Compatibility?

[so-fishy!]

I would love to recreate the dentist's aquarium on "Finding Nemo"! How compatible are the following fish and what size aquarium would I need?

The Tank Gang:
Moorish Idol (Gil)
Pufferfish (Bloat)
Yellow Tang (Bubbles)
Humbug Damsel (Deb)
Royal Gramma (Gurgle)
Cleaner Shrimp (Jacques)
Starfish (Peach)
Clownfish (Nemo)
Blue Tang (Dory)

I have no experience in marine fishkeeping. I will not attempt the above without further reasearch and advice and the proper equipment!

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[Matthew5664]

For a newbi to fishkeeping a Moorish Idol is not a good starter fish, many 'experts' have great trouble keeping them alive.

The others would be ok in a 70G min I would say the Tangs like space to swim! The Humbug Damsel may cause a few problems, they can get bossy. As for the puffer might have to leave that one out all together, at least he's a fin nipper but more of a killer. If its just the fish you want basic lighting would be ok and you could filter the tank with Live rock and a skimmer. Then water changes every week.

As you have no experiance with this let me lend a word of advise. It won't happern fast, it will be expencive and it will take up alot of your time to begin with. When I started my tank I had know idea it would be like this and I nealy gave in a cople of times. But if you want it go for it

 

[so-fishy!]

Thanks for the advice Matthew! Thought the puffer might be a problem! I realise a marine system will be a lenghty process to set up and im hoping to buy most equipment second hand. Can you recommend any good books for a beginner like me? Any good fishy shops in Guildford? Go shopping there sometimes!

 

[Chac]

Jumping into keeping this Marine List will mean a lot of reasearching

When I 1st started I did almost a year of reaserch before empting my Freshwater tank & I have not stopped learning /listening/reading

This is a hobby that will take up a lot of your Time & Money & you must be prerpared to give these up


On to the Gang

Moorish Idols - Extremelly picky eaters - as Matthew says many 'Experts' find it impossible to keep these fish alive

Porcupine Puffer - Aggresive to most inverts (ie Shrimps) & will take a chunk out of fish if the fancy takes it

Yellow Tang - Relativelty Peacefull fish - will not tollorate another Tang in tanks without large territory's

Humbug Damsel - Territorial little buggers, not worth the hassel IMO

Royal Gramma - Good Starter fish

Cleaner Shrimp - Excellant starter Invert

Starfish - Not in a young system - but eventually

Clownfish - Good Starter fish

Blue Tang - Relativelty Peacefull fish - will not tollorate another Tang in tanks without large territory's

Only mistake's happen fast in Marine keeping

 

[so-fishy!]

Im a bit sad and don't really have much of a social life so I can dedicate the time. Got a new job too, so hopefully will be able to afford it. Bit gutted I can't have the Moorish Idol, can I have an angel instead? I really should get researching! But I need to go to bed now it's midnight!

 

[Lynden]

My Advice?

Disney/Pixar obviously did no research whatsoever before creating the tank in Finding Nemo. The tank's looks reflect this. The tank in Finding Nemo would be a sad excuse for a freshwater tank - let alone a marine tank. Words cannot describe how bad the tank is in Finding Nemo. They did everything wrong. Many marine fish would die just contemplating living in that tank. No wonder the Tank Gang all went nuts.

Even worse, the message is passed on to children that they could have an aquarium just like on Nemo. Then, many Clowns and Tangs suffered, if not died within a day, in the tanks of these kids. I know of one guy (the manager told me about this) that put a small, cute, and very healthy Occelaris Clown into a freshwater tank, for it to die in a day. He said he had a marine tank so the dealer would sell it to him. How pathetic, how disgraceful, but most of all, how sad. I wonder what would have happened to the Clown if Finding Nemo had shown kids the right way. To want, at all costs, a "very own Nemo" tank, one is being childish, selfish, and dumb.


