Suggestions for the tank

[the grim reefer]

Well the day arrived that I can add fish..I put in 3 green chromis and a feather duster yesterday..I was thinking of a fairy wrasse for the future a Royal gramma, and just some other peaceful colorful fish. I have a 56 gal tank with skimmer 2 PH, and will be adding a few corals in the future..I am planning my stocking list as to what will go into the tank in time..

Any suggestions as to different fish that have really neat personalities that we would enjoy watching.different characteristics..

A neat goby? What about a lawnmover blenny? Any suggestions on some cool clean up crew? I have 20 snails of various kinds and 10 hermit crabs in there right now...

Thanks everyone
Grim

 

[Andari]

I think my clowns have great personalities.

 

[the grim reefer]

I cant believe that I forgot to put down 1 or 2 clowns..they will be in there for sure...

 

[melosu58]

What about a lawnmover blenny?

Alot of times these end up dying from starvation. They will nip around on any algea you have in the tank but after that they usually die from lack of food. They do not eat prepared food too good. Occasionaly you will find one but the are the exception. I dont have a lawnmower but I do have a black sailfin blenny and I made sure I got the LFS to show me that he ate prepared food. Good Luck on the tank.

 

[the grim reefer]

Well that is good to know about the lawnmower blenny...they just looked kinda neat...

Thanks
Grim

 

[packagerat]

I have also heard that the algae blenny is difficult to keep long term. I personally have no experience with them but was told this by my lfs.

 

[unda_da_sea]

get a sixline wrasse, you won't be dissapointed.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Just wanted to echo the blenny thing. I just lost one from starvation, in a tank that was full of algae. He kept the tank absolutely, positively spotless though, which was awesome. But, in the end, even 30 gallons of algae wasn't enough to keep him alive. The only thing I could get him to eat was live brine shrimp, but it was hard to get them to him with the clowns. In your 56 gallon, you may be okay with a blenny in about a year. People underestimate how much the actually do need to eat to stay alive.

Just my two cents.

 

[the grim reefer]

Thank you all for your ideas....I was looking at the different wrasses and the 6 -line is a must I think...

Thanks Grim

 

[austinsdad]

Add a pair of cleaner shrimp. Consider smaller brittle or serpent stars too. Also, look at sand burrowing snails to help with the sand.

Now, you got the chromis and plan to get the pair of clowns. They'll all swim out front, so now concentrate on something that'll perch on the rocks higher and lower.

For the higher, you got planny choices such as the black sailfin, midas (both larger get larger), and bicolor blennies that perch high. Other blennies like canary and other fangs also swim out front and don't perchm, but interesting characters anyway.

For the lower, you got all kinds of gobies to choose from. Some shrimp and others not.

BTW, my sixline didn't eat prepared foods and starved in my early tank days. Just seemed to cruise for pods. I'd wait some time before you add him.

Can't go wrong with blennies. Very amusing and interesting character IMO.

 

[roka64]

Make sure you have a cover or egg crate over your tank, wrasses like to carpet surf.
I like the pistol/goby combo, I don't have one yet....well, the pistol I ordered was almost DOA and didn't make it through acclimation and my pistol goby lasted 6 days, one day after the guarantee....

 

[the grim reefer]

Thanks again for all the great ideas.....you guys are simply the best! I am so looking forward to working at this SLOWLY....

Have a good day
Grim

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I am so looking forward to working at this SLOWLY....

 

[melosu58]

Slowly is a great idea