How often SHOULD you buy new fish/etc?

Sk8r · 06/08/2016, 03:37 PM

This is of course a matter of personal choice, but consider that tanks have their limits, and quarantine is a relatively brief necessity---once you have your tank population set and stable (and they're not eating each other or your corals: research!!!!) you can fold away that extra pair of tanks and settle down to a whole new phase of the hobby.

Yes, there is life beyond fish-shopping and qt. Make your choices sensible, know your adult sizes, and then, yes, you have a tank which, given a) good water quality b)appropriate fish c) decent lighting d) compatible inverts, hey---you can now just farm your tank, feed it and watch it grow for years with no exposure to parasites and noxious bacterial infections.

Is there going to be the Grand New Tank someday? Yes, but don't buy fish for it yet. Just do this one well. You may fold this tank into the GNT eventually---wall space isn't infinite, but meanwhile enjoy the 30 gallon reef or the 100 gallon fish-only for what it is, and measure your success by how long you can have your tank running well with healthy inhabitants. The hobby IS mostly about that, and you will learn a great deal from your 'running' tank---the solution to little problems, better growth, nicer arrangement. There's lots to do and experience. Every time you buy a new fish or coral, you DO put all the others you have at risk, minor or greater depending on your practices, but even with the best practices, things can go amiss. So get set up, get through the 'qt's always running' phase, and just experience the 'it's running well!' phase. It DOES exist.

BigEZ77 · 06/08/2016, 03:42 PM

I am in the buying fish and coral with no QT phase. Stay tuned for my "I have Ich, what to do?" thread

Sk8r · 06/08/2016, 03:44 PM

All I can advise is 'Do it fast and then quit buying while you're still ahead.'

BigEZ77 · 06/08/2016, 03:50 PM

One more purchase then done...fingers crossed.

GimpyFin · 06/08/2016, 05:05 PM

Some really good points here. It's amazing what a little extra work and care upfront will do for your tank(s) and fish in the long run. Being able to look back at the fish you've had for years and how they interact and develop their own personalities over time is pretty cool.

CStrickland · 06/08/2016, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigEZ77

One more purchase then done...fingers crossed.

Samesies. But now that everyone else is settled in, idk, I'm kinda reluctant to buy the last guy and confuse everyone again. I might chicken out and just be happy with what I've got lol
Buying fish is fun at first but it's also stressful and qt'ing sucks.

Xxero · 06/09/2016, 12:31 PM

I enjoyed this write-up, Sk8r.

thelawnwrangler · 06/09/2016, 12:44 PM

I am pretty proud of myself. I saw my first leopard wrasse at Petco the other day. My immediate thought was it is your duty to save this beautiful fish before I knew anything about it. Luckily I caught myself looked it up and realized it wasn't for me or my 30 gallon tank.

homer1475 · 06/09/2016, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thelawnwrangler

I am pretty proud of myself. I saw my first leopard wrasse at Petco the other day. My immediate thought was it is your duty to save this beautiful fish before I knew anything about it. Luckily I caught myself looked it up and realized it wasn't for me or my 30 gallon tank.

I have a leopard wrasse going through TTM right now. Its certainly not a fish for the regular hobbiest, and I would fully believe the LA recommendation of being expert only. Just one round of prazipro caused it to completely wig out.

scooter31707 · 06/10/2016, 01:12 PM

IMO, I would say no more than 2-3 fish per month, allowing you system to adapt to the added bio-load.

bat21 · 06/10/2016, 01:40 PM

I finished my fish shopping about 15 months in. I was really worried that I would be less excited without new fish to buy, but once I got to the point where my tank felt "full". I no longer have a desire for new fish because I know it would mess up the beautiful community I have created.

Sk8r · 06/10/2016, 02:23 PM

THat's pretty well true. You decide on your situation, on your desired community, and you start bringing them in. In a situation where fish will start small and grow quite large, you may bring them in together and just do it nearly all at once because the tank is big and fish are not. In situations where you are buying adult or almost adult fish, in a smaller tank, you may need to pace it out.

kmbyrnes · 06/10/2016, 05:21 PM

The hunt for the 'perfect fish' is taking up most of my hobby time nowadays.
But until I get the one I'm looking for, all other fish are off the table.
Unfortunately all online site have been OOS for months.
Local LFS aren't having any better luck.

