How many fish did you add at first?

[Zionas]

How big’s your tank, and how many fish did you add at first? What were they?

And what “gaps” did you leave between each fish or “set” of fish?

 

[fandaga]

I added one firefish at first to a 47 g that died after a few days. The cycle wasn’t fully done (or at least bacteria population wasn’t high enough), even though I saw all the ammonia and nitrite converted to nitrate. I tried again with another firefish after cycling further for several more weeks. This fish also died after a few days. I cycled further with more bottled bacteria and waited a few more weeks. Then I added a clownfish that I still have two years later. I slowly added more fish over the next six months.

In hindsight, I should have cycled with media from an established tank instead of using bottled bacteria. I also should have used a hardier fish like a clown or damsel at first.

 

[Bruttall]

I started with a 75g, that migrated into a 300g. I put a pair of clowns, royal gramma and a dwarf angel into the 75g right after it cycled. seems like a couple weeks later added a bristle tooth tang. 75g was only 2.5 months old when I migrated it into the 300g I have now.

Once I got the 300 cycled I never once worried about over stocking it any given time. The cost of salt water fish pretty much prevented that. I have way more tank than my budget should allow, but such is the nature of living with an addictive personality.

In the 2 years I've had this tank going I have put near to 50 fish into it, Most of them are still there.

 

[Reefer_Marc]

110 gallon tank, i started with a kenya tree after about 4 weeks, and after about 2 months i added 5 chromis. 2 of them i still have, 1 died after 1 year, the other 2 turned to bullies and were much bigger, so i brought them to my LFS and exchanged them for 2 smaller ones. Still have all 4 of them now. 2 oldest are almost 6 years old

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I only keep nano tanks and I only add one fish at a time, unless its clowns then I always add a pair at the same time.

 

[glmory]

I added six, a blenny, two gobies, two clowns, and a gramma to my 60 cube. Lost the blenny the others did well.

Then a few months later added another species of goby, two damsels and tried again with the blenny. Lost the blenny again. That species of blenny being so small didn't seem able to find enough food. I needed an acclimation box.

I would have spaced them out more but all the fish were from Biota and shipping costs would have been too high. This probably helped though as all fish were babies and not much bioload. I also waited longer than usual to add fish, perhaps two months, which may have helped.

 

[Zionas]

It looks like bulk buys from Biota are about adding several at the same time. If you added say 4-6 juvenile fish to your tank at once, in the 1-2”, maybe slightly bigger range, did you get a spike in the parameters? This is something I’m interested in knowing as many think for a newly cycled tank a pair of Clowns and maybe 1 other smaller fish is the limit, or maybe not.

 

[BryanM]

How big’s your tank, and how many fish did you add at first? What were they?

And what “gaps” did you leave between each fish or “set” of fish?

70gal DT, added two clowns, a blue hippo, and foxface. One week between the clowns and the tang/foxface.

 

[fandaga]

It looks like bulk buys from Biota are about adding several at the same time. If you added say 4-6 juvenile fish to your tank at once, in the 1-2”, maybe slightly bigger range, did you get a spike in the parameters? This is something I’m interested in knowing as many think for a newly cycled tank a pair of Clowns and maybe 1 other smaller fish is the limit, or maybe not.

You might want to try your LFS if they can order from Biota. Then you don’t have to buy so many at once. At least in NJ, the yellow and blue tangs are pretty common at several LFS.

 

[KyleW22]

I added two clowns to my tank in my 75 gallon and they were the only fish for a few weeks. Next was a Midas blenny. Now have a flame angel and a tomini tang in there as well about a year in to the tank.

In between I had a few jumpers (firefish and a wrasse)

 

[Dragen Fiend]

25G IM.

Added two clowns- then shrimp/goby followed by sixline wrasse. I'd say plan based on what species you want to add as you may need to introduce them in a different manner.

 

[vlangel]

I have a 75g that was transferred from a mature 9 yr old 56g. I transferred the rock, washed sand and fish which included an ocellaris clown, a coral beauty angel, a midas blenny, a bi-color blenny, a ywg, a masked goby, and 2 pajama cardinalfish. Also some hermits, and nassarius snails, a coralbanded shrimp and a cucumber were transferred. About 3 weeks later when I was sure things were stable I added a one spot foxface and a blue eyed kole tang. All are doing well.