Need some help with our tank!

[jennierose]

Hi everyone I'm new to the forum, I've been able to use some threads for help in the past, but now I'm at a loss and ready to give up! My boyfriend and I ventured into the saltwater world after I had a tropical tank for years. We did our cycle and it was a breeze. We even had one emerald crab that lived through the entire cycle. Then we got a domino damsel as our first fish. He was awesome! Then we got a Chocolate Chip Starfish and she's awesome too. Then we got a Spotted Grouper and a pink spotted Goby. Then our Goby got caught in our pre-filter box and I was able to get him out but I guess because he was so weak, our Damsel picked on him till he died. We then got a Clarkii Clownfish and a Condy Anemone to replace the Goby. We thought the Clarkii would bond with the Condy but it wound up stinging him and paralyzing him. The Damsel got to him as well and pecked at him till his fin came off. This was over night by the way! If I saw this going on I would have put my poor Clarkii in an isolation tank. I was so upset by this, I said eff the damsel and brought him back to the store. My boyfriend felt really bad and went out and bought us a lionfish (I want to say it was an antenna lion, but I'm not sure) That guy got caught in the current by our powerhead apparently and got stuck between two rocks and croaked today while I was at work! I'm getting very frustrated and I don't know where to go from here! This is getting really, really expensive and these poor fish (aside our clean up crew, star fish and grouper, oh yea, and that **** damsel....) keep dying! We want to go agressive, and be reef safe, and we need something that won't eat our starfish. Please help us!! Does anyone have any ideas on what we can do? All of our levels are perfect as well!

 

[jeremy upshir]

bummer...hope someone with experience with aggressive fish chimes in but this is the reason I did not get aggressive it seemed to hard to get fish that get along...

 

[Macscale]

That's absolutely terrible, Condys and clownfish come from apposite sides of the world. I had one with a maroon and we returned them both . Sorry for all your losses, I'm not very good with aggressive fish, but I'll try to help. What size is the tank?

 

[jennierose]

It's a 55.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Choclate chip stars aren't reef safe, they will eat coral. As for the fish what size tank is it? Damsels are pretty aggressive and as a general rule it's best to add the more aggressive fish last. No experience with lion fish so not real sure on their ability to handle flow but I do know they will eat anything that can fit in the mouth.

 

[Stinky Pete]

Unfortunately a chocolate chip star fish will not be reef safe.

 

[jennierose]

The starfish has been the easiest of all she always comes to the top and asks for Shrimp 3 times a day lol like a little pulp I was told as long as I keep feeding her she won't give us a problem reef-wise! I was thinking of a triggerfish next. Any ideas?

 

[Macscale]

No to the trigger, they need big tanks. I didn't even see the chocolate chip, but they can't be in a reef. Period. The damsels are very aggressive and mean. I can see why he was attacking.

 

[jennierose]

Like a lil puppy sorry. Darn iPad. We were told a damsel was great for cycling. I wish they would have told us how aggressive it would be though! That guy was out for blood!

 

[Stinky Pete]

An aggressive tank is a tough route to go in a 55 gallon. If you want to keep coral the star fish will have to go for sure. Anemones are also very tough for new tanks.

 

[bribo12]

Sorry for your losses but you guys need to take a step back and slow down. Aggressive and reef doesn't really work. That grouper is gonna need a bigger home as well. I'd rehome him and the damsel before going any further. You could then do a fuzzy dwarf lionfish, snowflake eel and hawkfish if you want aggressive but semi reef safe. The chocolate chip needs to go as well.

Even well fed it will eat any corals it stumbles across. Just realize aggressive fish have big appetites and are very messy so keeping coral with them is difficult. No triggers, big lions, big eels, groupers, etc. check liveaquaria for tank sizes and always do research before you buy a fish

 

[Macscale]

Yes, they are good for fish-ins, but I don't recommend fish in cycles.

 

[jennierose]

Could we go non agressive with the grouper in there? He hasn't gone after anyone as we never see him. The condy is the only anemone we have right now and since nothing gets along with it I was thinking we could just feed it to something.

 

[Macscale]

Uh.. I'm not sure. I've known groupers to be so-so, maybe someone else knows.

 

[bribo12]

Considering he will get about a foot, no. Once bigger he will eat smaller fish, he's a grouper

 

[bribo12]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+32+166&pcatid=166&siteid=21&
That's what liveaquaria says about your grouper

 

[Stinky Pete]

Grouper in a 55 won't work. I have a 55 and it's somewhat limiting. Banggai cardnails clowns and dwarf angels are good choices

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

An aggressive tank is a tough route to go in a 55 gallon. If you want to keep coral the star fish will have to go for sure. Anemones are also very tough for new tanks.

+1. I would say look into maybe a pair if clown, one of the reef safe wrasse species, a dwarf angel and maybe a few chromis to form a little school. Also let your tank mature for 9 months to a year before adding nems, clowns will be fine with out them

 

[Macscale]

+1. I would say look into maybe a pair if clown, one of the reef safe wrasse species, a dwarf angel and maybe a few chromis to form a little school. Also let your tank mature for 9 months to a year before adding nems, clowns will be fine with out them

+1. That says it all.

 

[jennierose]

If I were to go that route would I be able to keep my star fish or my grouper? I really like them both!