55 gallon stocking list

[98315351]

i am indecisive about fish stocking, order of them and timing, and will the fish be a good idea.

Tank specs. New red sea G2 250 (55 gallon tank 11 gallon sump) I filled it with (CaribSea Ocean Direct Original Grade Caribbean Live Sand Substrate, 40 lbs.) and (40 pounds of CARIBSEA INC Life Rock Shapes Natural Corra)l then I dosed it with (Prodibio Bio Digest, Nitrifying Bacteria, Fresh and Salt Water, 6/1 mL vials, 30 gal and up)​

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Tank equipment. Red sea reef mat 500, sicce sdc 6 pump, reefwave 45, tunze 3155 auto top off, Neptune apex pro, Neptune refugium light, Neptune auto feeder, two red sea 90 lights, two 500 watt titanium heating elements plugged into an inkbird ITC-306A temp controller, red sea RSK DC 300 skimmer.

I plan on getting some sterilized chaeto and some copepods to live in my sump refugium when my tank is ready for them.

I know this might be to many fish but I was assuming you would tell me to stay away from some of them so I wanted to add as many to the list I could think of. Feel free to make suggestions or substitutions. I want to make this a fun colorful group of fish that look cool or have a good personality to watch.

The tank was started on the 13th and is testing almost zero for no2 and no3. Ph is 8.3, ammonia is 1.25, salinity 1.024, temp 78

Wanted Fish list

Royal gramma basslet

Azure damselfish

Yellow watchmen goby

Candy cane shrimp

Mandarin dragonet

Geometric pygmy perchlet

Orange and white ocellaris

Black and white striped ocellaris

Mccosker flasher wrasse

Coral beauty

Flame angelfish

Sunburst anthias

Jewel damselfish

Blue spotted jawfish

Scarlet hermit crabs (5ish)

Trochus snales (5ish)

Blue tuxedo urchin times 2

 

[Jekyl]

Can only keep 1 pair of clowns. Depending on rock structure, figure every cave / hiding spot equals 1 fish or pair.

 

[98315351]

Can only keep 1 pair of clowns. Depending on rock structure, figure every cave / hiding spot equals 1 fish or pair.

Can I get one orange and white clown and one black and white clown if they are both ocellaris or will they kill each other?

I have a lot of caves and hiding spots. The rock I have must have 20 caves or hiding spots some larger and some smaller.

 

[Jekyl]

Can I get one orange and white clown and one black and white clown if they are both ocellaris or will they kill each other?

I have a lot of caves and hiding spots. The rock I have must have 20 caves or hiding spots some larger and some smaller.

2 pairs in a tank that size the vast majority of the time won't work.

 

[dedragon]

doesnt matter caves or hiding spot in a small tank, clownfish will seek and destroy another in a 36" tank almost 100% of the time.
Coral beauty and flame angelfish arent usually great together in a 36" tank and can also kill eachother.
Bluespot jawfish need low temp tanks that most cant run if they have corals or inverts

 

[dedragon]

Jewel damselfish start small and pretty but turn to an ugly brown color with age and are aggressive fish, it will most likely go after the azure damsel
sunburst anthias also isnt a great fit for a 55 as they can get rather large

 

[Cthulukelele]

I'm assuming you're just talking about having 1 of each fish? They should still pair if they're ocellaris clowns pretty easily. That's what I have. Steer clear of jewel damsels and Sunburst anthias for different reasons. Sunburst anthias are really hard to get eating, and jewel damsels are terrors as adults. Probably just go with either a watchman OR a jawfish in a tank that size. They will fight. Will you have a large fuge? If not your mandarin will also probably starve. Just choose 1 dwarf angel in a tank that size.

 

[Cthulukelele]

If I were to cull this list it would look like this:
1x pair of ocellaris (one black one orange)
Flasher wrasse
Geometric pygmy perchlet
Watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair
Royal gramma
Coral beauty
Azure damsel

Maybe mandarin down the line if tons of pods and big refugium

Your inverts are fine. I put it in the order I would stock that tank

 

[dedragon]

If I were to cull this list it would look like this:
1x pair of ocellaris (one black one orange)
Flasher wrasse
Geometric pygmy perchlet
Watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair
Royal gramma
Coral beauty
Azure damsel

Maybe mandarin down the line if tons of pods and big refugium

This is a great list to start to aim for. After about 6 months after you add the last fish you can check nutrient levels as well as gauge how the fish are acting and might be able to throw in 2 more azure damsels or 1 medium size active fish, but its best to start with a list similar to the one cthulikelele wrote

 

[98315351]

I'm assuming you're just talking about having 1 of each fish? They should still pair if they're ocellaris clowns pretty easily. That's what I have. Steer clear of jewel damsels and Sunburst anthias for different reasons. Sunburst anthias are really hard to get eating, and jewel damsels are terrors as adults. Probably just go with either a watchman OR a jawfish in a tank that size. They will fight. Will you have a large fuge? If not your mandarin will also probably starve. Just choose 1 dwarf angel in a tank that size.

The fuge is around 3-4 gallons

 

[98315351]

If I were to cull this list it would look like this:
1x pair of ocellaris (one black one orange)
Flasher wrasse
Geometric pygmy perchlet
Watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair
Royal gramma
Coral beauty
Azure damsel

Maybe mandarin down the line if tons of pods and big refugium

Your inverts are fine. I put it in the order I would stock that tank

Could I trade the coral beauty for the flame angelfish or is that a huge mistake?

