55 gallon questions

[KristenS]

Hello, I currently have a 55gallon fowlr aquarium. It's operating on two 40gallon canister filters, 2 air pumps, >5lbs of live rock, 140gph powerhead, 20 lbs of live sand and 40lbs of dried live rock. My critters include; engineer goby, yellowtail damsel, o. Clownfish, and 2 peppermint shrimp. I recently transferred my 15gallon tank to my 55, so the tank is cycling now. Nitrites and nitrates are a bit highish, I lost my Baja cardnalfish a week ago due to the transfer

My questions
1. I've noticed my clown doing a dance with my yellowtail. They spit food to each other, they share a cave, they swim close together, it's really cute. But I assume this is not normal behavior. So could anyone may have had a similar experience? Can these guys cross-breed?
2. My clownfish is very aggressive toward any hand that goes in the tank, she is relentles, a savage. I've had my skin broke before because she got me in between my fingers. And I've tried everything from throwing food in the tank to try and destract her, to trying to chase her down and catch her. Are clownfish usually this vicious? Is there any kind of repellant or ideas someone can give me?
3. I was wondering if I could add a marine Betta to my current set up? And if so, what else could I add with it? I'd like to also add a panther grouper. If at all possible. Orrrrrrr instead of the Betta and grouper. I'd like to add a flame angel, 2 green chromos, and a fire fish. Would these work either?

 

[SFish]

Your not cycling the tank with fish in it are you? If you are I would start adding something like Bio Spira and doing water changes. You already broke down the other tank right? If not then I would put the fish back in the cycled tank.

What kind of clown fish do you have? I had a tomato clown that would almost jump out of the water to get to my hand. It attacked anything that went in or near the tank. This can be normal behavior for a clown fish.

 

[KristenS]

I had the water in my 55 for about a week before i put the fish in, in the process, and mind you im kinda new at this, but i decided i needed more sand after i already had everything in the tank. And not knowing i needed to rinse the sand first, i just dumped it strait into my tank. Killed off my cardnialfish, my mexican turbo snail, and most of my live rock.... BIG MISTAKE!! So im trying to get my water together before i add anything else. But i do want a marine betta onve i get everything back together. I have a occiuls clownfish, i know i spelled that wrong. She is a devil towards humans, shes cool with all my fish, but she will not hessitate to try and rip you apart if you touch anything in the tank. Its quite annoying, because my enginedr goby might knock a rock over, and ill go to move it and miss clown will try and murder me

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I had the water in my 55 for about a week before i put the fish in, in the process, and mind you im kinda new at this, but i decided i needed more sand after i already had everything in the tank. And not knowing i needed to rinse the sand first, i just dumped it strait into my tank. Killed off my cardnialfish, my mexican turbo snail, and most of my live rock.... BIG MISTAKE!! So im trying to get my water together before i add anything else. But i do want a marine betta onve i get everything back together. I have a occiuls clownfish, i know i spelled that wrong. She is a devil towards humans, shes cool with all my fish, but she will not hessitate to try and rip you apart if you touch anything in the tank. Its quite annoying, because my enginedr goby might knock a rock over, and ill go to move it and miss clown will try and murder me

Unless you started with live cycled rock, live cycled sand, and water that came out of an active tank, it's unlikely that a week was nearly long enough to wait before putting in fish.

Have you tested your ammonia levels?

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Also with the clown fish and damsel (and that engineer goby will get big) it's unlikely you have the water volume for more fish. Clowns and damsels can be very, very territorial.

 

[SFish]

Unless you started with live cycled rock, live cycled sand, and water that came out of an active tank, it's unlikely that a week was nearly long enough to wait before putting in fish.

Have you tested your ammonia levels?

That tank is not cycled. You most likely will have to do water changes to keep the NH3 down. I would probably supplement with something to control NH3 as well. Your live rock is not dead. Also my guess is the NH3 killed those things in you tank not the sand. If you go through an NH3 spike it will kill all the fish in the tank most likely. Was some of the live rock out of the old tank? If it was that will help. Hopefully you only go through a small cycle.

 

[newlights]

I would get one seachem stbility to speed the cycle and some seachem prime to dose and help ensure I did t loose anymore fish. The stability adds live bacteria to the tank to cycle and the prime detoxifies aminos and nitrate for the fish already there.

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[BranchingHammer]

Sounds like you rushed to put fish in while the tank was still cycling. I agree with newlights, you should add stability and prime from seachem to keep ammonia and nitrite down, while adding beneficial bacteria.

 

[SFish]

I would get one seachem stbility to speed the cycle and some seachem prime to dose and help ensure I did t loose anymore fish. The stability adds live bacteria to the tank to cycle and the prime detoxifies aminos and nitrate for the fish already there.

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That's the stuff I was trying to think of

Thanks

 

[KristenS]

I did add all my rocks and water from the old tank before adding the fish, used the same filter and sand too. My clown and damsel were picking at each other in the 15. Which is why i was in a rush to add them to the 55, i waited about a week before adding these two, then i got my goby and cardnal about 2 weeks later, and everybody was super happy until i dumped in the sand. Thats when i lost my snail and cardinal. My readings are
Nitrate between 40-60 Nitrite>.05 Ph7.8 Alkalinty325kh
As for stocking, i am interested in the fallowing fish, are any and how many are still possible to add to my tank.
can i get the marine betta? flame angel? Firefish? 2Green Cromis? Royal gramma? Or six line wrasse?

 

[KristenS]

My live rock seems pretty dead. There is still micro algea on some rocks, but thats it

 

[Sk8r]

Six-line wrasse is a bully; marine betta, grouper (have you seen adult photos!??) are too big. One chromis, royal gramma, one firefish, MAYBE the flame angel all ok, but I'd pick the three favorites.

 

[newlights]

If it was not live sand that you added it restarted any cycling your tank was doing. If I did nothing else I would ensure I added prime to detoxify the tank or you may loose more fish.

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