First sw tank fish list for review and thoughts.

wiggie17 · 02/19/2013, 01:29 AM

So my first saltwater tank is about to begin cycling and i would love some input on my fish list i am thinking about adding to it. Here are the details.

Its a 55 gallon top tank with 2 T5 HO 10,000k lights and 2 T5 HO 420/460 lights all 54watt.

Lots of rock (nearly 80lbs) lots of sand (nearly 120 pounds).
A remora protein skimmer and trickle filter sump.
Totalling nearly 66 gallon total water in the system.

Now i am trying to decide between having a tank with more small fish or less larger fish and am leaning in the direction of less "larger" fish.
My hopeful list is as follows:
-a dwarf lion
-dwarf angel
-a smaller eel (help here would be appreciated)
-and angler/or puffer/ or smaller tang ( suggested here would also be greatly appreciated)

Is this still too many fish in the system i guess is also a question i should ask?

I am going to also add corals to it after the fish but havent started research on that yet.

kenc87 · 02/19/2013, 01:57 AM

Well I will say that a dwarf lion is borderline for that tank, and combined with an eel and puffer is going to be one be k of a bioload. Also pretty much all your choices except a tang are not invert safe. The tang is gonna honestly be a no go as they will all get too large for that tank. The reason I brought up the bioload is because in the future it will make keeping corals harder due to high nutrient levels.

bshow24 · 02/19/2013, 03:58 AM

If you are going to add corals...the less fish the better. do not get a puffer/be careful with angels. Puffers are not reef safe and angels can nip at corals.

A 55 gallon, depending on the build, could be pushing it for a tang. if it is long, then it could work. Tangs like to swim a lot, and work better with longer tanks.

Honestly, if you are looking at having a reef tank, clowns, certain dwarf angels, gobies, and some wrasses are going to be your best bet. And the good thing about this, is they are small and you can get a few more of them.

This is just my suggestion, the other fish you selected (lion, eel) are very intimidating fish and can easily scare off other fish if you decide to get some. Also, lion fish are very clumsy and can knock corals off perches and make life difficult with a reef.

Just my opinion/suggestion, take it how you wish

gsiegel · 02/19/2013, 07:09 AM

No to the lion or tang in this size tank. Look at clowns, wrasses (i have a xmas and exquisite - beautiful fish), angels may pick at corals.

Check out liveaquaria.com for ideas, compatibility, and minimum size tank recommendations.

SecretiveFish · 02/19/2013, 08:04 AM

Lots of good advice already. An angler is a specimen tank only kind of critter, i.e. the only fish in the tank. I had one for awhile, but the only tank occupants with him were snails, hermit crabs, corals, and macroalgaes.

The only puffer that might work in a reef tank that size is a Saddle Valentini Puffer, but these will probably eat your inverts.

Redngold · 02/19/2013, 08:35 AM

3 messy eaters is just asking for trouble. I would pick one of the 3 and go from there. I have a dwarf lion in my 75 gallon reef. He is a model citizen and a beautiful fish. Keep him well fed and do not put any shrimp in as they will become food. These lions naturally prey on crustaceans so he may go after crabs too but mine have been fine. A dwarf would be fine in a 55 just keep tank mates above 3-4". I keep mine with a clarkii clown, engineer goby, coral beauty angel, and soon to be kole tang(note this is a 75).

wiggie17 · 02/19/2013, 10:50 AM

Thank you very much for the info everyone. So it sounds like angels, tangs, puffers, and anglers no matter even if they are smaller or dwarf versions are out, which i kind of expected but most things i read and the feel that i get here is that a dwarf zebra/lion would be ok? And i'd really love to get a golden dwarf moray eel with it because I have read they are good in small tanks. Any thoughts on this idea? Would it be possible to add some clowns, or wrasse (or other colorful suggestions) that i could wait till they get large enough the eel wouldn't see them as food. Then add the golden eel safely or is it just a poor idea that spells disaster?

FTDelta · 02/19/2013, 11:02 AM

Eels are best by themselves. Any fish added with will be an easy meal for him regardless of size.

kenc87 · 02/20/2013, 03:47 AM

Golden dwarf eel would be fine but you need to understand that they are messy eaters. If you want corals you are going to have to choose between the eel and the lion. Honestly I'd go with neither and get some cool wrasses

Angelfish rule · 03/10/2013, 01:17 PM

I would get a fuzzy dwarf lion pair of larger clowns clarkii or maroon and get a few wrasses Christmas, lightning, And maybe some various leopard wrasses or fairy wrasses to go with it.

markandamber11 · 03/10/2013, 09:58 PM

im the rebell of the group.. i have raised tangs and sold them to other reefers .. most people i have delt with want healthy fish that have been quarantined.

