Fine Spotted Fairy Wrasse
Lemon Aid? (Dealing with Lemonpeel Angel Aggression) 03/19/2008
Good morning-
<Hi there! Scott F. in today!>
C. punctatus I believe is the correct name.
<No, it's SCOTT F> Heheh, just kidding...Think your reference to a wrasse got cut off?>
I have a 55 and the current inhabitants are 1 Lemon Peel, 1 False Perc, 1 Firefish goby and 2 Yellow tail Damsels. The Lemon Peel rules the tank and probably chased the smaller Perc to his carpet surfing death.
<That sounds about right, given the typical personality of this species.>
I would like to add another Perc and at the same time add a flame hawk and 1 or 2 C. punctatus. Can I add 2 to my 55 if they are not a pair but just 2 individuals or do I need to find a pair or just add a single?
<I would limit my fish additions in this aquarium. Maybe the "replacement" Perc and the Hawkfish. The Hawkfish, may be able to better stand up to the nastiness of the Lemonpeel than the Wrasses. Really, adding any new fish to a relatively modest sized aquarium with a known "alpha fish" is a dice roll. Be prepared for possible issues and the need to rescue someone if things get out of hand. You could try the old trick of shuffling the rockwork around to create "new" territories for everyone, but this still may not work. Be forewarned!>
I would like to have 2 fairy wrasses so the male will display and stay more comfortable. I want to add them all to the main tank at the same time to spread out the aggression from the Lemon Peel. I would Qt the new arrivals for a month. I would put the LP in the fuge for a week or so until the new fish have been in the main tank and settled down.
Thanks again!
Walt
<Well, Walt, the idea of the "timeout" for the Lemonpeel is a good one! I'm still a bit hesitant to give you the thumbs up for the two Fairy Wrasses. I think that one more fish is really all the system could handle from a bioload perspective, as well as a social one. I can't imagine the Lemonpeel getting any more sociable, but he will ultimately accept (or kill) the other fishes in "his" aquarium. Sounds rather brutal, but this is the reality of stocking dynamics. Proceed with caution! Regards, Scott F.>

Fish gone missing! SW pred. f'  1-31-08
Hello.
<Hi. Yunachin here.>
First thank you all at WWM for your help.
<You’re welcome.>
Second I have an issue.
I have a 30g reef tank that is very healthy. I do weekly water changes and test the water regularly. Since the inception of my tank I have a predator hiding in the depths of my live rock.
To date I am missing 3 peppermint shrimp, two sally light foot crabs, 1 green Chromis, a scooter blenny, and now the latest addition a Purple back Pseudochromis. All of this has disappeared without trace.
<Wow! That is quite a few.>
This creature seems to strike at random as I still have some of my original livestock.
<Which is?>
I assume that it is an opportunistic feeder that is nocturnal. I have watched the tank by night and have not seen anything or heard any clicking (mantis shrimp) that probably does not mean much as I don't watch it every night.
<Firstly, most mantis shrimp that do click are not nocturnal and usually do not prey on fish. They do on crabs, shrimp and snails. Have you checked the surrounding areas for any jumpers?>
I am switching over to a 150g in the next month when I move and I was wondering if there is anything I should look for or anyway I can get rid of this pest? Any ideas as to what it might be?
<Send me the list of the fish that you left out and we can go from there. Right now I am thinking that it could be a green-serpent starfish. Check out this link for more information: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/grbritstrf.htm ; >
Thanks
<You’re welcome—Yunachin>

Fish Gone Missing RE 2-1-08
Hello Yunachin
<Hi there!>
The fish that I still have in my tank are
a Green Chromis, Ocellaris clown, Cherub Pygmy Angel
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Blood Shrimp, Peppermint Shrimp
Trumpet Coral, and some Green Star Polyps.
<Sounds good. I just wanted to check to make sure there were no other potential predators.>
There have been no jumpers and the tank is covered. That is the first thing I thought of once I started
missing fish.
