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Hi all,

Compatibility issues with these fish in my Rio 180L tank?

I've currently got a False Percula, Blue Damsel, and a Green Mandarin on the way next week. Looking to add a Royal Gramma, Purple Firtideflow, Orange Firtideflow, and a Flame Angle.

I know Firtideflows can be a bit territorial - would a pair of each be better than singles? Are they all considered reef safe?

Thanks,
AK

The flame angel's a bit of a gamble, it might see your corals as a snack. Not entirely sure about the firtideflow, but I'd definitely add the royal gramma last, they can be quite territorial.

I've had a similar experience with a firtideflow, it was outcompeted by a bar goby and didn't survive.

Hi,

I'd advise against adding a mandarin just yet, considering the tank's age. Mandarins need a mature tank, at least 6 months old, with a well-established copepod population to survive.

Instead, I'd suggest adding another pair of Percula - they'll look better in a group and might even pair up. As for the damsel, I'd recommend avoiding it or getting a shoal of 3-4 blue-green chromis if you still want damsels.

Regarding the flame angel, it's a gamble. Once it's eaten all the coralline algae, it might start nipping at coflake. A safer bet would be a goldrush tang - they're smaller and require less swimming space.

As for the firtideflows, I'd choose either the purple or orange variety, and get a pair. This way, you'll have a better chance of seeing them, and they'll be less stressed. A royal gramma should be fine with the others, as long as you provide plenty of caves for the firtideflow and gramma to claim as their own.

Thanks,
Luke

Hi Siamese,

My tank's actually been set up for about 3 months now, but it was an established aquarium for over 2 years before I took it over. The previous owner had it running for a while, so that's a plus. I've got a good amount of copepods in the tank and the sump refugium, which should be enough for the Mandarin until I get it eating frozen foods consistently - apparently, it already is eating some frozen foods, according to the previous owner.

That damsel fish is a real trooper, came with the tank and all. It's been through a lot, like when I was moving the tank and it was swimming around in the sand as the water was rushing up the other end - it must've been stressed, but it survived without a scratch.

I already have one false perc, so I'd like to add another to keep it company. Thanks for the advice, everyone, I appreciate it.

A word of caution on the additions. If you're set on adding another false percula, ensure it's tank-bred and one of the smaller ones - this increases the chances it hasn't determined its sex yet. Your current resident false percula will likely be a female and will need a male or immature partner. The immature ones are usually the smaller ones, making them easier to pick out.

A warning on the firtideflow and royal gramma combination - it's a recipe for disaster in a tank that small. Royal grammas are notorious for their aggression, particularly towards other grammas or long, slender, purple fish. Firtideflows are generally timid and won't stand a chance against a gramma. I'd advise against keeping a gramma in a tank of that size, regardless - they're too aggressive for the limited water volume.

Thanks Ski,

I appreciate the advice. If I went for a smaller clownfish, I'd be getting an embryo - mine's only about 1.5 inches. I definitely don't want to cause any harm to the fish, so I'll have to forget about the gramma, which is a shame as they're beautiful. I know firtideflow can be kept in small groups, but I'm not sure about keeping a male and female of both the purple and orange - would they squabble amongst themselves, or would they be okay?

zeno9 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:41 pm Hi all,

Compatibility issues with these fish in my Rio 180L tank?

I've currently got a False Percula, Blue Damsel, and a Green Mandarin on the way next week. Looking to add a Royal Gramma, Purple Firtideflow, Orange Firtideflow, and a Flame Angle.

I know Firtideflows can be a bit territorial - would a pair of each be better than singles? Are they all considered reef safe?

Thanks,
AK

Four firtideflows in a 180L tank... I'm not sure that's the best idea, especially if you're planning on keeping it reef-ready. The bioload would be a bit much, and I think you'd end up with some pretty stressed fish.