Fish or Coral First

BarSnackz

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Fish. Get that detritus going!
Then a month or so down the road when your tank is comfortable with the bioload, then add a coral or two.
 

ReeferWarrant

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I started with hermits and snails first, then fish and then soft corals. Currently trying to get some SPS growing. I think my logic behind it was ease of care and price. If I lost 2 snails or a hermit I was out a couple dollars so no big deal. I lost a snail or two but they also left shells for my hermits to use so not a complete loss.
 

Payne Train

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I would start with a fish . Then after a week or so, get your clean up crew. I would start with the cheapest fish that you plan on having in your aquarium, just in case something goes sideways.

you could start a couple hardy corals pretty quickly after your fish . They don’t put off anything really towards a bio load. Zoas, Duncan’s, a leather, gsp.
 

BarSnackz

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As you have now seen... opinions vary... try it this way... you are almost certain to see most of your first purchase die, but you need some biology... go cheap with the first purchase : )

Why would you tell someone their ‘first purchase’ will die? If parameters are in check and proper husbandry is carried out, nothing will die. This isn’t the 80-90’s anymore where we use hardy fish try to make our tank cycle and hope they survive the ammonia.
OP... your first fish/coral won’t die if you know what your tank is telling you and you feel confident in your knowledge/husbandry of said fish/coral.
 
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Shawn_epicurious

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Why would you tell someone their ‘first purchase’ will die? If parameters are in check and proper husbandry is carried out, nothing will die. This isn’t the 80-90’s anymore where we use hardy fish try to make our tank cycle and hope they survive the ammonia.
OP... your first fish/coral won’t die if you know what your tank is telling you and you feel confident in your knowledge/husbandry of said fish/coral.
My apologies... you are right. I shouldn’t have said that
 

Shawn_epicurious

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My apologies... you are right. I shouldn’t have said that
I said something very negative and removed it... I should have said it this way : )

Go with something cheap on your first livestock purchase. As you have seen, opinions vary widely here on what “you should/could go with first.” : ) if you have trouble with some less expensive livestock, it cost you less and you learned. If you have no trouble at all with them...? Move on to some of the things you really want. I like the idea of starting with a clean up crew. A young tank needs cleaning.
 
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kpoj9

kpoj9

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I was told to start with a simple algae clean up crew (wait about a week) then add coral ... easy softies, maybe LPS ( wait about 2 weeks) then slowly add new fish. I plan to quarantine my fish. Thoughts?
 

Payne Train

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Clean up crew need something to eat or they will starve ... so if your tank is new, they are not going to have the necessary thing in the tank.

Your CUC should be determined off of tank needs - not what the ongoing opinion is ... so if you have plenty of algae and stuff in your tank already, then go with a CUC .... but if you don’t, then I would start with a fish.

good luck ! I hope everything goes well with your tank and it’s future tenets :)
 

Ippyroy

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I started with a very small clean up crew, 6 snails for a 32 gallon cube, and a pygmy cherub dwark angel and a bicolor blenny. A month later, after algae was visible on my rocks, I have ordered 3 hermits, 50 dwarf snails, and 5 Trochus snails. I ordered the corals that I liked, not necessarily the easiest. I have some zoas, favias, and a few others. It has been 6 weeks and my parameters are a little out of whack but everything looks happy. I would just get what you like. If a coral looks good to you, look it up how to care for it. Most of the good providers online give you good info on all the corrals they sale, and if they don't, I would just look elsewhere. LiveAquaria is also a great source for info on fish and how to care for them. My dwarf angel is being good so far. He hasn't nipped at any of the LPS yet.
 

Larry Stewart

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kpoj9.....just know that you're main object in this hobby will be to balance....bacteria and waste.

Too many fish will cause more ammonia to be produced.

However, I think you've already been given instructions or recommendations to get started. A healthy beefy CUC- CLEAN UP CREW is a must. Later on, you'll discover that most fish can be bought to achieve the same results as you clean up crew.....to keep your tank free of chaos.

Have fun getting started... if all fails, purchase a couple of books.

My two pennies...

- Larry

15939624180186300994831942385060.jpg
 

Perthegallon

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very unpopular thing to say but I start with nems that way you dont have to worry about them moving around when you put corals in also if you choose one first though fish for sure
 

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