<I definitely think there is a Green Serpent Star in your live rock. These brittle stars can arch up in the sleeping caves of fish and drop down onto the fish and inverts, almost like dropping a basket on top of them. I would suggest when you move your rock into your larger tank; do a thorough search of your rock to see if you can find him. Here is some more info on the brittle star family: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm ;>
Thanks for your help
<You’re welcome!>

Queen Angel/ Fire Shrimp
Big Fish- Bigger Problems? (Stocking Compromises) 11/19/07
Hi WWM,
<Hey there! Scott F. on the bridge of the WWM starship tonight!>
My name is Tom, and I have a few Questions about my tank. I have a 100 gallon tank with a Large Yellow Tang, 2 Percula Clownfish, a Copperband Butterfly, a Blue Hippo Tang, 2 Small Damsels, a Purple Lobster, 2 Fire Shrimp, an African Red Starfish, and 4 Turbo Snails.
I also have 110 lbs of live sand and a whole lot of live rock. I have just introduced a Queen Angelfish to my tank.
<Oh, man- "buzz kill" time, sorry. That's a pretty serious crowd for this sized aquarium! What do this aquarium, a can of sardines, and the WWM Crew after a free MACNA buffet have in common? "I know, Scott- they're things that are STUFFED!" Exactly. Think about the long-term implications of such a packed aquarium. The Hippo Tang and the Queen Angel are HUGE fishes when they mature (the Queen can hit 18 inches in length and the Hippo pretty close), and require very large aquariums to accommodate them for anything close to their potential natural life spans (decades). Time to start shopping for a larger aquarium.>
It was pretty shy at first, but now it chases the blue Hippo Tang and Copperband and it pretty aggressive towards them. Is this normal and will this behavior fade? (same thing happened with the Yellow Tang, but it wasn't as aggressive) The Angelfish hasn't bit off and fins or caused damage to any of the fish.
<This may very well change! Like a thirsty frat boy at a keg party, the Queen Angel will get meaner and meaner until it gets what it wants- total domination of the aquarium! These fishes have a reputation for extreme territoriality in the wild and in captivity, and this will be magnified significantly in a crowded aquarium. I'd consider giving these potentially larger fishes to aquarists who have the quarters to accommodate them comfortably.>
My second problem is that the Angelfish has been bothering my fire shrimp. It has bitten off some of their claws and legs. I have separated the shrimp and put them in a separate container in the same tank allowing plenty of water flow.
<Good move and quick thinking. In this case, there is certainly potential for the shrimp to become either Angelfish chew toys, or the appetizer for their next meal!>
I am going to care for them until they regrow their limbs in their next few molt. (Hopefully it works...) I was just wondering if it is unsafe to keep any type of shrimp or crab in the same tank as the angelfish?
<I'd be hesitant with the larger angels...the potential exists for an unhappy outcome if they are kept together. It's not 100% certain, but it's a possible risk.>
I have been told that they could be in the same tank, but obviously not in mine. Is this a big problem? Would coral banded shrimp or cleaner shrimp be better to have? (also been bothering my snails, but no damage)
<I would feel better with Cleaner shrimps in there, but again- fish are like people, and have unique personalities. Perhaps your Angel has some sort of crazy vendetta against shrimp because of an unfortunate incident hat occurred after the fish settled out of its pelagic stage...Perhaps it was imply in an ornery mood that day. Who knows? Regardless, I'd take the cue and not house this fish with shrimps. Of course, given your aquarium's size, I wouldn't keep this fish, either!>
I like fish a lot but I also like a lot of inverts too.
<Yep- can relate. I like seared Ahi Tuna but my budget usually screams "Starkist"! Such is life! Really, the solution to a successful mixed aquarium with fishes and inverts is to choose compatible animals. In other words, if you like delicate stony corals and you love Teardrop Butterflyfish, you're going to have to compromise- separate aquariums, or a different species of Butterfly that's planktivorous.>
I would like to have a tank filled (but not overfilled) with all kinds of life. Would it be best to take the Angel back to the store?
