Starting a new tank, open to fish suggestions. Peaceful tank

[n1sm0r]

Hello everyone,

I decided to start over and create a more peaceful tank. I have a 55 gallon that previously housed a Humu Humu and a Volitan (both were ~ 5inches long) but I recently got tired of having an aggressive tank, so I sold them and decided to start new.

I've always wanted a peaceful mini-reef tank. My question is: What fish would you guys recommend? The main things I'm looking for in my tank are:
1. Peaceful fish that won't attack eachother
2. Fairly hardy fish, but my water parameters are usually excellent ( 0 NH3, 0 Nitrate, < .05ppm Nitrate, pH= 8.2, Temp = 78-82 depending on the day), all water that enters my tank is RO/DI.

I have about 50 lbs of Live rock that I aquascaped into nice caves.

Here's what I'm thinking:
1. Two Perculas (Do I really need to buy a "mated" pair, or can I just buy two random ones and will they eventually "mate" themselves?)
2. Blue Hippo Tang (I'm aware they are prone to Ich, but I've got a quarantine tank and I'm experienced with treating Ich with hyposalinity).
3. Royal Gramma
4. Cleaner Shrimp
5. YOUR IDEAS
Also open to interesting invertebrates.

I've browsed through tons of sites looking at fish species, but I'm looking to see if anyone has any interesting experience with less-common fish.

Any input is appreciated. Again, the goal here is PEACEFUL FISH, preferably non-predatory

[crvz]

Hey n1sm0r, welcome to TRT!

Regarding your fish selection, a couple thoughts. The clowns are a great choice for a tank that size, so I'd definitely keep those in the list. The tang, though, is really a bad choice for a tank that size. Any tang, for that matter, is not going to thrive in a 55 gallon tank. They get too large and prefer much more space than what that tank provides. I got rid of my blue hippo from my 150 gallon setup because it was too active. Especially if you want a peaceful tank, I'd look at sticking with SMALL fish that will be very comfortable in a tank that size and that are not very territorial. So the tangs are out due to size, and I believe the royal gamma can be rather aggressive. While a good size, they do have a tendency to pick on other fish.

Some other good choices may include neon gobies, a canary wrasse (or similar Halichoeres species wrasse), firefish, a jawfish, one of the smaller blennies, and the a dwarf angel. Any 4-6 of those fish (including the clowns) would make good additions to a fish-only tank of that size.

[Dragonist]

I currently have a 55g reef ,and i can advise of some fish that might be enjoyable.
First of a Dwarf angel Coral Bbeauty or Flame Angel. I recommend a Coral beauty due to the grow bigger. Link below is a review on the fish in the price comparison page.
http://www.thereeftank.com/compare-r...uty-angelfish/

Any sort of clown will be enjoyable its up to you on which you prefer. I selected marron clowns for my chocie. Also you can go with some engineer gobies for a chocie. Great fish I will also list a link that display thier color morph as they mature and review+prce comparison.

http://www.thereeftank.com/compare-r...engineer-goby/

My Chocie of wrasse in my tank is a yellow wrasse label as coris in some locations. The picture below is the mature color morph if you purchase one as a juvenile it will have place circle like spot on its fins. I believe the number amount may be 2-3(mine has 3)

[crvz]

Canary wrasse = yellow wrasse = yellow coris wrasse = Halichoeres chyrsus.

[n1sm0r]

Thanks guys for the input. I'll definetly look into the dwarf angels.

That's kind of unfortunate about the Blue Tang, I really liked the way those looked. Would it be possible to keep a small Tang in my 55? I plan to sell him after a year since my lease will be up (and I don't want to put him through the stress of relocating an aquarium). I figure he won't get too large within a year.

[crvz]

those fish do grow very quickly, but the real notion on why it's not a great idea to house tangs in small tanks is that they will swim a lot. If you could find a tiny one (under 1"), that may be tolerable for a short period of time, but it wouldnt be my first recommendation.

[krazziecliff]

I'd throw in a couple Bangaii Cardinalfish.
Another fish I would highly recommend is the Lizard Goby...adds alot of character to the tank.
Flame Angels do well, you would have to drop the coral beauty though.
Longnose Hawkfish
Firefish
Starry Blenny
Threadfin Flasher Wrasse
Sixline Wrasse
Leopard Wrasse

[n1sm0r]

Originally Posted by crvz

those fish do grow very quickly, but the real notion on why it's not a great idea to house tangs in small tanks is that they will swim a lot. If you could find a tiny one (under 1"), that may be tolerable for a short period of time, but it wouldnt be my first recommendation.

