Stocking a 50 gallon Fowlr

[ZBT3091]

Hi MR. I haven't posted in a while here, mostly because I go to school in Wisconsin now (go badgers) and I had a pico earlier this year and a nano last year, but besides that I haven't been into the hobby much lately. Well I recently bought a 50 gallon (36x19x21) with a 250w metal halide fixture and a refugium w/bak pak skimmer. The halide makes it temping for me to start a reef, but I don't really have the funds to start with the corals again. I want to do an aggressive fowlr this time. I basically would like to know what your opinions are about my idea because you guys on MR are some of the most knowledgeable around. I was thinking that I would like to get some larger fish that would outgrow a 50 gallon, but I would like to keep them in the tank for only a year. I basically have no choice because my lease is one year. So I was thinking that I would get a few small fish that get large and keeping them until they get to a nice ripe size and then sell them on one of my forums here in Wisconsin when the time comes...

Some of the fish that I like are:
1) humu/bursa/picasso trigger
2) snowflake eel
3) harlequin tusk
4) volitans lion
5) Racoon/Saddleback Butterfly

I am basically wondering what combination you guys would find most feasible/humane...? Like I said I will have this tank for one year when my new lease starts mid August. I will sell these fish on a forum here in WI before my lease is over.

Also what would be most feasible for a clean up crew? I was thinking maybe just a boat load of snails or something...? I was thinking I would put some nice macro in my fuge and have a nice deep sand bed to combat those nitrates. Any ideas?

And also is it possible to put those halides to use and have ANY corals with these fish? Like maybe a few big leather mushrooms? Or will those fish pick at them?

Thanks in advance,

Zach

 

[ZBT3091]

Also, I would just like to say that I am ordering these fish from LiveAquaria (I would get from one of the vendors here if I was still in NY!), and on the LA site the small snowflake eel available is 5"-8", the triggers available are 2"-3", a small volitans lion is 2"-3", butterflys are 3"-4".

So I feel like some of these fish would have considerable time to outgrow a 50 gallon...

 

[ZBT3091]

anyone?

 

[Belwell]

Everything sounds great except for the harlequin tusk and possibly the lion. A bit too big for a 50 gallon. Just my thoughts. Good luck. Snowflake will end up too big, but fine for awhile. Good luck.

 

[ZBT3091]

yeah I was thinking i'm gonna nix the Harlequin. I'm thinking that my stocking list will be as follows: Volitans lion, Humu Trigger, Snowflake Eel, Cleaner Wrasse, Maroon Clown + Carpet anemone. I feel like this tank has the potential to work for a year...

 

[ZBT3091]

any objections from the MR community?

 

[dherrera83]

Some of those fishes will get too big for a 50g... IMO

 

[dacaptain78]

There is also a good chance that the trigger will attack the lionfish's fins.

 

[poormansdream]

I just stocked my FOWLR 60g with 2 orange spotted file fish a red tailed file fish a V puffer and a banner fish. I wanted to do a lion fish and trigger but changed my mind.