55 gallon stock/equip suggestions

Other than the mandarin that looks like a good list. With bangaii's (I really like these fish) what to look for in sexing them is:

"The male's Jaw is SLIGHTLY more pronounced than the female's. It's got a bit more of an 'edge' to it beneath the mouth when you're looking at a side profile of the fish. Again, it's very slight. Also, the banner on the top dorsal fin...IME the male's is slightly bigger and waves more in the current"
 
my grandma decided to surprise me today with some fish. my tank wasnt even remotely ready for fish so i was pretty ticked even though she meant to do good. she got a misbared tank raised percula clown, yellow tang, 3 different damsels, and a sps coral. i knew i couldnt keep the coral what so ever with only two flourscent bulbs just 17w each and i definately did not want the damsels. the percula was ok but the misbar bothered me alot. i decided to leave the tang because i liked it so much he is just a small baby. i took the rest back to the fish store for full store credit. i told myself before i even went in that 1 fish was already pushing it but i gave in and came home with the last 2 ocellaris clowns they had.

i know this isnt a very good idea but i couldnt contain my excitement much like my grandmother... the guy at the LFS gave me a handful of macro algea from their refugium to stick in with my filter to help the little guys through.

so stock list is as follows
1 yellow tang
2 ocellaris clowns
2 turbo snails, but im afriad one has passed as he has not moved for quite some time but i have only had him for a day so we shall see...
5 hermits

someone talk me into taking them back! i have convinced myself that just as long as they look healthy i will try it out. any advice?
 
one of my turbo snails did turn out to be dead as suspected. he smelled bad.

a question for you all. is a hydor koralia 4 at 1200gph to much for my ocellaris pair? all they do is swim all day, but even when i turned it off still no change in actions. im concerned because they wont eat. i have tried brine shrimp, and mysis/spirulina cubes defrosted in tank water but they have not eaten. i was thinking of getting a hydor koralia 1 at 400gph for the other side of my tank for a dead spot under my current power head and as a salt mixer. would this be too much for them?

anyways i know its a bit soon but i have already began looking for an upgrade tank to house my tang and his new companions but that will surely be a topic much much much later since this 55g is fairly new, it will probably be transformed to a refugium. i paid a visit to village tropical fish here in houston, tx and i must say i was very impressed. they had an excellent variety of live stock and just as much corals. they even had a tank 200 gallons+ dedicated to a huge variety of crabs, snails, pistol shrimp/goby pairs, and mantis shrimp. there selection of puffer fish is also impressive. i was almost tempted to buy the cutest little porc puffer. i will post pictures in the near future of my current set up when my dorm is opened back up. i left my camera cords there...

i know how everyone loves pics, im hoping it will attract some replies for me :headshake2:
 
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sadly the brighter of my two ocellaris pair has died. i observed him yesterday and he had a right fin that was not working. i found him dead today stuck to the side of my hydor koralia 4 power head.

when i first got him i drip acclimated for an hour. he did not eat for the short time i had him. im almost sure it was the sudden increase in bio load or early introduction of fish into the tank.

tomorrow im going to pick up 6 more hermits and 10 more snails to add to my cuc. im going to hold on getting my ocellaris a new mate for at least a month.
 
Sad about the clown. It could have just been one of those things or that your tank is still new.

I would advise against adding anything more to your tank, even snails and hermits. I would also probably take the tang and other clown back if you can, hard to do I know but your tank just isn't ready for any livestock yet.

The flow wouldn't be too much for the clownfish. Their swimming action makes them look like they are working hard but it just their crazy swimming action, if a fish is out and about and swimming then the current is fine for them. I can't see a problem with adding another powerhead, it would only be a good thing.

What are your ammonia and nitrite levels?
 
ammonia 0
nitrite 5
nitrate 10

i was going to get the snails and hermits because there is all kinds of small debris in a dead spot under my powerhead.

again stock is as follows
1 turbo snail
5 hermits
1 yellow tang
1 ocellaris clown

im going to take your advise and see if my lfs will house them for a month. do you think a hydor koralia 1 at 400gph is good or should i go stronger? as for placement is putting them on the sides of my tank facing slighty up and towards each other okay?
 
those numbers are current. (a couple minutes ago) the ammonia is actually .25 (not quite 0 and not quite 5) using an api kit.

i think its time for a water change? thats another question i have been meaning to ask you. about how much % is your weekly water change? and are you absolutely happy about your protein skimmer? i have been contemplating for the longest time if i should purchase the model you have or not because you said its not the best but it gets the job done for what you have.
 
Those levels suggest your tank is cycling.
Is that 0.5ppm nitrite or 5ppm. Either way fish and other animals will be stressed by it, and possibly die from it.

For the debris a powerhead is the best thing for that, wait for a couple of weeks before adding the snails/hermits. You could get another hydor koralia 4 if you wanted, or a 3. A koralia 1 isn't that strong really and wouldn't do much. You can face the powerheads any way you want, facing eachother is fine as long as they aren't real close. Having one at one end and one at the other end, facing into the tank is good for all round flow.
 
sorry its late. i get lazy with the .'s and what not especially with sg. i always say like 26 instead of 1.026.

its 3 am but im doing a 50% water change as we speak. i was going to hold off until tomorrow but now seems like a good time since i cant sleep lol. ill mix more water to set aside just incase another wc is needed.

maybe you missed my questions in the post before yours. how much % is your weekly wc? and are you absolutely happy with the protein skimmer you have for a 55g?
 
TropicalNorth said:
Those levels suggest your tank is cycling.
Is that 0.5ppm nitrite or 5ppm. Either way fish and other animals will be stressed by it, and possibly die from it.
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That is exactly how I am reading it as well. Your cycle hasn't yet completed in your tank. Your ammonia and nitrites should be a solid 0 for at least 1-2 weeks. Only your nitrates should move up and down once your cycle is completed. Usually you do not want to do water changes as the cycle is going on because you want the bacteria to go throw its stages. When you do water changes when you still have detectable ammonia/nitrites you just slow down the cycle process.

Also a Tang in a 55G is usually never a good idea. Way to small of a tank for a tang unless it is a very small baby tang, and even then you only have about 6 months tops before it outgrows the tank.
 
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