100G Stocking and Transfer Questions

[crabgrass]

Hi -

I currently have a 20G Drop-off tank with:

• 2x Farm raised Clowns (bonded when i puchased them)
• 1x Royal Gramma

Neither of them were QT'd and dropped into the tank (also from a Petco.. but in tanks by themselves - not that it matters). They have been in the tank for 18+ months and no signs of health issues. Clowns play with each other and are non-aggressive. The Gramma is the more aggressive of the fish and bosses them around when he/she is hungry. Overall no fish has been injured or bit (that I have seen).

I want to transfer these guys to a 100G initially, and in addition to adding the following:

• 2x Cardinals
• Leopard Wrasse
• Watchman Goby

I would either QT the ones above or get them from a store that QTs.

Questions:

1. I am a little concerned (based on stories), that the Clowns could become more territorial if introduced first in the new tank. At this point they are 2+ years old. Would it be worth doing the QT batch first and then the Gramma/Clowns second?
2. Since I never QT'd the Gramma/Clowns (and they area hardy fish), would there be any reason to treat them? I don't want to, but my only thought is that if they had some sort of lingering parasite, etc. I am assuming in the 18 months I had them, they'd either have showned sympoms or died.

I have a list of other fish to add after 6 months, a year, and later. We can get to that later on though

 

[Dburr1014]

Hi -

I currently have a 20G Drop-off tank with:

• 2x Farm raised Clowns (bonded when i puchased them)
• 1x Royal Gramma

Neither of them were QT'd and dropped into the tank (also from a Petco.. but in tanks by themselves - not that it matters). They have been in the tank for 18+ months and no signs of health issues. Clowns play with each other and are non-aggressive. The Gramma is the more aggressive of the fish and bosses them around when he/she is hungry. Overall no fish has been injured or bit (that I have seen).

I want to transfer these guys to a 100G initially, and in addition to adding the following:

• 2x Cardinals
• Leopard Wrasse
• Watchman Goby

I would either QT the ones above or get them from a store that QTs.

Questions:

1. I am a little concerned (based on stories), that the Clowns could become more territorial if introduced first in the new tank. At this point they are 2+ years old. Would it be worth doing the QT batch first and then the Gramma/Clowns second?
2. Since I never QT'd the Gramma/Clowns (and they area hardy fish), would there be any reason to treat them? I don't want to, but my only thought is that if they had some sort of lingering parasite, etc. I am assuming in the 18 months I had them, they'd either have showned sympoms or died.

I have a list of other fish to add after 6 months, a year, and later. We can get to that later on though

Can you time your fish additions? If you have your live rock ready to go and all new fish quarantined, just add them all at the same time into the new tank. They will all just have to sort it out at the same time.

 

[crabgrass]

Absolutely can time additions and have max flexibility - and looking for suggestions on when we'll move stuff. My thought process:

• Cycle/Seed 50-100lb of New Dry Rock for the 100G Nov - Jan (trash can in garage)
• Setup new 100G - Jan. Add Water, transfer cycled LR, Add Sand
• Add CUC and move some LR from current 20G to new 100G
• Move Corals from current 20G (order of this could move down, depending on new tank parameters)
• Add Set #1 of Fish - TBD - new batch or existing?? (3 fish)
• Add Set #2 of Fish - TBD - new batch or existing?? (3 fish)
• Add Set #3 of Fish - [mid/late 2024] (another 2-3 fish)
• Add Mandarin - early 2025
• Add Yellow Tang - Last (mid-2025)

 

[Dburr1014]

Absolutely can time additions and have max flexibility - and looking for suggestions on when we'll move stuff. My thought process:

• Cycle/Seed 50-100lb of New Dry Rock for the 100G Nov - Jan (trash can in garage)
• Setup new 100G - Jan. Add Water, transfer cycled LR, Add Sand
• Add CUC and move some LR from current 20G to new 100G
• Move Corals from current 20G (order of this could move down, depending on new tank parameters)
• Add Set #1 of Fish - TBD - new batch or existing?? (3 fish)
• Add Set #2 of Fish - TBD - new batch or existing?? (3 fish)
• Add Set #3 of Fish - [mid/late 2024] (another 2-3 fish)
• Add Mandarin - early 2025
• Add Yellow Tang - Last (mid-2025)

I think given the size of tank the RG is going into and provided you have caves, there shouldn't be a problem.
Sounds like your plan is well thought out right down to the most aggressive fish last.

Good luck!