Tankmate's For Peacock?

[BodiBuilt]

I'm sure this question has come up before...but doing a search turned up no hit's.
I am wondering what I may be able to keep along with a 5" O.s. in an otherwise empty 55g? I know each specimen is unique and may have habit's others do not... What have you sucessfully kept with your peacock? If there are no safe bet's, I will at least be willing to try a few damsels as they are cheap, common, and justifiably expendable
How about Foxface Rabbitfish or Yellow Tang? Dwarf lions? What would you suggest?
There are plenty of "nook's and cranny's" for thing's to dwell...

 

[Pea-brain]

Serpent stars (avoid greens), urchins, damsels, chromis, Tomato or cinnamon clowns (alot of people have had success with these). I wouldn't suggest anything on your list. A 55 is too small for a tang if I remember right, lionfish end in tragedy more than 90% of the time, etc. etc.

Dan

 

[BodiBuilt]

No to Foxface aswell? I ask because they are excellent grazer's...
I have been sucessfully keeping a yellow tang in a 40g for nearly two year's now. They are the smaller of most tangs and usually most hardy! (also good grazer). Also why do you say "no" to green brittle star's? I have one in another 55g along with a Cinnamon clown and two Sargent Major Damsels and he has never bothered anything! Do you think one could possibly harm a Peacock Mantis?
Thanks for all advise/suggestions!

 

[Pea-brain]

Green brittle stars are well known for becoming quite....predatory when they get larger. On the other hand almost all other serpent stars are well trusted members of a cleanup crew

Yellow tangs can get over a foot long if I remember right. They are collected young. You can go over the tang debate for centuries, but IMO they need a 5 foot tank at least.

I have no clue about the foxface, but I wouldn't risk one with a peacock. Its a pretty big risk. Make sure it will cohabitate with other smaller fish first. i find salt water acclimated mollies to be excellent, if small, grazers, and are very cheap.

Dan

 

[BodiBuilt]

Good call Pea-brain! I am already in the process of acclimating some Black Mollies as we speak! Which brings up another good question... Will live young Mollies provide a suitable live food source for my P. ciliata?

 

[Pea-brain]

They may or may not. It may ignore them or it may see these as food. They are still very small when newborn so it wouldn't surprise me if it ignored them. IF your mantis takes them then it is my personal opinion (and this is a slightly controversial topic. No studies have been done so all we can do is guess) that if it is born in saltwater, lives in saltwater, and eats saltwater algae it is probably a suitable snack at the very least. One every couple of weeks will most likely do no harm at all. I wouldn't make them the main diet though.

Dan

 

[B.Pereira]

I would try the foxface, generally friendly fish, just buy a juvi maybe 3.5"-4.5" in length