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[Searchlights]

Well I have my tank cycling as we speak. It should be ready in about 5 weeks or so. It's a regular 55g with a 40 gallon diy sump (yeah I know, it's overkill, but I plan on upgrading one day and and i don't want to have to make a new one lol). I've been looking over liveaquaria for a decent stocking list and and i have a few fish in mind that caught my eye. I'm gonna list off all the ones i like. I'm not dead set on any of these though. I just kinda wanna get a feel for what could work together. Feel free to gimme some input

A pair of regular Ocellaris Clowns.

Kauderns Cardinals.

Midas Blenny.

A male/female pair of Linespot Flasher Wrasse.

Coral Beauty Angel.

Orange spotted Goby.

Firefish.

Purple Dottyback.

This will eventually turn into a reef when I get around to ordering some ATI bulbs for my t5 fixture. But anyways, if anyone has any refinements or advice, I'd love to hear it. I obviously wouldn't be able to fit all of these in a single 55. But I would just like to see out of those, what would be a good compatible system.

 

[bundybear1981]

If you wish to go the reef route in the future just remember that a coral beauty can nip at corals so you may want to think about skipping it (its a gamble if they will or won't) Some are model citizens.

 

[Searchlights]

If you wish to go the reef route in the future just remember that a coral beauty can nip at corals so you may want to think about skipping it (its a gamble if they will or won't) Some are model citizens.

Yeah, I've heard it's pretty much a toss up. I was really gonna decide between the Wrasse or the Angel. I wish there was an angel that would fit in a 55 that wouldn't chomp on corals :/

 

[thegrun]

Any dwarf angel in a 55 gallon tank is going to be a problem, as the tank is too small and they tend to get very aggressive when placed in too small a tank.

 

[shifty51008]

A 40 gal sump isnt overkill, the bigger the better. I have a 100 gal sump and 50 gal fuge on my 75 gal and may even add an extra 100 gal sump.

 

[Searchlights]

Any dwarf angel in a 55 gallon tank is going to be a problem, as the tank is too small and they tend to get very aggressive when placed in too small a tank.

Really? I honestly didn't know lol. I've heard from other places and forums from my Google searching that flame angels and coral beauty's could be put in a 55 without a problem. But then again some people say tangs can go in a 55 also lol. Looks like I'll be going with the wrasse.

 

[Searchlights]

A 40 gal sump isnt overkill, the bigger the better. I have a 100 gal sump and 50 gal fuge on my 75 gal and may even add an extra 100 gal sump.

Dang! That's alot of water volume [emoji14] idk I just remember back when I started building it, the people at my lfs said it was pretty much overkill for what I was trying to do. But I've always heard the more water volume, the better the stability.

 

[thegrun]

Really? I honestly didn't know lol. I've heard from other places and forums from my Google searching that flame angels and coral beauty's could be put in a 55 without a problem. But then again some people say tangs can go in a 55 also lol. Looks like I'll be going with the wrasse.

I kept a Flame Angel in a 50 gallon tank for about 11 months before I knew better. It was aggressive within a couple of weeks and after 1o months started to kill it's tank mates.

 

[Searchlights]

I kept a Flame Angel in a 50 gallon tank for about 11 months before I knew better. It was aggressive within a couple of weeks and after 1o months started to kill it's tank mates.

Well that's no good I hear they're pretty peaceful as juveniles, but can get pretty nasty when they grow up. In hindsight, I wish I opted for a bigger tank instead of reusing one of my freshwater ones. It seems like the 55 is like the awkward in-between stage lol. Too big for nano fish and to small for the more really attractive fish. Maybe one day when I get the hang of everything I'll upgrade.

 

[AshlynnsDad]

If I had it all to do over again I wouldn't have gotten the dottyback. It's really aggressive and has so far killed a diamond goby (possibly 2) and really damaged a young blue tang. I know it could just be the individual fish but I've read they can get territorial and mean. You might want to look into that purchase as well.

 

[billdogg]

^^^what he said about the dottyback. They tend to be way meaner than their size would suggest.

You *might* get away with a flame or coral beauty if it is the very last fish you put in the tank. I had a flame angel in a 60 cube for years and it was, at best, problematic introducing any new fish. Certainly the first couple weeks were touchy. I've got one now in a 120 and still have the same problem. As much as I like them for their looks, I'll probably not get another.

 

[Searchlights]

Alright, the Dottyback is crossed off the list lol. Liveaquaria doesn't do the best job explaining the temperament of fish. Semi-aggressive can mean alot of different things [emoji14]

 

[homer1475]

If you really want a dottyback, look into the ORA electric neon dottyback. They were specifically cross bred to curb the aggression dottybacks are known for. I have one and its easily the most docile fish in my tank.

FYI, plenty of us keep flame angels in 29G biocubes with 0 issues. Your 55 is plenty big enough, just keep in mind they do tend to nip at corals, but as with any angel, its a crap shoot on whether they will or wont.

While I agree with a lot of LA's recommendations on tank sizes, its not the word of god. As with anything in this hobby, what works for some, doesn't mean it will work for you.

 

[Searchlights]

Ohhhhhh, I like that neon Dottyback it seems there is a lot of experimenting going on in saltwater tanks lol. I have years of freshwater experience (this is my first crack at saltwater) and freshwater fish seem so much more predictable than saltwater fish lol.