 

[Cthulukelele]

Could I trade the coral beauty for the flame angelfish or is that a huge mistake?

That should work, but just know flame angels especially can get pretty boisterous in smaller tanks. I chose the coral beauty because they tend to be more chill.

A 3-4 gallon fuge is probably insufficient for a mandarin. For context, I have a 120 with a 40 gallon sump and a 20 gallon dedicated fuge and I'm worried about keep my pod population up for a mandarin. You don't have any other really aggressive pod eaters tho so that helps.

You could MAYBE try a biota captive bred one that's already eating frozen and pellet, but you will still want to regularly replenish pods.

 

[98315351]

That should work, but just know flame angels especially can get pretty boisterous in smaller tanks. I chose the coral beauty because they tend to be more chill.

A 3-4 gallon fuge is probably insufficient for a mandarin. For context, I have a 120 with a 40 gallon sump and a 20 gallon dedicated fuge and I'm worried about keep my pod population up for a mandarin. You don't have any other really aggressive pod eaters tho so that helps.

You could MAYBE try a biota captive bred one that's already eating frozen and pellet, but you will still want to regularly replenish pods.

If nutrients look good after your suggestions of fish what would be one more cool fish maybe a blenny or am I not thinking of something?

I most likely will skip the mandarin so is there any point in getting copepods for any of the other fish to eat?

 

[Cthulukelele]

If nutrients look good after your suggestions of fish what would be one more cool fish maybe a blenny or am I not thinking of something?

I most likely will skip the mandarin so is there any point in getting copepods for any of the other fish to eat?

All fish like pods, so it is still useful to have a fuge both for nutrient export and getting more pods. A midas blenny could work with that stocking list. They're notorious jumpers though especially in smaller tanks so make sure to have a lid. They're wonderful fish.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Also I don't want to guide you too much. You have lots of options. The biggest internal question beyond compatibility is "am I happy with this list of fish"

 

[98315351]

Also I don't want to guide you too much. You have lots of options. The biggest internal question beyond compatibility is "am I happy with this list of fish"

I guess im reasonably happy with this list but if a fish wont work there is no point in being unhappy. it just is what it is. that would be like being mad the sky is blue. I went with a Geometric pygmy perchlet because a hawkfish would have eaten my pistal shrimp so some compromises need to be made.

if you have any other suggestions i truly would be happy to hear your opinion.

 

[dedragon]

You are awesome for taking it like that, some do not and risk adding fish to tanks that shouldnt be there nor want to be told by others the hard facts.

Other types of anthias or wrasse can work in that size tank like lyretail or leopard wrasse for example (i am partial to leopards they are some of my fave fish, I have 2). There are a lot of different options for a last fish, I would check out the overview for tank requirements on liveaquaria to see if the fish would work in general for your size tank as there are a lot of fish out there that could fit. Liveaquaria is a good resource for general requirements for fish though i dont think they are as good for buying anymore (bought and sold a few times and less healthy fish now it seems)

 

[98315351]

You are awesome for taking it like that, some do not and risk adding fish to tanks that shouldnt be there nor want to be told by others the hard facts.

Other types of anthias or wrasse can work in that size tank like lyretail or leopard wrasse for example (i am partial to leopards they are some of my fave fish, I have 2). There are a lot of different options for a last fish, I would check out the overview for tank requirements on liveaquaria to see if the fish would work in general for your size tank as there are a lot of fish out there that could fit. Liveaquaria is a good resource for general requirements for fish though i dont think they are as good for buying anymore (bought and sold a few times and less healthy fish now it seems)

i would love both of them fish but they say i need a 100 gallon tank and I just dont want to do that to a fish. I really just want to make a nice colorful fun personality fish tank that the fish are not killing each other or hate there small enviroment. Trust me i have 30 fish i wish i could have but need a 100 gallon plus tank. Thanks for the ideas if i ever get a bigger tank.

 

[dedragon]

Lyretail anthias and blue star leopards generally stay smaller if they are kept alone and are females but I totally understand your worry given the tank requirement size from liveaquaria. But also lol to the fact that I said to look at liveaquaria then gave 2 fish that they list as not suitable to your tank size. For 1 female lyretail or 1 female bluestar leopard (or reg leopard female) they can actually fit in a 55 gallon well and thrive.
There are other options such as possum wrasses like yellow line or tanaka that stay small and are pretty active feeders, but I think smaller wrasses, dwarf angelfish, and smaller anthias are about the largest and most active fish you can have for the size tank.
There are some good options for smaller guys if you would like such as the starcki damselfish, or chromis.

 

[98315351]

That should work, but just know flame angels especially can get pretty boisterous in smaller tanks. I chose the coral beauty because they tend to be more chill.

A 3-4 gallon fuge is probably insufficient for a mandarin. For context, I have a 120 with a 40 gallon sump and a 20 gallon dedicated fuge and I'm worried about keep my pod population up for a mandarin. You don't have any other really aggressive pod eaters tho so that helps.

You could MAYBE try a biota captive bred one that's already eating frozen and pellet, but you will still want to regularly replenish pods.

instead of the coral beauty should i go with a pygmy (cherub Angelfish instead since they are smaller yet or are those fish to agressive?