Opinions please on stocking my mini-reef

[headabovewater]

I have a 55 gallon tank with 45 lbs of live rock. I was wanting some opinions on some fish to stock it with. What type of clowns would be best also I would like to get an angel fish, maybe a coral beauty. Right now I have a cleaner wrasse and a few damsels that I will probably trade in.

 

[predator]

I love clowns and it really depends on what colors you want and how big you want them.True percs and ocilaris are orange and don't get big.Gold strip maroons get big and are just as they sound.Maroons and clarkii are cool to.Just find you some pic's.I like coral beautys to.Maybe you'd like a flame angel or some type of tang.

 

[here fishy]

I would stick with crabs, shrimp etc.... If your damsels are chromis you can build a school of them as they are not very agressive damsels..IF you have a domino, I would consider a trade as they are very territorial and quite agressive. A tang will be hard to treat for ick in a reef tank without being able to use copper based medications..They will also outgrow that tank and if not moved can stress and die. Dwarf angels, a goby to sift sand are excellent choices. Even a royal gramma would be good in that tank....Hope this helps

 

[roguecardinal]

I would keep the cleaner wrasse, I have two and they love to clean my yellow tang as I am sure they would love to clean whatever angel you choose. They really are a must, especially if you have two becasue they will chase each other in and around the live rock, really a bargain buy.
[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: RogueCardinal ]

 

[fshhub]

coral beauties are great
one thing I would consider is an algae eater of some type, tangs would not be agood idea in a tank that size, but you have other options, algae or lawnmower blennies are good and easy ot keep
or you could get a blenny or 2 nad just make it all damsels, there quite a few species here to choose form and most are easy to keep
with good color
cleaners are nice, but IMO you need ot get them in before you have a problem(which you have done) because they are succeptable to the same things as other species of fish, at least you got htem in tank first, we have cleaner shrimp in our tank

 

[von_rahvin]

lawnmower blennies. these guys are great. they run around eating algea. and the look soo stupid. they are great to watch. i have had one now for about 1 year. it is the fattest thing in the tank.
firefish are also really cool. you have to worry about them jumping out so if you get one make sure the tank has a complete lid on it. hawkfish are also really cool and friendly.

 

[crazy bout salt]

I have a 55 gallon tank which is the exact size that you are talking about because there is only 1 size 55. in my tank i have a 3 inch substrate with about 80 lbs of LR. as for fish i have 2 firefish a yellow tang a sixline wrasse ( I strongly recommend this fish for any reef tank )a coral beauty a very small pygmy angel and a lawnmower blenny.I also have a mated pair of cleaner shrimp along with a mated pair of coralbanded shrimp with 1 peppemrint. 15 scarlet hermits 10 snails ( need to add about 10 more ). Corals wise i have a huge toadstool leather and a huge green leather purple blue and green striped shrooms green hairy shrooms and a caluapela leather. the tank looks great except for a diatom bloom with if being eaten by my snails and blenny. But for any of my current or past experience with this size of a tank email me at Bearr7723@aol.com
Jay