# fish choice



## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

I am still in the process of setting up my tank (45 galon tall), but would like to begin deciding the stock I want to keep. I really want a variety of colors, and an angel fish. Any suggestions?


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## Fusion MK (May 25, 2009)

I would say 5-6 angel fish and 8-10 cories with a sand substrate. The cories are usually the only fish that will not disturb the angel fish (except maybe at feeding time) and are not too small as to be eaten. They do not eat a lot, so the waste will be minimal. Plant some vallisneria (actually, plant a lot... the angelfish need to hide somewhere...), and maybe you won't even have to change the water that often.


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Oh wow, that made me happy to see I could have that many angels! I really wanted a Tang but after a lot of research I realized my tank size just would't cut it.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

This is saltwater, not freshwater. You can't have that many Angel fish. I only recommend the dwarf angel fish. Something like a Lemon Peel or Flame or things of that size. Will you be housing corals? If so what type?

You can keep a tang... just not a big tang like a clown tang and you will have to upgrade eventually.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Also, you will still need to do water changes normally (10% once a week or 20% every 2 weeks) and skim it. What type of filtration will you be using?


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Ya I was planning on going with the dwarf angels, and I am using a canister filter. I have not even started cycling my tank yet, but the next investment I am making is in live rock then a skimmer. I am only doing fowlr, and I do not plan on upgrading. I just bought everything I have. So whatever fish I get I plan on keeping until it dies in this tank.....


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## Fusion MK (May 25, 2009)

hmm... a saltwater tank, eh? 

Well, if you have a 20 gallon tall for freshwater and you wanted angels, then I guess 6 angels and 9 cories would be the way to go...:lol:


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

no tang will fit in this tank.


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## conger (Feb 2, 2008)

onefish2fish said:


> no tang will fit in this tank.



+1 since you won't be upgrading, and even if you were planning on upgrading to a larger tank, 45 gallon tall is really pushing it for a baby tang of most types, as they need a lot of lateral room for swimming.

As far as angelfish go, just like Kells said only go with dwarf angels (flame, lemon peel, coral beauty). And *only keep one dwarf angel*! They are very aggressive towards each other, so if you had multiple in your tank they would fight and kill each other until only one is left.


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Sounds good! So i hate the canister filter that I have and want something else. If i get a good protein skimmer and a powerhead will that suffice for filtration?


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## conger (Feb 2, 2008)

absolutely, in fact you should definitely eliminate the canister filter. A good supply of liverock (1.5 to 2 lb/gal), good flow in the tank (from your powerheads and proper rock arrangement), and a quality skimmer should be the foundation of your filtration. Optional things to add for filtration include carbon reactor, phosphate reactor, UV filter, and deep sand bed. The carbon and phosphate reactors are similar to canister filters, built for holding activated carbon or phosphate absorbing material. A UV filter helps kill free-floating parasites and bacteria (depending on the flow rate through the UV unit), helping to fight the spread of disease in the tank.

And as far as the sand bed goes, definitely don't use crushed coral, use a sand substrate, aragonite sand is a great choice. Most importantly, choose the depth of your sand bed carefully: either use 0.5 inch or less, or 4-6 inches. Don't go in-between, the 0.5-4 inch range is deep enough to trap waste and allow it to pollute the water, but isn't deep enough to grow anaerobic bacteria which will help keep your nitrates at zero. If you want sand but not a deep sand bed (just for looks sake), then go with 0.5" or less that way it isn't deep enough to really trap wastes. Otherwise, use 4 or 5 inches of sand, and in time certain bacteria will grow in the deepest parts of the sand bed where oxygen can't reach, and it will consume nitrates and convert it into harmless nitrogen gas. If you choose to go with a deep sand bed, then be sure that you don't disturb the sand bed when you clean your tank... no need to vacuum the gravel. You can keep things such as nassarius snails, sand sifting starfish, and other sand stirring creatures to help keep the sand bed stirred up naturally and the upper layers clean of detritus and other wastes. Nassarius snails are really cool by the way :-D


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Okay, sweet, I never realized what a problem that freaking canister would be in my room which is all carpet, not to mention ive never used one, im def. gona grab a good skimmer and power head and try and get rid of the filter. how much could i get for it? Also, I thought 1 inch sand bed was good, I bought enough sand for a 1 inch bed, including live sand to mix in.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

conger said:


> They are very aggressive towards each other, so if you had multiple in your tank they would fight and kill each other until only one is left.


This is very true.


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

I would suggest the DSB (deep sand bed). I think that you will have fun with the animals that you can keep in the DSB, like the Sandsifting Starfish and the Nassarius Snails. Maybe a Diamond Goby (I bought it named a Polaris Goby) they tend to burrow and sift through the top layer of sand. They are fun to watch. 

If you do go with less than 4", like conger said, use less than 1".


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Yeah I would like some of the sandsifting animals. But, ya I guess I couldnt go back an put sand in there later especially after getting allt he rock set up.


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

It's a pain adding sand down the road. It's best to make sure that you are as set up as you want to be before you add your first fish. After that, you don't really want to disturb the enviroment all that much.


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Yea, if i can find some more sand for cheap i will probably do that, if not, then i will just stick with what i have. This is much more expensive than I realized lol


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

I think (though I haven't done this) that you can use regular sand. The Live Sand that is already in your tank will seed the dead sand with beneficial bacteria. But you have to make sure it is Silica Free. I don't know if play sand that you buy at your local hardware store is silica free or not. 

I'lll check at work and let you know.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

+1

The way to add the sand is to get the sand bag and put it into the tank. then while it's down there open a slit into it on the under or side and allow water to soak it. Then increase the size of the hole and slowly release into the water. That'll keep most of the sand from blowing around as much as it could be. Also, turn your pumps off when you release and non-livesand will be more free floating then live sand so keep that in mind when you add.


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Okay, thanks.


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## shobhita03 (Jun 16, 2009)

mullinsd2 said:


> I am still in the process of setting up my tank (45 galon tall), but would like to begin deciding the stock I want to keep. I really want a variety of colors, and an angel fish. Any suggestions?



With many different shapes, cichlids can range from the disk-like forms of the popular Angelfish and Discus to the cylindrical bodied forms of the sporty African cichlids. They are very active and intriguing freshwater fish. Many are highly colorful, especially those from the African lakes, while others reach an impressive size and are great specimens for a large show tank.


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

Is it common to have a saltwater cichlid?


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## conger (Feb 2, 2008)

I am guessing shobhita didn't realize this was the saltwater forum. To my knowledge (limited!) there is no such thing as a saltwater cichlid


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## mullinsd2 (Jun 4, 2009)

yea idk


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

the closest thing ive seen that resembles a cichlid is the western blue devil _Paraplesiops sinclairi_


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Is that fish Reef Safe?


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