Help with my stocking list - 57G Reef

[silentcivilian]

From my experiance everyone has a bad experiance or another with their tanks and their fish. For every person that says it jumped, there is another that says mine is grounded like an anchor.

As for angel fish, I have a rusty and coral beauty in a LPS and softie stocked tank, and they never nip, yellow goby nips a bit at my convexa but if I keep him fed, he keeps his distance.

My favourite fish in my tank are my clowns, lawn mower blenny, red scooter blenny and my mandrin.

If you get one chromis, he may pick, at least pick up a pair if you can, I have a trio in my 120, and up until a month ago, they all schooled and were happy.. now they only hide and im scatching my head over that.. but they typically will only pick on their own kind or wrasses ive noticed.

 

[sslak]

Midas blenny or bicolor blenny are both awesome fish that would be a good fit.

 

[amheck]

FYI, any fish in an open topped tank is a risk for jumping. I have a pair of clowns in my 34g Solana, and one morning I couldn't find the male. Apparently he had jumped into one of the back chambers and was swimming around in the return section. Could have just as easily been out onto the floor. Just something to think about.

 

[MikeandNicole]

I am also going to be setting up the 57g rimless tank this summer and have also been doing some thinking on the stocking plan. Now I already have tanks and the livestock will be moved over so I don't have the flexibility that you do. I will be putting a cover on my tank as I like fish that are jumpers. I also have a bunch of LPS and SPS so I want the fish to be very reef safe.
My plan
Mystery wrasse
Pair of picasso clowns
Pair of Mandarins
Sunburst anthia (would really look at this guy, stunning)
Gold assesor basslet (another one I would look at)
Cleaner goby (fun little fish)
Helfrichi firefish.

I already have all these fish, and excluding the mystery wrasse, have all lived together for a while with almost no aggression. That is probably the stocking plan I will stick with but might look at a swissguard basslet (or candy if I can find a reasonable one) down the road after everyone is established. Maybe a flasher or fairy wrasse instead of the basslet but we will see how everyone makes the transition.

 

[BeanMachine]

Are you saying the Chromis will pick off other fish? I am considering just one single Chromis. Thanks.

No not other fish, just bickering amongst the Chromis like what Candeewolf is describing.

I personally wouldn't go with any chromis. It's good you are considering just 1 for the tank, as the top amount you could get for that tank would inevitably lead to just 1 over time. The reason I wouldn't even get 1 is because I don't think they are much to look at when there's one. In a shoal, they are fantastic, but 1 can be a stain on your tank with other much more beautiful fish around. I would consider a dwarf (pygmy) angel as well as a goby of some sort. Possibly a flame hawkfish. The clowns will somewhat hang out together near the rocks, but still in open water. The cardinal is obviously just gonna sit in open water. But a flame hawk or goby will dart around on the rocks and add great color and movement. The dwarf angel will dart through the rock caves you have and create great variety. Just my two cents.

I am also going to be setting up the 57g rimless tank this summer and have also been doing some thinking on the stocking plan. Now I already have tanks and the livestock will be moved over so I don't have the flexibility that you do. I will be putting a cover on my tank as I like fish that are jumpers. I also have a bunch of LPS and SPS so I want the fish to be very reef safe.
My plan
Mystery wrasse
Pair of picasso clowns
Pair of Mandarins
Sunburst anthia (would really look at this guy, stunning)
Gold assesor basslet (another one I would look at)
Cleaner goby (fun little fish)
Helfrichi firefish.

I already have all these fish, and excluding the mystery wrasse, have all lived together for a while with almost no aggression. That is probably the stocking plan I will stick with but might look at a swissguard basslet (or candy if I can find a reasonable one) down the road after everyone is established. Maybe a flasher or fairy wrasse instead of the basslet but we will see how everyone makes the transition.

Are the Mandarins eating prepared foods? I don't think a 57 gallon tank will provide enough food for those two over the long run if they are stricly relying on pods.

Mystery Wrasses get aggressive so be aware of that.

Cleaner Gobies, like the blue cleaners or the ORA Sharknose Gobies are really cool little fish and serve a nice purpose as well by cleaning the other inhabitants.

 

[Patrick Cox]

On the dwarf angels, is there any difference in the different varieties? I like the "Red Stripe" and the "yellow" better than the Coral Beauty.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+16+457&pcatid=457

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+16+1866&pcatid=1866

 

[BeanMachine]

On the dwarf angels, is there any difference in the different varieties? I like the "Red Stripe" and the "yellow" better than the Coral Beauty.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+16+457&pcatid=457

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+16+1866&pcatid=1866

There is a good chance that any angel will nip at your corals at some point or another so I wouldnt risk it personally.