<Absolutely! This is a very conscientious approach, and I'm proud of you for learning! It's better for all parties involved here! In the hobby, like in life, you can't have it all, but might be able to have most of it!>
Thanks for your time,
Tom
<My pleasure, Tom- keep learning and sharing! Regards, Scott F.>

The Missing Bannerfish  10/20/07
Just wanted an opinion on a strange occurrence...
<Okay>
200g FOWLR
200lbs live Tonga rock
28" Snowflake Moray
2 x Bannerfish (one 4", one 6")
5" Harlequin Tusk
5" Magnificent Foxface
3.5" Longnose Hawk
fairly large banded serpent star
<... Ophiarachna incrassata?>
I wrote awhile back about my smaller Bannerfish and how it has a habit of floating on the surface and one particular spot in my tank. I got the Bannerfish together and they've been 'friends' since May. Furthermore, they briefly picked on (2 - 3 days?) the Magnificent Foxface when he was a new addition back in late July. Since then, everyone's been getting along extremely well. I've had the Moray for a year now and he's always shied away from all the fish... especially the Bannerfish. He won't feed when they are present. There have been a few instances of them taking food from his mouth, freaking him out, etc...
So, let's back up about 10days ago. I notice the larger Bannerfish slowly moving down on top of the smaller Bannerfish and ripping a tear out of the base of his long trailing TopFin. The fin was torn, but was mostly grown back as of last night. For the past 10 days, I've noticed a little bit of nipping but then they swim along side one another as if they're 'friends' again. I remember thinking to myself that it wouldn't surprise me if the smaller Bannerfish was going to be a casualty. I don't know why I thought that, maybe the fin nipping and the long time habit of laying flat at the surface just seemed rather odd. I figured that if the flat surfacing habit was actually a problem... the problem would've taken it's toll on this fish a long time ago.
<An unusual behavior...>
Of note, the odd time... either of the Bannerfish pick at the Magnificent Foxface. The Foxface doesn't seem stressed out about it at all after all it's the 2nd biggest fish in the tank (eel aside) mass wise. My other observations... the eel hasn't been eating as regularly as it has over the past year. It seems interested in maybe a 1/3 of what I'd usually feed him per feeding... feeding him twice a week. However, he always seems to show his face with interest whenever meaty foods are in the tank for the other fish. Since I noticed his hesitance feeding, he's lost a bit of weight... enough that it was noticeable for sure, but still not a scrawny eel by any means.
<Okay>
I saw both Bannerfish swimming about acting normally today at 7am. This afternoon at 5:30pm, within about 20seconds I knew something was not right in my tank. The two Bannerfish are the most aggressive eaters in my tank and they are always begging at the surface when I'm in the aquarium room. Only the larger Bannerfish showed up. I turned the pumps off and used a flashlight to check for a fish hiding in distress or a carcass. Couldn't see anything. I did notice my large banded star in a different location that I'd never seen him at before. I figured I'd check out the eel so I coaxed him out with a bit of krill. I'd say he looked a little heavier than usual. I also did an ammonia test which indicated a reading of zero. Then again, if there was a carcass in the tank would it take a day or two for ammonia to show up on a test kit? Would a 4" Bannerfish even cause an ammonia reading in 230gallons of water volume??
<Mmm, not especially... if the system was well-"cycled"...>
My theory... either the two Bannerfish got into quite the tussle and the smaller one perished.
<Not likely>
Perhaps the smaller Bannerfish got stuck by the Foxface?
<Only a bit more likely>
I'm thinking from 6 months of observation the Snowflake did not seek out and kill the smaller Bannerfish as he ducks back into shelter when either of the Bannerfish are around. Does it sound likely that the fish had perished and perhaps both the eel and the large banded star cleaned up the carcass?
<Much more likely, yes>
I don't want to rip apart 200lbs of liverock to look for a carcass that I am about 80% sure resides in the belly of my Moray Eel. The carcass could be in some of the tunnel work that the eel has dug out. Definately not in a covered overflow or out of the tank as the eggcrating on top is securely in place.
<Not a good idea to take the system apart... This fish is gone, entirely>
What are your thoughts? Do nothing but keep up with the ammonia tests for a few days? Think the other fish woulda chipped in on feeding on remains? Can a 4" Bannerfish be devoured by my critters that quickly?
