Help me choose next fish

[shuguley]

My 55 finished cycling about 10 days ago. I added chaeto to fuge, and a CUC of 10 snails and 6 hermits 7 days ago. I installed a phosban reactor with phosban yesterday. For the past 10 days I have had...
ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates = 0
Alk = 11 dkh
ph = 8.2
Salt = 35 PPT
temp = 79
and I measured calcium first time today and it is 420 though I have never dosed for it... I wasn't expecting that.

While my aquarium was cycling I bought two false perc clownfish and they have been living happily and healthy in quarantine for 4 weeks. I think tomorrow is going to be the big day for my clowns to move into their new home. In about a week I am probably going to want to buy a new fish to start quarantine.

I plan on eventually having some LPS corals, maybe some softies and some mushrooms.

I would like my aquarium to have varied colors of fish and activity, so with two orange clowns, I want to go for a different color. I would like an active or either bright or colorful fish. What would ya'll reccomend? I would love to hear any reccomendations. I'm completely open to opinions at this point.

[sassafrass]

Putting the clowns in first might not be such a good idea depending on the other fish you want to keep. The Occelaris clowns are probably the least aggressive and territorial of all clownfish however introducing them first means you won't be able to add more peaceful fish later without potential problems. Just my experience .
Lee

[shuguley]

I had actually considered that about the clowns, but too late, I've already had them in QT for 4 weeks, those guys are definitley going in first, I am not about to give them back to the LFS. Besides I got an awesome pair of clowns and they are tank raised, so they should be fairly peaceful, heck in 4 weeks, they have barely argued with each other, but if they pick on a future fish I'll deal with that when the time comes.

[petoonia]

Do you know what other fish you will be adding in the future? I would start looking at all of the different sites, and come up with a stock list. That way you can add the fish in the right order. I really dont think the clowns will be a problem. I added my pair to the tank first, and have never had any issues with new additions.

A blenny would make a nice second fish. (but not a scooter blenny they need a mature tank to survive) Midas Blennies are one of my favorites!!!

[Mavrk]

1. Kudos to you for the QT. Excellent move that is usually skipped by the beginner (and expert alike).
2. You should have no problems adding the clowns first. They may stake out an area, but they won't be an issue for other fish.
3. Have you thought about adding some cleaner shrimp?
4. Blue-green chromis are hardy fish. Royal grammas are a good color contrast (if you can get Brazilian grammas they are even cooler... look it up).

[Michael]

royal grammas are nice, very colourful and would fit in well

[indydog1]

active and colorful fish.....look into a reef safe wrasse.

[agreeive?fish]

Purple firefish would be one for me as well as a jaw fish but beware both fish are jumpers so a covered tank is a must and the jawfish requires a sand bed

indydog1 mentioned reef safe wrasses... some are jumpers and some require a sand bed and some fit both catagories so research well

[snorvich]

How about a basslet? Perhaps a Swales Basslet?

[snorvich]

Is your tank covered? If so, firefish (1) and a pair of flasher wrasses would be nice. If not, these will not stay in the tank. But sassafrass is right, once the clowns have sexually differentiated and start breeding, their possessiveness of their "territory" is much different and pretty aggressive. But occellaris are the least aggressive anemone fish.

[tanker]

Originally posted by Mavrk
Royal grammas are a good color contrast (if you can get Brazilian grammas they are even cooler... look it up).

NO, NO, NO. If you get a royal gramma---get the Loretta, not the Brazillian!!

I bought a RG 6years ago, it turned out to be a Brazillian. It is still there and is really mean!!! Lucky it cannot harrass my tangs or my angels, but anything else......

PS--IMO they (the Brazillian) are a tad more hardy, a little less colorful, but a lot more meaner then the Loretta.

[k.shep]

i also think a wrasse would be a good choice as the reefsafe wrasses are very colorful and many are fairly peaceful. you should also consider a rainford's goby.

[shuguley]

Ok, thanks for the ideas, so I think I have a better idea on my stocklist...

I think next I might get a Midas Blenny, seems like an interesting fish and I like the bright yellow color.

Man, picking fish is HARD! Here's some others I have in mind for the future, obviously not all of these fish but some maybe...

- foxface lo (I REALLY like these, but not sure if ok for a 55, what do yall think?)
- dwarf angel of somekind
- small reef safe wrasse

[Chibils]

Foxfaces grow really big really fast. I'd skip them.

[prickles]

check out clarion angels or Gem Tangs. They look great in schools. You gotta get at least 5 though.

[nemogirl]

I wouldn't worry about the clowns, I added my two first in my tank and so far haven't had a problem. I'm actually in a similar situation - we lost a couple of fish over a year ago due to an ich outbreak (only the clowns survived) and are now looking to finally start adding fish again. Good luck!

[Allanira]

Go for a juvie corys wrasse. They are realy colorful and full of personality. Also the Potter's Angel is really pretty is only suppose to get to 4" long. I am thinking of gettin one of those for my 55 gal. Good luck on your choice of fish.

[crvz]

I wouldnt get a dwarf angel if you're hoping for corals... I've never had one that co-existed with corals. Some people have had success, but to me they're notorious nippers.

[petoonia]

I would go with a coral beauty, but I would add that as a last fish. Here's how I would stock if it were my tank 1 midas blenny, 1 black cap basslet (or royal gramma), 1 goby, and 1 coral beauty.

[shuguley]

Originally posted by petoonia
I would go with a coral beauty, but I would add that as a last fish. Here's how I would stock if it were my tank 1 midas blenny, 1 black cap basslet (or royal gramma), 1 goby, and 1 coral beauty.

I like this stocklist, in what order would you do something like this, keeping in mind I already have two false perc clowns, that just moved in a few days ago. And do the blenny and goby get along, seems like I read somewhere that the midas blenny may nip a gobies, is that true?

I was thinking about getting a wrasse, but after reading that they are jumpers, I'm not so sure, plus the wrasse I really like is pretty expensive, I'd hate to pay $50-$100 for a fish and have it jump out.