However, if you can maintain a proper saltwater tank, and I am confident you can, then feel free to add similiar animals from Finding Nemo. In a 55 gallon fish only with live rock tank, you could probably accomodate the following list:
-2 Occelaris Clowns
-1 Black/White Heniochus (looks like a Moorish Idol but tremendously easier to keep)
-1 Regal Tang, OR 1 Yellow Tang
-1 Royal Gramma
-1 small Porcupine Fish
-1 Humbug Damsel

Or, if you omit the Porcupine Fish, you could have these invertebrates:
-1 Red Knob Star
-1-2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp


About the above rant that certainly wasnt directed at anyone here, but I feel that it must be said.
-Lynden

 

[crazyelece]

First let me say I agree that the Finding Nemo tank is no where realistic, but lets face it, its not Disney's fault for creating the movie. It was an animation that had nothing to do with keeping marine tanks. If you interpret anything from the movie it would be to keep everything from the wild in the wild. I hate when people blame everyone but the true source of the problem. Who gave the kid money to buy a clownfish? Who killed the clownfish? Why should Disney be limited to what they can create because a few half cocked kids are alowed to have anything they wish no matter the consequences?

Now since we are educating a newcomer to the marine world. And it hasn't yet been fully brought up. The worst combination in the finding nemo tank IMO is the puffer with a starfish. The starfish is one of the puffer's natural diet and would be consumed by the puffer. If you are truly interested in saltwater setup, I would pick the one fish out of the Nemo tank that you like the best and setup your tank around that fish.

 

[Lynden]

First let me say I agree that the Finding Nemo tank is no where realistic, but lets face it, its not Disney's fault for creating the movie. It was an animation that had nothing to do with keeping marine tanks. If you interpret anything from the movie it would be to keep everything from the wild in the wild. I hate when people blame everyone but the true source of the problem. Who gave the kid money to buy a clownfish? Who killed the clownfish? Why should Disney be limited to what they can create because a few half cocked kids are alowed to have anything they wish no matter the consequences?

Hey, it would be just as easy to create a movie that was realistic. The plot would still fit, too.

And by the way, the kid had his own money, and he killed it. He may not have bought the clown if the tank on Nemo didnt look just like his probably did. I like the general plot of the movie, and the characters, but the tank scene is just pathetic. My opinion is unchanged.

One important thing for a newcomer to remember is that the fish in your tank arent usually friends. Chances are, they want to tear eachother limb from limb (or fin from fin). To have a healthy, happy system, you must only combine fairly docile animals, or else fights, and later, pandemonium will ensue. Aggressive fish include Triggers, Groupers, Puffers, Morays, Sargeants, ect. The mission of these fish in life is to protect their territory, even if it means severly injuring others, and to kill littler fish. More docile, "good citizen" fish include Gobies, Blennies, Basslets, Clownfish, Dragonets, Seahorses, ect. "Yellow zone" fish include Angels, Tangs, Damsels, Butterflies, ect.

Hope I helped,
-Lynden

 

[Chac]

My Advice?

Disney/Pixar obviously did no research whatsoever before creating the tank in Finding Nemo. The tank's looks reflect this. The tank in Finding Nemo would be a sad excuse for a freshwater tank - let alone a marine tank. Words cannot describe how bad the tank is in Finding Nemo. They did everything wrong. Many marine fish would die just contemplating living in that tank. No wonder the Tank Gang all went nuts.

Even worse, the message is passed on to children that they could have an aquarium just like on Nemo. Then, many Clowns and Tangs suffered, if not died within a day, in the tanks of these kids. I know of one guy (the manager told me about this) that put a small, cute, and very healthy Occelaris Clown into a freshwater tank, for it to die in a day. He said he had a marine tank so the dealer would sell it to him. How pathetic, how disgraceful, but most of all, how sad. I wonder what would have happened to the Clown if Finding Nemo had shown kids the right way. To want, at all costs, a "very own Nemo" tank, one is being childish, selfish, and dumb.


However, if you can maintain a proper saltwater tank, and I am confident you can, then feel free to add similiar animals from Finding Nemo. In a 55 gallon fish only with live rock tank, you could probably accomodate the following list:
-2 Occelaris Clowns
-1 Black/White Heniochus (looks like a Moorish Idol but tremendously easier to keep)
-1 Regal Tang, OR 1 Yellow Tang
-1 Royal Gramma
-1 small Porcupine Fish
-1 Humbug Damsel

Or, if you omit the Porcupine Fish, you could have these invertebrates:
-1 Red Knob Star
-1-2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp


About the above rant that certainly wasnt directed at anyone here, but I feel that it must be said.
-Lynden

55g In Most Reefers Opinion is way to small for any Tang, Open Water Fish that need a larger/longer tank

You will need to look in to other Inverts as well - Crabs, Snails, Conchs, Stars (Personally I recomend either Sifting or Brittle Star Fish etc). All these inverts are know as the Clean Up Crew

 

[Navarre]

I actually think that disney did a great deal of research for finding nemo. If you look at each fish and watch its characteristics then i can see that the filmakers spent alot of hours studying the behaviour of these fish... For example.. every seen a tang kept in a tank that is not suitable? Then the yellow tang in nemo is a perfect example of this. (noone in nemo said the tank portrayed was actually a good tank.).


