of big volitan lions in the same tank, think six foot plus, with kit to match.
 

F

FishGeek

Elite Fish
#5
May 13, 2005
4,294
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South Carolina
#5
I told you guys that I was just planning. I didnt expect everyone to jump down my throat. I understand your intentions but the way you worded your last post was a bit snippy dont you think. I am willing to get bigger if needed. I am still learning. If I needed to go with a 75 (husband & $) should I just keep what I have? What size do you suggest if I want a Tang? Lions get along with eachother and are not very aggressive fish. They just eat what they can, wouldnt you? From what I have read the minimum tank size for what I have is a 50G. ??? But like I have said I am still learning. I love the personalities on the fish that I have and I want to do what is best for them. Also no one knows why my fish died. I was told to wait a day (by someone I know) and then get a couple of Damsels and see how they do for a week. These guys did great. There was no sign of anything they didnt die or even look sick. They were very active and ate well. (Till they got eaten by the Lions.) So I got new fish.

Wayne: What does your last sentence mean????
 

A

aresgod

Superstar Fish
#6
Jan 14, 2004
1,987
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#6
the lions really are too big for a 75 full grown, you should upgrade to a 125+ if you want the 2 lions an eel and some tangs, if you get a tang, most are fine in a 90 as long as there is lots of rock work and also places to swim, and it is lightly stocked. Sorry if we jumped down your throat, but even if your are in the planning stages it is better to plan first buy second, those lions are going to grow fast and your 29 is going to be entirely too small for them very soon, not to mention the eel. So upgrade fast i guess.
 

1979camaro

1979camaro

Ultimate Fish
#7
Oct 22, 2002
5,862
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San Ramon, CA
#7
i think waynes last sentence means: you have bought a lot of big fish that eat a lot so they wuickly foul the water. as a result of their size and habits you will need a 6ft long tank (125/150) with appropriate skimmer and water flow setup

the advice you were given on the damsels is really bad. just because they survived overnight does not mean that they would have survived a week or two and it certainly doesn't mean there are not things which can cause diseases/infections floating in your water
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#8
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
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#8
Sorry if it seemed snippy. I am posting pretty snippilly at the moment.

Starting with the last line, you are looking at three big, messy fish in a 75 which is , I'm guessing 4 feet * 18 * 18. Now that's barely any bigger than the tank I'm running at the moment, and I cannot imagine, for a second, putting a single volitans in there, let alone 2. They simply get too big. The eel is pretty sedentary, so it's less of a deal, but as well as swimming space, there is the little matter of dealing with the considerable wastes these fish produce. This can be done with inhouse kit, but I think you will be better off, if you want these kinds of fish getting yourself a sump, and thnking hard and long about how to filter this for success. Now all of these fish are pretty tough , and you're unlikely to kill the fish that way, but you can very easliy end up with a tank that is very high maintenance and looks like hell.
A simple Q is have you ever seen an adult lion, and by that I mean one that is 10 inches plus across. Once you have , you will realise that these are simply too big for four feet tanks. They do move, more than you might think.

If you want a 75, realistically expect to keep one tang, maybe two if you select carefully. Ditto for a 125, except by very careful mixing and luck you might get away with a Kole, yellow and a juvenile hippo, although there is a decent chance of the yellow and kole scrapping.

If you want to keep 2 lions (and it would make sense to get the dwarf lions that stick to 20 cms or so), an eel, and some tangs get something 6 feet long like a 180. You need the swimming space, and room for territoriality
 

A

aresgod

Superstar Fish
#12
Jan 14, 2004
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#12
well your going to want to have someone drill the tank, preferably the LFS before you buy it, or have them order one for you thats drilled, otherwise if you buy it and have it drilled and it cracks your SOL.
 

S.Reef

S.Reef

Superstar Fish
#13
Dec 1, 2003
1,830
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Michigan
#13
Well...in my opionon you could keep te eel a lion and a tang or two in the 75 when they are full grown--or larger, you could keep the eel and a few yellow tangs or one prurple or one blue. For the most part lionfish are fine with each other.
 

F

FishGeek

Elite Fish
#15
May 13, 2005
4,294
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South Carolina
#15
That is not true. Lions are not aggressive fish. Of course they can be is provoked. They dont bother anything. But like I said they do eat whatever fits into their mouths. Same with my eel.

Anywayz, my husband is not going to let me get anything bugger than a 75 right now. The eel has to stay and I would like to keep at least one Lion.
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#16
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
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#16
Well get the eel and get one of the smaller lions then. There are a few that you can reasonably expect to only hit 15 cms if you don't stuff them with guppys everyday. The volitans, as about the biggest lion you'll see is about the worst to pick. I would only get one though, it simply is not a big tank w.r.t. this sort of fish.
Lions aren't really aggressive, and can easily shoal, but you have to allow some breathing space. Keeping multple volitans is really going to call for a pretty large tank
 

J

JustinP

Medium Fish
#17
Jun 8, 2005
72
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#17
When it does come time and you decide to get a bigger tank, as stated definately get one that is drilled so you can setup a sump and fuge. The benefits in having this are enormous and when I was new to the hobby I didn't do this and later kicked myself. I am now running a fuge with a DIY overflow (not drilled) which works well but there's always the possibility of a flood. The sump will allow you to get a nice big skimmer and it really eases your maintenance and would be useful to you considering the fish you plan to keep. Just a bit of advice from someone who's been there.
 

F

FishGeek

Elite Fish
#18
May 13, 2005
4,294
5
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South Carolina
#18
OK. I might buy a 75G tank with stand for $250. Is that good? After telling this person that I would I got to thinking: Its not drilled for a sump and it doesnt have a hood. (Was used for Water Dragons.) If I do buy this tank what am I in for if I want to use a sump? Should I just tell her that it wont work for me and look for something else? Also if I buy this tank then I was thinking of selling a Lion. Again please reply!
 

S

sparker

Medium Fish
#20
Aug 22, 2005
59
0
0
ohio
#20
yes you can use a sump, you will just have to have a prefilter box hooked up to it. i agree with dbacksrat, make sure its an aquarium( will it hold water). it shouldnt be too hard to find a hood.
 

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