Stocking Q's for a 55G Tank

weaselmush

weaselmush

New Member
Hi, I have afew questions about stocking my new 55 gallon tank. My friend gave me the tank for free since he is moving soon and can't take it with him. He is also giving me some of the equipment for free. He currently has the fish that he had in the 55 gallon tank in another one of his tanks, but he can't take the fish with him when he moves so he's giving me some of them. I do not really want all of the fish because not all of them would work out with what other fish I'm planning on buying for the tank later. But here are a couple of the fish he has that I'm interested in:(1) Royal Gramma
(1) Tomato Clownfish
I was also planning on buying these 3 other fish for the tank later:
(1) Coral Beauty Angelfish
(1) Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish
(1) Snowflake Eel
I think they should be ok together as long as I add the eel & lionfish last & if they're the smallest fish in the tank when I add them, but I may be wrong. Do you think they would be ok together in a 55? If so, what other fish (under $30, please) do you think would be a good choice to mix with these? For filtration, he's giving me some type of undergravel filter and a Tetra Whisper 30-60 Power Filter. What else will I need? Oh, and also, I've kept several freshwater tanks before, small and large, with success, but never a saltwater one before, so I'm excited to be able to finally keep a saltwater tank. I have also done a good bit of research on the fish I mentioned above and on keeping marine aquariums, but I will still probably need some more help later on, too. I do not plan on keeping any coral, just afew inverts like maybe a Serpent Starfish to help control the waste in the aquarium.
Thanks! :happyfish
 
toughguy80

toughguy80

Member
All should be ok. Be sure to read up on how to feed the lion and the eel, it can be kinda tricky. Also, since this is your 1st venture into saltwater, wait a few months before adding the 3 you want to give your tank time to stabilize and for you to get the hang of it. Adding other fish after the lion and eel might be tricky. With 5 fish in the tank, you can't really add another big fish, but anything small could be eatin. Something like a hawkfish or anthias might work. Basically something in the 5" range or smaller.
 
granny

granny

Member
I have seen dwarf lions eat fish larger than a royal gramma. Would not suggest it.
Lions and eels are an entirely different jendre than grammas and clowns.
Two are happy go lucky, friendly, eat nice little food. the other two are tough guys, big mouths, evil eyes-eat live food that fits in their mouths. Both the eel and lion are always waiting for something small enough(sometimes will take a chunk out of larger fishthat they THOUGHT would fit in their mouths)
If you really want the eel and Lion, why dont you forego the cute little clown and gramma and add one other fish like a full grown marine Beta which is also a carnivore and a beautiful fish? I cant think of any others that would work and stay small enough foryour tank-otherwise the Huma huma trigger would go well with the eel and lion.
You arent going to have a great deal of filtration going on so would limit your fish-OH< and a serpent star would also probably be eaten by those two.
 
weaselmush

weaselmush

New Member
Ok, thanks for your replies. The reason I put the clown and gramma on the list is beacause my friend would be giving them to me for free, and he really wanted me to take some of his fish before he leaves, but I also really want an eel. Do you think I might be ok if I take the lionfish off the list and keep the eel? Atleast until he gets bigger? And thanks for the suggestion on the Hawkfish or Anthias, I'll look into that. But about the Serpent Starfish, I'm getting mixed results on different sites. Some say the eel will not touch echinoderms, just crustaceans, and others say that they will probably eat just about any invert in the tank large enough for them to swallow. Which of these is true?
Thanks! :happyfish
 
S

sinner's girl

Guest
Serpent Starfish to help control the waste in the aquarium.
you'll also need to spot fed stars...unless, maybe, if you have a ton of lr, but for a 55gl, I would spot fed him about once a week or so. Serpent will eat raw shrimp, algea (though not all the time, he does want meaty foods) and other meaty foods.
no clue on the eel
 
weaselmush

weaselmush

New Member
Originally Posted by Sinner's Girl
you'll also need to spot fed stars...unless, maybe, if you have a ton of lr, but for a 55gl, I would spot fed him about once a week or so. Serpent will eat raw shrimp, algea (though not all the time, he does want meaty foods) and other meaty foods.
no clue on the eel
Ok, thanks! :joy:
 
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