My first Salt

[amcarrig]

Just a heads up to add to what's already been said, that chocolate chip starfish is not reef safe. It can and will eat your corals, clams and anemones.

[mandarin11]

Ok the tank going for 2 years is way better! As for getting cyclopeeze, I'm all for trying it, but mandarins are renown for not eating flake or frozen food to well. There are always the rare few, and maybe you'll get lucky and have one, but what you really need to do is order in some live pods. Try ebay or ReefScanengers, ReefScavengers.Com - Cleaner Crews, Inverts, Corals & More!!

There are probably other places and I'm sure people will chime in. These pods are what the dragonettes rely on as a food source, so the sooner you get some the better the outcome for your mandarin.

Keep us updated!

[YellowBelly]

I've had my Spotted Mandarin for 16 months and it has never eaten flake or frozen foods. I have 180 pounds of live rock in my 120g teeming with pods from my 30g refugium. I recommend a lot of live rock and a refugium if you want to keep a mandarin in a 55g.

[Godbert]

Thanks everyone i intend to get rid of that starfish as well amcraig i just recently found out that it was not reef safe thanks for the heads up!

[Godbert]

quick q what is the difference between a dwarf lion and a regular and how can you tell them apart?
ps. new tankmate
Medusa Coral - pic coming soon

[Godbert]

Medusa Coral

Finger Leather

Falcos Hawk

(you can see him in middle to right middle of pic)
Choco Chip Starfish returned

[mandarin11]

Dwarf lions don't get as big, I think about 3" max. However the same rule applies to them, if it fits in their mouth they will eat it, and they can open their mouth pretty wide. (The fuzzy dwarfs are so cute though!)

[aquaboy]

if you wouldnt care, i would trade in lionfish for a more "Tank-Beneficial" fish, such as a kole tang. Lions are messy carnivores and in a 55gal, that can spell algal goodness on your rock and sand. Kole tangs are small and will help with algae. Same with yellow tangs, but they may get somewhat aggressive. I have a yellow tang in my 55gal and she ate all of my green hair algae in about a week. I would also like to point out that you are at the point where purchasing fish ends, and equip upgrades begin many say they will take it simple, but most times just bite the bullet and upgrade equip This is all constructive opinionism and i hope we helped.
If anything i said made you like me less, you just remember that im only 14 years old and you dominate me in every aspect.......

[mandarin11]

A dwarf lion would be alright as far as bioload goes, but with that little purple fish and your clowns I wouldn't try it. Also I've heard the falcos hawk can be quite aggressive to other fish so watch out for the gentler fish in your system. Make sure you research compatibility and size requirements before you bring something home, and don't add things to quickly. Also while the tang suggestion is nice they a) don't always eat nuisance algae, you can find something much more reliable, and b) tangs don't really belong in a 55g, they end up getting to big. Keep us updated on the tank, and feel free to ask any questions. Remember, do not get to many fish.

[Godbert]

thanks all i plan on stopping with the fish and now more focusing on corals i have one quick q does a kenya tree reproduce by budding? i recently found fome snall ones growing close to where the coral was originally placed? and aquaboy boost the self esteem i am only seventeen, i do not dominate you