Selecting fish for a new reef tank

[whiterabbit.50]

Hi everyone,

I just started a 55 gallon reef using the berlin filtration system with:

100lbs cured live rock (from 6 year old system)
50+ lbs live sand
2x #3 Koralia Powerheads, 850gph each (not installed yet but will be in a few days)
Giesemann Actinic+ T5 54w (on retrofit ballast)
Giesemann Aquablue Plus T5 54w (on retrofit ballast)
54W Giessman
Aquarium Systems Protein Skimmer with 300gph pump
Hang-on filter (with phosphate remover and activated carbon)
250W Heater

My water parameters after a bit more then a week are:

Temp: 77
Ph: 8.2
KH: 12 dKh
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 40 ppm
Cal: 430 ppm

Right now I have only 10 turbo snails in the tank. I want to keep SPS, LPS, and soft coral, sponges, clam, as well as an anemone (when my tank is established and I will invest in reflectors for the bulbs).

At the moment I want to know what anyone thinks about my "wish list" for fish (in order from most desired to least desired):

Volitan Lionfish
Green Mandarin
Powder blue tang/ Hippo Tang
Bicolor Angelfish
2xOcellaris Clownfish
2x Bartlett's Anthias
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Royal Gramma Basslet
Neon Gold Goby

I know that I cant keep all these fish, but can anyone let me know what would be the best combination of these and which I should start off with?

I'm also going to get some nassarius snails and a cleaner shrimp for my CUC

Thanks for the help!
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/156534smalltankpic.JPG

[synofreak]

Scratch the Lion and the Tang = Too Big
Start with the 2 Occy clowns
Then the wrasse and goby
Then the Gramma
Angels can nip coral, I own a Flame and it occasionally nips
Cant comment on the anthias
Wait long time and have a fuge for the Mandarian, unless you find one that eats packaged food.
Have fun.

[Moonstream]

Volitan Lionfish- IMO, dont even consider it. an adult is way too big for a 12" wide tank of any size, IMO. they will also eat pretty much anything smaller then them, and often will even go after eels.

Green Mandarin- possible, with no wrasses or grazing fish, or any other pod eating fish. though, I wouldnt do it.

Powder blue tang/ Hippo Tang- both will outgrow the tank quickly, and both are delicate ich magnets.

Bicolor Angelfish- possible, but more likely then most dwarf angels to nip corals. unless you are willing to tear the tank apart at a moments notice to get this out, or dont mind it killing corals it likes the taste of, dont get it.

2xOcellaris Clownfish- best fish for any tank over 10g, IMO

2x Bartlett's Anthias- possible, but they do better in larger groups, and your tank is one the smaller side for a group

McCosker's Flasher Wrasse- I would do this over the mandy, a much better choice

Royal Gramma Basslet- great choice

Neon Gold Goby- another great choice

note that the flasher wrasse and the mandarin will not both be able to exist in the tank. personally, I would do the flasher wrasse because it wont starve long term, and because with the mandarin you will constantly have to monitor the pods in the tank, and make sure the mandy has enough food.

so, personally, out of the wishlist you have, I would do
pair of ocellaris
royal gramma
mckosters flasher wrasse
gold neon goby

and then, my own recomendations would be
1 blenny (tailspots are adorable)
1 bangaii cardinal or pair of pajama cardinals
yellow clown goby

[whiterabbit.50]

thanks for the info so far!

How big a group of Bartlett's Anthias would I need?

Also, can I keep 2 bangaii cardinal together?

Can I keep a group 2-3 of blue or yellow tail damselfish if I add them last?

Lastly, I'm having a diatom bloom right now and I want to know if its ok to put fish in the tank before it goes away. Also, how do you tell if a snail dies?

thanks again!

P.S any other suggestions for good fish that would go with the ones I want would be great.

[Moonstream]

personally, I wouldnt do a group of anthias, especially the barletts. anthias are very high bioload, because they need lots of small, frequent feedings (usually 3 times a day).

chromis generally dont work out, they usually kill eachother out one by one until there is only one or two left.

unless the bangaii cardinals are a MATED pair, you will end up with one, they dont do well in groups either (unlike the pajamas).

[brandon7491]

if i were you i would do the following;

Bicolor Angelfish
2xOcellaris Clownfish
2x Bartlett's Anthias
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Royal Gramma Basslet
Neon Gold Goby


the angel as stated may nip at corals but i have a 4yr old flame angel and it has not picked at anything ever. as for the anthias 2 is not going to raise ur bioload up much. In my experiences with a group of 8 lyretial anthias they do not have to be fed 3 times a day, once a day is fine but i fed them 2 times a day. Even if u chose to feed 3 times a day just do very small feedings. as for now i would first put in your 2 clowns and wait 2 weeks then check ur nutrients. After the clowns i would do the neon goby then flasher wrasse, anthias,royal gramma, then your dwarf angel. as for the chromis you will have to choose do ditch some fish if you want them. In my tank i curently have had a group of 10 for 4mths and they have not killed any of each other.

[reefworm]

horror stories with Centropyge sp., including a CB of mine that killed an open brain after 8 months of good behavior. It's a crap shoot, and too bad as they're beautiful fish for color and movement.

IMO, DO NOT put damsels in the tank. no matter their size or when you introduce them they will terrorize everyone else in the tank. sharks run screaming from them. and nearly impossible to catch without tearing down the tank.

look at waterkeepeer's newbie thread at the top of the newbie forum for fish to avoid

[whiterabbit.50]

thanks again for all the info.

my LFS has a leopard wrasse for sale for $70 CAN. Is this a good deal and is it a suitable for my tank instead of the McCosker's Flasher Wrasse?

It might be a divided/Splendid leopard wrasse, heres a pic:

http://www.bostonreefers.org/totm/200503/images/divided-leopard-wrasse-2.jpg

[Dante_JoseCuerv]

Be careful with leopard wrasses, they're basically just a mandarin in terms of diet. I'd just stick with a flasher wrasse.