Fish suggestions please for new tank
- Thread starter Cat
- Start date
Sure you can. My female clown is near the published maximum now. Many of us look at fishkeeping as a long-term activity, and plan accordingly.
In four years, that pair and the coral they live with has made it through a lot of power outages, by the way.
I dont want to knowingly buy anything that will out grow my tank as I know I will not be getting a larger one, so Im not going to kid myself. I also dont believe in stressing or stunting any fish, as its cruel to keep a fish that you cant meet the needs of, and I know yellow tanks are highly active and like a lot of swimming room. plus another factor of keeping a fish that is to big for my tank it the increased waste and therefore affect on my bio-load. Hence why before I start stocking I want a clear list of the fish I want so I dont put some fish Im not so bothered about in in the begining just to find I dont then have room for the ones I really want.
Im looking at about 8-9 fish in total with none of them really exceding the 6" adult size.
Im looking at about 8-9 fish in total with none of them really exceding the 6" adult size.
8-9 fish total is way too much in a 50. I have 6 fish in my 55 and I know that is too much. If I could choose (which I am not willing to do) I would have 4 maybe 5 fish in my tank.
How about a pair on tomato clowns, a royal gramma, a lawnmower blenny and as for the mane fish a Tahitian Butterflyfish.Pretty big grows up to 6" and 3 out of 4 websites say a 50g is a large enough tank. It can be a reef safe fish just watch it every now and then to make sure it doesnt disturb the corals etc. I wouldnt do scooter blennies because like mandarin fish they often starve to death because they deplete the pods to quickly. ONLY FOR EXPERIENCED KEEPERS.
As far as starfish go, I have 1 brittle and 1 white sandsifting star in my 55. Both are alive and doing just fine. The thing I don't like about the brittle star is the fact that you ALMOST NEVER see it. It like to bury itself underneath my liverock and stay there. The white sandsifting star on the other hand has a lot of personality. It climbs up the glass, hangs out for an hour or two and then burys itself in the sand for an hour and repeats this most of the day.
They can be very interesting to watch. I would have to say that I do enjoy the white sandsifting star a lot more than the brittle. Whatever your choice, I do hope you enjoy them and make sure to take good care of them.
Bradd
They can be very interesting to watch. I would have to say that I do enjoy the white sandsifting star a lot more than the brittle. Whatever your choice, I do hope you enjoy them and make sure to take good care of them.
Bradd
Argghh...Morgunda and Fishman are correct; PLEASE avoid purchase of blue Linkia stars; the mortality rate is over 90 percent due to damage in shipping and handling. Also Mandarin Dragonets; they are specialized, slow feeders not suitable for your small tank and fast community tankmates. I have seen both of these in the wild while diving in Micronesia; they are fascinating beautiful creatures, and they deserve better as a species than to waste away in a beginner's (or anyone's) aquarium. MANY of other great choices out there; your research will increase your success and enjoyment. A big part of your success is knowing which species NOT to choose.
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Okay so Im not just down to the idea of the pair of clowns and pygmy angel.
Dont know about eh butterfly fish option as I thought all butterflys were a bit of a no-no for beginers as they have fussy water requirements or something.
I have Patella's 'The new marine aquarium' book at home that I have followed in doing my set up, the whole live rock/protein skimmer set up. and he gives some fish selection options according to tank size and for a 45-50gal tank he seems to think about 8 fish and the two LFS's I have been to both say the same?
I think I will avoid the starfish thing at the moment. I went to the LFS at the weekend and returned my teddybear crab stow-away which I managed to sucessfully catch hurrah! and I bought a cleaner shrimp (which likes to clean my hand) 6 blue legged hermits (funny guys) and a couple of corals (Finger leather-Lobophytum sp and Star Polyp-Xenia Clavulana).
I will get me two clowns next weekend, along with some food for my corals and after that I dont know . . .
Dont know about eh butterfly fish option as I thought all butterflys were a bit of a no-no for beginers as they have fussy water requirements or something.
I have Patella's 'The new marine aquarium' book at home that I have followed in doing my set up, the whole live rock/protein skimmer set up. and he gives some fish selection options according to tank size and for a 45-50gal tank he seems to think about 8 fish and the two LFS's I have been to both say the same?
I think I will avoid the starfish thing at the moment. I went to the LFS at the weekend and returned my teddybear crab stow-away which I managed to sucessfully catch hurrah! and I bought a cleaner shrimp (which likes to clean my hand) 6 blue legged hermits (funny guys) and a couple of corals (Finger leather-Lobophytum sp and Star Polyp-Xenia Clavulana).
I will get me two clowns next weekend, along with some food for my corals and after that I dont know . . .
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If your having a reef why not try sea-horces there easy to keep feeding on live and frozen foods and there is about 60 specices witch can all mate to produce intersting offspring ..
