Corals First? Fish First?

Hi all,

About to start cycling my first reef tank around Christmas and I'm wondering the order in which I should stock it. It's a 55 gallon, and I'm going to go mostly with LPS and softies and 4-5 smaller fish (mostly 4 in. or less max size). Just wondering if I should start with a fish or the corals? Everything I read assumes one will be starting with a fish, but is that the way to go? Does it even matter?

If it's helpful to know the fish I'm thinking about keeping, I'm currently thinking:

Six-line wrasse
Ocellaris Clown
Midas Blenny
Clown Goby
(I really, really want a Blue Tang, but I know that would just be cruel in a 55-gallon tank)

 

The Blenny may go after your LPS corals. The wrasse may harrass your Blenny and Goby and will make adding new fish difficult.

A good rule of thumb is 3 to 10 corals to 1 fish when adding at first. I would add the corals then a fish.

Add your fish in the following order Goby, Blenny, Clown then wrasse.

 

My six line was a mean little turd when he was in my 75g with other fish. Harassed my cardinal like something fierce. It ended up getting deported over to the mantis tank. Its in there now with a flame angel & a peacock mantis and everyone gets along fine, though. Colorful fish but not the most friendly in some cases.