Need assistance with stocking lists

[Saltwatertanksrule]

I recently just posted on new to hobby I believe that's the name but felt that Here would be the better place to ask I have a 38 gallon going to a 55 in a few months.atm I own a Fiji devil damsel and a six line both quite aggressive and I am wondering a stocking list for the 55 and what I could add if possible to the 38 I was going to go trigger but I wanted to be sure first my setup is just a 30 to 40 gallon filter a low florecent light about 29 watts and a 40 gallon filter any help will be appreciated

 

[MarkShimala]

Damsels suck.....they are aggressive. IMO, aggressive fish should be added last. Most triggers should not be housed in anything less than 125gal. Some of them require 300gal or more. Triggers can grow to over a foot in length....way too big for a 55 and a 38gal. If you are going to a 55 you may as well just go to 75 or 90.

When I buy fish I consider their adult size in length as opposed to their current size. I am in the stocking phase of my new 90gal reef setup. I have only 2 clowns that are just under 2in and will get to 3 as adults and a Diamond Watchman Goby who is 3in now and will grow to 5in. So right I consider muself to have 11 inches of fish in my 90gal tank.

Are you looking to get an aggressive tank or did you get those fish because of how they looked? I assume this will be a fish only tank with mo coral?

 

[jay0705]

Dwarf lion, large maroon clown

 

[MarkShimala]

Dwarf Lionfish gets to be around 7in and can eat fish it fits in its mouth.

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

I going for an aggressive tank I tried a porc puffer and he sadly passed my lfs said it would be fine now I feel bad becuause I got him in a tank way to small but will an eel work but I would like to do maroon clowns tried a lionfish didn't work out to well.

 

[jay0705]

My dwarf lion is housed w a yellow tail damsel, maroon clown, valetine puffer, and spotted mandy. No issues. He's prob 4"

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

Nice i wanted a Valentini

 

[jay0705]

Mine is well behaved for a puffer. I stayed away from puffers bc on my inverts, but when I started the other tank for my lion I only had hermits and he doesnt bother them

 

[lmforbis]

Porcupine puffer will get way too big. A snowflake moray would work but you'd need to make sure he can't get out and has plenty of hiding places.. Maroon clown would work, just one though. Very hard to get a pair unless you buy them as a bonded pair, and if both are female you will end up with only one. Maybe a dwarf angel. As Mark said a 55 is a pretty small tank and not suitable for fish that will get bigger than a few inches.

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

Thanks so much
I'm a little upset can't do a trigger or puffer but at least I know

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

I'm having mixed feelings I went to 4 other lfs stores and others also YouTube saying I could put a Niger in a 55?? I'm debating on doing it

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

Other sites as well said I could

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

Also I plan to upgrade to a 90 in a few years so it won't rlly be long term

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

My Fiji just passed along with my freshwater goldfish but I read a few books and for Nigers they say 55-100 gallons

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

I would also like to ask if a hippo tang will work

 

[MarkShimala]

I'm having mixed feelings I went to 4 other lfs stores and others also YouTube saying I could put a Niger in a 55?? I'm debating on doing it

If you want to put into a 55 gal tank a fish that grows to be a foot in length then yes, you can physically put a Niger Trigger in there. That doesnt mean you should. If you get it as a tiny fish it would be fine, but you would need to find a more suitable home for it eventually.

According to ***********.com, they should be housed in a tank of 180gal. Remember, most folks look at the adult size when planning their tabk stock. I am on my 3rd tank now, a 90gal, and still after nearly six weeks dont know what to put in yet. I have 2 clowns and 1 diamond goby. I want mostly coral, but I have to choose what fish I want....carefully and they have to be introduced in certain orders.

 

[MarkShimala]

I would also like to ask if a hippo tang will work

Should be fine for a while as long as you got it small, but again, they require a large tank when fully grown. They can reach a foot in length as well.

 

[lmforbis]

No to the hippo. They need a lot of length in the tank to swim, at least 6 feet but more is better. It isn't so much the size of the fish as their behavior. Some big fish don't spend a lot of time swimming around but rather hover in one area. Tangs in general are swimmers, especially hippos. If they don't have enough room they will get stressed which leaves them susseptabile to disease. They will also be more aggressive.

 

[Saltwatertanksrule]

Ok I also recently found out that I about a year or two I will be getting a 90 gallon would the Niger be good in there?also (hippo tang)

 

[lmforbis]

No to hippo tang. A 90 is the same length as a 55 just deeper, front to back. The smallest standard 6 foot tank is a 125 but even that is really too small.. the minimum recommended tank for a Niger trigger is 180 gallons which is 6' by 2' .