Fish Ideas

pokerfish

pokerfish

daily puffer
My 55 is doing great (thanks to all you good folks). My only problem is that in my patience in adding fish I believe I have let my Osc clown pair get too territorial. I added a Royal Gramma and he disappeared, only to reappear 3 days later with signs of stress and died as a result. Purchased a bicolor dottyback ( was told he could hold his own) and he is doing great. No stress at all and he hangs around the clowns without incident. My question is...any suggestions on what I can add that will not get overwhelmed by my current tankmates...I love the schooling banner fish and added one a few months ago but he was tragically crushed in a rockslide accident. Its possible the clowns may have driven him into the rocks...didnt suspect it at the time, but am wary after the gramma incident. Kinda looking for a feature fish, I know I cant stock too much in this size tank, but Im also considering a small group of 3 school fish, like chromis, for a cool splash of different color. Its a reef setup, and I have a bubble coral and a torch so Im a little wary of the dwarf angels...any suggestions?
 
Sorry to hear about your lost fish...the banner fish may be too bigg for a 55 gal, which is why the rocks fell on him. You could do a group of chromis's, they'll know how to stay out of everyone's way. Even a yellow tang would do fine in your tank.
 
Thank you for your kind response,

I have been using Foster and Smiths Live Aquaria as a guide and they rate the schooling bannerfish ( the reef safe one ) as ok for a 55 gallon. I have seen the debates concerning the Tang and I dont want this thread to turn into a Tang war, so suffice to say I'm avoiding the Tang as they seem to be, at the very best, borderline OK when they are very small, and easily stressed and prone to ich...
I appreciate your opinion on the Chromis, do others agree that will stay out of harms way?...or do I need to look at the dreaded evil damselfish family (lol) for a small, colorful, schoolfish, or are they too aggressive?...also I am still entertaining a bigger, feature fish ( like a Bannerfish, or a Tang ( I use the tang as an example of size and prescence in the tank, hold your flamethrowers! I don't want a tang! ) I wish I could have a puffer or a dwarf lion, but I know what they do to cleanup crew, and smaller fish, and water parameters as, it is my understanding, that they are messy eaters...I really like the idea of a decent sized, unusual fish to highlight my tank, I just haven't seen a reef safe, 55 gallon compatible, one that I like yet....
 
I wouldn't do damsels, they don't school anyway...if you see them in a group, it's because they're about to jump someone. I used to have a foxface rabbitfish in my 55 also. They're a peaceful, colorful fish that can hold it's own weight. They get decent size too.
 
What about a 6 line wrasse, they seem to be a tough and beautiful fish that can hold it's own.
I do think 3 chromis would be amazing though-and their numbers and relative toughness (they are a member of the damsel family right? Or a distant cousin?) should work well against the paired up meanies.
When adding the new addition/additions make sure lights out and do some rock rearranging. Everyone here suggested that to me when I added my 2nd clown and it really, really helped.
 
I think your tank is too small for the bannerfish, tang and foxface.


But you should get a few chromis. Mine school with the clowns, and i really like them. They are pretty dang cute. But some type of wrasses, like a 6 line would also be a good choice.
 
a 55 is a good sized tank ,but its limited too
Personally i agree with little_fish ,,i wouldn't put any of those in a 55 either..
I would still consider a dwarf angel as your centerpiece fish
 
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Your suggestions are greatly appreciated...if I go with the Chromis, do I add all 3 at once? My water tests 0 for nitrates, but do I run the risk of starting a cycle? My guess is that I can get away with it as they are not a big fish, ( 3 chromis not much bigger than 1 big fish ) and maybe I time the new arrival a few days before a water change? I've been doing 20% every 2 1/2 weeks and with my small bioload, I am testing clean for nitrates (even before the change) I am just guessing, and will go with your recomendations as all the advice I have gotten thus far has proved worthy...:bowdown:
 
You can add all 3 at once, in older tanks i dont think its as big of a deal than in a young tank with very little biofilter. But its always a good idea to monitor the levels for a week afterward and have water made up :)
 
Thanks again...if I do the 3 Chromis, have my paired Osc clowns, and my dottyback...am I done with stocking? Based on what I have read around the site, I am guessing that I am close to the limit for a 55. Any room for a goby or blenny or wrasse?
 
sorry to say but I would say your at about your limit with the six..you might be able to get away with it but it will push it a little..
 
I dunno, you might be able to add another fish. I would just give your tank plenty of time to adjust to new load, a few months at least, and make sure that your tank can actually handle another fish. Also if you do add another one, chose wisely. A blenny or goby could work well because they occupy a different space, but with your aggressive clowns a psuedochromis you will always run the risk of them being bullied.

You can break the overstock rules, but i personally think that this should only be done by people have experience and have a well matured tank.
 
If I go the chromis route I will wait, and test, for a long time before I do anything else as far as fish go. I have no intention of pushing my bioload to the limit, I really like the corals best. Thanks for the great suggestions...I will post my pictures when I do it...
 

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