fish for 55g

[modelrr]

I have a couple questions about what fish I can keep in my new 55g fowlr...

-what tangs could I keep?
-could I keep any of the following:
-volitan lionfish
-foxface lo
-triggerfish


thanks

[dvarner32]

A 55gal tank has many disadvantages for a salt water system. due to its width you'll have a hard time fitting a sump underneath it that will afford you the ability to put an effective protein skimmer on it. I have a 55 now and put a small vlamingi tang in it. it get's very large but grows very slowly and I put him in there knowing that I am getting rid of that tank and moving. I would say that you could keep 1 yellow tang but it gets to be the size of a soft ball. I would say that a lion fish would be okay because they mostly lounge around anyways. Fuzzy dwarfs would probably be a better idea. Foxface...again gets very large and it's adult size would not suit a 55. Same with a trigger. Make sure that you have adequate filtration if you decide to get those fish. They produce a lot of waste when they are adults and nutrient export will be important. If I were you I would consider smaller fish like butterflies, damsels, clowns, nano fish, unless you are compelled to have the aggressive species. If that's the case, get a 75.

[modelrr]

right now I only have a small power filter and a skimmer. I'll be getting an eheim canister filter as soon as possible.

if I got the foxface while it was small (just a couple inches long maybe), how long could I keep it until it grew out of the 55g?

[yeame]

he will be fine in the 55 for a wile most larger fish grow 1-2" a year I would go with a dwarf lion they wont eat a 3-4" fish I dont think I would put a tang in unless you plan to upgrade even the most peacefull tang will get mean if he is in a tank to small but if you get a tang go with a huma huma they have a personality and arent that agressive as for a clown look at the black saddle backs they will live with allmost anything that cant swallow them whole

[meschaefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7534485#post7534485 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by modelrr
right now I only have a small power filter and a skimmer. I'll be getting an eheim canister filter as soon as possible.

if I got the foxface while it was small (just a couple inches long maybe), how long could I keep it until it grew out of the 55g?

Skip the cannister filter, and put the money into a protein skimmer. Canniser filters just trap the fish waste without removing it from the system.

[modelrr]

oops..I meant to say *protein* skimmer