another thread about stocking a 54g reef

[dastratt]

Okay, heres my current livestock:

2 YTD - I've had 2yrs, medium sized
2 Oc Clowns - I've had almost a year, medium sized
1 6Line Wrasse - pretty good sized 2-3" I picked up 3 mo ago

Corals:
3 zoo colonies, about 300 polyps total
1 xenia about 6 stalks
15 ricordia florida
1 GSP about 4"
I plan on getting at least a couple more corals, thinking about a hammer or torch and a brain and/or possibly lords or blastos

I have 50 lbs LR, SSB, no sump or fuge just a canister and a good skimmer. Weak PC lighting and ~ 30X flow.

Am I understocked?

My spouse thinks I should add at least another fish or two. I think there is plenty of squabbling in the tank already so any additions may add to that. Also, these fish all aggressively feed anything I drop in the tank. They are quite plump. There is a decent pod population but I lack a fuge and the wrasse is on the hunt all day. Also there are two pepps and a cleaner shrimp in the tank and about 15 hermits so lots of scavengers. I had wanted a mandarin, but am now feeling that unless it could compete for prepared food it would starve.

I had proposed finding a home for the damsels to reduce the squabbles (the LFS *insisted* that I take them 2 years ago "to cycle the tank" A:mad2: and said they would take them back). Then I figure we could get a bit larger fish like a dwarf angel. My spouse is attached to the YTD though.

Maybe I can just add a dwarf angel anyway? I would expect he could hold his own. But the softies might suffer?

Or perhaps I could add a goby? I'm afraid if its too timid it will starve. Do fish like yellow clown goby or YWG compete for prepared foods? Maybe I could get it on flake food in QT, how hard is that? I'd love to have something that would sift sand but eat prepared food.

Or a hawkfish - but wouldn't it attack the cleaner shrimp or the pepps? The pepps decimated the aiptasia I had so I want to keep them.

Or another swimming fish like another wrasse, or a cardinal, etc.? My main concern would be increased squabbles. Either the newcomer will be picked at, or the smallest YTD will end up picked to death, as is he is relegated to a corner at times.

Any opinions? Ideas?

 

[Blown 346]

I think you would be able to add another fish or two depending on the size of the fish when purchased and its full grown size.
The mandarin would end up starving since the wrasse will out compete it for food.

A angel would hold its own maybe, depnding on how teritorial the damsels are.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=199 Here is a hawk that you could think about.
Like you said you run a 50 % risk of theAngel picking at your corals soft or hard.

Depending on the wrasse, they can fight.

 

[dastratt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6512841#post6512841 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blown 346
I think you would be able to add another fish or two depending on the size of the fish when purchased and its full grown size.
The mandarin would end up starving since the wrasse will out compete it for food.

A angel would hold its own maybe, depnding on how teritorial the damsels are.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=199 Here is a hawk that you could think about.
Like you said you run a 50 % risk of theAngel picking at your corals soft or hard.

Depending on the wrasse, they can fight.

Blown, thanks for this. I was looking at that hawk as a matter of fact. I haven't seen one of those in any LFS, only the flame hawks.

Yes I could see the fights breaking out with an angel and also it might pick on corals but I do see that people keep them. A less aggresive angel (relatively) would work better, maybe a pygmy angel? Not sure what the best one would be, other than I would skip a flame just because I had one before in a FOWLR and I like to try different things.

Maybe I should say I'm going to put a few tangs in, to get this thread more active :eek1: :lol: Anybody else have an opinion to offer?