Tank Size Ok?

[detroit_fan]

I am starting my first sw tank and have a good store to buy products from.
problem is i only have a 55 gal to work with. It will be FOWLR tank. I know i need to stock slowly, but in the end these are the inhabitants i would like-

Some cleaner shrimp
Few anemone
1 starfish
2-4 Damsels
1-2 Clowns

Now here's my real question, i love the tangs, espicially the yellow, pacific blue(Regal Tang or Hippo Tang)
Coral Beauty Angelfish

I was told that the tangs will only get as big as the tank size, is there any truth to this?
If not, could i still get any of the tangs or angelfish

Thanks for any info.

 

[modelrr]

you could get the angel, but no tangs in a 55g except for maybe the yellow tang...even that's not really recommended

 

[detroit_fan]

you could get the angel, but no tangs in a 55g except for maybe the yellow tang...even that's not really recommended

so tank size has no effect on their max growth?

 

[Chac]

No that is the same BS I got many years ago (from a LFS) when I 1st started keeping Marine's

 

[detroit_fan]

No that is the same BS I got many years ago (from a LFS) when I 1st started keeping Marine's

ok, at least i found out before it was too late. can anyone sugg some good fish to go with these?


Some cleaner shrimp
Few anemone
1 starfish
2-4 Damsels
1-2 Clowns

 

[Chac]

I would put the 'Nems on hold for a while as well as they dont generally do well in young tanks

Damsels I persaonlly hate - little buggers IMO

Have a look on at the Fish list/Pics on Live Aquaria, this will give you an idea of what you like & we can give you an idea of there needs

 

[detroit_fan]

I would put the 'Nems on hold for a while as well as they dont generally do well in young tanks

Damsels I persaonlly hate - little buggers IMO

Have a look on at the Fish list/Pics on Live Aquaria, this will give you an idea of what you like & we can give you an idea of there needs

thanks, will do. what don;t you like about the damsels, too aggressive?

 

[Chac]

I would put the 'Nems on hold for a while as well as they dont generally do well in young tanks

Damsels I persaonlly hate - little buggers IMO

Have a look on at the Fish list/Pics on Live Aquaria, this will give you an idea of what you like & we can give you an idea of there needs

thanks, will do. what don;t you like about the damsels, too aggressive?

You got it

I just removed some 4 stipres - havent got a clue why I added them in the 1st place, but wot a mistake

 

[crazyelece]

I'd hold off on the starfish as well. They are usually not easy to keep and like a well established tank as well.

As far as tangs go, you could do one in a 55, especially a yellow, but I wouldn't do any more than that as you will have aggresion issues in that size tank.

Also most angels will be out except the dwarf varieties. A flame angel or coral beauty would look very good and add a lot of color.

Fish I would suggest ...
six line wrasse - may jump out but they keep many different pests in check
firefish - very colorful but also known for jumping out
gobies - good bottom dweller and sand sifter

 

[detroit_fan]

I'd hold off on the starfish as well. They are usually not easy to keep and like a well established tank as well.

As far as tangs go, you could do one in a 55, especially a yellow, but I wouldn't do any more than that as you will have aggresion issues in that size tank.

Also most angels will be out except the dwarf varieties. A flame angel or coral beauty would look very good and add a lot of color.

Fish I would suggest ...
six line wrasse - may jump out but they keep many different pests in check
firefish - very colorful but also known for jumping out
gobies - good bottom dweller and sand sifter

i really like the corl beauty, can i do 2 of those in the same tank or just one?

 

[Great Lakes]

You could do one pygmy Angel in a 55, but no more. They really don't mix well to begin with and I wouldn't recommend one in a tank less than six feet long.
This goes for the yellow tang as well. Many do have tangs in smaller than recommended tanks, but generally they are slow growers. But they are 24/7 eaters. They like to graze all day so they do best in a well established tank.

Keep in mind when considering marine fish that they require ten times more water volume than freshwater species. This brings home the small margin of error you have.

Clowns, dottybacks, gobies, and wrasses all come in a great variety of shapes and sizes. Many far more beautiful than your average tang or angel.

