Adding some color

[dmatt56]

Hello Everyone,
This is my first post to the Forum. I just inherited a 55 gallon, corner, saltwater aquarium. Right now the tank is fish only with live rock, but I’m interested in learning about my options. This is a very well seasoned tank with green and red algae growing on the rocks and glass. I’ve arranged the rocks to provide many places for fish to hide (complete caves and pass through tunnels). The temp is set to 77 degrees and fluctuates between 77.5-77.8. The remaining 10/15 gallons were made fresh.
The previous owner fed the tank brine shrimp, but the local pet store said to feed them Mysis shrimp. About 25/30 gallons from the previous owner was transferred to my take. What do you recommend?
The current live contents are as follows:
•Pair of clowns
•Pair of PJ cardinals
•Green spotted mandarin fish
•1 fire shrimp
•2 chocolate ship starfish
•3-5 small hermit crabs
I would love to add an anemone for the clowns, but I understand anemones would change the dynamic of the tank dramatically. Also, I’ve been informed the starfish may eat any live corals and/or anemone that I introduce. What impact would the anemones have on this tank as is? What anemone would I want to add (hardy and good beginner anemone).
Likewise, what would be good fish to introduce? I would like to add as much color as possible. My first thoughts were yellow tangs, angels, and blue hippo tangs, but it appears 55 gal is going to be too small for those species.
After 2 days of research, I think I would like to add the following:
•1 dwarf flame angel ~ Centropyge loricula
oOR 1 pygmy angel (aka cherub angel) ~ Centropyge argi
•3 Banggai cardinals (2 or 3?)
•1 or 2 Scooter bleenys
•Small school of Blue/Green Chromis (how many ?)
•Something yellow (maybe Blackmouth Bicolor Chromis or Yellow Clown Goby)
•Something red ~ what is not flame angel?
•Something blue ~ what if not pygmy angel … damsel?
I want everything to live peacefully, and I don’t want to have too many fish either. A friend said damsels aren’t bad additions, but they are aggressive. What is the maximum number of fish I could have in this tank? I’m willing to sell the PJ Cardinals and starfish if I could have better fish or more options.
I’d like to be able to feed everyone the same food (brine or mysis) or maybe 2 different foods if need be.
Is there anything else I should be doing?
Thanks in advance for your help!!!
Matt

 

[jimmy 4]

What kind of lighting do you have? Do you have a protien skimmer?
You should avoid anemones, they are difficult in many ways. Clowns will host in a frogspawn and some other corals that I can't think of. Frogspawn are agressive but will stay stationary and are easy to keep. If you do get an anemone do not get a hatian or a condy.
As far as fish go, the more you have the more you'll have to clean up after them. The more corals you the the less fish you should have. Only keep one angel fish and add it last. Cherub angels can be very aggressive. A flame would be a great addition.
Stay away from damsel fish.
Get rid of the choco stars.
Scooters would be a bad idea, they usually need a large tank.
Your mandrin may only eat brine shrimp, so if it won't eat mysis feed it brine because they also require a large tank 120+. Or buy it pods from your LFS or online. That will cost a lot of $ though.
And most importanly take your time. Add fish and corals slowly. Especially if you are new to the hobby. If you are new I wouldn't add anything untill you have atleast a month of expirence.
This post is getting a little long....People on here may not agree with me so don't take my word as gold.

 

[windlasher]

Originally Posted by Jimmy 4
http:///forum/post/3068974
What kind of lighting do you have? Do you have a protien skimmer?
You should avoid anemones, they are difficult in many ways. Clowns will host in a frogspawn and some other corals that I can't think of. Frogspawn are agressive but will stay stationary and are easy to keep. If you do get an anemone do not get a hatian or a condy.
As far as fish go, the more you have the more you'll have to clean up after them. The more corals you the the less fish you should have. Only keep one angel fish and add it last. Cherub angels can be very aggressive. A flame would be a great addition.
Stay away from damsel fish.
Get rid of the choco stars.
Scooters would be a bad idea, they usually need a large tank.
Your mandrin may only eat brine shrimp, so if it won't eat mysis feed it brine because they also require a large tank 120+. Or buy it pods from your LFS or online. That will cost a lot of $ though.
And most importanly take your time. Add fish and corals slowly. Especially if you are new to the hobby. If you are new I wouldn't add anything untill you have atleast a month of expirence.
This post is getting a little long....People on here may not agree with me so don't take my word as gold.
Agree to most, but a few scooters would be fine in a 55.
CC stars can be a pain with nems and corals.
Mandarins may eat mysis but it wont nourish them. you NEED pods or they will starve. search for mandarins & pods here and read up on try to cultivate them.

 

[teresaq]

I posted on your other thead, you should ask a mod to combine them so info isnt lost or repeated
T