<Yes... surprising to some I know>
I'm a little bit leery about putting my 4" Regal Tang in the tank now... even though he has 3+ weeks of quarantine left.
Dave
<I would keep your eye on the Brittlestar... Bob Fenner>

Re: The Missing Bannerfish – 10/20/07
Thanks Bob.
<Dave>
To clarify... the serpent star is beige/brown with back bands on it and a black circle around the body disc. It's quite commonly offered at the retailers in Calgary. The star used to reside in my smaller tank, mostly with my yellow watchman goby. I would think it would be unlikely that the star caught/killed the Bannerfish, but the different position I found the star in on the same day my fish perished would certainly suggest that it had a hand in cleaning up the carcass... which is a good thing i suppose.
<Yes>
He seems to do a fine job eating the Snowflake Moray leftovers.
With the likelihood of the eel/starfish cleaning up the scraps... would you agree that I shouldn't be overly concerned about other stock at this point?
(i.e. my new 4" Regal Tang after he finishes quarantine).
<Yes>
Thanks, have a great weekend!
Dave
<You as well. BobF>

Missing fish(es)??? Many predators... – 10/01/07
Greetings, I have a 180-gallon tank with 250#'s of LR. It's been up and
running for about 2 1/2 months. This is what I have in it, a tube anemone,
<A very pretty fish eater, will eat ugly fish too!>
large green brittle starfish,
<Fish eater>
flower anemone,
<Fish eater>
3 emerald crabs,
<Fish eater>
1 sailfin tang, 10-15 hermits
<Fish eater>
/snails,1 Peppermint Shrimp,1 yellow watchman goby and 1 Urchin. Now I’m missing or have not seen my Lawnmower Blenny, Fire Fish Goby and Blood Red Shrimp in a couple of weeks.
<Is a big tank... could still be hiding out. But with so many potential predators....>
I keep checking my livestock daily and write everything down in a notebook.
<This will benefit you. Is a very good habit to be in!>
I think my brittle star had them all for dinner or could it be the tube anemone or flower Anemone.
<All are possibilities! Hard to determine who is the guilty party here.>
Please let me know what you think.
<I think you need to decide what you want to keep in your tank and make more appropriate choices so not to lose so many little lives!>
Thanks
<Welcome! Mich>

Attention Bob Fenner; Trapping a Damsel and A Query (NRA V.s 2,3>  8/21/07
Hi Bob
<Kerry>
Please let me begin by apologizing for sending this through the FAQs. It seems that the link to email you directly doesn't work.
<Yes>
Thanks again for your assistance with my Lawnmower Blenny/Feather Duster issue. All is well and they are in our display tank now (with no interaction to date; we are keeping an eye on things).
A story to share if I may (nothing new to you I'm sure, but interesting to us) and a query after that;
Two years ago, my-then-boyfriend-now-hubby and I got into the hobby, setting up a 20 gallon marine tank. Being rookies, we made the typical mistakes and lost corals for making them, but we have been successful (to date) with our fishes and Corallimorphs and we have learned as we've gone along. We chose 2 small Perculas, a Regal Tang (who was so small he could hide behind a quarter if there had been one in the tank) and a small Three Stripe Damsel. Nine months after starting out we moved and "moved up" to a 90 gallon tank (the 20 is now one of our quarantine tanks). For two years the fishes have gotten along wonderfully. The Damsel and Tang have shared sleeping quarters almost from day one. We thought we had the Damsel who was the exception to the rule regarding Damsel attitudes. We should have been so lucky!!
