new tank

[Scottm]

I got a used 55 gallon tank with stand, canopy and lights for $150. Its an Ice cap 440 ballast driving 3 110watt vho's with built in reflectors and a reflector setup in the canopy. Its sitting filled up, has sand and a little rock. the rest of the stuff gets moved in next week. Shouldn't have a cycle because I'm using all fully cured rock from my mature tanks. Now I get to pick up some more inhabitants........ any suggestions? has to be reef safe and not eat shrimp. I like my peppermints.

 

[austinsdad]

Pair of clowns. Goby. Chromis (3).

 

[Electrobes]

I am a huge fan of the 6-line Wrasse. Beautiful little guy and interesting to watch. I would also go for a pair of clowns, false percs are a favorite but maybe you would like black false percs or something of that nature?

As much as people complain about damsels I have 3 of them in my 40 breeder. They get picked on by the clowns (Even the baby male) and the 6-line. If you did get a damsel, I would make it the last of the fish to get to tone down his behavior as boss of the reef.

A Yellow Watchman Goby is interesting... if you plan on not doing SPS you could also try a Clown Goby. As for angels I would try a Coral beauty (much safer than the prettier flame angel).

Anyway there are some thoughts, enjoy!

 

[Bearfan]

I'm a fan of my Royal Gramma and my pair of yellow watchman gobies.

 

[FishFrik]

I really like clowns but IMO... if you want active fish, avoid them. My mated pair always stay in the back corner of the tank. They don't even leave that spot when i feed the tank. I have to feed them at that corner

 

[Bearfan]

My gold stripe maroon clown is all over the place, it depends on the clown.

 

[Scottm]

oh yeah, hehe. I forgot to add what I have in my other tanks that is going in this one. Pair of false percula clowns, a sixline wrasse, some kind of sand sifting goby(can't remmeber the name but he even eats flake food), an algae blennie, 3 peppermint shrimp, a serpent star, cucumber and many types of soft corals with a frogspawn that I wouldn't part with because my clowns host in it. I figure I have room for one more sizable fish or maybe three chromis. I can't find a tang that I would be comfortable putting in a 55 and I'm leary about any angel but I think I might give the coral beauty(thanks for that suggestion, I wouldn't have thought about it) a try just because its so pretty.

 

[FishFrik]

I think melosu had kole and some other tang in his 55G w/ no problem. PM him

 

[john0087]

I'm leary about any angel but I think I might give the coral beauty

I second the coral beauty. I think that they have great, abeit subtle coloration. I have not had any problems with mine nipping at my corals and she swims very gracefully, very fluid. Should be a good mix with the other fish that you have.

John

 

[melosu58]

A yellow or kole tang would work. I did have both of them in my 55 but I dont reccommend it. They were in my 55 for 5 years.

 

[austinsdad]

You need something to swim out front IMO. Everything else you have hovers in certain areas close to rock, reef or substrate. Go with the chromis. I'd consider 3 only if your tank is mature and water readings are consistently near optimal.

 

[FishFrik]

FYI on chromis: they usually kill themselves off from time to time. I tried 2 groups of 3 chromis at 2 different time. Both time, 2 of them would die and the strongest 1 lives. That's how I ended up with 2 strongest ones. These 2 don't even school together. The bigger one always chases the smaller one away when he sees him.

Other peoples have had luck with them but I personally didn't :/

 

[austinsdad]

Other peoples have had luck

That'd be me. Had 3 in a previous tank. Lived and schooled for 3 years. Currently have 5 that school and have been together for 4 or 5 months now.

 

[Scottm]

yeah I had heard they can be trouble but I'll probably give them a shot once the tank gets a little older. Plus they are inexpensive so that is a plus in their corner.

 

[melosu58]

I have seven of them and they break into 2 schools

 

[Trameltanz]

I am with FishFrik. Maybe its the locality but I cant get more than three to live at once. Usually two die off with one being the victor. I add one and everyone lives happily. Add another then in a week or two two more end up "belly-up"