55 gallon fish only tank

[jrandolph1686]

Hey everybody, I've recently started a 55 gal fish only tank. I got it cycled and have added a couple of fish but I have a couple of questions.
1. How many fish can I have? right now I have 1 hang on the back tetra EX70 filter thats rated for up to 75 gal. but I am thinking about getting another one because I know if you have more filter you can have more fish. I'm not wanting like 20 fish or anything but I would like to have more then 4
2. When I do a water change how much water should I take out and add?
3. I have a clown fish so I want a anemone and I know theres no way to know if they will pair up but does the fact that I've had the clown for a few weeks make any difference?
4. Are the high output lights a must to have a anemone? When I was a teenager and we had a normal fluorescent light and a clown fish and anemone and it did just fine.
Thanks for any information you can give me or advice on this or anything else.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrandolph1686 http:///t/387987/55-gallon-fish-only-tank#post_3418372
Hey everybody, I've recently started a 55 gal fish only tank. I got it cycled and have added a couple of fish but I have a couple of questions.
1. How many fish can I have? right now I have 1 hang on the back tetra EX70 filter thats rated for up to 75 gal. but I am thinking about getting another one because I know if you have more filter you can have more fish. I'm not wanting like 20 fish or anything but I would like to have more then 4
2. When I do a water change how much water should I take out and add?
3. I have a clown fish so I want a anemone and I know theres no way to know if they will pair up but does the fact that I've had the clown for a few weeks make any difference?
4. Are the high output lights a must to have a anemone? When I was a teenager and we had a normal fluorescent light and a clown fish and anemone and it did just fine.
Thanks for any information you can give me or advice on this or anything else.
Hi, welcome to the site.
1. It is not a matter of filtration on how many fish you can heve. Saltwater fish are territorrial and get stressed if you overcrowd them, this causes fighting and illness.
2. Water changes depend on how often you do them, a daily WC is like 1 or 2 gallons, a weekly try 8g, 2 Xs a month maybe 12g and once a month around 20g. max.
3. They may pair up and they may not, it won't matter if you add the anemone a year later...they do what they want. They may never host while they sit right next to each other.
4. I don't know what type of anemone you had as a teenager, but any the clown would host does require strong lighting. Tube anemones for example won't need bright lights but a clown won't go near it.
Why not let us know what you have already in the tank, and tell us about your equipment.

 

[jrandolph1686]

What do you mean as far as equipment? what do you want to know about?

 

[teresaq]

I think she means what else do you have besides a hob filter??
How many powerheads for water movement?? do you have a skimmer?? how much live rock do you have???
What fish you have now will also determine what you can add, so list the fish you have.

 

[jrandolph1686]

I don't have any equipment really I have a heater in the tank though. as far as my fish go I have pics of all of them on my profile besides my engineer goby, he stays hidden most of the time and 1 orange molly that I used to help cycle the tank but he will go when I get another good fish. I'm probably going to get a blue tang next. So far I have a heniochus a clown fish and a domino damsel in there with the goby and the molly. The only 2 permanent residents though are the clown and the heniochus.

 

[jrandolph1686]

Also, I'm not big on live rock or coral. I just like the fish so to me a few pieces of fake coral look good and it leaves more room for the fish. But I do like the look of some of the live coral tanks there are some people on here that really do a good job with it, its just not my thing

 

[flower]

Hi,
Big sigh, you won't like what I have to say, I don't intend to be mean or flame you. It's hard to explain things nicely, when all a person sees is the written word with no face, or voice to express emotions. So please don't get all defensive and mad......I really am trying to help, and I'm being nice about it too....see my smile...

Live rock is an extremly important part of the saltwater tank, it acts as a natural filtration first and foremost, so it has to be one of your "THINGS"
Next, a blue tang is not suited for a 55g tank, they need a 100g or larger.
Damsels grow up to be very mean fish, they will kill everything else in the tank more timid than themselves. They will also bite your hand drawing blood. It's evil disposition will dictate anything else you try and add to the tank later, and limit your choices...my advice, get rid of it.
Saltwater has less oxygen in it than freshwater, so you need power heads to circulate the water...the wave is the life of the ocean, and your SW fish tank.
A (heniochus ) bannerfish is not suited for your tank either, it will outgrow the tank and feel stressed, once stressed a fish gets sick. The bannerfish is a very large fish and needs a great deal of room for it's wide fins, hense it's name.
SW fish are very territorial, the live rock gives the fish a place to hide, as well as extra food to nibble and hunt for. The rocks become their spot to defend, and the fish will be happy in their staked out territory. You can't stock it like you can a freshwater tank. You need small fish along the lines of ..dottyback....Dwarf angelfish...nothing that will grow to adulthood bigger than 4 to 5 inches max. Then only about 5 to 6 fish can be added to the tank.
Should you ever decide to cycle a tank in the future...try a chunk of raw shrimp instead of a live goby.