As has been mentioned, disney cannot be blamed for how the public reacted from watching this movie. I feel they did a great job and we should be pointing our fingers at less scrupulous wholesalers and fish shops for making people beleive these fish can be kept as easily as it seemed in the film.


Ok now not to detract from the topic (which is the list of fish that was given for this newcomer) i will attempt to give more details on this.


The tank needs to be 100 gallons or more.. with 2 tangs you will probably need upwards of 150 gallons to be honest (I mean UK gallons).
Tangs dont usually tollerate each other so you will need space for this.
THe moorish idol is practically a NO NO as they are near imposible to feed. You can however try a bannerfish as these are known as "Poor Mans moorish idols" and are far easier to keep.
The puffer... risky and with this fish it will put a strain on your filtration and put your more timid fish at risk due to their nature.

Sadly, the fish portrayed and for that matter, the fish usually shown in your locals shops are very tiny and no warning is given as to how large they finally grow. Therefore many people buy these smaller fish thinking they wont grow any larger... They do!

 

[Lynden]

I still hate the tank. However, notice how I said that they did no research in making the tank. Almost everything else in the movie is quite acceptable, and the fish (aside from the personified faces) seem to be very realistic and well-researched. I don't hate Disney; I do hate the tank.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, at least you're doing things right by asking here before blindly jumping in and trying to do this . I agree with the above posters, the puffer is almoast impossible to keep with the others. It WILL eat starfish and shrimp and given enough time will probably take down the poor gramma and clownfish. If you can deal without him, and have a bannerfish substitute as Navarre mentioned, all that could be put into a 220US gal without much trouble.

 

[so-fishy!]

Thanks for all your advice! I did actually dream of owning a marine set up before I watched "nemo". I am nearly 25 years old and have worked as a veterinary nurse and currently keep tropicals. So I can assure you that it's not just a phase im going through and I will do my upmost to research marines fully. I have even considered enrolling myself on a marine course at my local college.

I too agree that Disney did a good job with the film. Afterall the fish in the aquarium did have filtration, lighting and a roomy tank!

 

[DebsR]

Thanks for all your advice! I did actually dream of owning a marine set up before I watched "nemo". I am nearly 25 years old and have worked as a veterinary nurse and currently keep tropicals. So I can assure you that it's not just a phase im going through and I will do my upmost to research marines fully. I have even considered enrolling myself on a marine course at my local college.

I too agree that Disney did a good job with the film. Afterall the fish in the aquarium did have filtration, lighting and a roomy tank!

ive just bought a second hand set up - try looking on the net under "aquarist classified" or local free ads, ie ad trader - good luck!

 

[Lynden]

If you can maintain a proper saltwater tank, and I am confident you can, then feel free to add similiar animals from Finding Nemo. In a 55 gallon fish only with live rock tank, you could probably accomodate the following list:
-2 Occelaris Clowns
-1 Black/White Heniochus (looks like a Moorish Idol but tremendously easier to keep)
-1 Regal Tang, OR 1 Yellow Tang
-1 Royal Gramma
-1 small Porcupine Fish
-1 Humbug/Three stripe Damsel

Or, if you omit the Porcupine Fish, you could have these invertebrates:
-1 Red Knob Star
-1-2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

If you omit the Puffer/Porcupine Fish (not reef friendly), Red Knob Star (eats coral), and Heniochus/Bannerfish (these are butterflyfish; they will generally consume many invertebrates) and maybe upgraded the tank size, and had powerful lighting, you could replicate fairly accurately the area where Marlin, Nemo, and Dory lived. The anemone they lived in, I'm pretty sure is a Bubble Tip Anemone, which generally has a relatively high survival rate for anemones. Add a bunch of coral, a cleanup crew, and plenty of live rock, and viola, you have a reef.


Like I said, I like the movie, I like the characters, but do not like the tank.
-Lynden