Whats required for a FO tank? No more reef? - Page 2

stang5_o2002 · 07-13-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twitterbait

I woud say no to the butterfly but the rest work great. if you don't have anything but coral you could look at doing a dwarf lion too. look into the dwarf angels many of them are ok with coral.

Just out of curiosity, why no to the butterfly? I had one for almost six months and he was great. I ended up trading him back to the LFS because They had a mated pair of GSM clowns that I had been wanting.

fchidsey · 07-13-2006, 06:56 PM

Don't Give up the Reef Yet the Tank looks great It takes time and patence neither of which I have. looks like you have been around a while so you know the drills and the stony corals look great there are tons of fish you can all

Geoff · 07-13-2006, 08:01 PM

there are more than you know.

here are some of the less known reef safe fish.

Angels in the Genicanthus Genus. all of them

as far as butterflies: would not recommend the copperband, but you can get any butterflies in the Hemitauriichthys. if you have really good eyes you can get a Heniochus diphreutes. do not get a H. acuminatus. the problem is that they are both imported as the same thing. it is up to you to figure out which one it is.

what about a school of Apogon taeniatus.

G~

Kullas · 07-13-2006, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob_Reef_Keeper

This is my booorrriiinnnggg tank.

YA have some mice Sps. tyr getting a fue more softies and then ya can watch them grow

reiple · 07-13-2006, 11:20 PM

There are many wonderful fishes to keep in a FO tank. However a 55g is still too small for them.

Maybe very small specimens but even those will too soon out grow your tank. Example are the Harlequin Wrasse, Butterflys (Chaetodon family), Angels (Pomacanthus and Holacanthus family), Groupers (reef safe but oh so BIG), and Triggerfishes.

You could stick to a reef and aquascape a little, add rock and a few nice fishes. Would look great by then.

thekid55 · 07-13-2006, 11:31 PM

Need Some Color Got One Word For You Firefish. And Some Others

thekid55 · 07-13-2006, 11:44 PM

and some more if you cant find a fish here you like you dont like fish my friend.

thekid55 · 07-13-2006, 11:47 PM

and more.

Geoff · 07-14-2006, 02:22 PM

anthias and damsels i would be leary of. anthias need to be fed often. they have small stomachs. they are easy to keep if feed often, but water quality can become an issue. generally Anthias are not recommended for beginners.

G~

Rob_Reef_Keeper · 07-16-2006, 03:53 PM

I tried changing the aquascaping and there is not much room in a 3ft tank.

The tank has a high canopy but basically an open top so firefishes and wrasses that jump are no good. The 58G tank is just a bad tank for a reef with fish.

partobe · 07-16-2006, 04:03 PM

I think its so funny that you call your tank booorrinnng. I wish my tank looked as good. Dont give up! we're all here to suport you!

tdwyatt · 07-16-2006, 05:12 PM

Hey Rob

The tank is looking really good, I think you've finally gotten past the issues associated with nutrient problems driving algae blooms. The key now is to go lite on the number and/or sizes of your fishes, and make sure that what you get will be good with the low-nutrient plan you have in place. For situatioins likes yours where you've taken the time to cook the rock, and remove the sandbed to assure little accumulation of nutrients (so long as husbandry remains good), then fish pops should remain low, and every fish you acquire should have a role to play in maintaining the system as you have it now... the fish are the butterflies in the garden, some play a role, others are just fluff. You need to decide how much fluff you're willing to have.

Look for herbivory, fishes like the rabbitfishes that do not require space needed to keep the tangs will be a good place to start, and they are quite personable. Fishes that require bolus feeding of meaty foods end up supplying the tank with boluses of nitrates and phosphates as they poop the feeding into the system, so avoiding these (like lionfishes) will prevent rapid accumulations of potential algal bloom nutrients. As Geoff has already pointed out, many of the smaller fishes that are highly active require frequent feeding, so many of these types of fishes are not in your best interests in the long run either.

More later, got to get out of here for the night in a bit.

ChrisPrusha · 07-16-2006, 05:33 PM

Good suggestions above, Rob. I would just like to say that I think your tank looks wonderful!

Boring? No way...not in my opinion.

verde_ad · 07-16-2006, 06:50 PM

I think your tank looks great. Maybe some flasher wrasse's. They don't need the sand. I am doing a BB tank that is 24x20x28 and am strugling with the same things. It can be frustrating, but the fish are out there if you are patient.

salt creepette · 07-16-2006, 11:49 PM

I have had my 55 for a couple years now (going on three) and its packed with fish and soft corals. check out my sig line link for pics. definitely not boring! your tank has some nice rock and great looking corals. Dont count out the 'shy' fish. I have had dottybacks and they are actually not shy, they are quite belligerent and they do cruise around out in the open quite a bit, esp if they feel like they have a safe refuge and in your tank, they do. I also have assessors which I think are beautiful little fish. I love chromis because they are gentle and have a lovely glowing teal color. get yourself a copy of Scott W. Michaels book on marine fishes and you will find lots of fish you can put! just a note, I have tried doing a FO tank and I was boooored with just the fish.