new fish additions

[_jester9]

Hi all, I've got an Orca 550 tank with 2 common clowns, a Flame Hawkfish, and a sulphur goby. I'm thinking of adding another fish, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea - I'm guessing two might be a stretch. The options I'm considering are:

A Flame Angel, but I think it might be too big for my tank.
A Coflake Goby - I've heard good things about these.
A Green Coflake Goby - similar to the above, but a different colour.
A Bangaii Cardinal - I like the idea of a more open water fish, and this one seems to fit the bill.

I'm open to other suggestions if you think of something that would work well in my tank. Ideally, I'd like a fish that doesn't mind algae, and can add some visual interest to the tank.

[rustyfox9]

You'll likely have space for one more fish, provided you keep up with regular maintenance. However, I'd advise against adding more gobies if you're looking for open water swimmers - they tend to prefer perching between rocks, especially without Acropora in the tank.

The Flame Angel might be a bit too large for your Orca 550, so that's something to consider. A Royal Gramma could be a nice addition, though - they're quite colourful and do swim in open water, but be aware they can be quite territorial about their chosen cave.

You might also want to check out Live Aquaria and see if a flasher wrasse could work in your tank, but I'm not sure if your tank is quite large enough for one.

[_jester9]

I'll start digging into some research. The flame angel does seem a bit too big for my tank, I had a feeling that might be the case. I like the idea of having something for every level of the tank, even though it's not massive, I think it'll create a nice visual effect. Any other suggestions are more than welcome, thanks in advance for the advice.

[rustyfox9]

You might want to look into the sizes of some dwarf angels, could be a good fit. The shape of the Orca tank might be a factor though, square ones can be a bit more limiting in terms of swimming space compared to rectangular ones.

[rileyon]

I'm not sure about the Flame Angel, they can get a bit feisty. I've seen some smaller ones that look really nice, might be alright for a bit, but they're still pretty pricey, about £50.

[_jester9]

You'll likely have space for one more fish, provided you keep up with regular maintenance. However, I'd advise against adding more gobies if you're looking for open water swimmers - they tend to prefer perching between rocks, especially without Acropora in the tank.

The Flame Angel might be a bit too large for your Orca 550, so that's something to consider. A Royal Gramma could be a nice addition, though - they're quite colourful and do swim in open water, but be aware they can be quite territorial about their chosen cave.

You might also want to check out Live Aquaria and see if a flasher wrasse could work in your tank, but I'm not sure if your tank is quite large enough for one.

I've taken a look at the tank dimensions and it's indeed more square. I checked out the flasher wrasse on Live Aquaria and they recommend it for a 50-gallon tank, so that might be a bit of a stretch for my Orca 550. The dwarf angels are listed as semi-aggressive, which makes me think they're a gamble - you never know how they'll turn out.

I'm not too fussed about the cost, to be honest. I mean, you can spend £10 on a DVD and only watch it once a year, but a nice fish that you can enjoy for an hour every night? That's worth the £50 to me. I'd love to find a nice one that'll complement my existing tank inhabitants.

[_jester9]

I'm well aware I've got limitations with the type of fish I can keep, knew that before buying the tank. The Flameback Angelfish has caught my eye, and according to Live Aquaria's compatibility chart, it should get on with my current lot. Will be visiting a new LFS in Coventry on Saturday, so I'll take a look around and make a little wish list.

[rustyfox9]

You might be alright with the flameback, seems like a 20g minimum, grows a bit smaller and from what I've read on here, they get on okay with coflakes.

[felinxo]

I recall Think Big C keeping one in his nano, beautiful fish, lovely to watch, if I remember right.

[rileyon]

The flameback is indeed more reef-safe, and its smaller size along with a more laid-back nature makes it a better choice compared to the flame.