Adding fishes

[Goondoo]

For territorial fishes, is it advisable to add them together or species by species?

I am considering

1) Tangs (probably PBT)

2) Bicolor Dottyback

3) Flame Angel

Does this fishes comes in pair?

Many thanks!

[yikai]

it's best to just keep one or none at all.

for flame angels, you can pair them based on pattern.

males have more blue on their fins and their dorsal and @nal fins are more elongated.

female flame angels have reduced blue pigments with very rounded fins.

powder blue tangs cannot be sexed based on colour or size. they are neither sexually dimorphic no dichromatic.

as for dottyback, i'm not sure.

i don't suggest keeping bicolour dottyback. it's very aggressive. If you want something with purple and yellow, get a royal gramma instead. the colour combination is same but they are much much better looking and very much more peaceful.

powder blue tangs are very territorial when established, and so are flame angels

[yikai]

if you want to keep a pair of flame angels, here's how to differentiate them.

first picture is the male and second is female. notice the edge of the an@l and dorsal fins. the males are pointed while females are very rounded. and compare the blue colouration. in very very young females, the blue colouration can be reduced to almost nothing.

males are also usually bigger.

[Goondoo]

it's best to just keep one or none at all.

for flame angels, you can pair them based on pattern.

males have more blue on their fins and their dorsal and @nal fins are more elongated.

female flame angels have reduced blue pigments with very rounded fins.

powder blue tangs cannot be sexed based on colour or size. they are neither sexually dimorphic no dichromatic.

as for dottyback, i'm not sure.

i don't suggest keeping bicolour dottyback. it's very aggressive. If you want something with purple and yellow, get a royal gramma instead. the colour combination is same but they are much much better looking and very much more peaceful.

powder blue tangs are very territorial when established, and so are flame angels

if you want to keep a pair of flame angels, here's how to differentiate them.

first picture is the male and second is female. notice the edge of the an@l and dorsal fins. the males are pointed while females are very rounded. and compare the blue colouration. in very very young females, the blue colouration can be reduced to almost nothing.

males are also usually bigger.

Sounds good, royal gramma is definitely a much better choice. I will get a pair along with a pair of Firefish after my holiday.

Thanks for the great recommendation.

Maybe I should consider some butterflies before tang and angels.

Thanks again LemonLemon!

[yikai]

Sounds good, royal gramma is definitely a much better choice. I will get a pair along with a pair of Firefish after my holiday.

Thanks for the great recommendation.

Maybe I should consider some butterflies before tang and angels.

Thanks again LemonLemon!

your welcome.

be careful with butterflies. many of them are extremely difficult to keep and 90% are not reef safe. if you need recommendation just let me know. will do my best to help.

[jamomatt]

For those that you named, from my experience they won't attack each other unless similiar shape. Unless you mean you want to keep more than one of each type?

[yikai]

For those that you named, from my experience they won't attack each other unless similiar shape. Unless you mean you want to keep more than one of each type?

bro not quite true.

an established powder blue, flame angel or dottyback will attack fish that are not similar in shape too.

it is very common for wrasses, anthias, other tangs, other angels, other dottybacks, and most other fish to get harrassed by them.

[jamomatt]

bro not quite true.

an established powder blue, flame angel or dottyback will attack fish that are not similar in shape too.

it is very common for wrasses, anthias, other tangs, other angels, other dottybacks, and most other fish to get harrassed by them.

I always find PBTs very mild among Tangs, more likely to get bullied than to bully. Flame angels I not so experienced, all I know only from an old buddy who used to really adore them. His ones seem relatively mild and maybe because other fish are bigger or maybe just lucky. Dottybacks, ok that one can be quite naughty to other small fish, especially to basselets.

[Terryz_]

PBT is more aggressive within the same series, they might be more mild compared to Zebrsoma, Sohal and Clown..

[jamomatt]

PBT is more aggressive within the same series, they might be more mild compared to Zebrsoma, Sohal and Clown..

I think that's why I find them mild haha. Compared to my purple and Sohal...

[yikai]

i've not had much problem with flame angels. fierce but usually lose interest after awhile.

my powder blue on the other hand was very fierce. didn't leave my new fishes alone for few days to 1 week.

individual fish i guess.

dottybacks......................................... no comment. the only dottyback that i had, and was peaceful, was Manonichthys cf. alleni.

my favourite dottyback so far and will definitely buy again when my new tank is up.

[[V]tEc]

PBT if u keep them for 1 yr or longer, they become murder of the tank for new fishes. fishes that r smaller than it, he will leave them alone, but if u get something almost same or larger, he will hunt the new fish down until the new fish is dead...lol....right now my pbt is hunting on my black leopard. doesnt allow my leopard to come out.....such a big bully

[Goondoo]

your welcome.

be careful with butterflies. many of them are extremely difficult to keep and 90% are not reef safe. if you need recommendation just let me know. will do my best to help.