Species dependant, you will only be housing between 3 and 5 fish in a 55. Pick stunning and exraordinary examples. When only buying a few, price becomes much less of a concern.

Cheers!
GL

 

[crazyelece]

I agree, more than one coral beauty will only cause aggression issues. Plus with a 55 you only get a few options so more variety is usually better anyway. Most marine fish are loners and not schoolers like many FW speicies. So usually more than one of most marine fish causes problems with aggresion. Also similar colors and shapes can cause aggresion issues such as a yellow tang and a purple tang having similar body shapes.

 

[detroit_fan]

thanks for all the help guys. i have been looking over some species at live aquaria and found some i like.
I like the inverts as much as the fish!

Will these species be ok in the tank?

1 yellow tail damsels
1 stripped damsel
Some cleaner shrimp (whats a good number of these to have?)
Few anemone
1 starfish (lfs has it labeled as florida starfish, orange/red color)
1-2 Clowns (can i do 2 clowns?)
1 six line wrasse
1 tang, (i really like the blue/hippo tang, but if my tanks not big enough i also like the yellow tang.)
1 coral beauty
1 Fridmani, a.k.a. Orchid Dottyback or 1 Purple Pseudochromis, a.k.a. Strawberry Gramma or Magenta Dottyback

I also like the arrow crabs, would it be ok in the tank?


I also want to put in live rock. it is $8 lb. here, is there a min of how much i should put in, and should i put down eggcrate so it's off the glass?

The filtration system the lfs wants me to buy is a proclear wet/dry trickle, is this any good? They have it for 159.99, then 49.99 for a 700gph pump.

The lfs also priced me for substrate, but it's not sand. Kinda a white gravel, is this ok?

Thanks for any answers, Jason

 

[xNOTLOCx]

well i wouldnt get the white gravel or quarts or whatever it is i picked that and im stuck with it and it really limmits your choices as to what you can get and it can be pretty ugly with all the algae that builds up unless its cleaned my a goood cleaup crew ide suggest sand and its cheaper, that opesn the door to a sand sifting goby(eventually) and since starfish need a good established system not something to put right in you could get a sand sifting starfish earlier than most of any other starfish besides brittle stars.

 

[Chac]

thanks for all the help guys. i have been looking over some species at live aquaria and found some i like.
I like the inverts as much as the fish!

Will these species be ok in the tank?

1 yellow tail damsels
1 stripped damsel
Some cleaner shrimp (whats a good number of these to have?)
Few anemone
1 starfish (lfs has it labeled as florida starfish, orange/red color)
1-2 Clowns (can i do 2 clowns?)
1 six line wrasse
1 tang, (i really like the blue/hippo tang, but if my tanks not big enough i also like the yellow tang.)
1 coral beauty
1 Fridmani, a.k.a. Orchid Dottyback or 1 Purple Pseudochromis, a.k.a. Strawberry Gramma or Magenta Dottyback

I also like the arrow crabs, would it be ok in the tank?


I also want to put in live rock. it is $8 lb. here, is there a min of how much i should put in, and should i put down eggcrate so it's off the glass?

The filtration system the lfs wants me to buy is a proclear wet/dry trickle, is this any good? They have it for 159.99, then 49.99 for a 700gph pump.

The lfs also priced me for substrate, but it's not sand. Kinda a white gravel, is this ok?

Thanks for any answers, Jason

Hi Jas

Personally I would stay away from Damsels, as they can be bullies
2 Clowns would be perfect in your tank
Anemone's - Defo a Nono for a young tank (same goes for the Star's)
A Coral Beauty IMO are an excellant fish to add to a reef, but like all Dwarf Angels they can nip at soft corals (mine never has but it is a personality thing)
Yellow Tang - Really in a 50g (US) is a defo No unfortunatly

What about a Bannerfish - very easy to look after and would do fine in a 50g


Arrowcrabs aint really ReefSafe

Liverock - I would aim for around the 15 - 20 kg mark & eggcrate is a good idea as this will maximize the filtration area of your LR

Filtration is taken care of by your Live Rock & a good flow (powerheads) so no need for artificial Bio-filtration