How many fish can I put in a 55

[paulcoates]

Right now, I have:
2 False Perculas
2 Yellow Tail Damsels
1 Lawnmower Blenny
2 Star Fish
30 Astrea Snails
5 Hermit Crabs
115 lbs of live rock
2 400GPH Powerheads
1 Emperor 400

 

[kimkissyfish]

I would say, if your not attached tot he damsels, trade them in. They are teritorial....
What fish do you like? Post them and we can take a look and tell you what will work in your tank.
Are you going to have corals??
Thanks, Kim

 

[paulcoates]

I am planning on having Corals. Right now I have a Kenya tree (Capnella) in there. With that much live rock and 1200GPHmoving, does that mean I can have a larger bioload?
If the clowns are a combined 6 inches and the YT's are 3 inches combined, and my Lawnmower is about 4 inches....that is about 13 inches of fish....
55 gallons....13 inches of fish but I have 110 lbs of liverock and like I said before, 1200 GPH (400 filter, 800 in 2 Powerheads)
I like my YT's and I am quite sure that ***** wont take them back...I am not even sure my LFS would want them...They were only $4 each

 

[durabane]

The thing about saltwater fish is that some of them are very territorital. Royal gramma for instance need 36" of room that they will protect from another royal gramma. A lot of fish load will be dependant on what kind of fish you want to get. So what fish have u seen that u like. That would help a lot in what amounts and varity u can have.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Here is what is in my 60 hex, to give you an idea...and all of my fish are at least a year into it...
2 3-stripe damsel
2 blue chromis
3 yellow tang
2 percula clowns
2 of some other damsel think yellow tail? my kids picked them!
2 atlantic anemone
3 emerald crabs
small group of polyps
3 large hermits
5 scarlet hermits
3 large turbo
10 small turbo
2 brittle stars
2 orange linkia
rio 800 powerhead
about id say 90 + lbs of live rock
thats it...so i think you may be ok with adding a few more

 

[smarls]

Depending on what you want to do with your tank, you may be able to add another fish (depending on what the fish is).
Basically, if you want a reef tank, your water quality has to be far superior to that if a FOWLR tank. So the more fish you add, the harder it is to keep coral successfully.
Personally, I would stop with what you have, or return the damsels for something else, but that is completely up to you and your goals for your tank.
I would strongly disagree with gretzky (his tank, so he should obviously do what works for him) but I think his tank is incredibly overstocked (3 tangs in a 60 gallon)...and I think it would be really hard to turn that into a full-blown reef tank and maintain the required water quality.
So again, it depends on what you are looking to do.
HTH
Stewart

 

[paulcoates]

The only other fish I want ios a Yellow Tang or Purple Tang, but I am sure the "Tang Police" will be here in a few moments to chastise me for considering putting a Tang in a 55

 

[durabane]

Yeah most people suggest a 100 or bigger I know my yellow will dart across my 100 and almost slam into the wall on the other side. They need to do the little speed burst. For a small tank it is harder to keep one if u must have one buy it as small as u can get it so if grows up in the tank and gets used to it.

 

[ctgretzky9]

yes, the good old tang police...I have a 60 hex, and yes i have 3 yellow tang. They do well in there believe it or not, they zoom around, and seem very happy. Dont forget, a 60 hex is pretty tall, so although i have a lot of lr...it only goes a little more than halfway up from the bottom, so there is a lot of swimming room above the rock. My water quality is perfect...always remains so due to me checking the water quality every couple of days and staying on top of it.
I think a tank is only overcrowded if you don't put the time into it to maintain it. Really, to me that is the only formula anyone should use.
If you want to spend only a little time on the tank, don't put too much in. If you're willing to stay on top of it, then get more fish.
Couldbe I got lucky, and got 3 tangs that are docile, could be many factors. All I know is they are enjoying their stay.

 

[smarls]

gretzky (do I have to call you the great one?)
Honestly, each tank is different, so I am glad they are doing well. And I think your care for the water quality makes a huge difference in what you can keep and in what "density".
In general though, most people will not follow that strict a maintenance routine (myself included!) and so I hate to see people overloading their tanks...and thus I would always advise someone to add less versus more.

 

[rubberduck]

Originally posted by ctgretzky9
yes, the good old tang police...I have a 60 hex, and yes i have 3 yellow tang. They do well in there believe it or not, they zoom around, and seem very happy. Dont forget, a 60 hex is pretty tall, so although i have a lot of lr...it only goes a little more than halfway up from the bottom, so there is a lot of swimming room above the rock. My water quality is perfect...always remains so due to me checking the water quality every couple of days and staying on top of it.
I think a tank is only overcrowded if you don't put the time into it to maintain it. Really, to me that is the only formula anyone should use.
If you want to spend only a little time on the tank, don't put too much in. If you're willing to stay on top of it, then get more fish.
Couldbe I got lucky, and got 3 tangs that are docile, could be many factors. All I know is they are enjoying their stay.

haha good succesful streak

 

[kimkissyfish]

GULP!!
Im NOT one to post negative posts BUT, I just couldnt resist here.. 3 tangs in a 60 hex?? What were you thinking? AND all the other fish?
ALSO, a 60 hex is WORSE than a 75L. Fish need horizontal swimming space.. the tall tanks shouldnt be stocked as much as LONG tanks. So if you think your doing the fish a favor giving them swimming space above the LR.. UGH!
Sorry it is afterall JMO or PMS ???
I am in NO way being mean, just kinda want to know, did you read anything here before you bought 3 tangs for your tank? Or Even a book or two?
Sorry, Kim :notsure:
Now everyone come and get me..LOL
Im gonna push submit now.. GULP..

 

[900dublr]

my thoughts to kim..A fish doesnt swim up and down. :happyfish

 

[ctgretzky9]

ok, ok, i know all about tangs and etc etc about how they need room etc...however....a friend of mine had 2 tangs in his 55 gallon, with a huge amount of fish, and i thought the same thing "what? dude they like to swim!" Well, after about 2 years of me telling him he is wrong, i had to eventually shut up. Cant be that bad if his tangs are that old, and seem happy and are thriving.
So i decided to try 3 of them! here is the deal, and it may or may not make a difference, but it's what I have learned about tangs.
They like to dart, yes, and in a quick thought, a 60 hex may seem to small. However, I am a firm believer that any creature will adapt to its surrounds given: their enironment is kept clean and biological parameters are met, and it is fed a healthy diet.
How do I know they have adapted? Ok...well tangs like to dart, but given a lack of complete darting range as far as distance, they have adapted to use the hex shape to their advantage...thats right, they swim AGAINST the flow of my powerheads/pumps around the circumfrence of the tank! They sometimes stop in front of the powerhead and swim against it too.
Its an experiment. My 60 hex is my "experimental tank" in a way. Due to its shape and unique water flow compared to rectangular "boxes", I have found that it allows me to do things you can't normally in a rectangular.
And before anyone says anything else, my tangs are now over a year old. They are healthy, neve rlost their color, and love to swim fast, then they relax, and pick at the LR. They are docile,a nd seemingly happy.
Could be i got lucky with the fish, but it could be water flow, and how well I take care of its water parameters, and the specialized diet i give all the creatures etc.
Whatever it is, it is working, and you cant argue that.