Fish wish list

[travis32]

Well, I want to get fish tank size appropriate. I don't plan on getting any fish yet, but I need something to research. LOL.

My first fish purchase will most likely be Beginning of April. That gives me a few weeks to get a couple more waterchanges under my belt, ensure everything is established and working fine. Get my ATO in place, and any other misc things I may want to do yet before adding fish.

For a 55g REEF (Most likely LPS) corals.

What would be some reccomended Fish purchases to research?

I'll obviously want a pair of clowns.. (Undecided on type) but am taking to heart the advise that they should not be the FIRST purchase. So, they'll be moved back.

I just need ideas, categories of fish I should be considering.

One note: I wouldn't mind if the fish ate Xenia as long as they leave other corals alone.

I may purchase one or two more corals before adding any fish.

Or if you have a list of fish categories that are reef and 55g safe, I'd be open to researching the different types within those categories.

Thanks,

[Engine8ff]

There is a ton of fish you can get. The question is what are you looking for, colors, sizes, number of fish. I would look at getting 3-5 blue chromis, a couple scissor tail goby's, a yellow watchman for the sandbed and your pair of clowns, what type of clowns are you looking at. I dont know that I would have any tangs in your tank, maybe a yellow but that would be about the max. Good luck

[Chiefsurfer]

Well, a pair of clowns is a great fish for any smaller reef, as they don't need a lot of space, they are hardy, and very active/colorful. I don't know what your particular tastes are, but for a peaceful tank, would go with ocellaris or percula, as they are the 2 most docile.

Wrasses are a nice fish, although SOME have been noted to munch on LPS, and have a noteriaty for carpet surfing from open-topped tanks.

I always reccomend filling different depths with fish, so you have activity all over, and don't overcrowd too much.

Clowns are a middle and top fish. I would definitely reccomend 1 or 2 bottom-dwelling fish. Blenny's and Goby's are both very good examples.

As for colofrul, peaceful fish, I would look at royal gramma's. I have been told there is one royal gramma that is nasty, and one that is nice. They come from different parts of the world, and the peaceful one would be a nice addition.

My stocking list would be:

2 clowns
1 purple firefish
3 cardinals(banggai or Pajama)
1 Clown Goby(I like the green ones)
1 Highfin Goby(think its called that)
1 Royal Gramma
1 reef-safe Wrasse

If I were definitely doing a lid of some kind, I would sugstitute the highfin goby for a blue jawfish, and might get another wrasse instead of the royal gramma.

[travis32]

My wife likes the idea of puffer fish. I don't believe there's any small enough for a 55g. If there is let me know.

I like the options so far. I'm looking for diverse colors, relatively peaceful. Most important I guess are bright colors. I want to avoid Chromis's, i just dislike them.

I was actually thinking about doing some type of plastic fiber netting over the top of the tank and top of the overflow to prevent carpet surfing and sump surfing. I positioned my tank that makes it difficult to get behind it. So, carpet and sump surfing risks need to be at a minimum.

At some point maybe a anenome. (a few months from now.)

[Chiefsurfer]

there might be a puffer that won't outgrow a 55(not sure), but I know they are messy eaters, and huge poopers, making them poor choices for smaller tanks.

[travis32]

Nice on the puffers. LOL. leave it to my wife to choose something messy. (she's a messy person. LOL).

I fell in love with this on liveaquaria. Just looks cool to me. It says safe for 50g and up and reef safe. However, I question if a max size of 8" for a 55g? that seems relatively large for a 55g.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...364&pcatid=364

[Chiefsurfer]

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have a marine Betta. I would tend to think that it would be ok. I know very little actually about them, but have found LiveAquaria pretty spot-on about their tank requirements. It is quite possible that they are very slow, methodical swimmers, kinda like a pajama cardinal. If you watch them, they do not generally move too much, when they do, it is usually very slow and precise. Those types of fish tend to require less room because of their lesser requirement for swimming room. Maybe someone more familiar with the fish can give advice. The only measurement I am a LITTLE worried about is the fact that a 55 is only 12-3/4 wide.

[travis32]

the question I have on max sizes, is what is the definition for max size. We can say for Humans the max heigth is 8 feet tall. Average max heighth might be 6 feet tall but that's not the max.. Even in humans there's a huge difference between 5'4" and 6'2" for body composition and health and wellness. Let alone the issues and differences between 6' and 8'.

So, When they say "max size" do they mean "this fish could reach up to 8" in size, however, average fish of this type reaches 6.5...."

