alright so I've been posting a lot about this tank lately and I really want to hear from you guys. I've got a few fish that I'm definitely keeping, which are
3 Carpenters or McCoskers flasher wrasse - 3” - 1 male, 2 female. I love these fish and I've done my research.
2 black ice ocellaris clownfish - 3” - they're just so cool.
yellow candy hogfish - 4” - this one's a bit bigger but I think it'll be fine.
1 orchid dotty back - 3” - really pretty fish.
1 flame angel - 4” - this one's also a bit bigger but I think it'll work.
I'm not trying to overstock or anything, I just want to make sure I've got a good mix. I'm really on top of my water changes so I don't think water quality will be an issue.
I'm also thinking about adding a hoevens/melanarus wrasse - I love the way this fish looks but I'm not 100% sure if it'll get along with the flasher wrasse. From what I've read online and from my LFS, I think it should be fine though.
I'm also looking at alleni/neon damsels - 3”. I know most damsels are pretty aggressive but from what I've read, these guys are actually pretty peaceful. They're more like chromis, which is cool. I love the color and I think they'd be a great addition to my tank.
I'm just worried that they might not get along with the other fish. Has anyone kept these guys before? If so, how many did you keep? I was thinking 1 or 3, but 5 might be too many.
oh and I almost forgot - I'm planning to upgrade to a bigger tank (maybe 75 or 100 gallons) later this year. but for now, I'm just trying to figure out the best mix for my 55 gallon tank.
Setting up a saltwater tank: seeking advice for a 55 gallon aquarium
Re: Setting up a saltwater tank: seeking advice for a 55 gallon aquarium
I'm assuming you're setting up either a FO or FOWLR tank for these fish. A few things to consider:
You mentioned three Carpenters or McCoskers flasher wrasse - I think it's generally recommended that you have at least 30 gallons for the first fish, and then 10 gallons for each additional one. With three, that's already 50 gallons of your 55-gallon tank taken up.
I also read that clownfish are pretty aggressive eaters, so I'm not sure if there'd be enough food left over for the wrasse. And from what I've heard, dottybacks aren't exactly the friendliest towards wrasse and other smaller fish.
The flame angel is another one that might be a bit tricky - I think it's recommended for FOWLR tanks, not FO tanks. If you're dead set on keeping all of these fish, I think a larger tank would be the way to go - maybe something like 100 gallons.
You mentioned three Carpenters or McCoskers flasher wrasse - I think it's generally recommended that you have at least 30 gallons for the first fish, and then 10 gallons for each additional one. With three, that's already 50 gallons of your 55-gallon tank taken up.
I also read that clownfish are pretty aggressive eaters, so I'm not sure if there'd be enough food left over for the wrasse. And from what I've heard, dottybacks aren't exactly the friendliest towards wrasse and other smaller fish.
The flame angel is another one that might be a bit tricky - I think it's recommended for FOWLR tanks, not FO tanks. If you're dead set on keeping all of these fish, I think a larger tank would be the way to go - maybe something like 100 gallons.
Re: Setting up a saltwater tank: seeking advice for a 55 gallon aquarium
I've also got a 55gal, and while it might seem spacious, the reality is that it's still on the smaller side for marine fish-keeping. Territory can be a major limiting factor, not just bioload. You'll likely be getting juvenile or not-full-sized adults, so make sure to plan for growth. My 55gal, for instance, has only 5 fish - a pair of chalk basslets, a yellow damsel, a PJ cardinal, and a red-stripe cardinal. That's basically the tank's limit for territories now that they're full-sized, even though the bioload could support more. Be cautious with multiple damsels; there won't be much space for them to escape if things go south. Although I haven't kept the exact species you're interested in, my experience with generally peaceful damsels has shown that things can escalate from harmony to fin-ripping quickly and unexpectedly.