<Things... e.g. Damsel beh., changes>
Recently, we decided to add some new "critters". Being (somewhat) wiser, this time we did our research. We attempted to choose our new pets wisely, trying to ensure that they would not occupy the same areas as our current fishes and that their "personalities" would be compatible. We quarantined them. We rearranged the rocks. We acclimated them with water from the display tank; the lights were dimmed while we did so. We added them to the display tank with the lights dimmed. We had approximately 20 minutes of peace and then our exceptionally calm Damsel became possessed and gets worse daily. From the time that the lights come on until they go off, he chases the new fishes (a Firefish and a Canary Wrasse; the Blenny has been left alone as he didn't react the first time he was charged). Neither of them has been driven into hiding but the Tang appears to be stressed by it all. He has been spending the day frantically swimming back and forth behind the rocks. He is a "fraidy fish" with a nervous disposition but this is atypical behavior for him. Hubby had to make a tough decision (the Damsel was one of his choices when we started out), opting to get him out of the tank. We looked for suggestions of how to accomplish it; almost all saying that we would have to take the rock out in order to net him. For a while it seemed we would have to.
We ended up using a twist on an acrylic barrier. We had a relatively large piece of "eggcrate" left over from making a shelf to use when cycling live rock. I (half) jokingly suggested making an "eggcrate" barrier to trap him; hubby cut it so that it just fits inside of the tank (front to back) and cut notches for the frame at the top of the tank so that it goes from in the substrate to protrude above the water level by a few inches. He moved most of the rock to one half of the tank (an awful pile, but it stayed submerged) but was unable to get the Damsel to go to the other end of the tank. He was becoming frantic and getting "creative" with ideas of how to trap the Damsel (I could see my life degenerating into an aquatic "Caddyshack"; the ideas scared the beejeebers out of me...if only the Damsel knew!!). Yesterday, I moved two rocks which made up the "roof" of the hidey hole the Damsel and Tang were in (more through good luck than good management) and much to my surprise they bolted to where we wanted them. I put the "eggcrate" barrier into place, got out the net and the Damsel and I went to battle. (The Tang went to hide behind a pump; a wise choice considering that "net work" is not my forte). The Damsel immediately recognized that he wasn't going to be able to get through the middle of the barrier so he swam up and down the edge where it met the front glass. After about 5 minutes, I managed to net him. I spread the rocks out again, gave the Tang about half an hour to come out from behind the pump and peace is reining supreme.
For a fish the size of the Damsel, the "eggcrate" worked wonderfully. It was easy to cut to the exact shape, light enough to be able to manage with one hand and the Damsel was too large to fit through the grid (but saw it so he didn't smash into it thereby injuring himself). I had recognized some time ago how bright the Damsel is, but this experienced has certainly confirmed it. His behavior changed with ours and he certainly knew where to look for a potential escape from behind the "eggcrate" barrier. It saddens us that he isn't in that tank any longer but again, we've learned (his nature won out over his nurture and we've moved one more tiny step up that darned steep learning curve!!).
Now for the query...
We are (finally) adding a sump and small refugium to the display tank. Out came our "invert" bible, Reef Invertebrates, Natural Marine Aquarium Series, and we both read the refugium and "plant" sections. Doing so reminded me to search online for Volume 2, 3, etc. (I bet you're shaking your head by now). I managed to Google my way back to WWM and found a letter/reply posted some time ago about this very thing. Is Volume 2 still "stalled"? If so, please add my voice to those clamoring for it!!
<Is still stalled... I am wont to produce the last volumes by myself... JasonC has stated at times that he is working on the layout of the fishes (V.2)... it is timely IMO... for the market... and I've penned the ancillary pieces on Selection, Quarantine... and Antoine and I did about half the articles... some years back...>
In all seriousness, thank you so very much for all you do for the hobby. Collectively, "The Crew" provides much insight and has a wealth of knowledge that benefits hobbyists and their pets all over the world.
Again, with many thanks and appreciation!!
Kerry
<Welcome my friend. Re the Dascyllus... I might try adding two more of this species (will spread aggression, attention...) or ultimately give this one fish away... there are other settings where it will co-exist more peacefully. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Polyps. Lots of Hermits, Damsels... and a "who dun it"    5/21/07
Hello, and thanks for taking time to help me. I am a 15 year old novice in a fishy crisis.
<Good start>
I have a 30 gallon Salt water tank, which has been running for about 6 months now. My live stock is currently about 20 blue leg hermit crabs, 5 red leg hermit crabs,
<Yikes... this is way too high a stocking density for these...>
spanning from about 1/8 of an inch to 2". I also have some misc. crabs (none reaching more than a half an inch in size) Also have sand sifting star which I was given by the LFS because it was injured in there tank and had lost an arm.
