More fish possible?

[delacruza]

Hi - I have a relatively new 55G reef tank (going 3 months now) and have a yellow tang, flame hawkfish, blue damsel, lawnmower blenny, and ocellaris clownfish. They all seem to be getting along great and are healthy but does anyone think I could add one more, like a royal gramma, or should I just stay with what I have? If ok to add, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Charley Diesing]

Suggestion. Get rid of the blue damsel. They just cause problems.

We need more info on your setup.

Like Protein skimmer, sump, lights, how much liverock, etc.

 

[G4546]

Agreed with the above, we need a little more information on your aquarium and I'd say to remove the lil damsel, later down the road... They ... can be... ugh. A PROBLEM

 

[delacruza]

Hopefully this will help (as you can tell, I'm new to this):

50# of LR, Live Sand substrate; CUC of two cleaner shrimp, turbo snails, hermit crabs, sand shifting sea star, and others throughout; AquaClear 70 powerfilter; hang-on back protein skimmer; two powerheads; 4xT-5 lighting (2+2); no sump; no refugium. Also have mushrooms, colony polyps, taro tree coral, zoas, and other basic coral; no SPS, LPS, etc.

 

[hanas]

Considering your tang is going to get bigger I would replace the blue damsel (for reasons mentioned above) with another fish like the gramma you suggested and consider it stocked at that point.

 

[SushiGirl]

Considering your tang is going to get bigger I would replace the blue damsel (for reasons mentioned above) with another fish like the gramma you suggested and consider it stocked at that point.

+1.

Also, you might want to take the sand sifting star back, it's going to starve to death in a matter of months in a new 55.

 

[Triton_Z]

Considering your tang is going to get bigger I would replace the blue damsel (for reasons mentioned above) with another fish like the gramma you suggested and consider it stocked at that point.

Agreed. You sound stocked for your tank size.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Considering your tang is going to get bigger I would replace the blue damsel (for reasons mentioned above) with another fish like the gramma you suggested and consider it stocked at that point.

I agree here as well.

Also slow down some. You seem a little stocked for how long the tank has been up. One fish at a time with at least 4 weeks of QT. I can't stress the importance of taking it slow and QTing every fish you get. Saves a lot of headaches, and means more enjoyment watching healthy fish.

 

[delacruza]

Thanks, everyone! All very helpful stuff.

But first, it looks like I need to trap that Blue Damsel . . . yikes!

 

[delacruza]

+1.

Also, you might want to take the sand sifting star back, it's going to starve to death in a matter of months in a new 55.

Anything I can 'supplement' it with to prevent that from happening?

 

[SushiGirl]

You can try spot feeding it meaty foods. Their diet is to eat all of the critters that make your sand live, so they'll strip the sandbed then die of starvation.

 

[rpjaws74]

I would add the royal gramma IMO!