Or Do they mean "95% of the fish of this type reach 8""

[Chiefsurfer]

I don't think that fish vary too much in size, like humans. I also think that size will be a limiting factor. Like say a marine betta were in a 40-gallon tank(cruelty aside), i doubt it would EVER reach the size of one that is left in a 180 gallon tank. Just my theory.

[travis32]

O.k. In researching here's a general wish list. The three marked with "*" are ones I would absolutely love to have, but are questionable as to whether I could have them. LOL. Errg.. I'm not saying I'd want all of these in one tank, but, hey, it's a wish list. Cost may be a factor, but, ultimately I'm not buying 10 fish all at once.

Flame Cardinals
Possibly some type of Wrasse.
Dragonets*
Blue Gudgeon Goby or watchman goby
some type of blenny.
Royal Gramma Basslet or Macneill's Assessor Basslet
Oscilarous clowns (pair) (sp?)
Highfin Perchlet
flame Angel*
Marine Beta*

The biggest fish I have a question on is Dragonets. they looK AWESOME, are peaceful and reef safe. However, it says "difficult" to keep. Difficult is something I would like to stear away from, but these are too awesome for me to stear away. What's difficult about them?

Does anyone see any compatability issues with the above being together with a reef. (questionable on the dwarf flame angel as to whether that's a good idea or not.. If it munches on my xenia, fine.. but, polyps and other things I don't have but want like frogspawn I would rather it leave alone.)

Tell me if I'm crazy for wanting something like these or whatsoever. I'm not sure I'm convinced to spend $100 for a fish (e.g. marine beta) I would like a really colorful psychadelic centerpiece. the betas are cool and the dragonets are even more awesome looking.

[Chiefsurfer]

well, dragonet(assuming mandarin) is out. They eat almost exclusively "pods" and you usually must have a 100gal+ system to sustain their verocious appetite for pods, AND they do not take to young(under a year) systems very well. Mortality is somewhere around 80%. Also, 55 is pretty small for a flame angel(not impossible, but smaller, and they have been known to nip LPS)

Ok, so take out the dragonet, angel, I would say take out the perchlet too, as liveaquaria says they particularly get nasty with goby's and blenny's.

For size, I would say you could get 2-3 of the cardinals, OR the basslet, not both(I would assume that 3 cardinals and one basslet would take up about the same "space" in your tank.

What remains:

2-3Flame Cardinals OR 1-Royal Gramma/Macneill's Assessor
Wrasse
Blue Gudgeon Goby/watchman goby
Blenny
Oscilarous clowns (pair) (sp?)
Marine Beta*

I think that is about a perfect stocking list for that tank, Beta outstanding, as I am not real sure about them.

[travis32]

Thanks Chief. Clowns I assume be added somewhere in the middle of the list. And anenome and/or Urchins somewhere down around the 1 year old mark. What order would you suggest?
I'm thinking

Blenny and maybe Goby,
Then Basslet or Cardinals,
Wrasse,
Clown pair,
Lastly MAYBE (Again I agree with extreme caution on the Beta).
Stocking Corals in between.

By that time, I should be able to add the anenome and/or reef safe urchins (if any).

[Chiefsurfer]

if you go cardinals, I would put them in front of the blenny and goby, if royal gramma/basslet, that order is great.

[DirtyDeeds]

Originally Posted by travis32

Nice on the puffers. LOL. leave it to my wife to choose something messy. (she's a messy person. LOL).

I fell in love with this on liveaquaria. Just looks cool to me. It says safe for 50g and up and reef safe. However, I question if a max size of 8" for a 55g? that seems relatively large for a 55g.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...364&pcatid=364

thats a bad *** looking fish

[piscivorous]

I'd be careful with the "minimum tank size" recommendations on liveaquaria. I know they suggest a 50 gallon minimum tank size for the Volitans lionfish...but that thing gets like at least 12" around...and more often larger yet. It certainly would not fit into a 55 gallon tank unfortunately.
As for myself, I am setting up a 55...my plans for fish..
-a pair of Percula clowns
-royal gramma
-lawnmower blenny
-6-line wrasse
-cardinal fish
and not sure what else at this point....

[piscivorous]

also...you should probably have a tank set up for at least a year before considering an anemone....

[travis32]

Piscivorous, I agree on the 1 year mark for anemone. I've heard anywhere from 6 months to a year. I think I will wait the full year. Get myself established with corals and a few fish and work towards ultimately getting an anemone.