agressive fish only tank...

[leeshalee]

ok so im absolutely torn I cant decide, its been months and I still cant make up my mind if I want a snowflake eel, lionfish, or a pufferfish
lately iv fallen in love with pufferfish they are so cute and full of personality, (from what iv seen) ....however I do have 2 triggers still there very small (1-2in) and I feel I shoud add something because my tank looks so empty
I really would like something new.
I only have a 55gal and I already know I may have to get rid of a trigger once hes too big, or hopefully just upgrade tank size....

the bottom line is
i dont know what to get iv been planning on getting an eel, but they just kind of chill at the bottom and seem boring, also im not sure if I want to take the risk of him jumping out (I cant find any lids that cover the entire top of my tank) so im kind of thinking lionfish or puffer..??
if any, what type would you recommend?

if none of these fish.. are there any other types of fish that would go with these guys? any suggestions welcome!

***please no criticism on tank size ..I know its quite small for these type of fish when they are adult size, but it will be short term until they get too big ...
thank you for all input

 

[geridoc]

Don't put a lionfish in with your two triggers. There are two possible outcomes: If the lion is large enough it will eat the triggers. OTOH, if the triggers are too large to be lunch, they will spend most of their spare time (which, for fish is almost all of the time) nipping at the lion's fins. Tangs and wrasses generally get along with triggers (depends on the exact species of trigger - there are some that will eventually attack anything). I have had success with a puffer in with a niger trigger, but that is no guarantee.

 

[saxman]

Unless your triggers are planktonic-feeding triggers (Xanthicthys or Melicthys sp.), you shouldn't add a lionfish for the reasons GeriDoc explained. Also, the fact that the triggers are already in residence means that they might not take too kindly to newcomers of any type.

The only puffers you can keep in a 55 gal are the Canthigaster puffers (tobies), which have a propensity for nipping fins, but should be OK with the triggers.

Snowflake eels (SFE) tend to get very aggressive once they reach sexual maturity (about 18" - 20"), and often start in on their sleeping tankmates (I've even had one grab and kill a toby puffer). Just a FYI here.

If you decide to "re-roll" your stocking plan, you'll want to be considering the dwarf lionfishes (Dendrochirus sp.) or a single specimen of a medium-bodied species of Pterois (P. mombassae, P. radiata, P. sphex, P. antennata). Of the dwarf lions, I highly recommend the fuzzy dwarf (D. brachypterus).

Be sure to wean your predators off of live foods unless you can provide them with suitable SW "feeders" (damsels, etc).

HTH

 

[leeshalee]

I have a humu and niger trigger they eat frozen food and frozen silver sides ...
yes I was thinking of the zebra dwarf lion??
and I don't think I could find any wrasses that my tank would be big enough for :/
guess puffers are out of the question

what types of tang ould be suitable?? are they all somewhat aggressive? iv only ever had a yellow tang he seemed very peaceful...

 

[saxman]

Lionfishes should not be kept with "reef" triggerfishes, and altho O. niger kind of falls into the pelagic triggers, they have a tendency to go postal.

I kept a female leopard wrasse in our 55 gal reef for about 8 years, and she did fine. You could also keep one of the smaller fairy/flasher wrasses. I do recommend deworming any of the smaller wrasses while in QT, however.

A 48" x 13" tank is really too small for any of the tangs, and Zebrasoma sp. (such as the yellow tang) are one of the most aggressive tang genera, especially in cramped quarters.

 

[leeshalee]

alright thank you so much for all the input im going to rethink all of this until making a final decision still haha