Wanted:Advice on Tank Mates and feeding my zoo

[Lfunnyfarm]

Being a relative newbie (almost one year in the hobby), I would appreciate constructive comments on my tank inhabitants and feeding.
Thanks guys!

I have a 350g tank and a 55g sump with a large skimmer in it.
In this tank I have:
zebra moray (30")
Hawaiian dwarf lionfish (5")
Regal tang (5")
Yellow tangs (3 of them) (3")
Bangaii cardinalfish (3 of them)
Blue damsels (2 of them)
Green Chromis (2 of them) (2")
Clownfish (2 of them)
Leopard wrasse (3 1/2")
Six Line wrasse (1 1/2")
Valentini puffer (1 1/2")
Flame Hawkfish (2 1/2")
Bicolor dwarf angel (3")

I plan on adding a Harlequin Tuskfish and an angel (full-size species) in the next few months.

The eel is fed every third day - frozen, uncooked, commercial Paella mix.
The lionfish is fed every other day - usually one silverside.
I occasionally throw a clam in for the puffer.
Everybody else gets a Brine shrimp/Marine Cuisine mix in the morning and New Life Spectrum pellets in the evening along with sheets of nori.

 

[jraker]

for that size of a tank, you should get a bigger sump.

as for your current stock, it is pretty good, as long as eveyone gets along. for an angel, i would go with a bellus angel. i would not do the harlequin tusk, if you wanted to, proceed with caution.

 

[jayball]

for that size of a tank, you should get a bigger sump.

as for your current stock, it is pretty good, as long as eveyone gets along. for an angel, i would go with a bellus angel. i would not do the harlequin tusk, if you wanted to, proceed with caution.

Why would he need a bigger sump if all the equipment he needs fits in the one he has?

I do not see anything specifically wrong with your feeding (I can not speak to your moray or lion). If you run across it though give LRS a try to replace the Brine shrimp/Marine Cuisine mix. The only thing that gets my fish more active is a cube of cyclop-eeze(even my full grown kole tang dashes back and forth for those little things).

LRS Fish Frenzy® Ingredients:

Fresh Wild Caught Scallop
Fresh Wild Caught, Hand Peeled Shrimp
Fresh Wild Caught Ocean Perch and Whitefish (Haddock)
Premium Mysis Shrimp
Squid
Tuna
E. Pacifica Krill
Fresh Shucked Oysters
A Hint of Garlic Dosed RO/DI Water (No garlic pieces are in the food)
Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (Selco)
Buffered Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C to delay oxidation)

The marine cuisine is:
Brine Shrimp, Mysis, Krill, Water, Menhaden Oil, Astaxanthin, Sodium Alginate, Spirulina, and vitamins.

 

[Lfunnyfarm]

I cannot fit a larger sump under my tank and there is nowhere else to put it. The current system (sump and skimmer) seem to be sufficient; the chemistry levels are good in the tank.

 

[Lfunnyfarm]

I love the female Bellus swallowtail angels! The coloration is beautiful. I've considered trying to keep one of them in addition to my other angels. They are a little bit harder to procure than other angels so I will bide my time.

To me, the Harlequin Tuskfish is the epitome of saltwater fish - very exotic looking! I don't have many invertebrates in the tank, just a cleanup crew which I renew as needed. I know that the need would increase if I put a HTF in the tank

 

[Lfunnyfarm]

The coloration and appetites of my fish seem to be good at this point. I will look for the LRS or possible make my own version. Of course, it won't have the HUFAs or vitamin C.

Everybody in the tank, except the lionfish and the eel, likes the mixture of brine shrimp and Marine Cuisine and my cardinal fish won't eat the NLS pellets at this point. I realize that the brine shrimp are a redundant ingredient but I am feeding what I have until it's gone.

I stuff the silverside with pellets before feeding the lionfish so as to increase the nutrition level. It's been a process with the lionfish. When I first got it, it would only eat live fish, which, compared to eating nothing at all, was good! Now we are at the silverside stage and, hopefully, in time, I can train it to eat something like the LRS. I did try Rod's Predator mix but no interest and it's pretty messy in the tank to me.

Thanks guys!
Patti

 

[nuxx]

Should be fine in that size tank

Only thing to worried about with the sump is backflow when the pumps turn off. If nothing overflows, should be good to go.