Stocking Capacity

[sweetrav18]

I was wondering if I could put another fish in my 55g tank. I have had my eye on a Copperbanded Butterfly and want to know if it was advisable to add it with my current livestock:

-flame angel
-bicolor angel
-(2) oceallaris clownfish
-blue velvet damsel

I also have some inverts:

-cleaner shrimp
-long spine urchin
-sand sifting sea star

No corals as of yet but will add some hopefully in future. I appreciate your opinions as always.

[tatuvaaj]

In my opinion Copperband gets too big for a 55-gallon tank. They also like to eat invertebrates (especially featherduster worms) from rocks so they are not necessarily the best fish for a reef aquarium.

[Poseidon]

They are very cool fish... BUT I had a terrible time getting mine to eat, after he finished off my aiptasia break out! He did fantastic on those, I thought I had enough to keep him fed for at least a couple months too!

If you don't have any aiptasia, or feather dusters to eat first, then maybe you will have better luck getting him to eat "prepared" foods then I did. As far as being in a 55 with your other fish, I think you are maxed out, especially with that damsel. (They are VERY territorial and would probably harrass any new fish...)

Here is a pic of mine, before I lost him