saltwater fish being compatable

[bosredsox92]

i have question. i am trying to put together a fish only aquarium and have an idea of the fish i want but need a secon opinion. the fish are as follows: a clown triggerfish, piccasso triggerfish, emperor angelfish (juv.), a blue hippo tang, and a maroon clownfish. i have been told that it should be fine just keep the fish feed so the triggers dont get hungry. others said you need like a 200 gallon agarium. i am getting all the fish between the 1 and 3 inch range. i have a 55 gallon fish tank. i tore down my reef tank and already have the maroon clown and blue hippo. i want to add the other. please help me out.

 

[bostontim]

everything i have read says that is a lot for a 55g. honestly a hippo is probably too big for the 55 itself.

 

[smcnally]

Just the hippo tang alone needs a much bigger tank than that.

 

[Jennifer]

Yup, I read it all of the time people want to put all kinds of fish in a small tank. Usually with the excuse that it is only an inch long. Fish grow and do not remain small for long.
If you choose to buy a certain fish, recomended tank size is based on the fishes adult size. You need to be prepared to upgrade to a larger tank or dont buy the fish.
Please dont be the type that just says well I will return it when it gets too large. Unfortunately most LFS dont bother to tell people how large the fish they are buying will get. They just figure they will prob die before they reach adult size anyway.

I think I just joined the fish police.

 

[Moe_K]

i have question. i am trying to put together a fish only aquarium and have an idea of the fish i want but need a secon opinion. the fish are as follows: a clown triggerfish, piccasso triggerfish, emperor angelfish (juv.), a blue hippo tang, and a maroon clownfish. i have been told that it should be fine just keep the fish feed so the triggers dont get hungry. others said you need like a 200 gallon agarium. i am getting all the fish between the 1 and 3 inch range. i have a 55 gallon fish tank. i tore down my reef tank and already have the maroon clown and blue hippo. i want to add the other. please help me out.

Good on you for planning things out and asking questions.

I think the 2 triggers in a 55 is a bad idea. The clown trigger gets huge!

 

[DawnOctopus]

Don't believe the myth that "fish grow to the size of the tank" -- They only grow to the maximum size they can, and then they die.

Good for you to plan before you buy though

 

[afboundguy]

Get this book It is awesome! (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781890087388&itm=2)

It tells you everything you need to know about the fish (max size, min tank, what it eats, reef safe etc etc) I never buy a fish without consulting it. I know a lot of LFS carry it and it's well worth the money.

 

[RayD]

That book is the bible of buying fish for the hobby. There's also a second edition. I have both editions plus the coral book.

Don't leave home without it.