who to vote off the island?

[fixed]

Can anyone help with a fish list? The advice I get here is very different than from the fish stores, where I'm told that the aggression issue is defined as "they will eat what will fit in their mouths" test. Well, I know my clown did not fit in my trigger's mouth (in one piece), but I've mysteriously lost one.
Here's what I have now:
true percula clowns (mated pair)
oscellaris clown (smaller, recently widowed)
blue tang
sailfin blenny
sandsifter gobie
laticed butterfly
chocolate chip star
small hermit crabs
misc. snails
Note: all the above are listed as "peaceful" and compatible here: {LINK VIOLATION - out of respect for the owner and operator of this site, please do not post links to competitors, thanks! )
Plus, there is a
picasso trigger
niger trigger
which I'm planning on voting off the island. Make sense? I really don't get this compatibility issue.
Will everyone get along after that? This is in a 55 gallon with 60 pounds live rock, very stable water right now.
Will getting rid of the triggers allow replacement of any others, I would the tank be considered full at that point, still?
Which, if any, of the following would be decent replacements for the above group?
Firefish
Banded Possum Wrasse
Royal Gramma Basslet
Spotted Cardinalfish
Green Mandarin
Foxface Lo
Neon Blue Goby
Scott's Fairy Wrasse
Six Line Wrasse
General question, too. Are peaceful fish generally easier to keep than more aggressive ones?

 

[sinner's girl]

The might be that a 55gl is a bit small for triggers, and you have a lot of fish. I'd vote off the triggers, and NOT replace them with another fish. You already have 7 fish. I'd also vote off the tang, shouldn't be in a 55gl tank.

 

[jdragunas]

i agree with sinner's girl, although there are a few success stories with tangs in a 55. However, i would personally not take that gamble.
You have a lot of fish right now, and these fish are going to get bigger as well. The tang and butterfly will definately need a bigger tank eventually, but IMO, you're over-maxed out right now, and when you remove the triggers, you'll be maxed out. i have 7 fish in my 55, but their max sizes are all 3"... yours are going to get bigger... i can't stress that enough.
And the whole "they'll eat what fits in their mouth" thing is a load of bullhockey, IMO. Agressive fish are agressive fish, and therefore will be agressive... triggers are agressive toward sharks!!! And sharks definately don't fit in their mouths... IMO, if you want a peaceful tank, you should have all peaceful inhabitants. If you have any agressive fish (especially triggers), you're going to have a problem. Good luck!!!

 

[fixed]

Thanks for advice. I'm trying to follow it, but can't catch the picasso. Little bast....

 

[jdragunas]

also, keep your eyes on the CC Star, they're notorious for eating inverts and corals!

 

[edwar050]

Great advice again jdragunas! I agree with him totally. I would go one or two different routes in upgrades "that is if you dont get rid of the fish". I would "in your case" use your 55 for a small softie reef tank. Put the two perc clowns in there, with the blenny, sandsifter goby, and snails. Get some t-5 lights to throw up there 100$ for cheap t-5's 4 54 watt bulbs search around. Then I would get another larger 90 gallon minimum FOWLR "fishonlywithliverock" tank and put the triggers, blue tang, and lattice butterfly in there. Best bet for those size fish is a 110 long/135 with the tang for swimming room. If one of your larger fish die in your tank right now and you dont catch it your going to have such a high amonia spike there is a very good chance it will kill nearly everything in your 55. I would be acting now in upgrading or getting ride of both of the triggers, the butterfly, and the single clown. You can always take them back for store credit or post them and somebody might pick them up.
Peaceful fish are not easier to keep than aggressive ones, though its extremely important when pairing fish up. Most people dont mix FOWLR and reef tanks though it can be done but many suffer on invertabrate loss. I think you should seriously consider upgrading or taking back those fish.
Here is what I have going in my tanks just to give you an idea, posted this out of microsoft excel- Notice total fish lenght for my 120 is at 34 and thats 34 inches of 3 inch thin fish. My 55 will have 13-15 inches of fish two valentini puffers, tailspot blenny, and two small damsels. This is my fowlr. Both your triggers would be bigger than all my folwr inhabitants once fully stocked alone. Not to mention the butterfly.
120 Gallon Fish Stocking List
Green Mandarin Dragonet4Black Long spine Urchin
Purple Firefish Goby3
Bi - Color Blenny4
Green Chromis3
Bangi Cardinal3
Bangi Cardinal3
Snails From 55
Possible additions to 120
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby/Barbershop Goby 2
Scarlet Reef Hermits
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby/Barbershop Goby2
Cleaner Shrimp 2 or 3
A. Ocellaris AKA True Black Percula3
Order of Obsoletta Snails
A. Ocellaris AKA True Black Percula3
Snails From Fat Fish
Black Clown Goby X 34
ShrimpBlackRandoli Pistol ShrimpTotal Length In Inches34
55 Gallon Fish Stocking ListLengthDietary NeedsColorInvert List
Female Valentini Puffer4Frozen ShrimpYellow/Black/WhiteCoral Banded Shrimp
Blue Devil Damsel3Flake/PelletBlue5 Long Spine Urchins
Yellow Tail Damsel2Flake/PelletBlue/YellowHermit Crab Mix
Coral Banded Shrimp
possible additons to 559ColorTo Add
Small Male Valentini2Algae/ShrimpBlue/Yellow/Black/White
Tailspot Blenny 2 1/2Algae/Flake/PelletMany
Total Length In Inches13 1/2
all numbers to the right indicate size of fish in inches

 

[copperband]

nigers are less likly to be agressive than other trigers

 

[fixed]

Great info. Thanks.
My 55 is at my office. Sometime in the next year, I want to do a larger tank at home. I think your suggestions are good.
Yesterday I got rid of the triggers. I picked up a shrimp with the credit. I was quite an ordeal catching those triggers, too. I think I'll hang on to the tang until I get the larger tank. Thanks again.

 

[treybomb]

if u get rid of the blue... u could get a yellow<<< they dont need as big a tank

 

[cowfishrule]

i wanna know how the triggers havent dined on your clowns yet.

 

[treybomb]

Originally Posted by COWFISHRULE
i wanna know how the triggers havent dined on your clowns yet.
ya!

:notsure: :thinking:

 

[jdragunas]

i was just thinking the same thing!!! And saying that the Niger is the least aggressive of all triggers is like saying the bamboo shark is the least aggressive of all sharks... it's still pretty darn aggressive! All triggers, no matter how "non-aggressive" they are, are still really aggressive compared to a peaceful tank.
Great choice in removing the triggers and getting the shrimp!!! Your tank should be "ok" for a little while, depending on how big your tang and butterfly are, although, you must keep an eye on the tang, and if you see any signs of stress whatsoever, you need to remove him immediately and take him back for credit! Signs of stress include these very noticable symptoms: collapsed stomach, acting lethargic, swimming funny (abnormally), not eating, extra-thick slimecoat, pale coloring, allowing other fish to pick on him, and any other abnormal behavior.
Good Luck!!!

p.s. i'm a she...

 

[edwar050]

Glad you got rid of the triggers as well.. What kind of shrimp did you get blood/fire or cleaner. I am sure your tank is in much better shape now than it was, at least you dont have to force an upgrade now.