how many fish can you add at once?

[Monkey55]

I know that one fish a week is recommended but I am going on a trip to the big city in two weeks. And the fish there are cheappppppppp!!!! 70% less than around here. So I have a 29G tank with 43lbs of rock that is cycled and will be cycled for more than 2 weeks at that point, almost three. I wanted to add 1 firefish and 2 percula clowns. If they are very small, can I do this?

Will they make the three hour trip fro m the store to my house?

if I keep the in strofoam and open their bags once in a while to let lots of air in. I would assume It would be a good idea to get them to put each fish in their own bag with a lot of water.

[reefnetworth]

you didnt list your filterization under "current tanks". the UV may help some but thats alot of bio-load to more or less dump in at one time in a 29G tank. im not saying it wont work but my rule is only one fish per month to allow bacteria to adjust. if they are all under one inch/2.5 centimeters, you might be OK. i would take a cup for dipping into the water and slowly pouring it back into the bags every 5-7 minutes, especially for a three hour trip.just my opinion, have a great day.

John

[Monkey55]

It is a oceanic biocube, It has bioballs, a sponge and a filter, as well my 43lbs of live rock will help filter

Any other replies pleasef

[sir_dudeguy]

One fish a week is NOT recommended. More like 1 fish every 3 weeks or a month. But not every week. You need to allow time for the bacteria to bounce back from the added bioload. And in a tank as small as yours, its even more important. If it was a huge tank like 300 gallons...you could easily add 5 or more fish with no problems with amonia or anything. But if you try adding many fish at once into just a 29, you're asking for trouble imo.

That being said tho, when my 55 broke, i had to transfer all my corals to my 40 breeder, but i could not put the 2 clowns that were in my 55 into the 40 because i already have 2 clowns in there...they'd kill each other. Now i had an extra 29 sitting around so what i did was take my live rock out of the 55 (only about 25-30lbs is all i had...the rest was lace rock which is garbage) and put that in the 29 with a very small sandbed of sand that was DRY, not live. If you use sand from an established tank it will cause problems cuz you might kick up some crap and cause spikes...which may kill the fish. My plan was to just get the thing as safe as it could be while still being just a temporary tank.

So a very thin layer (maybe half inch tops) of dry sand, put in the 25 lbs or so of rock, and then had good flow. That was basically it besides a heater. Oh, and i put on my remora skimmer which was on the 55 so that helped too.

I saw no spikes or anything, but then again, i didnt really change anything either...i mean, still the same rock so the bacteria was the same, and actually less fish (i also had a sixline which went into the 40, and i had a diamond goby who was traded off).

But my point....2 would be the tops i would add at once to a tank your size, and thats probably really cutting it close, altho you've got more rock, so 2 may be fine.

[sir_dudeguy]

ou didnt list your filterization

did too....live rock IS the filter. And he's got plenty of it for a 29

[kfowler]

So I guess after all the replies you got on the QT thread, you've decided not to use one? Not judging, just curious.

[Monkey55]

no I will not be using a QT tank. I have a backup plan if I happen to get any ICH. I have a friend that has a QT Tank I can treat things in. So I will risk It. I keep my parameters pretty tight. It is next to Impossible to QT coral, and I only plan on adding 5 fish to tank.

I guess I will go for two clown fish on my next trip. I wish I could get all three though. I won't be going out there for a while again. Fish are so expensive in my town. clownfish are 7-10 dollars in the city, in my town theyy are 28 dollars. Fire fish here are 40 bucks, in the big city they are 15-20 dollars.

[Monkey55]

2 very small perculas

[Monkey55]

that was a very interesting thread though. It just seems hopeless and unnecessary to me to QT (this is my opinion)

[Shagsbeard]

Hopeless? It's hopeless to add fish to a tank without QT. Eventually you are gong to introduce a fish that will wipe out your tank. Mine was a cardinal. Killed everything but my butterfly, and that was sick for weeks.

Unnecessary? Only if you're extreemely lucky or don't mind tearing your tank apart trying to catch fish so you can treat their illness.

Best of luck though, and I hope all goes well. We are sometime overly cautious and err on the side of line that is less dangerous for our tanks. You could add the three fish at the same time... many people do and will continue doing. It's not a great idea, but it's not Insta-death (tm) either.

[sir_dudeguy]

I have a backup plan if I happen to get any ICH. I have a friend that has a QT Tank I can treat things in.

just in case you dont know, ich goes through a life cycle in which part of it is on the rocks...so if you get it in your tank, you'll get it on your rocks, which means if you dont let your rock stay by itself with no fish in there for about a month (i think thats how long it lasts) then even if you transfer fish w/ich to your friends QT, you might still get it later on.

and I only plan on adding 5 fish to tank.

only?? for a 29g tank 5 is a lot imo. I'm gonna have "only" 4 in my 29 (3 right now) and i think 4 will be a full load as far as space for everyone. But then again stuff like the firefish and cardinals always stay up in the water and away from everything...so they may not be any problem.

