55g stocking list

What do you think about my possible stocking list for my 55g reef?

1 Coral Beauty (4"
1 Humu Picasso Trigger (10" as adult. only 1"-2" when I add him.)
3 Firefish (3.5" ea.)

CUC:

50 Dwarf Ceriths - small effective cleaners
24 Nassarius
17 Florida Ceriths
14 Blue Legs
9 Large Nerite
7 Small to medium Nerites
1 Longspine Urchin
1 Florida "Fighting" Conch
(Don't forget lots of extra shells for the hermits!)

I will have mixed corals, sps, sponge, anemones. But specifically these are the only ones I currently know I want..

Polyps
-oranges,red,yellow polyps
-sun polyps
-colony poly, yellow

Anemones
-Bubble Tip

SPS
-Montipora Capricornus

LPS
-Candy Cane Coral

Sponges
-Red Ball Sponge (Will wait until tank has been running for a few months)

Softies
-Green Florescent Mushroom
-Lavender Mushroom
-Toadstool Leather
-Kenya Tree


Side-note: my light fixture will be the Nova SLR T5HO 48" 216w. I will switch out the bulbs for better ones. I will have a 40lb argonite base(not sure exactly how deep withis will be...I'd like 3-3.5"). 45lb Fiji LR to start

Thanks. Comments/suggestions are welcome. Any other suggestions would be nice too.:

 

would the firefish be ok with a trigger?

 

did you mean a Toadstool Leather? I've never heard of a TS nem before, but who knows. All nems are best added after 6+ months when your tank has had time to establish. I wouldn't get the urchin, have heard negatives about them with corals, making a mess.

If you want the firefish make sure you have a top on the tank, they are known jumpers & can be skiddish. I'm a fan of open-tops though so I steered clear of jumpers.

Coral Beauty is a nice dwarf angel, it may or may not nip at corals, it's hit or miss. I have a flame angel and it pecks once and a while, nothing major.

I would not get a Tang, Trigger, or Butterfly for a 55g. Even though you get them small they grow fast quickly. Once they are large enough they can start getting more aggresive, you'll have wished you hadn't when you wreck your reef to catch them.

I have a 55g reef and other than having a Blue Tang (that I returned) I bought only fish that would be comfortable in that size tank.

Here's a few other options that can go in a 55g and not grow too large:

- Clowns
- Royal Gramma
- Flame Hawk
- Banggai Cardinals
- 6-line Wrasse
- Allen's Damsel
- Blenny's (Scooter/Starry/Algae)


Also the CUC you listed seems a bit of an overload. I'd say you would be fine with a mix of 40 snails and maybe 25 hermits.

just my two cents, best of luck!

 

Because the trigger is aggressive, its says compatible, with caution with most other fish.

Marine Compatability Chart

 

My bad, I did mean TS Leather. Not quite up on the correct names yet.av

I know about them jumping. I already plan to get an all-glass lid.

The coral beauty will be transferred from my current tank.

The CUC was what John, from reefcleaners.org, recommended to me. I added the urchin and fighting conch.

 

I don't think that would include firefish, they are very small and timid. I think they would be eaten or scared into permanent hiding. maybe someone who has tried this before will chime in. I've never had firefish b/c i always read about them being super shy.

 

Got it, I def trust John on the CUC, I personally wouldn't get the urchin or conch, maybe down the line a ways.

 

I am still undecided on the Trigger. I just thought it would be really interesting, thought I see your point. I have seen many people do alright and others have trouble with this fish.

I am looking for a large show fish, preferably about 6".

 

I would like to get the urchin and conch but not until the system is more developed and biologically stable.

I didn't see firefish even on the chart. Would they be comsidered a goby?

 

IMO, there aren't really too many 6" or more show fish you can keep in a 55. Just not enough swimming room.

The CuC sounds excellent IMO. I've had mine from reefcleaners for over a year now in my 55 (it was similarly large) and I'm replacing all my hermits with additional snails... I find the hermits to be coral meaty food thieves.

I'd personally wait on the conch as your substrate isn't going to be all that full of food just yet.