 

[teresaq]

I agree with flower. There are some nice fish only tanks. Most of these are very large though. They do have equipment attached to filter and move water. you need powerheads to circulate water and help suspend waste. Most tanks have 10 to 20 times turnover, meaning they have equipment that moves water 10 to 20 times the gallons in the tank. Fish need places to hide and sleep. If you had a sump, you could have live rock in there to help filteration. You need places for good bacteria to grow. this help break down waste.
In the end, this is your tank, and you will be the one to deal with problems of fish that are too lrg and aggresive for your tank size. my only suggestion is research. This is a wonderful site and there is lots of info. Read thru the archives.
T

 

[jrandolph1686]

If I get another filter and put on I can turn the tank over 13 times an hour and get more filtration I'd rather do that than buy a power head. My heniochus is just fine its got plenty of room. I had a blue tang in a 29 gal tank for a couple years it took him awhile to out grow it so if I get a small one I can enjoy it for awhile. I'm not sure the live rock is that important I've never had it and my levels have never gotten out of hand. Today I added some new fish and got rid of the last molly I had, the engineer goby may go too. I didnt use the goby to cycle it really although he was in there before it was done, I used mollies and damsels. The engineer goby and the clown were added later. Today I got a snowflake eel (that was for my wife but I got a killer deal on it) a sand sifter goby (to cean the bottom) and a fire fish goby (got him for some color). they all seem to be doing great

 

[coralman05]

sure everything seems fine for awhile but, when more things add up you are destined for a disaster

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrandolph1686 http:///t/387987/55-gallon-fish-only-tank#post_3419825
If I get another filter and put on I can turn the tank over 13 times an hour and get more filtration I'd rather do that than buy a power head. My heniochus is just fine its got plenty of room. I had a blue tang in a 29 gal tank for a couple years it took him awhile to out grow it so if I get a small one I can enjoy it for awhile. I'm not sure the live rock is that important I've never had it and my levels have never gotten out of hand. Today I added some new fish and got rid of the last molly I had, the engineer goby may go too. I didnt use the goby to cycle it really although he was in there before it was done, I used mollies and damsels. The engineer goby and the clown were added later. Today I got a snowflake eel (that was for my wife but I got a killer deal on it) a sand sifter goby (to cean the bottom) and a fire fish goby (got him for some color). they all seem to be doing great
Please do more research before you buy live stock. Before you know it, the goby and firefish will become food for your eel.

 

[teresaq]

I agree, your eel will make a meal of your smaller fish. Do they have anyplace to hide or sleep. eels usually have some sort of whole to call home.

 

[socks002]

Is an engineer goby ok for a 55? I see you have one in your 55, i was wanting to get one for my 55. I hear they burry themselfs in sand though........

 

[jrandolph1686]

honestly it would be fine with me if the eel ate the engineer goby I don't really like it and the fire fish is boring. Yes the eel lives under a piece of coral

 

[jrandolph1686]

the engineer goby was ok at first now its just kinda boring. I have a sand sifting goby that is much more fun to watch and actually does something

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrandolph1686 http:///t/387987/55-gallon-fish-only-tank#post_3421937
the engineer goby was ok at first now its just kinda boring. I have a sand sifting goby that is much more fun to watch and actually does something
So you just buy fish without researching the compatibility between other tankmates? And then just think "WTH, it's getting boring already, I could care less if my eel eats my other fish... I'll just get somethin' else that looks pretty and moves and hopefully it'll be good in my tank".
I don't mean to sound rude or mean, trust me, but that's the way that you sound in your above posts to me.