I also have about 20 plus Orange Polyps spanning from 1/4 of and inch to about 21/2 inches when fully open.
I HAD 2 false perc clowns and 3 blue-green Chromis
<...>
knowing that this would be all the fish I put in the tank.
<No>
Slowly but surely my fish started disappearing. Over a span of 3 weeks my fish disappeared overnight. Now I know when you usually hear the words disappear you think that the person just haven't looked hard enough. I have taken all rocks out of the tank gone through all the filters and dug through the sand. These fish are gone, no where to be seen.
<Likely consumed during the night while laying near/on the bottom... after much beating during the day by the alpha individual>
I am now down to one blue-green Chromis (the biggest of all the fish in the tank) who seems to still be there when I awake every morning. I have research the issue but nothing has really answered my question, Can/Do/Will Polyps eat fish?
<Yes>
I know they are do no photosynthesizing and they are fed tri-weekly.
Its been about 2 months now and the Chromis is still alive, but I am still a little scared about putting more fish in this death trap called a fish tank.
<Is really too small to house such damsels, including Clowns (which are also Pomacentrids>
Your Input on any of the information/livestock would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your time,
Ryan
<Please read here re stocking small marine systems: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/smmarsysstkgfaqs.htm
and the linked files above, and in-text where you find links and lead yourself. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Polyps. Lots of Hermits, Damsels... and a "who dun it"   5/23/07
Thanks Bob, I guess I would just like to clarify on a few things.
1. How many Hermits would you say should be in a tank of this size. The local fish store told me 1 per gallon...
<None per gallon. Please... learn to/use the search tool/indices on WWM... For this here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm
and the linked files above, and elsewhere re Marine Scavengers...>
2. Are you saying the alpha fish is killing the other fish which are then eaten at night?
<Most likely scenario, yes>
If so would you approve of me trading it in for another fish at the LFS so i could stock my tank with new fish all at the same time.
<I would NOT do this "all at one time" stocking in such a small volume... Again... there are a few tens of thousands of folks that use our site every day... learn to look all this up>
3. You said yes Polyps do eat fish. How big does the polyp have to be to eat the fish. Could the polyps in my tank have eaten my fish?
4. Is a watchmen goby going to be bothered by hermit crabs?
I was thinking of stocking my tank as follows.
2 false perc clowns.
1 watchmen goby
1 firefish
however many hermits you see fit.
4 margarita snails
1 sand sifting star.
20 Orange polyps
30lbs of live rock
4 inches of live sand
Thanks for your assistance.
Ryan
<Have just skipped down. RMF>

Clownfish and regal tang, Six-line Wrasse and missing shrimp...  Mis-stocked SW...  – 03/09/07
Hi,
<<Hi Tom.>>
I have used your excellent website many times before and have a query that I couldn't find (admittedly I was a bit quick) anywhere. I have a Percula 90 with 2 common clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris), a regal tang (Paracanthurus hepatus), a sixline wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia) and a 6 spot goby (Valenciennea sexguttata). My problem is that I added the clowns after the tang and it has sort of adopted one of them as its friend, I don’t mind this but they are now shutting out and attacking the other clown.
<<Your tank is too small to house a regal tang to maturity.  Returning/re-housing the tang is your best option here.  If you must have a tang, look at the smaller species commonly called ‘Kole’.>>
Another problem is that since I have added the sixline wrasse one of my 2 cleaner shrimps has gone missing, would the wrasse have attacked it?
<<Absolutely!>>
It is about the same size as the shrimps and didn’t and still doesn’t go near them for cleaning.
<<..But will gladly go near than for eating. Not uncommon, especially during moulting.>>
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Tom Parr
P.S. I have used you before and you helped the most out of everyone I asked.