I see, I guess the Tang is out of question then.
I'd hate to constrict one in a smaller tank solely for my viewing pleasure

So far:
1. Pair of Perculas
2. Flame Angel (possibly)
3. Cleaner Shrimp

I'm considering some Blue Damels and Domino Damsels since they're so cheap and hardy, but do you guys have any experience with those pestering similar sized fish like Clowns?

I'm not too big on Cardinal fish because they're not that colorful. I'd like some intense blue fish, or something with nice contrast like Purple (which is why I asked about Royal Gamma)

[Dragonist]

Originally Posted by krazziecliff

I'd throw in a couple Bangaii Cardinalfish.
Another fish I would highly recommend is the Lizard Goby...adds alot of character to the tank.
Flame Angels do well, you would have to drop the coral beauty though.
Longnose Hawkfish
Firefish
Starry Blenny
Threadfin Flasher Wrasse
Sixline Wrasse
Leopard Wrasse

Why is it you state to drop the Coral Beauty? Also in regards to the Long nose hawk fish, I have been advise they are not safe with ornamental shrimp.

[three90s&125sump]

The LNHF will be fine if your shrimp are blood shrimp and skunk cleaner and are full grown. If you get them first and then add a small LNHF the shrimp will be safe.

I would like to recommend a candy shrimp goby and a tiger pistol shrimp. The candy goby looks like a candy cane red and white striped very pretty stays small 3 inches or so. Very cool to watch it feed his pet shrimp.

Clown gobys are cool to and they will stay very small up to 2 inches.

When I stock a smaller tank like a 55 I like to get a lot of small fish like fire fish (helfricki) (sp?) small gobys (catalina) and blennys (bi-color). Lots of shrimp, skunk, blood, pistols and coral banded. A few crabs like porcelin, mythrax, boxing and arrow. A cat turd cucumber, a giant red brittle star (NO serpent stars), flame scallops (if skimmer permits), blue linkia and pencil urchin (need to have slime algae available 24/7 goes good with feeding flame scallop ).

Invertabrates can make or break a swim tank as far as coloration and being interesting goes.

Stay away from dominos and damsels. They are terrible fish to keep in a "peaceful" tank.

[krazziecliff]

I guess the Coral Beauty has to go if you plan on keeping a Flame Angel, although u'll hear tales about how dwarf angels dont mind each other..in a 65gallon its best to let one angel feel like king.
Abt the damsels...drop it. Jst dont get any damsels, 65 gallons is usually the size of the territory they will chalk out, and no fish is safe...absolutely none. I've seen a domino damsel nip and tear a dwarf lionfish to death.

[krazziecliff]

The shrimps would be safe as long as they are added before the LNHF, its not hard to find a shrimp as big as the Longnose, LNHF dont go that big anyway.

[Dragonist]

When the Krazziecliff states drop the Coral Beauty, its if you go with the flame angel.

[krazziecliff]

Dragonist
I picked up a Pseudochromis like looking fish a month ago, it had been in QT ever since and grew magnificently while in QT. Added him to the tank last night and boxer, skunk cleaner and bloodred fire engine shrimp were all devoured within 10 minutes!
I'm a lil upset about losing my shrimps, but I guess dats how nature works. The guy is pretty huge for a Pseudo quite honestly, I'm starting to wonder what else could go on his dinner plate. ...I have this really nice peacock mantis that hitchhiked into my reef, I got used to him...he even grabs table shrimp heads outta my hand if I wiggle it close to his burrow. I'm not quite sure abt the ID of the fish.
Its kinda greenish grey on the head, that fades into a brilliant orange body and dorsal fin. The tail is not crescent so I'm sure its not a vampire pseudochromis (Pseudochromis dilectus). And the color "gradient" is the exact reverse of the vampire. I'm starting to wonder what this fish is...looks very much like the vampire, jst reverse colored and lacks the crescent tail.
Will try and post a pic soon. The bugger jst got into the maintank, so its kinda hard right now. Gonna go home and check wut other critters have disappeared, for a change I'm hoping the Manty is still alive

[krazziecliff]

Oh just for better understanding, I have a mixed reef, softies, sps, lps, mushrooms, zoas all thriving in harmony.
Tank Dimensions = 150 X 90 X 60
Theres liverock arranged throughout the tank with all kinda critters.
Livestock
6 Green Chromis
1 Unicorn Tang
1 Hippo Tang
1 Fang Blenny
1 Striped Blenny
8 Polka Dotted Cardinalfish
2 Anthias (Haven't seen these guys in the hobby ever, nowhere on the web either, will post pics)
1 Lizard Goby
1 Bullet Goby
1 Candycane Goby