06/08/2016, 03:37 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	How often SHOULD you buy new fish/etc? This is of course a matter of personal choice, but consider that tanks have their limits, and quarantine is a relatively brief necessity---once you have your tank population set and stable (and they're not eating each other or your corals: research!!!!) you can fold away that extra pair of tanks and settle down to a whole new phase of the hobby. Yes, there is life beyond fish-shopping and qt. Make your choices sensible, know your adult sizes, and then, yes, you have a tank which, given a) good water quality b)appropriate fish c) decent lighting d) compatible inverts, hey---you can now just farm your tank, feed it and watch it grow for years with no exposure to parasites and noxious bacterial infections. Is there going to be the Grand New Tank someday? Yes, but don't buy fish for it yet. Just do this one well. You may fold this tank into the GNT eventually---wall space isn't infinite, but meanwhile enjoy the 30 gallon reef or the 100 gallon fish-only for what it is, and measure your success by how long you can have your tank running well with healthy inhabitants. The hobby IS mostly about that, and you will learn a great deal from your 'running' tank---the solution to little problems, better growth, nicer arrangement. There's lots to do and experience. Every time you buy a new fish or coral, you DO put all the others you have at risk, minor or greater depending on your practices, but even with the best practices, things can go amiss. So get set up, get through the 'qt's always running' phase, and just experience the 'it's running well!' phase. It DOES exist. __________________ 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%.

06/08/2016, 03:42 PM	#2
BigEZ77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Ottawa ON Canada Posts: 797	I am in the buying fish and coral with no QT phase. Stay tuned for my "I have Ich, what to do?" thread __________________ Russell Banggai / Yellow Wrasse / Black Ice and Davinci Clowns / Flame Angel / Royal Gramma / Blue Chromis / LPS (dominated) / Monti's / Softies / BTA's Current Tank Info: 45G Rimless, Tunze 9004, Kessil A160WE, Gyre XF130, 50lbs rock, Reef Crystals, Phosguard in reactor, Matrix, Chemipure Blue and NP XL biopellets in sump

06/08/2016, 03:44 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	All I can advise is 'Do it fast and then quit buying while you're still ahead.' __________________ 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%.

06/08/2016, 03:50 PM	#4
BigEZ77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Ottawa ON Canada Posts: 797	One more purchase then done...fingers crossed. __________________ Russell Banggai / Yellow Wrasse / Black Ice and Davinci Clowns / Flame Angel / Royal Gramma / Blue Chromis / LPS (dominated) / Monti's / Softies / BTA's Current Tank Info: 45G Rimless, Tunze 9004, Kessil A160WE, Gyre XF130, 50lbs rock, Reef Crystals, Phosguard in reactor, Matrix, Chemipure Blue and NP XL biopellets in sump

06/08/2016, 05:05 PM	#5
GimpyFin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,032	Some really good points here. It's amazing what a little extra work and care upfront will do for your tank(s) and fish in the long run. Being able to look back at the fish you've had for years and how they interact and develop their own personalities over time is pretty cool. __________________ Brian Current Tank Info: 110 gallon

06/09/2016, 12:31 PM	#7
Xxero Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 1,054	I enjoyed this write-up, Sk8r. __________________ "You Can Lead A Gift Horse To Water... But You Can't Make Him Look In Your Mouth." Current Tank Info: 65g Mixed Reef Display - 15g Macro Algae/Refugium - 40b Sump

06/09/2016, 12:44 PM	#8
thelawnwrangler Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Northern New Jersey Posts: 863	I am pretty proud of myself. I saw my first leopard wrasse at Petco the other day. My immediate thought was it is your duty to save this beautiful fish before I knew anything about it. Luckily I caught myself looked it up and realized it wasn't for me or my 30 gallon tank.

06/10/2016, 01:12 PM	#10
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	IMO, I would say no more than 2-3 fish per month, allowing you system to adapt to the added bio-load.

06/10/2016, 01:40 PM	#11
bat21 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 701	I finished my fish shopping about 15 months in. I was really worried that I would be less excited without new fish to buy, but once I got to the point where my tank felt "full". I no longer have a desire for new fish because I know it would mess up the beautiful community I have created. __________________ --- Current Tank Info: 65g fowlr

06/10/2016, 02:23 PM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	THat's pretty well true. You decide on your situation, on your desired community, and you start bringing them in. In a situation where fish will start small and grow quite large, you may bring them in together and just do it nearly all at once because the tank is big and fish are not. In situations where you are buying adult or almost adult fish, in a smaller tank, you may need to pace it out. __________________ 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%.

06/10/2016, 05:21 PM	#13
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	The hunt for the 'perfect fish' is taking up most of my hobby time nowadays. But until I get the one I'm looking for, all other fish are off the table. Unfortunately all online site have been OOS for months. Local LFS aren't having any better luck. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small