Thanks for that as well :)
<<Glad to help Tom. Lisa.>>

-Minimizing aggression-
Hello to all! <Hello! Kevin here> You guys have helped me plenty in the past, and I'm hoping you can help yet again.  I have a 60 gallon tank with current inhabitants being a tomato clown, cherub angel, yellow tail damsel, Firefish, and a bicolor blenny.  Yesterday I purchased a Splendid Dottyback from my LFS, and he is currently in quarantine.  From what I've read, these are one of the most aggressive Dottybacks? <Yep.> I'm wondering if it'll bother my Firefish and blenny....whom have been coexisting for about 7 months now....which is also the length of time since I last added a fish. <It may, but it's nice that the non-aggressive critters are already established> I guess I'm hoping that they'll be established enough already.  Any suggestions on how to minimize aggression upon introduction? <Not really, since the more aggressive one is being added to an established tank.> Also, would it be safe to rearrange and add live rock with the fish still in the tank? <This will only work against you by removing the territories of the already established fish.> I just don't want to go through the hassle of netting all those little buggers!  I also wanted to add 3 green Chromis.  Would this be a good idea or has my tank reached it's capacity? <There's always room for Jell-O.. er... Chromis that is.>  There are some mushrooms and zoanthids in there as well, but that's it by way of corals.  I just don't want to overstock, but I appreciate the Chromis' iridescent green color. <I think you should be all set, good luck with the new addition! If it starts beating on the residents, you'll want to remove it.> Any input would help! thanks much for a great website.  Karina
<Good luck! -Kevin>

Shy Emperor Angel and Fishing Hooks
Hey Bob, Quick question about an Emperor that I just bought.
<Anthony Calfo in your service while Bob sits staring at his hand... "all natural" acid flashback, I think>
First of all it was at the store for about 2 months and ate out of my hand there.  The transition to my home was so smooth because he just went into a bucket
<grumble, grumble... buckets are very hard on fish eyes/membranes... a bad way to ship. Soft plastic bags flex. LFS boo-boo>
and into my tank without a net.
<excellent and considerate!>
5min after being in the tank he was approaching the top when I came to the tank.  He is PERFECT and curious and eager.  The only problem I'm having is that my 2 tangs are such voracious eaters that even thought the Emperor is going after food, he's not getting as much as he should.
<three words for the yellow tangs... barbless trout hooks, er...never mind>
The result is my overfeeding which is obviously no good.
<agreed...unacceptable>
Any ideas?
<remove the tangs to quarantine until the angel establishes dominance and familiarity with tank and other mates, then re-introduce the tangs into the Angels territory... but no guarantee. Tangs can be assertive>
Will he just learn to get more aggressive when it comes to feeding time? 
<hard to say... will suffer in the meantime>
He's the biggest guy in the tank so he's not being chased or anything.
<its all about attitude... just look at domino damsels; you'd swear they eat wolf cookies and drink gorilla milk every day for breakfast>
Thanks Bob....keep up the great work. Rick
<doing the best I can, Anthony>

Netting
Lorenzo,
<Bob back, barely>
Excellent. Thanks for the tips. I actually got one of the tangs out today.
He was the docile one that was getting picked on by "big yellow". Got him with the net by blocking off his main entrances to the rocks. All the other fish would chase him off when he tried to use their entrances as escape routes.
<Good technique>
Now, I still wanted to remove a coral beauty and the domino. I'll just have to be persistent I guess. The coral beauty is gonna be a real pain because he is very shy and a suspended feeder. Worse case is I leave him. At least he is a small fish.
This will leave me with 5 fish (Yellow tang, Naso, small Fiji damsel, and 2 clowns) in my 75 gallon. What do you think? This should be okay right?
Anyway. Thanks again...Steve
<Sounds fine. Bob Fenner>

Can you help... (fish compatibility questions)
Dr. Fenner,
<Just Bob, please>
I hope you will receive this letter. I have been reading every part of your web site dealing with saltwater aquariums. I have two of your books as well as a few by other authors. A dear friend of mine has written to you before and recommended that I write to you and get a few answers to some questions I have.
<Certainly>
The tank I have plus all of it's equipment was a b-day gift that I received at the first of the year.
