# what to do with 65 gallons



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

hey guys i plan on getting a 50 to 65 gallon set up soon. i want a fish only system. i wanted to know my options. i really like lionfish. ecspecially dwarfs. but i also like puffers. can these two get along? and what else could i have? i like community stuff like clowns and gobies and stuff. and would tangs be possable?


----------



## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

I would treat a 55 or 65 gallon tank very similar to a 29 gallon. You can add more fish, but the types of fish won't change. I would look for space to add a 75 or even a 90 gallon tank. You can find these tanks in the 4 foot length and it opens up the door to a lot more fish options.


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

true but thanks to this guy on craigslist(best website ever!) who is apparently made out of money and wants to upgrade, i'm getting a 65 gallon tank with sump, filter, protein skimmer, lights, etc. etc. for $75. so 65 gallons is what i'm working with


----------



## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Awesome find! And 65 gallons is decent size tank. You can have some fun with this one!


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

thanks now for my main "showcase" fish, i want either a dwarf lion or some type of puffer. could i get both? and what other fish could i have in there? i don't have my heart set on any one type of fish just something to put with my lion or puffer. i like gobies... oh and lastly, how can i tell the difference between a young and small lionfish and an adult dwarf? i don't want to get the wrong thing just because the store mislabeled it.


----------



## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

It shouldn't be that difficult to tell a Dwarf Lionfish from the other species. They have a unique appearance. Keep in mind, even the "Dwarf" get to be 6'' in size, which is a pretty big fish. You will need to keep its tank mates large enough not to be eaten. Most Gobies won' t be an option!

I would not suggest keeping a Puffer and Lionfish together in a 65 gallon tank. The sheer waste produced would be excessive, plus most Puffers need larger aquariums. You could probably do one of the Toby puffers, such as the Valentini Puffer.


----------



## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

If you want a Puffer or a Dwarf Lion, you can have ONE of them, and nothing else. Not even inverts/coral. No questions asked.


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

true pasfur. i've heard of people having gobies with lions but i always doubted there success. and waste is a thing i want to keep an eye on. i cant do evey week 35% water changes, since i want to buy as little salt as possable. and cody, are you sure on that? the valentini puffer is, and remains very small, in a 65 i think i may be able to keep one with some other community fish.


----------



## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

puffers or lions arnt much of community fish but more for an agressive/predator tank. lions will eat anything they can fit in their mouth that they want to eat. the puffer is small but carries a large bio-load, im not saying its not possible but its going to require a good skimmer and so forth. your not going to be able to have inverts.


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

yes, i'm aware that puffers are little piggys. XD but i'll have good filtration(sump, undergravel, and skimmer) so is there anything that can be kept with a dwarf lion in a 65 gallon with good filtration??


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Maybe a good sized Maroon Clownfish or two? 

I have overheard my LFS tell other customers as well as a friend of mine that puffers tend to nip at fish with long elegant fins. I haven't personally witnessed this, but can anyone here verify?


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

thats what i was thinking. but wasn't sure. anything else??


----------



## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

undergravel filters are out dated and dont need to be used, if you so insist on using it atleast use it reverse undergravel filter so it keeps food in suspension and no suck food in trapping it and causing issues as the food breaks down. i personally think your best without it.


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

true. i even have a 50 gallon canister fillter i could use instead.


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

> true. i even have a 50 gallon canister fillter i could use instead.



Uh-oh. He didn't just say "canister filter", did he?:lol:


----------



## jwalker314 (Jul 27, 2009)

lol....im so glad i joined this forum....a canister filter would have been the first thing i bought for my tank had i not read up....THANKS GUYS!!


----------



## zachhay11 (Dec 27, 2008)

no worries! canister won't be used. just about to fill my tank up right now. should i put my bubbler in the sump?


----------