That's what I am worry about. Thanks

For those that you named, from my experience they won't attack each other unless similiar shape. Unless you mean you want to keep more than one of each type?

Its not a common practice to add fishes in pair in marine huh?

i've not had much problem with flame angels. fierce but usually lose interest after awhile.

my powder blue on the other hand was very fierce. didn't leave my new fishes alone for few days to 1 week.

individual fish i guess.

dottybacks......................................... no comment. the only dottyback that i had, and was peaceful, was Manonichthys cf. alleni.

my favourite dottyback so far and will definitely buy again when my new tank is up.

That look very nice. May get a pair too.... lol

[CFOh]

I always find PBTs very mild among Tangs, more likely to get bullied than to bully. Flame angels I not so experienced, all I know only from an old buddy who used to really adore them. His ones seem relatively mild and maybe because other fish are bigger or maybe just lucky. Dottybacks, ok that one can be quite naughty to other small fish, especially to basselets.

this may lead yes and no answer....

Pecking rules exist in our tanks... As long as your PBT not the king of your tank. Therefore still ok

Base on my experience, PBT is definitely aggresive if they are highest hierarchy in yr tank packing system... My tank is rules by YT... following by PBT.. therefore, my PBT also looks friendly and mild...

My PBT with me close to 2 year.. And never disturb my other fishes...

And my 2xFA in main tank ignore others... So, I think it is safe...

That's lots other factors, may agitate PBT as well, eg Stress might resulted aggressiveness increase on PBT as well..

[CFOh]

That's what I am worry about. Thanks

Its not a common practice to add fishes in pair in marine huh?

That look very nice. May get a pair too.... lol

Ya.. and also butterfly not easy fish to keep too...

Adding 2 similar species of fishes in same tank...also not easy... a lots of hardwork to do.. also sometime may result sacrifices...

Cheers and Happy Reefing...

[Terryz_]

That's what I am worry about. Thanks

Its not a common practice to add fishes in pair in marine huh?

That look very nice. May get a pair too.... lol

That dottyback are not sexually dimorphic... So far only seen them in that color, for M.Alleni, there is a difference... The female is duller...

[Goondoo]

That dottyback are not sexually dimorphic... So far only seen them in that color, for M.Alleni, there is a difference... The female is duller...

Noted taken. Thanks!

[dnsfpl]

got myself a RG pair from lck201

1 of them died after 3 month

maybe they divorced

[yikai]

got myself a RG pair from lck201

1 of them died after 3 month

maybe they divorced

royal grammas are hermaphrodites. all start lives as females, then morph to become a male.

so smaller ones are usually females. to pair them, get 1 big 1 small.

[yikai]

i have always been fascinated with pairing marine fishes. they look and behave much better in pairs.

especially when pairing angels or butterflies. most of them form monogamous pairs and they pair for life. they swim side by side and never venture far away from each other.

that being said, it's not easy to pair most fishes as it's difficult or impossible to distinguish their sex based on physical appearance.

keeping certain fishes like wrasses, anthias or gramma in a harem is also very rewarding. when i had my harem of rhomboid wrasses, it's very nice to see the male courting the females and flashing to get their attention.

a harem of gramma can be quite nice i would assume, although i've never personally attempted before. But i might. can imagine a group of 5 hanging upside down a cave. so cute

[Goondoo]

royal grammas are hermaphrodites. all start lives as females, then morph to become a male.

so smaller ones are usually females. to pair them, get 1 big 1 small.

Sounds good, where is a good place with more collection of the above?

Thanks

[yikai]

Sounds good, where is a good place with more collection of the above?

Thanks

just find them during carribean shipments. LCK or reborn.

if you want to try a pair, get a big one and a small one.

if you want to try a harem, get a few small ones and 1 big one.

for the harem, it's a hit and miss. some people try it but 1 by 1 die. best is to stick to a pair

[Goondoo]

just find them during carribean shipments. LCK or reborn.

if you want to try a pair, get a big one and a small one.

if you want to try a harem, get a few small ones and 1 big one.

for the harem, it's a hit and miss. some people try it but 1 by 1 die. best is to stick to a pair

Won't be getting a harem probably. A pair would be just nice

[yikai]

Won't be getting a harem probably. A pair would be just nice

there is a variant of royal gramma with yellow eye markings instead of grey, and the dorsal fins have yellow line running along it.

i first saw this variant last year in reef depot. lately have been seeing it more frequently in reborn and LCK. keep an eye out for that. they are nicer.

[yikai]

this is the royal gramma variant i'm talking about. notice the marks on the eyes are yellowish and the dorsal fin contains yellow lines on the purple side, and the an@l fin contains purple lines on the yellow side.