new & lurking, learning too

[DebsSisterFlo]

Hi there, I haven't posted much but I'm been reading a lot of your threads and I have a couple quick questions.

I am planing on eventually converting my 38g to salt and housing a dwarf zebra lion, all by his lonesome self. I won't add any more fish, I know. I'm wondering tho if I should have a clean up crew, I'm guessing yes for the detritus. What crew can I have that won't be eaten? I would like a blue legged hermit or two if possible, just because I like their blue legs! Also can I have a starfish of some sort, and again would it be ok with the lion? My lfs usually has chocolate chip stars, but I hear they're bad with corals, etc... for now I just have a couple small zoo's and a couple button polyps, oh and 4 mushrooms. Would a choco chip eat them?
Oh, one more while I'm thinking of it. I've heard some people don't use filters, they only use their skimmer. Would that be a wise decision? The filter and skimmer on my 20g will be put onto the 38g. I have a Whisper HOB and a Coralife skimmer, both rated to 65 gallons. I do not have a sump.

Thanks for your help!

[Andrew]

A dwarf zebra lion will outgrow a 38 gallon tank. The only dwarf lion that will be able to be housed in a 38 gallon tank would be a Fu-Manchu Lionfish.

[mike bracken]

I believe that the hermit crabs will be alright and most snails. To be sure try fishbase.com and do a search for the fish you like. The skimmer will be fine on its own, the whisper HOB seems to give off a lot off saltcreep. If yoou have liverock, skim, and do water changes there will be no need for the filter.

[mike bracken]

Sorry I should add the cllean-up crew would be alright if the lionfish is well fed. From what I have heard you will need a lot of live food, and patience to train it to frozen foods.
Info:
http://www.fishbase.com/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=5828

[DebsSisterFlo]

thanks for your replies. Now I'm confused, as I was told that a 38g would be just fine for a dwarf zebra as they get to about 7" max, and if he's the only fish in the tank and I get him small that he may not even get that big? My other thought was a fuzzy lion, I don't really care for the fu's, just an asthetic thing...

[Andrew]

Fuzzy and Zebras both get around 6-7'' and thats a large fish for a 38 gallon. I would say they need atleast a 4 foot tank. A Fu-Manchu Lionfish is the only lionfish that gets 3-4'' and can be housed in a smaller tank.

[DebsSisterFlo]

ok... so if I were to get a fu could I have any other fish with it? If so, what are some options?