Inherited Saltwater Tank

dmatt56

New Member
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
 

teresaq

Active Member
Hi Matt, Welcome.
That is a lot of fish for a 55 gal. Is it a corner tank or regular tank?
Is it drilled?? ehat is your filteration and Lights
as for fish, I would not add more then a couple, three more fish depending on the fish
You already have a mandrine that is iffy in that size tank, since they only eat pods, you should not add a scooter since that is also thier diet.
Not sure you can mix bangii with pjs, but if you do, dont do more then 2 they will kill the odd one out.
If you want corals, the angels are iffy, though I have a pigmy in my reef. Very active fish.
Here is the list I would pick
two clowns you have
two pjs you have
mandrine if you have enough live rock and pods
pygmy angel or blue reef chromis-blue
canary blenny or midas blenny - yellow
Fairy wrasse -red
T
 

brokendeck

Active Member
Welcome to the forums. The red and green algae isnt a good thing for the tank. The red algae is prolly cynao which is bad.
 
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