What/how many fish for my 55 gal. reef - Aquarium Advice

binaryterror · 11-15-2005, 06:12 PM

Here is the list of fish I want for my 55 gallon reef tank:

Ocelaris Clownfish (2)
Yellow Tang
Blue Tang (small)
Six Line Wrasse
Longnoce Hawkfish
Eel (cant decide which is best for a reef and wont eat inverts, help me out)
Flame Hawkfish
Spotted Cardinalfish (2)
Green Mandarin Dragonet (medium)

I know I cant get all of these for my reef tank but I am trying to narrow it down. Help me out, like what fish dont go with other fish ect... Thanks!

IworkatPSP · 11-15-2005, 08:06 PM

Well, the clowns should be fine.

Yellow Tang will most likely get too large to be housed in a 55.
Blue Tang, same as yellow tang.
Six Line Wrasse should be fine.
Hawkfish will eat inverts....shrimp, hermits, snails, etc. As will the eel.
Cardinalfish should also be fine.
Mandarin would be fine as long as you have alot, and i mean ALOT of [acronym:32578dfc08="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:32578dfc08] and only after your tank has been well established.

Hope this helps
Good luck!

StripesTheEel · 11-15-2005, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Ocelaris Clownfish (2) - no problem!
Yellow Tang - too big!
Blue Tang (small) - too big!
Six Line Wrasse - no problem
Longnoce Hawkfish - will eat inverts - but no problem for 55g
Eel (cant decide which is best for a reef and wont eat inverts, help me out) - will be fine if u keep it well fed..but dwarf morays are you best bet, but then again this will seriously limit your other livestock..
Flame Hawkfish - will eat inverts - but no problem for 55g
Spotted Cardinalfish (2) - no problem
Green Mandarin Dragonet (medium) - no problem provided you have plenty of [acronym:5801afa3ed="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:5801afa3ed] and an established tank, please defer this dude..!

Given that I'd do..

2 O Clowns
1 Sixline Wrasse
2 Cardinals
1 Royal Gramma
2 Firefish
4-5 chromis..

Plus an assortment of
Snails, hermits, fire shrimp, peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp..

binaryterror · 11-15-2005, 09:19 PM

They sell the Blue Tang in different sizes. I would get the medium (2-3 inches). Also the Yellow Tang at my [acronym:5d38b1c57f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:5d38b1c57f] were full grown and were only 3 inches. I really, REALLY want a Madarin Dragonet! They are my #1 choice. But I will wait until I have a good system going on. Also, I dont think I am going to get any Chromis. I just dont like there looks. What other fish can take there place? I want colorful and unique. Not too small also! So the Hawkfish is out of the question if I want a cleaner crew? I hope it isnt cause those guys are really neat!

StripesTheEel · 11-15-2005, 09:26 PM

I'd easily wait a year or more before the mandarin..

Quote:

They sell the Blue Tang in different sizes. I would get the medium (2-3 inches).

But they would get 10 inches long..

Yellow tangs are not 3 inches full grown..I have seen YT's 7-8 inches..

Hawkfish are out if you want shrimp..

You could try dwarf angels - flame or coral beauty, but they are a 50/50 chance of nipping corals..

IworkatPSP · 11-16-2005, 02:40 AM

Mandarins are very picky eaters and often starve in the home aquarium. We won't sell any at my store until we get them trained on frozen food and brine shrimp. Even then, we recommend at least a 75g with no less than 100lbs of [acronym:4efd46537f="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:4efd46537f]. Their main diet consists of [acronym:4efd46537f="copepods, amphipods, etc"]pods[/acronym:4efd46537f] in the rock.

It is possible, but I'd hate to see you buy one and have it starve and you lose out on some money.

binaryterror · 11-16-2005, 06:50 AM

Well, will the Hawkfish eat the little clean-up crew?

