"Centerpiece" fish for 55g?

[chrisstie]

Okay I don't want to get yelled at by the tang police despite the many folks who do keep tangs in their 55s (mine is the standard 4 foot long kind)

but I am going to be doing my 55 soon and ive been scouring the net to have one of those "cool" fishes like a tang - foxface, angel, rabbitfish that sort of thing.. that would not only survive but thrive in a 55 g.

It seems to be an awkward tank size, and it is not possible for me to upgrade the size a little bit to breach the super cool fish status.

I was wondering if you could tell me about any angels that actually are reef safe that would fit (they nibble on corals I understand) or any other kind of neat centerpiece type fish.

I plan to stock corals and so far my wish list includes
a shrimp\goby pair
blenny
mandarin fish (maybe a mated pair) later on, i have a fuge
also later on an anemone and clownfish- i'm thinking BTA and a maroon pair

i think that leaves room definitely for one more nice fish but i drool over everything I see- i need some ideas and to eliminate some drool! thank you!

 

[Sk8r]

Angels eat corals and sponges. Your own chance is to have a set of corals it doesn't find appetizing.
Putting an anemone with corals is a hazard. Get a frogspawn or hammer and your clowns would be quite happy. But two clowns can totally 'fill' a 55g. My little percs grew to 2" and took over half a 100g before I sold them as way too rowdy. Maroons can hit double that size and need at least 75g.

I'd suggest a flasher wrasse, maybe a carpenters, as a centerpiece fish.

 

[chrisstie]

I don't know what it is about wrasse but they haven't really appealed to me at all. They are some of the most colorful fish too but something about their shape seems so plain and "meh" to me.

Not insulting anyones fish Just.. I come from living on the water and see fish shaped and almost colored like that often.. I'd like something eye catching as well as having a good personality.

 

[GMAX]

How about some colorful anthias? Very docile fish and they like to school so you could put 2-3 together in the 55. Fairy wrasses are good looking. Purple pseudochromis, yellow clown goby are good small fish that are very colorful too.

 

[chrisstie]

they all look similar to wrasse to me =\ I'm a punk, i know not trying to be difficult.

They all look like colorful snappers to me - like the kind of fish i would catch off of my dock and just eat for dinner. Except smaller and slightly more colorful

 

[Sk8r]

The flasher wrasses, if happy, run around displaying with their fins. But if the shape doesn't appeal, no argument. I got presented one by a friend, and that fish and I are iffy because of its chasing the chromis. Never has hurt anything, but I'm watching it.

YOu want a fish that just unmistakably screams "salt water tank", I gather, and the angels can do that. Some have had success with the coral beauty, but they can misbehave. I once had a lemonpeel that was wellbehaved with leather, mushrooms, and button polyps, but I wouldn't swear to it.

The sunburst anthias is bright and angel shaped. Chalk bass can be quite colorful. Many dartfish are bright. The canary blenny. I'd advise against dottybacks in any form.

 

[GMAX]

Heniochus? Very unique looking fish and quite colorful. Potters angel but angel may nip dispite being supposedly reefsafe dwarf angels.

 

[chrisstie]

What did you call me?! lol jk I actually love the way butterfly fish and know there are some that would work in a 55g but from what I can tell reading around at certain sites is that they would be about as "reef safe" as an angel.. or the ones that eat aiptasia unless taking other foods may starve.

However I really like the way they look and that would be a wonderful fish to keep. I wonder why liveaquaria says its not reef safe.


Edit: I also found it amusing that this site says a blue hippo only needs 40g lol http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_1...ategory=4&category_search=61&root_parent_id=4 I guess they aren't taking into account that the fish might actually grow.

I'd so love to have one of those and I know people do it but I'd be afraid of being scolded by the aquarist community in general ;p

 

[Shagsbeard]

I would worry less about being scolded and worry more about the fish that are being sold like that. Don't buy one, but don't do it because people scold you... don't do it because it doesn't make any sense.

Consider some of the more aggressive fishes out there... eels and lions and what not. If you are going for a reef+showcase fish (1) a preditor fish could be lots of fun... if you like seeing small fish chomped down daily. A 55 gallon with a lot of interesting corals, an eel, some inverts... that could be a really cool tank.

 

[nmprisons]

Instead of thinking big (butterfly fish, tang, ect.) I would really check out the wrasses. Maybe a lineatus Fairy Wrasse or something really striking like that.

 

[chrisstie]

nmprisons I just dont like the wrasse look =\ Like i said before its nothing personal but they really remind me of fish i used to catch and eat from the dock - I'd either look at the tank and feel guilty all day.. or maybe hungry.

Maybe I'll just worry about picking out my LR first >< i just wanted to get an idea of what would be possible with a 55 and its killing me i cant physically go bigger where i live at the moment =\

 

[theatrus]

I don't have any major problems with any corals in my 55g with the Flame Angel.

 

[DrBegalke]

Any of the dwarf angels would be a good choice, IMO.

 

[chrisstie]

I guess its luck of the draw with angels then. I'm kind of keeping them on a backburner- one of the LFS I sometimes visit had one with a beautiful display- the cherub i think (purple with yellow head) and they had to remove him because he got nippy.

I guess I'll find out when I get there Thanks so much for everyones input its really really hard to decide on something like this without first hand experience.. which I don twant to make too many mistakes with my tank <3 Much love for you RCers

 

[daveverdo]

If you don't already have a copy, get a copy of "Marine Fishes" by Scott W. Micheal. It is a great reference with tons of information on over 500 marine fish. Pictures, details on reef compatibility, little description of feeding needs and behaviour. Use that to narrow down a few choices based on your needs and wants. Then come back and ask about specific species.

While you are at it, get a copy of Marine Invertebratres" bt Ronald Shimek. It is the invert bible for many people.

Dave

PS From what I have researched the COral Beauty is a dwarf angel that doesn't attacj corals as much as other angels. It is considered by many as the best angel for reefs.

 

[itz frank]

Most angels are coin flips. Your only bet is to get one and see what happens. What i did with my anemone is put all the coral in the sand in a spot where they wouldn't be touched by a roaming anemone and wait until he settled in one spot. Then put the corals back. Later he got sucked into a power head. I think you should do the maroone pair but get a Gold banded maroone. Those are gorgeous.

 

[jsdratm]

My coral beauty hasn't touched my corals and only seems interested in the algae. It seems very peaceful and it has never attacked tankmates.

 

[Mark6509]

My Coral Beauty has also done fine w/ Corals and Clams.

HTH,

Mark

 

[chrisstie]

Wow this resurfaced To daveverdo- I added those books to my wishlist on amazon- right now im saving for the tank and do tonnnns of internet searches but hopefully a family member would be kind and pick them up for xmas

I have read lot sof good success about some of the dwarf angels- are they generally peaceful with other inhabitants as well? Hopefully like the ones listed in my first post?

I may be able to work out something with my LFS to try one down the road and hope he behaves and just keep an eye on him. I'll have lots of rock for him to graze on and will definitely give him a proper diet so maybe its a possibility they're so beautiful!

 

[Snowsrfr]

Rabbitfish.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I added a scribbled rabbitfish to my 65 and I love it. Docile, great grazer of nusisance algae on live rock and lot's of color.

My 2 cents.