good setup though

02/19/2013, 01:29 AM	#1
wiggie17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 2	First sw tank fish list for review and thoughts. So my first saltwater tank is about to begin cycling and i would love some input on my fish list i am thinking about adding to it. Here are the details. Its a 55 gallon top tank with 2 T5 HO 10,000k lights and 2 T5 HO 420/460 lights all 54watt. Lots of rock (nearly 80lbs) lots of sand (nearly 120 pounds). A remora protein skimmer and trickle filter sump. Totalling nearly 66 gallon total water in the system. Now i am trying to decide between having a tank with more small fish or less larger fish and am leaning in the direction of less "larger" fish. My hopeful list is as follows: -a dwarf lion -dwarf angel -a smaller eel (help here would be appreciated) -and angler/or puffer/ or smaller tang ( suggested here would also be greatly appreciated) Is this still too many fish in the system i guess is also a question i should ask? I am going to also add corals to it after the fish but havent started research on that yet.

02/19/2013, 08:35 AM	#6
Redngold Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 71	3 messy eaters is just asking for trouble. I would pick one of the 3 and go from there. I have a dwarf lion in my 75 gallon reef. He is a model citizen and a beautiful fish. Keep him well fed and do not put any shrimp in as they will become food. These lions naturally prey on crustaceans so he may go after crabs too but mine have been fine. A dwarf would be fine in a 55 just keep tank mates above 3-4". I keep mine with a clarkii clown, engineer goby, coral beauty angel, and soon to be kole tang(note this is a 75). Last edited by Redngold; 02/19/2013 at 08:40 AM.

02/19/2013, 01:57 AM	#2
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Well I will say that a dwarf lion is borderline for that tank, and combined with an eel and puffer is going to be one be k of a bioload. Also pretty much all your choices except a tang are not invert safe. The tang is gonna honestly be a no go as they will all get too large for that tank. The reason I brought up the bioload is because in the future it will make keeping corals harder due to high nutrient levels.

02/19/2013, 03:58 AM	#3
bshow24 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 584	If you are going to add corals...the less fish the better. do not get a puffer/be careful with angels. Puffers are not reef safe and angels can nip at corals. A 55 gallon, depending on the build, could be pushing it for a tang. if it is long, then it could work. Tangs like to swim a lot, and work better with longer tanks. Honestly, if you are looking at having a reef tank, clowns, certain dwarf angels, gobies, and some wrasses are going to be your best bet. And the good thing about this, is they are small and you can get a few more of them. This is just my suggestion, the other fish you selected (lion, eel) are very intimidating fish and can easily scare off other fish if you decide to get some. Also, lion fish are very clumsy and can knock corals off perches and make life difficult with a reef. Just my opinion/suggestion, take it how you wish

02/19/2013, 07:09 AM	#4
gsiegel Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 922	No to the lion or tang in this size tank. Look at clowns, wrasses (i have a xmas and exquisite - beautiful fish), angels may pick at corals. Check out liveaquaria.com for ideas, compatibility, and minimum size tank recommendations.

02/19/2013, 08:04 AM	#5
SecretiveFish Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 713	Lots of good advice already. An angler is a specimen tank only kind of critter, i.e. the only fish in the tank. I had one for awhile, but the only tank occupants with him were snails, hermit crabs, corals, and macroalgaes. The only puffer that might work in a reef tank that size is a Saddle Valentini Puffer, but these will probably eat your inverts.

02/19/2013, 10:50 AM	#7
wiggie17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 2	Thank you very much for the info everyone. So it sounds like angels, tangs, puffers, and anglers no matter even if they are smaller or dwarf versions are out, which i kind of expected but most things i read and the feel that i get here is that a dwarf zebra/lion would be ok? And i'd really love to get a golden dwarf moray eel with it because I have read they are good in small tanks. Any thoughts on this idea? Would it be possible to add some clowns, or wrasse (or other colorful suggestions) that i could wait till they get large enough the eel wouldn't see them as food. Then add the golden eel safely or is it just a poor idea that spells disaster?

02/19/2013, 11:02 AM	#8
FTDelta Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NY Posts: 1,124	Eels are best by themselves. Any fish added with will be an easy meal for him regardless of size.

02/20/2013, 03:47 AM	#9
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Golden dwarf eel would be fine but you need to understand that they are messy eaters. If you want corals you are going to have to choose between the eel and the lion. Honestly I'd go with neither and get some cool wrasses

03/10/2013, 01:17 PM	#10
Angelfish rule Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: St . Louis, Missouri Posts: 207	I would get a fuzzy dwarf lion pair of larger clowns clarkii or maroon and get a few wrasses Christmas, lightning, And maybe some various leopard wrasses or fairy wrasses to go with it.

03/10/2013, 09:58 PM	#11
markandamber11 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Winter Haven Posts: 47	im the rebell of the group.. i have raised tangs and sold them to other reefers .. most people i have delt with want healthy fish that have been quarantined. good setup though