What are easy keepers for new salt water mommy?

Question

I currently have a domino damsel and a yellow tailed damsel. I got a fake clown fish and a snail. I wanted to add another fish but I don't know what is easy to keep because I'm still learning. I have a 55 gallon that is doing well for over a month now.

I know the damsels are nasty guys. I just had them in the tank to help cycle it with the intent that the pet store I got them from would take them back. I just wanted to keep them as long as I could since I don't really have anything else exciting to look at. So I'm not that attached to them.

Answer 1

Some of the fish that I like to suggest that are fairly hardy, smaller, and mostly reef safe are clownfish, green reef chromis, longnose hawkfish, canary blenny, cardinalfish, clown gobies, scissortail gobies, jawfish, royal gramma, and firefish.

Saltwater fish are more aggressive and territorial than many of the "community" freshwater fish - they are more like cichlids in temperment. For most, you'll need to be careful not to include more than one member from the same family, or fish of the same color or body shape so that the fish don't see each other as "rivals". For most types, this means you can keep only one per tank. There are some (clownfish, cardinalfish) that you can keep as a pair (male and female) although both should be introduced at the same time. If you try to introduce them separately, the first fish is more likely to territorial. A very few (like the green chromis and scissortails) can be kept in a school.

Also, since the fish show this type of behavior, and they're more sensitive to water quality than are many of the freshwater species, you shouldn't try to stock the tank as heavily.

These websites may be of some help in researching fish which would be compatible, including info on the species I've mentioned:
http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm
http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/

Answer 2

well since you have the damsels you are very limited. Damsels are nasty little fish. i had a tank of damsels that when i put my hand it to cean the tank would attack my hand and they were still very little. they get very territorial and can only really be kept with other aggressive fish. there are many other types of damsels with many colors and various patterns. More damsels will be a best bet for you. Id say you can do a trigger but the tank is kinda small for any triggers. you can get an algae blenny they are cool fish and will help eat some algae in the tank. Anyway for now your tank is still young believe it or not. Adding more delicate species would still be a risk since your tank is still maturing. Do you have live rock or live sand? if you really want to add anything for now i would add live rock if you dont already have any or i would start building up your cleaning crew. You can get a bunch of snails maybe some little hermit crabs if you dont plan on having corals. emerald green crabs are pretty cool and maybe a peppermint shrimp or cleaner shrimp. I made the mistake with starting with domino and three stripe damsels when i first got into saltwater and ended up bringing them back to the store when my tank cycled and i wanted nicer fish so that could be another option. For the future if you need nice fish to cycle the tank with id reccomend green chromis over the damsels for they are more mellow and can be kept with mostly anything.

Answer 3

get rid of the damsels, they should be bred with huge flashing lights saying do not buy me. blennies, gobies, wrasses, are some of my favorites, most are easy to care for, the algae blenny is popular and cheap, most any goby is under 20, wrassses can get expensive, expect 30-50 for some of them. sorry alot of stores try to pushthe damsels because theyre easy, but with how much has been learned about diet, water quality ect in the past 20 years they're are plenty of "hard" fish that are now easy to care for, in a 55 dwarf angels may be a good mix, such as flame, bicolor, coral beauty angel to name a few, they stay form 4-6 inches when fully grown, and remeber just one, they can be territorial

Answer 4

Blennies are easy, but they need plenty of hiding places but in return will demonstrate easy appetites, they'll eat just about anything you drop in the tank for them.

Also, other saltwater fish which can be attempted once you get good at controlling the fish's environment are hawkfishes, grammas, dottybacks, basslets, and wrasses.

Good luck! Damsels are aggressive, but hardy fish.