Chromis?

[bpoore89]

Hey all. I have a 55 and currently the only thing I have in there is a Yellow Tang, and two Percula Clowns. I'd really like some Chromis but Im worred that I will have to many fish. What do you guys think, and to all the tang police, no, the tang is small and will stay in my tank. Thanks

[MalHavoc]

I think you've got enough fish, let alone the tang in a 55. I will refrain from commenting.

[Avi]

I'd say that in a 55 you are somewhat limited as to what you can add, but not totally limited. I wouldn't put any chromis in, though. I don't like keeping any kind of damsel first of all because it's difficult to predict how aggressive they may become despite the innocent appearance they may have in a fish store's tanks. But also, they are a fish that may be small but do prefer large open areas to swim naturally in a schooling manner. So, if you want to add something, I'd suggest a Royal Gramma as the ideal fish to add...maybe a Fridmanni Dottyback.

[reefergeorge]

I think you clowns would pick on the chromis. I would skip them, but I think you could add some kind of bottom dweller if we don't take the tang into consideration.

[bpoore89]

Ok thanks guys. I had my doubts about the chromis being "harmless" as advertised, because they are still damsels. I think Ill just stick with my Tang and Clowns as originally planned

[Sk8r]

In a 55, only one chromis. They're perfect gentleman so long as there's not another chromis. I'd advise the blue: imho, they're prettier, and get a small one---they don't grow very fast, and he'll keep his footprint small and mostly entertain himself by running about like a lunatic: that's what they do. When your yellow tang hits a foot long, however, you'll be buying a new tank. I agree with the others that you're really pushing the size thing---an herbivore like a tang tends to stress a system, in my own experience---the alternative being small gobies that only eat micro-things. What I would advise if you're set on having a tang in a 55 is that you invest in: a big sump, and a skimmer about up to an Aqua C EV 120, and skim really hard all the time; PLUS, ideally, a 20g refugium and a massive ball of cheato...

Reason? A: large carnivores [the clowns] and large herbivores [the tang] really tax a system. Everything you put into a system is a load on the rock/sand combo---and that means fishfood. Much healthier is a tank you don't have to feed at all---but do at least realize that that fishfood is not a 'free' addition: it pollutes. Big fish, big food, big problem. Hence the need for a mega-skimmer.

Second, rapid-swimmers like tangs and angels have a huge oxygen requirement compared to, say, a goby of the same size. Big tangs really use it up. In a tank problem, the first two fish to die will be, usually, the tang, and the angel. What brings oxygen into your tank? four things. 1. the ripple on the water surface as water enters your tank. 2. the 'fall' your water takes as it enters your sump. 3. the action of algae with a high oxygen exchange rate: cheato being one of the best. Big cheato means much more available oxygen.

I hope that gives you some information: it's one thing to say I'm in love with my tang and I think I can keep him healthy, but it's better to understand the reason its hard to keep a tang in a 55, and what the trouble-points are. You're wise not to want to load up your tank [and while I can inform you about chromises, I really think malhavoc and the others are right, that it's just pushing the bioload one more step, though a minor one, and I'm glad you're now leaning toward not doing it] ---but most important is to understand the parameters you're dealing with, and understand what to watch for if your tang starts having trouble, and what to do about it.

Never stop checking your nitrate and ammonia: need for a bigger skimmer will show up there first. Do your weekly water changes faithfully: that lowers nitrate. And if you spot your tang hanging near the water surface or water outflow, that's lack of oxygen---and that means big skimmer and a fuge or a 100g tank are your only options besides selling him on.

[cd77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11114869#post11114869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
In a 55, only one chromis. They're perfect gentleman so long as there's not another chromis. I'd advise the blue: imho, they're prettier, and get a small one---they don't grow very fast, and he'll keep his footprint small and mostly entertain himself by running about like a lunatic: that's what they do.
+1, and that is exactly what my single chromis does! -- when I had more than one they'd fight to the death.