Fish for "someday" aggressive tank

[barry cuda]

Hah, my first tank (will be community FOWLR) is just starting to cycle and here I am already plotting for an aggressive tank someday. I'm thinking 55 gal, maybe 75, with some smaller aggressive/predatory fish. Here's what I'm thinking:
1 larger maroon clown
1 dwarf lion (not sure which species yet, poss. antennata)
1 zebra moray
I've read that the zebra won't eat its fish tankmates, but I'm not 100% sure. I'd buy the biggest maroon clown I could find in order to help him not be lion chow. So what do you guys think? Is this a reasonable fish list for a 55 or 75? Do you think a maroon clown will be safe with dwarf lion and zebra moray? And is this a good place to stop in terms of bioload (or is it already too much)? I'm not sure how to figure the bioload for that moray.

 

[polarpooch]

I've read that the zebra won't eat its fish tankmates, but I'm not 100% sure.
I wouldn't bet your fish on it. Morays eat fish. Morays are untrustworthy! Even those "passive" zebras!
BTW, I just posted in another thread about all the stuff my eels have eaten.

 

[fmarini]

Well I'll disagree w/ Polorpooch. In my 10yr I've not found a zerba moray to ever eat a fish. In general, zebras are really a invert specific eel and I've not seen them show an interest in fish. Period. Now i'm not saying they won't nonspecifically snap or latch onto a fish, but once they figure out its a fish, they releae.
As you know the pebble tooth morays have very poor eyesight and hunt almost specifically via smell, so if you dump food into the water the eels smell a scent trail and snap at anything in its path. whether its a fish or you finger.
So if you do plan on keeping a moray stick feed them in the rockwork so their food is not floating around the tank, also don't feed the eel fish strips, use shell-on gulf shrimp chunks, scallops, crab meat, stuff like that
Your collection of fish seems fine, ensure they clown and lion are the same size when you get them. Also build rockwork which has plenty of hidy holes and tunnels for the eels. Also be aware that zebras are really thick and muscular ie., clumsey and will readily topple any loose rockwork
Lastly, cover the tank, your aebra may find its way out
frank

 

[barry cuda]

Thanks, both of you, for the input. It sounds like this is something I would be willing to risk if I do set up such a tank. One other thing about the zebra morays. I know they'll eat shrimp, hermits, etc. What about snails? Just trying to figure out if any kind of cleanup crew would survive in the same tank.