Okay so I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank that I am going to start cycling this week. I know that I have to add fish gradually, once my tank is cycled, but I don't think i can do that. I am ordering my fish online, they are all captive bred. I am getting 7 fish total: 2 clownish(most likely ocellaris) 3 yellow tailed damsel, 1 orchard dottyback, and 1 goby(most likely neon or rainford). My issue is that since I am ordering online my fish are expensive enough to get free shipping, if I order them all at once. So should I just add them all or pay for shipping like three different times?
How to add fish gradually
- Thread starter Basic reefer
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Payne Train
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2020
- Messages
- 354
- Reaction score
- 409
Once your tank is cycled you can add one, maybe two fish . But if you add all of them at the same time there’s a very large chance that they won’t make it.
I’ve always been told/went by one fish every 7-10 days. Any more than that to a young tank will cause problems. You have to make sure your tank can take on that bioload. your tank has to have time to build up beneficial bacteria so that it can consume the ammonia that your fish will put out through waste and food.
resortez
Active Member
+1. Too fast might end up costing you more money & give you heartache. I suggest starting with the 2 clowns. Also recommend a Quarantine tank. Hope that helps & good luck.
Payne Train
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2020
- Messages
- 354
- Reaction score
- 409
Also, Maybe worth looking into bacteria in a bottle . I’ve used Turbo start 900 and had really good luck with it.
That still won’t allow you to add a bunch of fish at once but it will speed up your cycle by a lot
That still won’t allow you to add a bunch of fish at once but it will speed up your cycle by a lot
Payne Train
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2020
- Messages
- 354
- Reaction score
- 409
My advice, and feel free to do as you please since it’s your tank 
But I would consider just taking a little longer to add fish if your wanting to avoid a lot of shipping costs all at once. So maybe 2 fish a month to spread out costs .
unless of course your PetCo has some reliable saltwater people at their store - just be careful because that is pretty rare at places like PetCo, PetSmart, etc
just something to consider
But I would consider just taking a little longer to add fish if your wanting to avoid a lot of shipping costs all at once. So maybe 2 fish a month to spread out costs .
unless of course your PetCo has some reliable saltwater people at their store - just be careful because that is pretty rare at places like PetCo, PetSmart, etc
just something to consider
My Petco gets captive bred fish from ORA so when I got my goby Petco special ordered it for me. My goby came in with their order and they called me when the fish arrived. I picked my goby up still in the shipping bag so it never went into Petco's system and I didn't have to pay shipping because my fish came as part of Petco's order. They get in orders once a week. Maybe see if your Petco will do the same thing for you? If you were getting the fish shipped to you you'd have to be around to get them immediately when they were delivered so hopefully you could just go to the Petco instead.
Did you have to go into the store and ask if they could get that for you in the next order or did you have to call?
I just called and asked if they were able to get in a particular fish. I am not sure if calling was more important than asking in person.
Edited to add: the people in the fish department do know me as a customer because I had been spending a lot of time just watching the fish they had for sale to get ideas. I know every Petco is basically independent in that how they do things varies a *lot* store to store but I think it's worth calling them and asking.
Edited to add: the people in the fish department do know me as a customer because I had been spending a lot of time just watching the fish they had for sale to get ideas. I know every Petco is basically independent in that how they do things varies a *lot* store to store but I think it's worth calling them and asking.
Similar threads
