Fish for New 55 gallon

[juliebehrens]

Helloooo ...

I am new to the saltwater aquarium world. I have a 55 gallon aquarium I will be setting up, and am trying to do my fish research early. It will be a fish-only tank, but I do plan to add live sand.

I have found a lot of conflicting information about specific fish, so I thought I'd ask you guys. So far I'm planning on a false percula clownfish and a foxface. I'd also like to keep a tang, but they seem to grow too large for a 55 gallon (in particular, the goldrim tangs seem pretty cool.)

I've also considered keeping a bunch of blennies and gobies, in particular a dusky jawfish and zebra goby. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to find solid information on these critters?

Thank you!!
Julie

 

[juliebehrens]

BTW, I had also thought of tossing the idea of a many-small-critters tank and simply keeping 2-3 larger predators, like a snowflake eel and a lionfish or trigger. Is this a good idea for a beginner? My great fear is that I will make an easily avoided mistake that will kill one or more fish. Hence, the over-education. The eel really caught my imagination. Is a 55 gallon tank large enough for him? What could get along with him? Would he bother a foxface, since they're venomous?

Thank you for your advice and patience!
Julie

 

[WRASSER]

I HAVE A 150 AND A 55 GAL. IN MY 150 I STARTED WITH AGGRISVE FISH, A LOIN, GOLD STRIPE GROUPER,SNOW FLAKE EEL,CHAIN LINK EEL, AND A DRAGON WRASSE. ALL IN A FEW WEEKS WERE HAND FED. SO I BELIEVE THAT YOUR 55 WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR A SNOW FLAKE AND A FEW MEDIUM TO LARGE FISH. IF YOU PUT SMALL FISH IN THE TANK, THE SNOW FLAKE WILL (I MEAN IT TOO) EAT THEM AT NIGHT! I LOST JUST A FEW DOLLARS THIS WAY. IN MY 55 NOW I HAVE A BLUE TANG,SAILFIN TANG,GOLD STRIPE CLOWN,HALF MOON, AND A DRAGON WRASSE. I ALSO HAVE AN ARROWHEAD CRAB AND A HERMIT CRAB. I HAVE LIVE SAND AND SOME DEAD CORAL ROCKS WITH FAKE PLANTS. ALL THE FISH AND CRABS ARE LARGE. YOU CAN REALLY DO ALOT WITH YOUR 55 AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED! EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS. SO ASK QUESTIONS,AND IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE PET STORE, GO TO THEM AND ASK. EVEN IF YOU DONT LIKE THE STORE, GO ANYWAYS AND RETRIEVE AS MUCH INFO AS YOU CAN. 8)

 

[ricky1414]

2 tangs in a 55? isn't that cutting it kinda tight?

 

[LRS078]

If you buy small and raise (socialize) the various specimens together you can get around some of the borderline compadibility issues. Another thing to consider is what is okay today WILL one day need to be upgraded. If you want to try some things go for it just be prepared to upgrade your tank (or add more) as the fish grow in a couple years.

I have a 55 gallon liverock w' the following fish: 4" dogface puffer, 4" greenbird wrasse, 2.5" emperor angel, 3" blonde naso tang, 1.5" blue dot puffer, 3" chocolate tang, 2" bodied longhorn cowfish, and a 3" green mandarin. I threw a couple turbo snails in to keep the algae minimal (and give the puffer something to do). Everyone is happy, fat (esp the dogface), and healthy as can be. I know I'll eventually have to graduate some fish out to bigger tanks in years to come but for right now the system works great. I find it best to do separate tanks if you like alot of "problem child" fish. It gives you much more flexibility and ability to enjoy more varied specimens. For instance I also have 75 high aggression tank w' a volitan, spiney box puffer (he is mean SOB exiled from the first tank), humu humu trigger, and clown trigger. Were I to do an aggressive eel it would likely have its own tank...if not at first, it would soon one way or the other. Every specimen is different...the younger/smaller you get them and raise them with other fish the better things generally go. Wrasser is right....talk to multiple local fish stores and multiple people at those stores. You will get conflicting info on some details but observe larger trends.

Good Luck...