55g current + future stocking

[teddyzaper]

Hi guys! So I have a 55g reef tank with lots of hiding places. Currently I have sps, LPS, softies, and nems. My current stock is as follows

Carpenter wrasse
Red fin fairy wrasse
Exquisite wrasse
Flame hawkfish
Lawnmower blenny
Diamond goby

I currently have a clown pair on order at the LFS. I'd like to figure out my last couple fish. I'm thinking one/two of the following

3-5 anthias
3-5 pajama Cardinals
Foxface
Small tang tomini/bristletooth (LFS has a good trade in policy for large tangs)
Filefish
More wrasse.

What are your thoughts?

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I think you are significantly overstocking your tank.

 

[teddyzaper]

I think you are significantly overstocking your tank.

Explain further?

 

[SoloChromis]

I wouldn't put a foxface in a 55g, they grow crazy fast and are a heavy bioload fish, there's much more interesting smaller fish you could keep in his place. I'd personally go with a fathead sunburst anthias (Serranocirrhitus latus) or a pair of tank-bred radial filefish (Acreichthys radiatus), which are supposedly fairly reef safe, I'd be a bit wary with clams or zoas (worth it IMO). Good luck :fish1: As far your tank being overstocked, if you've got a big skimmer, sufficient live rock, keep up with water changes, and feed well you should be fine with the above :bum:

 

[teddyzaper]

I wouldn't put a foxface in a 55g, they grow crazy fast and are a heavy bioload fish, there's much more interesting smaller fish you could keep in his place. I'd personally go with a fathead sunburst anthias (Serranocirrhitus latus) or a pair of tank-bred radial filefish (Acreichthys radiatus), which are supposedly fairly reef safe, I'd be a bit wary with clams or zoas (worth it IMO). Good luck :fish1: As far your tank being overstocked, if you've got a big skimmer, sufficient live rock, keep up with water changes, and feed well you should be fine with the above :bum:

Thanks! Yea I'll be adding clams so probably no go for filefish. Perhaps anthias or Cardinals. I think Cardinals are my #1 right now

 

[BigBlueTang]

Thanks! Yea I'll be adding clams so probably no go for filefish. Perhaps anthias or Cardinals. I think Cardinals are my #1 right now

I don't think Anthias are a good idea in your size tank... They require tons of feeding and add a massive bioload. Maybe one, but not a trio. I think 7 fish is already plenty for a 55g, and anything more is pushing it.

 

[Silly clownfish]

I think that you are pretty fully stocked as is. And adding a pair of clowns, who will get territorial as a pair should be it. 8 fish in a 55 is more than I would do. I certainly wouldn't be adding more than that.

 

[scooter31707]

No foxface or tang in that size tank.

 

[TauntingBeef]

Clown gobies, jawfish,or maybe some barnacle blenny

 

[teddyzaper]

Clown gobies, jawfish,or maybe some barnacle blenny

Clown goby would get eaten whole by my hawkfish. Looking for more mid water swimmers

 

[TauntingBeef]

My hawk was best buds with my yellow clowns

 

[marleesan]

I agree tht you're fully if not over stocked with your fish plus the clowns. Adding any more fish would not be wise

 

[CrayolaViolence]

Explain further?

You have a 55 gallon tank, which you have 6 fish in. You have ordered a pair of clown fish that will make 8. So you've basically got 6.8 gallons of water per fish. Minus a bit for corals, substrate, and rock. You've not got 5 gallons per fish. Would you keep any of those fish in a five gallon tank? Maybe a couple, maybe even the clown fish pair, but for long term it probably wouldn't do well for the majority of them, especially the wrasses.
Let's look at your stocking list too. Wrasses, clown fish. Both of which can be highly territorial. And hawkfish which can also be territorial. So you've got a majority of highly territorial fish in a space that's less than adequate for most low key fish. But let's say you have the perfect rock work, and they all get along, and there are no issues there. You have 5 gallons of water per fish, that's 5 gallons (or there about) you have as leeway if your water parameters go off. If that should happen, it would be like trying to land a jetliner on a runway designed for a Cessna. You simply have no room for error. You don't even have room to fantasize about error.
I fear, with that load on the tank, the combination of fish you have, it will only be a matter of time before there is a disaster.