StripesTheEel · 11-16-2005, 08:03 AM

the wont touch the crabs or snails but will eat the shrimp..

binaryterror · 11-16-2005, 10:17 AM

Oh, so would the crabs and snails be enough to clean the tank? Or should I just forget about them...

demodiki · 11-16-2005, 11:20 AM

The clowns, 6 line, cardinals and mandarin (eventually)...and that's all I would recommend.

That is a modest bioload for a 55 and will give you some leeway with learning the hobby.

Skip those tangs unless you are just dying for some heartache.

11-16-2005, 06:50 AM	#7
binaryterror Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 246	Well, will the Hawkfish eat the little clean-up crew? __________________ 55g main tank 10g sump ViaAqua SK300 skimmer 40lbs. [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] 40lbs. [acronym="Live sand"]LS[/acronym]

11-16-2005, 08:03 AM	#8
StripesTheEel Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 882 Images: 23	the wont touch the crabs or snails but will eat the shrimp.. __________________ Matt Fight fish illiteracy..teach them to read the forums

11-16-2005, 10:17 AM	#9
binaryterror Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 246	Oh, so would the crabs and snails be enough to clean the tank? Or should I just forget about them... __________________ 55g main tank 10g sump ViaAqua SK300 skimmer 40lbs. [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] 40lbs. [acronym="Live sand"]LS[/acronym]

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11-15-2005, 06:12 PM	#1
binaryterror Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 246	What/how many fish for my 55 gal. reef Here is the list of fish I want for my 55 gallon reef tank: Ocelaris Clownfish (2) Yellow Tang Blue Tang (small) Six Line Wrasse Longnoce Hawkfish Eel (cant decide which is best for a reef and wont eat inverts, help me out) Flame Hawkfish Spotted Cardinalfish (2) Green Mandarin Dragonet (medium) I know I cant get all of these for my reef tank but I am trying to narrow it down. Help me out, like what fish dont go with other fish ect... Thanks!

11-15-2005, 08:06 PM	#2
IworkatPSP Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 144 Images: 2	Well, the clowns should be fine. Yellow Tang will most likely get too large to be housed in a 55. Blue Tang, same as yellow tang. Six Line Wrasse should be fine. Hawkfish will eat inverts....shrimp, hermits, snails, etc. As will the eel. Cardinalfish should also be fine. Mandarin would be fine as long as you have alot, and i mean ALOT of [acronym:32578dfc08="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:32578dfc08] and only after your tank has been well established. Hope this helps Good luck!

11-15-2005, 09:19 PM	#4
binaryterror Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 246	They sell the Blue Tang in different sizes. I would get the medium (2-3 inches). Also the Yellow Tang at my [acronym:5d38b1c57f="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:5d38b1c57f] were full grown and were only 3 inches. I really, REALLY want a Madarin Dragonet! They are my #1 choice. But I will wait until I have a good system going on. Also, I dont think I am going to get any Chromis. I just dont like there looks. What other fish can take there place? I want colorful and unique. Not too small also! So the Hawkfish is out of the question if I want a cleaner crew? I hope it isnt cause those guys are really neat!

11-16-2005, 02:40 AM	#6
IworkatPSP Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 144 Images: 2	Mandarins are very picky eaters and often starve in the home aquarium. We won't sell any at my store until we get them trained on frozen food and brine shrimp. Even then, we recommend at least a 75g with no less than 100lbs of [acronym:4efd46537f="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:4efd46537f]. Their main diet consists of [acronym:4efd46537f="copepods, amphipods, etc"]pods[/acronym:4efd46537f] in the rock. It is possible, but I'd hate to see you buy one and have it starve and you lose out on some money.

11-16-2005, 11:20 AM	#10
demodiki Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 300	The clowns, 6 line, cardinals and mandarin (eventually)...and that's all I would recommend. That is a modest bioload for a 55 and will give you some leeway with learning the hobby. Skip those tangs unless you are just dying for some heartache.