Why the hell do people buy clown fish!??? Big problems with mine.

[Nano]

+1

Yes its super frustrating, and terribly sad to lose your critters, but as stated when there is so much going on in such a small tank its bound to cause stress or aggression. IMO a tang should never go in a little tank not even as a juvie. Like said hopefully now you understand why you have to take very careful consideration in stocking. I myself have 4 fish in my 35g
2 ocellaris, 1 bangai,1 six line. I don't know if I would go more or not at this point, as the tank is so peaceful compared to when I had two other dwarf fish in there as well, plus bio load is less.

Good luck with the rest of the fish, I would think about maybe letting a few go and decreasing the stress on the tank mates.

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by Nano

+1

Yes its super frustrating, and terribly sad to lose your critters, but as stated when there is so much going on in such a small tank its bound to cause stress or aggression. IMO a tang should never go in a little tank not even as a juvie. Like said hopefully now you understand why you have to take very careful consideration in stocking. I myself have 4 fish in my 35g
2 ocellaris, 1 bangai,1 six line. I don't know if I would go more or not at this point, as the tank is so peaceful compared to when I had two other dwarf fish in there as well, plus bio load is less.

Good luck with the rest of the fish, I would think about maybe letting a few go and decreasing the stress on the tank mates.

I completely disagree on the stocking issue. I would actually say you are over stocked myself. You have three fairly large fish that occupy the same water area as each other, mid level, open water. To me that is too much in one niche. I don't think stocking is such a simple thing. All my fish were choosen based not only on their size, but what they eat, temperament and where the live in the tank. None should have interacted with each other this much. Hell.. the clowns actually came OUT of their living space into the rock and chased after the tangs.

As for the tangs, I really really don't think you understand how small these little dudes are. You wouldn't want to put them in a large tank with other large fish. I don't think they would survive.

[Enigma]

Losing their nem could definately make them anxious and put them in a bad mood, I think. I thought about trying to protect my occ. clowns hosts from them (two clowns, each being hosted by side-by-side torch corals), but I was afraid of ****ing them off.

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by Enigma

Losing their nem could definately make them anxious and put them in a bad mood, I think. I thought about trying to protect my occ. clowns hosts from them (two clowns, each being hosted by side-by-side torch corals), but I was afraid of ****ing them off.

I am thinking that has to be it. Before they lost their host, they were aggressive sure.. but just about their water area.. which is fine. All the fish in the tank live in different areas, so there shouldn't be much conflict generally. After their host was gone, the clowns started going into the rock rather than staying mid level, open water. That is when things started to go down hill fast. Before that.. things were pretty good! Very peaceful tank with no aggression after I took the wrasse out.

[Nano]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

I completely disagree on the stocking issue. I would actually say you are over stocked myself. You have three fairly large fish that occupy the same water area as each other, mid level, open water. To me that is too much in one niche. I don't think stocking is such a simple thing. All my fish were choosen based not only on their size, but what they eat, temperament and where the live in the tank. None should have interacted with each other this much. Hell.. the clowns actually came OUT of their living space into the rock and chased after the tangs.

As for the tangs, I really really don't think you understand how small these little dudes are. You wouldn't want to put them in a large tank with other large fish. I don't think they would survive.

Well if I'm overstocked, what does that make your tank? Just sayin. I mean to put tangs in a 29...

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by Nano

Well if I'm overstocked, what does that make your tank? Just sayin. I mean to put tangs in a 29...

As I said, I don't think stocking is a simple question. It depends on where the fish lives and what it eats. You have three fish that live mid water. In a 30, to my mind that is too much. I divide the tank into sections. First, open water fish and in rock fish. Then I look at the level they live in: Top level, mid level, and then lower level (in a breeder I only look at mid and bottom. There are very few actual top layer marine fish for aquaria). Each level and area has to be looked at differently and needs to be stocked specifically for that area. You can have an overstocked area, and still have an understocked tank for instance.

After that you have to look at food, and where that food comes from. Does the fish have a utility role in the tank that reduces bio load? Does it complete for food from the tank with other fish or is it a decorative fish where it's primary nutrition comes from you feeding or does it mostly eat things inside the tank and only need supplemental feeding? All that is a stocking question that has to be answered after you figure out what area the fish lives in.

As I said, not a simple question. In your case I would say that you have your mid level, open water area over stocked, your mid level, in-rock area contains a wrasse and the rest have no stocking at all.

That is just my view on it of course.