# 55 gallon population



## ZachStep (Dec 2, 2006)

Hello everyone, I've been doing research on saltwater fish for the past month and I have yet to find an answer on total fish volume to water volume is allowable (and successful) for saltwater fish. I know you have to be patient and add only 2 or 3 fish at a time and give the biological filtration a few weeks to readjust to the new inhabitants. 


I would like to set up a fish only tank with 2 clown fish, 2 or 3 gobys, 2 cardinal fish (not sure of the exact name at this time), and MAYBE a pygmy angelfish and an Anemone. Is this a bad combination or too much for the tank to handle?


I guess I am mainly confused because when I look at a website selling fish, it will indicate a 4 inch fish needs 30 gallons minimum, so would two fish need 60 gallons?


----------



## CollegeReefer (Sep 1, 2006)

The general rule of thumb for saltwater is that you are allowed 1/2 inch of fish (full size) per gallon.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

very general... I'd say what you've got is a slightly overstocked tank with everything you want there,

I WOULD NOT GET ANEMONES... read up before you buy.


----------



## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Get some beginner corals instead of anemones.


----------



## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

To ask how many fish can live in X amount of gallons is too general of a question. You can have 20 neon gobies in one tank and only a single angel in the same tank. It all depends on the fish your looking at.

As far as the fish you mentioned, i would leave out one cardinalfish or the angel and the anemone. Since with the cardinal fish it would be pretty overstocked and the anemone is really only for those who are more experienced.


----------



## CollegeReefer (Sep 1, 2006)

I orginally had more going into how there are many factors in it just than how many inches and what not, but after reading it i decided it would be simpler to just write that. sorry that i didn't give a full anwser.

Zachary


----------



## ZachStep (Dec 2, 2006)

Ah ok....How about the correct size for sump/refugium? The tank stand I have has room for 2 10 gallon tanks (due to a divider/support board in the middle). Would one tank work or would two be better?

I think i will forget about the cardinal fish and anemone.


----------



## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

Good idea Zach.

As far as a sump goes, the bigger the better. One tank would do fine, but 2 tanks would do excellent


----------

