To Reef Or Not To Reef?

[sjsoto]

To Reef Or Not To Reef?
That Is The Question....

Have A 50g Aga And Would Like To Know Wether Or Not I Should Go Saltwater Or Freshwater. Im More Interested In Carnivorous That Can Feed Hopefully On Feeders.

Any Opinions , Input Would Be Greatlly Appreciated...pls Advice.....what Options Do I Have?

 

[Bob 1000]

50 will be too small for aggressive saltwater fish they will out grow it in a few month's.. A 50 gallon reef will have par swing quickly if not maintaned on a regular basis.. I say reef though..

 

[daisy]

you could probably set up a mini reef for one lion fish (a dwarf breed) in a 50 gallon and really like the results. Masterswimmer had a tank like that - I believe it was even smaller than 50 - He could help you out with that. But lionfish are carnivores and beautiful and they come in a small-enough breed that would not out-grow the 50 gal size...

good luck!

 

[sjsoto]

50 will be too small for aggressive saltwater fish they will out grow it in a few month's.. A 50 gallon reef will have par swing quickly if not maintaned on a regular basis.. I say reef though..

MIN GALLONS NEEDED AND WHAT KIND?

 

[sjsoto]

you could probably set up a mini reef for one lion fish (a dwarf breed) in a 50 gallon and really like the results. Masterswimmer had a tank like that - I believe it was even smaller than 50 - He could help you out with that. But lionfish are carnivores and beautiful and they come in a small-enough breed that would not out-grow the 50 gal size...

good luck!

WOULD FEEDERS BE GOOD FOR IT?

 

[Tangs Rule]

Feeder saltwater fish (silversides) would be good as part of its diet, but feeder goldfish have no nutritional value to saltwater fish.

 

[sjsoto]

Silversides? Petco Has Them? If Not Who? Price?

 

[mckostya]

petco got Silversides, the one westchester at least. like $6 for a bag.

 

[Bob 1000]

I say 75 gallons, but people have done smaller with dwarf aggressive fish.. The maintenance is just more tedius..

 

[sjsoto]

Any Other Fish Besides Lionfish?

 

[CHEMCHEF]

If you wanmt carnivorous fish in a 50 gal. I would go fresh water. It would be a much more simple filtration system HOB-or Canister. which you could pick up cheap, u8sed or new. You would have to change alot of water either way. (salt or fresh.) But it would be alot easier to change 25 gal. of fresh water than salt.
For cool fish check out electric blue jack dempsey's, convicts or better than that African Cichlids.
Everybody into saltwater forgets about African Cichlids. You could put like 15-20 maybe more, in a tank that size., and they are cool looking fish withreally bright colors, and will eat live food like piranah do.
JMO

 

[georgelc86]

So you decided to keep the tank SJ, I would go reef. At least with the 50 your lighting cost wont be too bad. But it all balls down to how much you want to spend really.

 

[sjsoto]

Yes George Decided To Keep It. I Cant Stand The Look Of An Empty Tank. It Was Telling Me " Fill Me Up With Water And All Sorts Of Things..." How Could I Resist?

 

[sjsoto]

Chef I Have Kept The Electric Blue But Died At Two Inches./.. Thinking Of Getting Another. Good Looking Fish Very Nice. For African Cichlids Do They Need Saltwater In Thei Tanks?

 

[aznt1217]

African Chiclids need a LITTLE bit but it's no where near the brackish level you are thinking of. You don't need sea salt for it. Also I believe they like a specific hardness of water.

Check out the German Blue Rams and Bolivian Gold Rams. Really nice fish ... not really the predators you want but they look nice.

If you want a predator... get an Arowana and call it a day lol.

 

[sjsoto]

I Would Love An Arowana. Wife Complaint About The Tank Requirements So Stuck With The 50g. Lol.....wifes Go Figure.....

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I would not suggest german blue rams until tank has been running about a year. They are very tough fish to keep alive. I still say Africans, there is so much variety in colors and you can really pack the tank. If you dont they will fight. Kinda crazy, but true

 

[sjsoto]

Decided To Go With The Freshwater Cichlid.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

African or South American?

 

[SevTT]

To Reef Or Not To Reef?
That Is The Question....

Have A 50g Aga And Would Like To Know Wether Or Not I Should Go Saltwater Or Freshwater. Im More Interested In Carnivorous That Can Feed Hopefully On Feeders.

Any Opinions , Input Would Be Greatlly Appreciated...pls Advice.....what Options Do I Have?

Dear god no don't go with a reef tank. You'll wind up with stressed fish and a crappy reef.

If you want active carnivory, freshwater is much, much, much easier to do and OMFG much cheaper. The fish tend to stand up much better to water quality that'd kill a reef. An oscar, a few piranha, or freshwater eels all can be pretty cool. And I'm sure there're many more, including local sport fish (which make a really nice biotope tank,) but that's what springs to mind.