how many fish

how many fish in a reef tank?

specsL: 80g tank, 130lbs LR 80lbs of LS aquaclear 150 pro w/d with skimmer(no BB's) 10g ref wih clupr/w 5lbs of LR with 20lbs of LS. 3pwer heads and a emp 400.

 

Hummmm depends on the size of tank and the type of fish you are wanting to keep.
Less is better to handle the bio load.
Join up and get a chance to win a Clam or a Fish Lamp.

 

I really depends on the Adult size of the fish. In an 80G I would say you could keep 1 large fish with several smaller. I can't remember the exact rule of thumb. I think it is 1 inch of fish per 10G of water. I could be way off

J

 

Tuff question that needs multiple answers:
a) How attentive are you going to be to tank?
1. larger load needs more maintenance.
2. Too many fish may lead to territory issues.
3. Having too large a bioload also makes supplements and feeding harder.
b) Is the focus of your reef fish or corals?
1.Money spent on one or the other doing both is huge$$$
2. reef compatibility issues again
3. If focus is corals you want to spend time looking at them.
c) There is no hardfast rule here it used to be inch fish per gallon but to refer freshwater 6 inches of neon tetra versus 6 inches of goldfish, I will take neons.
In regards to how to load the tank remember size is important but so is aggression, territorial and feeding habits of tank

 

Im no expert by far, but i love my fish. there are so many out there that i want, but due to certian behaviors of them i can't have. Howw ever i have a 90 gallon tank, with 14 fish, and they all get along fine.
I have..
yellow tang
mated maroon Clowns
Flame angel
4 dark blue damsels
1 indian damsel
4 green chromis
and my favorite my 6 lined wrasse

all have their own areas, but go all over the tank, and each lives with the other. I want to add more, but im not, i already have 6 shrimp, 3 diff kinds, 5 emerald crabs, and 2 porciln(sp) crabs, which i never see, a variety of hermit crabs, turbo snails, feather dusters, sponges, 4 anemones, variety of hitchikers, mushrooms, polyps, and zoo's , about to get some leathers. But i researched everything before i add them to make sure everything will live peacefully with each other. Only thing i was worried about was my tang, but he is peacful except he fights with the banded coral shrimp. I also spend about an hour or two a day, when i can, with my tank and my fish. making sure everyting eats, is clean and what not.

Like it was said before, it depends alot on you, and your research of the fish you want to add, and what else you plan to do with your tank.

 

the general rule of thumb is 1 inch per 5 gallons of water, people with experience might push it 1 inch per 3 gallons of water. one thing to consider is when you buy a fish consider full adult size even if its only maby 2 inches or so. becase the fish will grow to its size, the theory it will only grow to the size of the tank does not work with saltwater fish, they will grow to full adult size.