Fish stocking for 55gal.

[lonbrat]

Hello! ^^ I recently made a topic about how I'm moving and such.
I wanted to talk about my tankmate options for (much later) after I move. Since I've been holding off on fish I want or had previously. Also, I plan on buying some new equipment for my tank before new fish, I'd just like to play with the ideas in my head, a while before hand.

I don't want too large of a bioload, and I want to do this right so I can have a beautiful tank in the future. ^^

My current stock in my 55 gal. Is

1 clown fish (percula I think )
1 purple pseudo chromis
1 watchman goby
1 yellow fin blue damsel (who may be given back to LFS but is pretty docile)
My nitrates are nearly 0 ( look to be exactly 0 but I'm growing macro)

Fish I want, or had at one point, and want again are.
An algae blenny ( starry, black combtooth or lawnmower blenny, had one loved him, I think a crab got him one night)

A green spot puffer ( cute little guy, did well in my tank, but had a powerhead accident and lost him)

A snowflake eel, I never had one, but I love snakes and these guys are like fish-snakes lol, I could feed him daily, because I have to feed puffer anyways, but how dangerous are these to other fish inhabitants?

And last but not least, a cleaner shrimp, I doubt I could have one with the eel, but I'd like to hear your experiences anyways ^^

I will be adding a 30gal. Refugium to my tank as well when I move, and use it for pods and macro algaes, so I could one day get a mandarin or scooter blenny. But not for I long long LONG time ^^;

I'd love to hear your ideas and whatnot! Danke~!

 

[Buddy55]

I would avoid the puffer for a total reef safe experience just from what I have read. I really enjoy my starry Benny. He moved to a 90 from my 55. The cleaner shrimp and eel, you are right to caution that. The eel may try to escape even the best of enclosures. I would go ahead and rid the damsel now. Mine would nip clownish and basslets often. If you have a skimmer and keep up water changes that bio load should be cake.

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[Sk8r]

Damsel depends on species. Most want 100 gallons, exception being the yellowtail, which is pretty quiet. An azure, (more yellow, some on body) is a little rowdier, but still ok if the only damsel. They usually won't fight other species if they have enough room, but if overcrowded will push back.

 

[lonbrat]

Regarding my current tankmates ( damsel, clown, goby and purple psudochromis)
The king of my tank is the purple p. The clown and damsel get along okay, and purple p. Will chase the damsel on occasion, but doesn't bully anyone else. The damsel is quite mellow for a damsel in my opinion
( I had a 3 stripe damsel who was a little devil, and I removed him and yellow tail at the same time and put them in my qt tank for giveaway) but I ended up feeling bad for the yellowtail and just put him back in because he never really caused any issues.

I did have a green spotted puffer until about a week ago, he was a fantastic tank citizen, but I must have gotten lucky. The yellow tail damsel would chase him on occasion, but the purple p. Always intervened, it was funny to watch.

My current tank stock gets along pretty well, even with the minor chasing, I've never seen any of them really fight, so I think it's just territory squabbles or something.

I'm not super attached to any of them except the purple p. But I'd rather choose stock they would get along with than have an accident ^^