 

[jrandolph1686]

No, I actually do a good bit of research and go from there. The engineer goby was in the tank first my room mate bought him just for fun it wasn't even expensive he got it at ***** for like $11 and when we got the eel the guy at the fish store said he may or may not cause problems with the engineer goby. So I knew that before I ever got the eel but we decided we wanted it worse than the goby and if anything happened it was ok. That has been a week ago and both are living happily in the tank without any issue. My wife is going to get a very small nano type tank for her desk at work and put the engineer goby there because she is really the only one out of the 3 of us that really likes him. And before all yall start going "he will get to big because he is little tiny like 2" long, or this won't work or that won't work"..remember its an $11 fish! and I dont wanna waste bio-load and tank space on an $11little black fish that doesn't do much when there are much better looking and more active fish that I want. And considering I don' have a huge tank I have to make those kinds of decsions. For example today I gave away the fire fish because I got a picasso trigger and a regal blue tang, and next it will probably be getting rid of the domino damsel so I can get the flame angel or yellow tang or something else I like better. I'm maintaining balance and trying to slowly upgrade some of my fish and get the tank where I want it. Remember I just started the tank not to long ago and I'm steadily working on it to get where I want it and stocked the way I want it. In my opinion it's coming together quiet well. I haven't really had any problems at all with 1 exception my heniochus had a very very small short lived flair up of ick but I saw it and treated it fast enough that it was gone in less than a day. I freaked out when I first saw it but I caught it fast enough and got rid of it and now the heniochus is doing even better than before. I know I may not do everything exatly the way everybody on here thinks is should be done, but nobody does. I am however very careful to make sure everything goes good because I have put alot of work and time into this as we all have and I enjoy it so much just like all of you. I'm not going to get a wild hair and just go crazy. I don't have the nerves for it or the cash, why do you think I'm having to slowly upgrade my fish as I go? I don't mean to come off rude so please don't take it that way but it seems to me that everybody on here had rather tell you everything that your doing what they consider to be wrong because they want to feel like the fish master. Instead of telling somebody they are wrong for doing things a little different than you, why not ask them how they made it work? I understand there a few things that HAVE to be done certain ways but not everything has to be YOUR way. And remember fish have personality just like we do so and we are all different so just because you had 1 fish that did or didn't cause problems doesn't mean that every other fish of the same species is gonna be a problem or be a good addition to your tank. Bottom line it's MY tank and your tank is YOUR tank and we can all make it work and learn things.

 

[travelerjp98]

I didn't take the post rude.. don't worry. And please take in account that my opinions are my opinions and your opinions are your opinions. I'm not trying to pick out a fight here. So then you mention that you would like me to ask you "how did it work". Well, that's a great question to ask someone that has had their tank for a little while... but not someone that just set it up... the fish will eventually GROW to cause problems with each other. How long has your tank been set up for??? That goby is going to reach almost a foot in length. The eel will probably make a meal out of it before then... just because you don't have an enormous tank doesn't mean that you have to make those kinds of decisions. You just have to plan ahead. So you got yourself a regal blue tang AND a picasso trigger? Those are two fish that aren't well suited for your tank because they grow to be too big. They look small now, but they WILL get to be bigger. Not to mention that the picasso will become aggressive towards the tang, too... and will probably cause problems later on. And please don't go ahead and get the yellow tang, too... please... it will cause problems later. As I said earlier, just because *now* the fish are getting along fine, in the future there will be issues. Trust me, I'm not wishing that on you in any way.. I sure hope that you can.. because that will mean that I will be able to keep a heck of a lot more fish in my tank too. I don't see why you can't see the beauty in some fish that are well suited to a 55... like your moray, and a dwarf angel or something along those lines. Not to mention that your bio filter is not suited enough for when these fish become adults. I really am here to help you... I don't see why your trying to get defensive. Why are you not listening to the advice given here (take one example: flower said that a blue tang is a poor choice for a 55 gallon tank, and you went ahead and got one anyways) from people who have tons of experience in this hobby? I understand that it's your tank and that you have the right to make your own decisions, that's true.. but we have been keeping these fish for so much longer that we HAVE already been there and made those mistakes. We just want you to avoid making them.

 

[kidnotorius]

Where are you doing your research, and why would anyone join a forum and not at least head some of the warnings, I remember about 10 years ago I was in his spot,Id run around to all the LFS and buy one fish here and one fish there so they wouldn't question me, I thought i had it all figured out,I remember thinking "man all these guys who have been doing it for years are outdated, I can get away with anything!" Man I even had the same load as this guy pretty much, Snowflake eel, act, I never got the triggers because I had don't some research on those and didn't want something so aggressive. I ended up losing everything, pretty much because I No patience, throwing so many fish in at once, putting in the wrong life stock, not listening all of that. I can only hope this guy is still in the hobby... I know I wasn't for a few years

 

[snakeblitz33]

I'm,..... Speechless.