When can fish be added?

Aceaviator182 · 02/03/2016, 09:42 AM

Hello all,

My tank finished its cycle (using the raw shrimp method) about a week ago. I've had the tank going for about 3 and a half weeks. I had a large diatom bloom that started around 5 days ago and it seems to be getting over it. The CUC took care of most of the diatoms on the live rock, but the sand bed is still about 50% covered. Tank specs are as follows:

Coralife Biocube 29
2 Hydor 425's running on a smartwave controller
Stock lighting
25 lbs caribsea fiji pink live sand
25 lbs Real Reef live rock

I have it stocked with 1 nas. snail, 4 astrea snails, and 1 skunk cleaner shimp. All are doing very well and have been in there for about a week and a half now. Cleaner shrimp is trying to clean everything and I have been feeding the tank with flakes daily.

Current Tank parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
PH: 8
KH: 8
Salinity: 1.025 SG
78 degrees

I was wondering when I should start (slowly) stocking fish. I was thinking of starting with a clown or a pair.

Thanks in advance.

Rubasu · 02/03/2016, 09:45 AM

I looks like you should be good for fish now. If you think you'll end up with a pair of clowns, I would get two at the same time. Then go gradually from there. But, if you think you are going to add other types of fish as well...you may want to start with those. A pair of clown will be pretty territorial, so you could add those last to be safe. (Especially in a 29g)

Do you know what you want your final stock list to be?

Kava · 02/03/2016, 09:46 AM

Most people choose to start with a damsel or something similar. They are cheap, and super hardy. You could give it a try, your perimeters look stable enough. If your inverts are doing fine, youll likely be just fine.

Kava · 02/03/2016, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubasu

I looks like you should be good for fish now. If you think you'll end up with a pair of clowns, I would get two at the same time. Then go gradually from there. But, if you think you are going to add other types of fish as well...you may want to start with those. A pair of clown will be pretty territorial, so you could add those last to be safe. (Especially in a 29g)

Do you know what you want your final stock list to be?

YOu beat me to it. A fellow Wisconsin dweller as well.

Spotted Cow FTW.

-Andy

Sk8r · 02/03/2016, 09:53 AM

No damsel in a 29 except clown types.
You can start a fish (goby, blenny or clown) in quarantine now. When your cleanup crew (get some cerith snails and micro-hermits, about 10 of each) has worked on that sandbed for about 4 weeks, it will be more mature and ready for fish. Hastening it or skipping quarantine can lead to starting all over.

Aceaviator182 · 02/03/2016, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubasu

I looks like you should be good for fish now. If you think you'll end up with a pair of clowns, I would get two at the same time. Then go gradually from there. But, if you think you are going to add other types of fish as well...you may want to start with those. A pair of clown will be pretty territorial, so you could add those last to be safe. (Especially in a 29g)

Do you know what you want your final stock list to be?

Not sure what my final stock list will be. I know I am going to have more fish than just clowns. I'm still trying to get a game plan down. I need to look more into a quarantine set up though. I am on a college student budget so I already dumped most of my extra cash into the tank so far. I know quarantining is a important part of the hobby however. What would be the minimum tank size for a quarantine setup?

Aceaviator182 · 02/03/2016, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

No damsel in a 29 except clown types.
You can start a fish (goby, blenny or clown) in quarantine now. When your cleanup crew (get some cerith snails and micro-hermits, about 10 of each) has worked on that sandbed for about 4 weeks, it will be more mature and ready for fish. Hastening it or skipping quarantine can lead to starting all over.

My goal is to have a reef tank and i've heard negative things about keeping hermits with corals. Would you say the good outweighs the bad?

Thanks

Rubasu · 02/03/2016, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aceaviator182

My goal is to have a reef tank and i've heard negative things about keeping hermits with corals. Would you say the good outweighs the bad?

Thanks

My hermits don't bother any of my coral - But if they did, I would take them out. I have some blue-legged hermits and they don't bother anything. Well, they kill snails for sport...but that's another story.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kava

YOu beat me to it. A fellow Wisconsin dweller as well.

Spotted Cow FTW.

-Andy

Mmm...Spotted Cow! Where in WI?

Dkuhlmann · 02/03/2016, 12:31 PM

For hermits only get scarlet legged hermits, the others murder for the heck of it. Scarlet legged hermits are wonderful additions to your tank and do a great job of cleaning up.

gone fishin · 02/03/2016, 06:53 PM

I agree with others to try and get a list together. More than likely the clowns would be best added last. Also what type of clowns are you looking for, some are more aggressive than others.

If you are only going to be QT one or two fish at a time then you could probably get away with a 10g. I am also assuming your going to stay with the smaller nano fishes. If you want to do the TTM (tank transfer method) for ich then a couple 5g buckets can be used. Good luck just my 2 cents.