Fish are so expensive in my town. clownfish are 7-10 dollars in the city, in my town theyy are 28 dollars. Fire fish here are 40 bucks, in the big city they are 15-20 dollars.

seriously tho, look online at some fish store. i dont think liveaquaria.com ships to Canada, but look for something like that you know? 40 bucks for a firefish is ridiculous. They're 18 for regular ones in my area and 25 for purples. Clowns are normally 12 for regular ocellaris and i think 24 for percs, tho i may be wrong.

But at those prices, you'll get them cheaper shipped....60 for 2 clowns and 40 for a firefish...thats 100 bucks right there...plus tax.

Go online and you can get the firefish for like 10-15 (15 at the tops anyways), and the clowns for a little less depending on where you go...so you're lookin at 45 tops for all 3....plus 35 for the live shipping (and some places are a bit cheaper on shipping but not much) and you're still looking at less than it would cost to buy them in the store. And you say its a 3 hour drive...thats not cheap gas either!

If you buy online i'd say you could get all 3 for around 75 shipped. In stores you're gonna pay 100 plus shipping...so say 115? And then factor in all that gas money for a 3 hour ride (is it 3 hours there, or 3 hours total there and back? if its 3 hours there, then say double that for the amount of gas you'd use)

just tryin to help out is all

[kipher]

BTW if you are going to do the drive. If you get the fish in their own bags, you won't have to do anything for them, considering they are only in the bags for the three or so hours. When fish are shipped from online stores they go much longer with no help for air, over night...... possibly 18 hrs or more. So don't disturb your fish on the trip. JMO.

[mwwhite]

Agree on the "don't disturb them" for the ride home. 3-4 hours is nothing. We just received our second fish from an online order and they were "in a black bag" inside a box for 24 hours == we tracked it on FedEx....

They are both fine and VERY healthy so 3-4 hours should be okay and the LFS should put air in the bag before they tie it.

Hope this helps...

[kfowler]

Isn't Big Al's located in Canada. Not sure about their prices but I've heard good things.

[Monkey55]

I am going to the city for a birthday anyways with my wife. but it is three hours both ways. So I might as well take advantage and get some cheap fish while I am at it. I don't go there all that often.

Do you really think three small fish would work?
I will only do it if it works, otherwise I will only get two small perc clownfish, and wait for the firefish. I like this particular store, very clean, very healthy fish. very good reputation, and cheap. Very knowledgeable nice guys, locally owned.

It will only cost me 40 dollars for all three.

And later, (In a few months), they sell dwarf flame angels for20-30 dollars. GOOD DEAL.

[Monkey55]

Big al's is a Evil chin store, I don't support evil, walmart minded, spawn of satan chain stores

[Monkey55]

does anyone else have a opinion as to how mant fish they would add at once?

[kfowler]

IMO, one per month. However, I would add two clowns at the same time if they were juvs in hopes of pairing.

[Monkey55]

I think I willadd two percula clowns. Will they be unhappy becaue there are no corals in there yet for them to hang out in or around?

[Monkey55]

will it hurt my tank or fish to add a few snails at the same time, does this also increase bioload?

[kfowler]

Clowns will make just about anything home if it strikes their fancy. They'll be happy finding a place among your live rock. No corals, anems needed. Try to find tank bred clowns. Not tank raised but bred. They tend to be hardier and adapt eaiser.

Anything alive adds bioload. However you'd probably be ok with the snails. I would only add a few and see how they do.

[rreddick]

Intersting thread, can not believe he just blew off the Q aspect. he will live to regret probably sooner then later. It is such a small investment in time and money, to stop the potential in livestock loss, or worse, the loss of the whole tank.

Now off my soap box - I think you would be safe in adding the 2 clowns and perhaps a Goby at the same time (once they are out of Q, and at the minimum you should use his friends Q tank)

Do not think of these small creatures as $12 throw away items, you are taking on the responsability for another creatures life! So please do the right thing
Ron

[dcombs44]

I agree. I can understand someone saying that they choose not to quarantine, but to say it's "hopeless and unneccessary" is hard to believe. There is really no reason not to QT a new arrival other than laziness and impatience. It's bound to bite you in the *** sooner or later IMHO. Good luck.

Oh, and 5 fish in a 29 sounds like too much to me. I kept 2 in my 29, and it seemed crowded sometimes.

[chris.hampton]

Could you add the 2 clown fish to your tank and the fire fish to your friends qt until your tank is ready for it?