Filling tank with fish...

[twychopen]

I want to start filling my tank with fish. (christmas money :)Right now I have 1 damsel and am going to put it in my sump. I have some corals but have been waiting to fill the tank. It is 55 gallons aprox total volume and about 42 gallons in the tank. I have some questions that I will list with each fish below. I am looking for suggestions and I will do the research on them.
What I would like to get in no particular order:

1.Maroon/yellow stripe clownfish
2.Some type of blenny (preferably one that eats algae but is the only one that eats algae the lawnmowerblenny?) Also, if its not too greedy I would like to get one that eats alage and keep in multiples (2+)
3.A shrimp that can clean the fish and stay in multiples (if there is one)
4.A flame angel fish
5. 2 serpent starfish
6.Horseshoe crabs (if small ones are possible)
7.pom pom crab
8.arrow crab
9.some sort of tang

I can't have wrasse bc it is an open top tank...
Any other suggested fish and/or ideas are more than welcome!! thanks and merry christmas

[Daniel]

I like scooter blennies but unless you have alot of live rock they will starve unless you have a refugium. They feed on pod populations. I have a bi color blenny in one tank and a yellow watchman in the other. I love them both.

Flame angels or any type of angels along with corals is not a good idea.

Serpent Starfishes will get large rearange your rock and you will never get to enjoy thme unless you come out in the middle of the night.

Horseshoe crabs will get to big for a tank be prepared to find it a home once it outgrows your tank.

Skunk cleaner shrimp can be kept in multiples so can peppermint shrimp.

Crabs nip at things like corals and fish and are opportunistic feeders, so just keep that in mind. Arrow crabs are neat but you wont see it that often.

If you are going to put in a tang make sure the tang is around 2 inches when you buy it or it will run out of space really fast. Also be prepared to find it a new home when it outgrows your tank.


You can put a six line wrasse I had mine for 2 years in an open top and no problems.

I would think twice about doubles of anything, depending on your set up you need to consider your bioload.

If you need any help you have my email.

Daniel

[jc]

I'd like to add that some dwarf angelfish are considered more reef safe than others. I've not had good luck keeping flame angels or half-black angels with coral. However, I did keep a Coral beauty for years in a tank with all kinds of coral including clams. Sadly he died this year. I think he was at least 4 years old.
I would caution against adding a lawnmower blenny. If your algae is gone then he might starve to death.
I hear Maroon clownfish get very mean. Maybe you would be better off with a different species.

[Third Coast Tropical]

I would avoid the horseshoe crab...they need a lot of open area with sand to burrow, if not, they just clumsily knock everything over.

If you get a Maroon, add your other fish first, as they are very aggressive and will claim and protect their territory with a great deal of vengeance....awesome fish though....my personal favorite clown (as of today,...lol)

[twychopen]

what about a Blue Headed Wrasse and sailfin tang?

[cadamsreef]

Sailfin tang no way they get up to 15 inches and grow really fast. I have a Sailfin in my 225 gal. I bought him about 12 months ago and he was about 4 inches and now he is about 8 inches. If you want tangs need to get a bigger tank at least 75 gal or six foot tank is better they need a lot of swimming room to stay happy.

[Daniel]

Sailfin tang no way they get up to 15 inches and grow really fast. I have a Sailfin in my 225 gal. I bought him about 12 months ago and he was about 4 inches and now he is about 8 inches. If you want tangs need to get a bigger tank at least 75 gal or six foot tank is better they need a lot of swimming room to stay happy.

I have two very small tangs in my 55 that are pretty happy and I've had one over a year. Depending on the species and the size you get them they do just fine and grow slower, but yea a sailfin is not a good choice. If you are prepared to get them out when they out grow your tank then I see no problem with some tang species.

Blue head wrasses are not reef safe.

Daniel

P.S. I'll email you my number maybe I can go over and take a look at your set up and see where you are at with things.

[cowboy572]

As your list goes, Maroons are a good choice they are hardier, just becareful some are agressive. With lawnmover blennies it's hit miss on them eating algae in tank. Most will eat all prepared foods. You can have multiple cleaner shrimp within your tank, but with a tank that small only one is needed. With flame angels and all drawf angels its hit and miss on if they will pick on corals and clam mantles. I don't know that much on crabs and starfish. I do know that your serpent stars are good cuase they help stir your sandbed. Then with tangs Iwould wait till you upgraded to a bigger tank. Tangs need lots of swimming room. Also tangs are "ich magnets". So if you don't have a uv sterilizer, or the patience to feed multiple times during the day to help the fight of ich I would wait.

[JoshOdphi]

ive never had any problems with my flame angel pickin at my coral....i've had it for about a year in the same reef tank...

[z28pwr]

I want to start filling my tank with fish. (christmas money :)Right now I have 1 damsel and am going to put it in my sump. I have some corals but have been waiting to fill the tank. It is 55 gallons aprox total volume and about 42 gallons in the tank. I have some questions that I will list with each fish below. I am looking for suggestions and I will do the research on them.
What I would like to get in no particular order:

1.Maroon/yellow stripe clownfish
2.Some type of blenny (preferably one that eats algae but is the only one that eats algae the lawnmowerblenny?) Also, if its not too greedy I would like to get one that eats alage and keep in multiples (2+)
3.A shrimp that can clean the fish and stay in multiples (if there is one)
4.A flame angel fish
5. 2 serpent starfish
6.Horseshoe crabs (if small ones are possible)
7.pom pom crab
8.arrow crab
9.some sort of tang

I can't have wrasse bc it is an open top tank...
Any other suggested fish and/or ideas are more than welcome!! thanks and merry christmas

Like others have said I would stay away from the Horshoe crab, they are like flying footballs going across your tank.

For Blenny's I like the Starry Blenny, Ed Aquatics get's them in pretty cheap.

For Shrimp get a couple of Cleaner shrimp or blood red fire shrimp, they both clean and multiple can be kept in the same tank.

For tangs, I would stay away from Powder's, Achilles or Hippo since they are more likely to get ICK. Unless your water parameters are great then go ahead.

[twychopen]

Here is what I got: (I know some may not agree with the selection but I wanted to try it. I will hopefully be opening up a journal for this all. I consulted a good friend of mine who has been reefing for years and he thought that this would be fine. I'm crossin my fingers and wanted to see if these would work anyway.)

Sixline wrasse
Royal Grama
Scooter Blenny
Sebae Clownfish
Copper banded butterfly
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

[twychopen]

My fish came in today! They are all doing great! The clownfish has already paired up with the hammer coral! It doesn't move from that spot! The Copperband is looking to eat all the time pickingat the rocks and so forth! I have pics (more to come) in my journal (signature).

[jpond83]

fangtooth blenny's are cool