Fish for 55 gallon reef tank

[CoralReeferGal]

I have found it tiring and unsuccessful in searching for fish suitable for 55 gallon tanks . Apparently most places you can't search by tank size, and it just gets old clicking every fish to see requirements (min tank size, reef safe etc) so thought it might be helpful to make a thread here. Anyone want to help create a list of reef safe fish suitable in a 55 gallon reef tank?

[Qube]

How about blennies? I love my Starry Blenny, he eats right out of my hand.

[raypadro]

I sucessfully kept Bangay cardinals,blennys,firefish and a small yellow Tang.

[goettner]

I bought some Flashing wrasses lately and I love them.Paracheilimus carpenteri and
paracheilimus filamentosus.

[justjosh012]

midas blenny's are really cool

[29144u]

a centropyge makes a nice show fish

[TX..r33f]

you could do flame angel, coral beauty, sixline(mt fav), blennies, firefish, clowns ect: Also i have seen 55s keep yellow tangs succesfully.

[TKCC]

+1 on the Midas Blenny.

[CoralReeferGal]

Originally Posted by TX..r33f

you could do flame angel, coral beauty, sixline(mt fav), blennies, firefish, clowns ect: Also i have seen 55s keep yellow tangs succesfully.

coral beauties and flame angels are 2 of my favorites! I've heard tons of people say they aren't reef safe though? I'm the process of thinking about looking for one final fish to add, and had my heart set on one of the two, but then read a forum where someone said he had both, and they destroyed his open brain (which we have) and I don't want to risk losing any of the corals.

We have a lionfish, a 3 stripe damsel, a GSM and a kole tang; not sure if I'm even able to add one more or not, but if we do, I want something decent sized but not huge (big enough that it wont be a snack prior to the lion being upgraded to a 120 next year lol)

[Zoomadness]

I have clown's, a yellow tang and will be adding a barltett anthias to mine. Live aquaria is also a great resource for keeping fish, minium tank size and compatibility. First you should figure out what you want to keep and then see what you need to do to keep it. Also, the tank size is subjective and not always 100% accurate. It is, just like everything else, someone's opinion. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying to go out and get an imperator angelfish (my favorite) and pop it into your 55 gallon, or anything like that.

[Cloudburst2000]

I think with the maroon clown in there that you might have trouble adding any more fish. They are extremely territorial and can harass/kill fish added after them. Might also have aggression problems with everything else in there (damsel, lionfish, even the kole tang). And with three larger fish already (lionfish, gsm, and tang), you are probably already pushing the limits of your bioload. I wouldn't suggest adding any small, docile fish or any really peaceful fish as they will either be lunch for the lionfish or get bullied by the gsm or damsel. I think if you did add something, it would have to be a pretty aggressive fish in its own right. Perhaps, a six-line wrasse may work. They stay fairly small but can hold their own aggression-wise. Or maybe a neon dottyback. They are fairly aggressive also.

[TX..r33f]

Originally Posted by CoralReeferGal

coral beauties and flame angels are 2 of my favorites! I've heard tons of people say they aren't reef safe though? I'm the process of thinking about looking for one final fish to add, and had my heart set on one of the two, but then read a forum where someone said he had both, and they destroyed his open brain (which we have) and I don't want to risk losing any of the corals.

We have a lionfish, a 3 stripe damsel, a GSM and a kole tang; not sure if I'm even able to add one more or not, but if we do, I want something decent sized but not huge (big enough that it wont be a snack prior to the lion being upgraded to a 120 next year lol)

I had a coral beauty and he did fine! i have never had a flame angel so couldnt tell you. As far as coral beautys go they wil be fine in sps tank. I had mine in a all softies tank. i sall him nip at the exina or however you spell it lol. But it never took a chunk out of it. I am sure you will be fine with one

[unclejed2]

Originally Posted by CoralReeferGal

I have found it tiring and unsuccessful in searching for fish suitable for 55 gallon tanks . Apparently most places you can't search by tank size, and it just gets old clicking every fish to see requirements (min tank size, reef safe etc) so thought it might be helpful to make a thread here. Anyone want to help create a list of reef safe fish suitable in a 55 gallon reef tank?

What you want to do is, in a real and practical matter, impossible. There are WAY too many variables. We have all had to do what you said. Each person must do the homework required to match fish and their particular aquarium environment.

[ReachTheSky]

It's always a crap shoot with Angelfish. If you're lucky enough, you might get one that will behave.

I have a Flame and a Coral Beauty. The Flame picks at my Acroporas but leaves other corals alone. The Coral Beauty leaves corals alone. My friend has a Lemonpeel that nipped his pocillopora damicornis to death but leaves the rest of his corals alone. My other friend has a Coral Beauty that adores anything with polyps on it.

[CoralReeferGal]

Originally Posted by unclejed2

What you want to do is, in a real and practical matter, impossible. There are WAY too many variables. We have all had to do what you said. Each person must do the homework required to match fish and their particular aquarium environment.

This was just meant to be a basic list. Fish that are suitable for a 55, then obviously one does their own research as to if one on the list would be compatible with everything else already in the tank.

[Kanglee00]

I have a 55g and had a clownfish and yellow-tail damsel for awhile, but just added a firefish and 3 green chromis and all is well so far.

[LDH]

I have a Midas Blenny (my absolute fave), 2 clowns and 2 Bangai cardinals. I am looking to add a Bartletts anthias to round out my 55 gal.. All of them are getting along great and it's enough room for each of them to have their own space still.