85gal, wet/dry filter with no bio-balls, red sea skimmer, 300 watt PC lighting on 10hrs. a day, water temp 78 degrees, all water parameters just right.
3 blue damselfish, 1 yellow tail clown, 1 flame angle, 1 hippo tang, and 1 valentini puffer.
<A very nice gift>
My questions are as follows;
1) I have one damselfish who during the day slides behind the overflow box. It will not come out unless I am offering brine shrimp. He is pale blue, skinny, but a very active at night. Is this normal for some? Or should I become concerned?
<Probably normal... this is likely a social species (either "hanging out" in a group, or duking it out one on one all day...) that "misses its conspecifics"... If you have enough room, you might consider adding a couple more of this same species>
2) My hippo tang has to be even more shy then the damselfish. He will cram it's self into rock crevasse s (70lbs LR) He will eat the dried algae sparingly but has become sporadic swimmer if he does venture out.
Yet again, should I be concerned?
<No... this is a reclusive species in general... some become more outgoing in settings with lots of activity in and outside of their tank>
3) the last of my questions is if you think the fish I have now are compatible? I know there are always personality differences but speaking generally how do you feel about the mix.
<They're a "good mix"...>
I should also add that the only fish I have that shows much aggression behavior is the angle and the clown, but I have observed that any nips happen if one comes to close to the other personal rock.
Any advice would be of great help.
<All marines are "nippy" to an extent... likely no problem here... no real damage is evident I'd bet.>
Congratulation on an outstanding we site!! It has and still is my saving grace.
Clair
<Thank you for your kind, encouraging words. Do consider adding the couple more damsels... and a bit of live rock with macro-algae on it... this may help to stir some interaction amongst your livestock... Bob Fenner>

Re: Can you help... (fish compatibility questions) 
Bob,
I hope you remember an e-mail that I wrote a few days ago. I know you receive numerous e-mails in a day. I feel like I am taking advantage of your generosity. I hope this is not the case.
To sum up my previous letter, I ask about my concerns over my shy Hippo Tang and the hiding Damselfish fish.
A disaster in my eyes has befallen my fish. I have two blue devil damselfish who are active fellows. I came into the room that houses my tank to see the two of them picking apart my hippo tang. He was very dead. :(
I took his body and a water sample to my LFS to see if they could find the cause of death. (they offer a autopsy for any fish bought at their store) No parasites detected and my water was just fine.
<This happens, sorry to state... "Psychological stress" commonly offered as a cause of death...>
I came home and all looked well in the tank. That night I noticed my flame angle hiding which is very unlike her. She is always swimming about. My yellow tailed clown was fine. This morning I wake up to find my puffer dead! Now I cried my eyes out because he was my buddy. :( So I went through the same routine with my LFS as above, and got the same explanation.
<Regardless, I would execute a modest water change, add some activated carbon to your filter flow path... to aid in removing some of the "results" of these fishes passing>
My flame angle will not come out from behind my live rock wall. The clown as always swims around like she owns the place. The damselfish are fighting like cats and dogs. I see wounds around their fins and middle body. The damselfish that hides behind the overflow box has come out only to nip at the other two until they drive him back into hiding.
<Damsels can become very aggressive... to the point of trouble, by species, size/growth, size of system... they are at least to some degree responsible for your losses>
It seems selfish of me to seek your advice but I am at a loss. My only idea is that the damselfish could see the tang was weak and went after him. That resulted in my puffer and angle stressing and killing the puffer and put the fear of god into my angle. That is my novice theory.
<I am in agreement>
Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, S.G. 0.023, temp 79 degrees. I have reduced the light to 5hrs a day.
Is there anything I can do? I don't want my angle or clown to die! Should I get those blue devils out?
If yes, how? ( I have tried over two months to get them out only to have given up a few weeks ago)
<I would likely trade the Damsels in... for something more easygoing>
I apologize for the lengthy letter. Thank you so very much for you time and knowledge. I wish there was something I could do in return.
Warmest regards,
Clair
<Your friendship, involvement is more than adequate reciprocation. I thank you. Bob Fenner>