Picking out Fish

[mtsuguy]

I have gotten my tank set up (55g) and I am not waiting for the Ammonia levels to get down to 0. I know I would like to get 2 false perc's. I wanted an emperor angle but was advised not to do so, thanks to the guys on here who informed me about that. I would have hated to buy such an expensive fish for it not to live. I was thinking about a threadfin butterfly, according to things I have read they are the easiest of the butterflies to take care of and do fairly well in new aquariums as long as they are fed well. I was also thinking about a tang. I know my favorite by looking at it is the small blue hippo tang or the blonde naso tang. Would these be good ideas? If you have any suggestions as far as different fish please let me know.

 

[calvertbill]

Do your fish need to be reef safe? What kind of tank do you envision? Most importantly, what's a few more days? Let your tank finish cycling and your fish will thank you for it...at least the survivors will.

 

[mtsuguy]

Nah, they dont need to be reef safe. I just want a mostly fish tank, I know in a few months I'll need a clean up crew. I have 75lbs of live rock in my tank and a 2.5" SB.

 

[stdreb27]

Your fish tastes are too big for your tank. Imperator, and tangs need relatively large tanks. The Blue hippos is one of the larger tangs. And would very quickly outgrow the tank. Stick with smaller species, dwarf angels are beautiful active fish, maybe a reefsafe wrasse (they are small) You might get away with a yellow tank they stay pretty small.

 

[mtsuguy]

Originally Posted by Calvertbill
Most importantly, what's a few more days? Let your tank finish cycling and your fish will thank you for it...at least the survivors will.
The tank will have been set up for a month before I actually put fish in it. I am making sure that it will be completely cycled. I checked about an hour ago and the ammonia level is at 0 so I figure in a week it should be that much better for the fish. I think I have a few hitchhikers on my live rock though, I plan on looking at that more closely tomorrow night after I get off work and making sure none of them pose a threat to the fish I plan on puttin in there.

 

[mtsuguy]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
Your fish tastes are too big for your tank. Imperator, and tangs need relatively large tanks. The Blue hippos is one of the larger tangs. And would very quickly outgrow the tank. Stick with smaller species, dwarf angels are beautiful active fish, maybe a reefsafe wrasse (they are small) You might get away with a yellow tank they stay pretty small.
Would the butterfly be ok? I know in the discriptions I have read it said 45 or larger but it seems that you cant really trust what you read elsewhere.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
Your fish tastes are too big for your tank. Imperator, and tangs need relatively large tanks. The Blue hippos is one of the larger tangs. And would very quickly outgrow the tank. Stick with smaller species, dwarf angels are beautiful active fish, maybe a reefsafe wrasse (they are small) You might get away with a yellow tank they stay pretty small.
I agree that the blue hippo and the naso won't fit in your tank - they need a lot more room, like 125g+. I'll also say that a yellow tang won't work either, since they get territorial and in such a small tank it will likely be bad ... plus, they do eventually get pretty big too. There are a lot of really cool wrasses (especially the fairy wrasse variety), royal grammas are fairly personable, and dwarf angels are fun too.

 

[mtsuguy]

Would the butterfly be alright?

 

[hurleykid69]

i no someone who has a 55 with a flame angel, yellow tang, blue hippo, and he had a naso in there as well although it died of ich. IMO i think that if u start out with a baby blue hippo it will be fine.

 

[mtsuguy]

In a year or so, after I get doing my head fully wrapped around saltwater tanks I want to get a larger tank. I'm new to this but I know that a gallon of water weights about 8lbs and a 100g tank could well end up weighing half a ton. Where would someone set up a tank of that size? I know that my floors in my house are not made for having such a heavy load placed on the constantly.

 

[calvertbill]

Originally Posted by mtsuguy
In a year or so, after I get doing my head fully wrapped around saltwater tanks I want to get a larger tank. I'm new to this but I know that a gallon of water weights about 8lbs and a 100g tank could well end up weighing half a ton. Where would someone set up a tank of that size? I know that my floors in my house are not made for having such a heavy load placed on the constantly.
That's really the only negative to larger tanks. They're safer for the critters, problems progress more gradually so you can get a handle on them (try effecting a major change in a 10!!!)
But I did spend a couple of $ putting 4x4s and lollys under my room's floor joists.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by hurleykid69
i no someone who has a 55 with a flame angel, yellow tang, blue hippo, and he had a naso in there as well although it died of ich. IMO i think that if u start out with a baby blue hippo it will be fine.
This is actually bad advice, try not to say "I know someone who has ... " because often times this "someone" is having an ordeal if problems that we don't know about, or it's some sort of miracle that nothing has died. In fact, in this case, the naso probably had a compromised immune system because of the lack of space, plus being in such a small area with 2 other tangs - one of which gets territorial. The compromised immune system keeps the fish from having the ability to fight off the ich parasites, and it eventually dies. In fact, I would be willing to bet that the remaining two fish will, at some point, develop ich and die as well. Also, if you start out with a baby blue hippo, it will some day be an adult blue hippo, which can get up to 12 inches in length, and therefore it will be 1/4 the length of the tank. That doesn't sound too appealing to me.

At any rate, the only way I would suggest anyone getting a baby blue hippo is if they plan on upgrading their tank to something 125 gallons or larger within the next year or two.

 

[stdreb27]

I know nothing like butterflies I'm sorry.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by hurleykid69
i no someone who has a 55 with a flame angel, yellow tang, blue hippo, and he had a naso in there as well although it died of ich. IMO i think that if u start out with a baby blue hippo it will be fine.
We are comming from the point where we want to provide a decent lifelong home for their fish. Simply put with no discussion a blue hippo is going to vastly outgrow a 55 gallon tank. And your advice works off the assumption that this person will go out and buy a 2000 dollar tank to house one fish once it grows a bit. This does not normally happen, because the person who knowingly house a hippo in a 55 gallon for an extended period of time probably lacks the respect for the animal to make such an investment.
Sure if it is a growout tank it will be fine. But this setup is not a growout tank.

 

[srfisher17]

I think the threadfin is the same fish I've always called the Auriga Butterflyfish. This is an easy butterfly, but butterflies as a group are not the easiest. I think you're right at the minimum with a 55 gal; but with proper care, this fish should do well. Be sure it get a lot of variety in the diet.

 

[sepulatian]

Threadfins grow to nine inches. I would not put one in a 55. Also, if your ammonia just hit zero then you still have to wait for the nitrite spike which is comming. Take your time and pick out smaller fish. Several people mentioned a dwarf angel. That is a good choice for a bright fish.

 

[mtsuguy]

Ok, I think I've picked out the fish I'm going to use. 2 False perc's 1 bicolor angle and later on down the road a lawnmower blenny. Sound good to everyone?

 

[azul1994]

That sounds like a good list, but you could also add 2 or 3 more small fish to that list.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Threadfins grow to nine inches. I would not put one in a 55. Also, if your ammonia just hit zero then you still have to wait for the nitrite spike which is comming. Take your time and pick out smaller fish. Several people mentioned a dwarf angel. That is a good choice for a bright fish.
Somehow, I missed the tank size. Although the threadfin doesn't need the swimming room of a tang, I agree that a 55 is a bit small. Also; bi-colors are beautiful fish, but IME, more difficult than many of the other dwarf angels. Keep us posted!

 

[mtsuguy]

I've been trying to figure it out all day and cant... What does IMO and IME mean?