Jeremy837 · 02/03/2016, 06:58 PM

I am new to and this post helped a lot

Aceaviator182 · 02/04/2016, 09:02 AM

Thanks for the help everyone, I was thinking of getting ocellaris clownfish as the last addition to the tank a few months down the road. For the initial stocking I was thinking of one or two firefish to start. Any other suggestions? Also, would a set up like this one be fine for a QT tank?

http://www.petsmart.com/supplies/aqu...t=pfm%3Dsearch

Sk8r · 02/04/2016, 09:39 AM

With firefish, have a good jump-screen! They're Olympic jumpers. And can go through the slits in many downflows.

gone fishin · 02/04/2016, 12:19 PM

I would stick to one firefish. Unless they are a mated pair there is a good possibility one will kill off the other. I believe even mated pairs can be a bit sketchy after awhile.

Aceaviator182 · 02/04/2016, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone fishin

I would stick to one firefish. Unless they are a mated pair there is a good possibility one will kill off the other. I believe even mated pairs can be a bit sketchy after awhile.

Makes sense. Does anyone have any other ideas for a good starting fish for the biocube?

gone fishin · 02/04/2016, 07:00 PM

I was always partial to a starry blenny or a possum wrasse in a smaller tank.

02/03/2016, 09:42 AM	#1
Aceaviator182 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 32	When can fish be added? Hello all, My tank finished its cycle (using the raw shrimp method) about a week ago. I've had the tank going for about 3 and a half weeks. I had a large diatom bloom that started around 5 days ago and it seems to be getting over it. The CUC took care of most of the diatoms on the live rock, but the sand bed is still about 50% covered. Tank specs are as follows: Coralife Biocube 29 2 Hydor 425's running on a smartwave controller Stock lighting 25 lbs caribsea fiji pink live sand 25 lbs Real Reef live rock I have it stocked with 1 nas. snail, 4 astrea snails, and 1 skunk cleaner shimp. All are doing very well and have been in there for about a week and a half now. Cleaner shrimp is trying to clean everything and I have been feeding the tank with flakes daily. Current Tank parameters: Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 10 ppm PH: 8 KH: 8 Salinity: 1.025 SG 78 degrees I was wondering when I should start (slowly) stocking fish. I was thinking of starting with a clown or a pair. Thanks in advance.

02/03/2016, 09:45 AM	#2
Rubasu Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 230	I looks like you should be good for fish now. If you think you'll end up with a pair of clowns, I would get two at the same time. Then go gradually from there. But, if you think you are going to add other types of fish as well...you may want to start with those. A pair of clown will be pretty territorial, so you could add those last to be safe. (Especially in a 29g) Do you know what you want your final stock list to be? __________________ 40 Breeder / 20L Sump: Ocellaris Clown - Green Star Polyps, Kenya Tree, Brown Palys, Blue Mushrooms...and the clean up crew.

02/03/2016, 09:53 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	No damsel in a 29 except clown types. You can start a fish (goby, blenny or clown) in quarantine now. When your cleanup crew (get some cerith snails and micro-hermits, about 10 of each) has worked on that sandbed for about 4 weeks, it will be more mature and ready for fish. Hastening it or skipping quarantine can lead to starting all over. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/03/2016, 12:31 PM	#9
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	For hermits only get scarlet legged hermits, the others murder for the heck of it. Scarlet legged hermits are wonderful additions to your tank and do a great job of cleaning up. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

02/03/2016, 06:53 PM	#10
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I agree with others to try and get a list together. More than likely the clowns would be best added last. Also what type of clowns are you looking for, some are more aggressive than others. If you are only going to be QT one or two fish at a time then you could probably get away with a 10g. I am also assuming your going to stay with the smaller nano fishes. If you want to do the TTM (tank transfer method) for ich then a couple 5g buckets can be used. Good luck just my 2 cents. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

02/03/2016, 09:46 AM	#3
Kava Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 13	Most people choose to start with a damsel or something similar. They are cheap, and super hardy. You could give it a try, your perimeters look stable enough. If your inverts are doing fine, youll likely be just fine.

02/03/2016, 06:58 PM	#11
Jeremy837 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 21	I am new to and this post helped a lot

02/04/2016, 09:02 AM	#12
Aceaviator182 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 32	Thanks for the help everyone, I was thinking of getting ocellaris clownfish as the last addition to the tank a few months down the road. For the initial stocking I was thinking of one or two firefish to start. Any other suggestions? Also, would a set up like this one be fine for a QT tank? http://www.petsmart.com/supplies/aqu...t=pfm%3Dsearch

02/04/2016, 09:39 AM	#13
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	With firefish, have a good jump-screen! They're Olympic jumpers. And can go through the slits in many downflows. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/04/2016, 12:19 PM	#14
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I would stick to one firefish. Unless they are a mated pair there is a good possibility one will kill off the other. I believe even mated pairs can be a bit sketchy after awhile. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

02/04/2016, 07:00 PM	#16
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I was always partial to a starry blenny or a possum wrasse in a smaller tank. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT