Still working on new fish to get

[ClownFishGuy6]

In your guys opinion should I get 4 clownfish for my BTA(would a BTA host 4 clowns?) or 2 clownfish and a wrasse? What do you guys think. This is going to be my stocking list.
1 yellow tail damsel
1 green Chromis
1 algae blenny
Royal Gramma
4 clownfish or
2 clownfish and 1 wrasse
And maybe a Kole Eyed tang

Does that look ok for a 55 gallon tank?

[thegrun]

No way would you want more than two clowns in your tank, so that makes the decision easy. Your tank is too small for a tang so take it off the list. 7 fish would be a big bio-load so you are going to need to either make frequent water changes or take a fish or two off the list.

[ReefWhatYouSow]

Hope I can help a bit but you'll still want to do some more research on this. I wouldn't put more than two clowns unless you are doing a harem tank (many clowns from the same birth and many nems). I would stick with just two and I personally wouldn't add a tang to a 55. I've seen it done but I think they are best for larger tanks.

You also will have to think about the order you add fish and how much time between each cause your bioload will increase each time. I prefer 6 weeks between each fish or group of fish that I add.

If I were to guess the order off of the top of my head it would be:

Algae blenny and royal gramma

Then chromis and wrasse (depending on which one)

Then two clownfish

Then your one damsel

Good luck! And let me know if I can answer any questions.

[heathlindner25]

No way would you want more than two clowns in your tank, so that makes the decision easy. Your tank is too small for a tang so take it off the list. 7 fish would be a big bio-load so you are going to need to either make frequent water changes or take a fish or two off the list.

Bioloads are easily controlled.... aggression in temperament totally different game

[ReefWhatYouSow]

Hope I can help a bit but you'll still want to do some more research on this. I wouldn't put more than two clowns unless you are doing a harem tank (many clowns from the same birth and many nems). I would stick with just two and I personally wouldn't add a tang to a 55. I've seen it done but I think they are best for larger tanks.

You also will have to think about the order you add fish and how much time between each cause your bioload will increase each time. I prefer 6 weeks between each fish or group of fish that I add.

If I were to guess the order off of the top of my head it would be:

Algae blenny and royal gramma

Then chromis and wrasse (depending on which one)

Then two clownfish

Then your one damsel

Good luck! And let me know if I can answer any questions.


Yes... As Heathlinder mentioned, aggression should be thought of as you add these fish hence why no more than the two clowns and also why I gave you that order of fish being entered. You don't want a more aggressive fish in the tank first who doesn't allow any newcomers. Check with others on the precedence of the fish to make sure I didn't steer you wrong though.

[A.Astore]

Depending on the wrasse though it may even need to go in a little later. Sixlines can get very nasty when put in early in the game for example. I would stick to 2 clowns though rather than 4. I must agree though on the Kole not being a good fit for the 55 gallon especially with the number of other fish being placed with it. You may be okay with it for a bit but there is a good chance down the road you will start to have trouble once the clowns take up a large area around their host, then add a damsel in there, plus a tang that has grown.

The other thing I will mention is you are more likely to see your Royal Gramma without the Kole. My Royal was fine, always out waiting for the pipette to come carrying food. I added a Copperband Butterfly (dude just swims through the tank, doesn't even pay attention to the other fish) and the Royal still darts back into its hole system when the Copperband comes past.

[T Haynes]

I think 2 clowns and a wrasse should be fine. I'm gonna try 4 clowns in my 90 but I'm not expecting guarunteed success there

[Rubasu]

I have two clowns and a carpenter's flasher wrasse in my 40B - The clowns have never shown aggression towards the wrasse, even though they have been established in the tank for years.

(Flasher wrasses are beautiful to watch...so that would be my recommendation...)

[thegrun]

I think 2 clowns and a wrasse should be fine. I'm gonna try 4 clowns in my 90 but I'm not expecting guarunteed success there

Save yourself the trouble and the lives of the fish and only keep two clowns in your 90. I've seen two clowns work in a 180 gallon tank, but usually it takes a full 8' long tank to get more than two to live semi-peacefully once they mature.

[PatW]

I saw a 180 with four clowns. The dominant female spent most of her time clobbering the other pair. In that tank, a 6' length just was not enough.

[Shawn O]

Which wrasse were you thinking of getting?

[ClownFishGuy6]

Which wrasse were you thinking of getting?

Wasn't sure maybe a six line I'm not very familiar with all the different types of wrasses and how they act with different things yet

[bat21]

Wasn't sure maybe a six line I'm not very familiar with all the different types of wrasses and how they act with different things yet

A sixline is fine, sizewise, but they are often little bastards to other fish. Your best bet would be a flasher wrasse.

The really best best would be a pygmy wrasse. They are the most peaceful easy going of the whole lot. But the flashers are very colorful and also peaceful. Most Fairy wrasses are too big for a 55, so find one with flasher in its name, and you should be good. McCosker's is a popular and colorful choice. I will be getting one as my next fish in my 66 gallon.