VERY NERVOUS ABOUT ADDING A BUNCH OF FISH (ALL W/B Quarentined)

[Flame2hawk]

As some know, I battled a pretty bad bacteria plague in my 625g FOWLR which thankfully is well behind me. Unfortunately lost some beautiful fish along the way and almost gave up on the hobby. I hung in there and am glad I did and now ready to replace some of the fish to join my tangs and angels who survived. I will soon be adding gem, Purple T, Tusk, red tail & blue throat triggers and rainbow wrasse. I’m most worried about the YT and Achilles who have been established for quite a while……..i figure i have best chance if i put in these fish all at once. Have been adding bacteria bricks and more live rock slowly also to ensure it can take increased bio load. I will add some fritz bacteria 24=48 hours prior as well. This will all happen in latter part of sept…….nervous as hell! If anyone has any thoughts about adding these all at once it w/b appreciated. (As mentioned in another thread I plan on incorporating all of the tricks to cut down on aggression ( feeding well, turn off lights during intro and some days after, mirror(s), etc.).Thx

 

[Timfish]

I'd say be ready to rehome someone if aggression is severe enough to cause damage. Success is going to be largely dependant on the individual personalities of the fish involved which can be hard to predict.

 

[Flame2hawk]

I'd say be ready to rehome someone if aggression is severe enough to cause damage. Success is going to be largely dependant on the individual personalities of the fish involved which can be hard to predict.

I’m thinking of trying to catch the YT and Achillies to move to sump while others acclimate and find their territorial space then reintroduce….what do you guys think/

 

[brandon429]

in no way does fallow then re adding fish stress a biofilter, you didnt need to buy more bottle bac here at all, just add them.

behavioral interactions are the risk, not free ammonia control.

Suddenly add 20 fish to Established tank

Hi Reefers I need some advice from experts here. So my 65 gallon tank is about 2 years old and was housing 4 fish and around 20+ anemone. Recently I converted into a clownfish harem by adding 20 clownfish all at one time. Suppose 20 is a good number for them not to fight. Right now...

www.reef2reef.com

when you remove fish from a large reef, withhold them, then put them back, nothing about the biofilter changes in a negative way all the bac hold fine.

if bottle bac sellers bothered to write that in cycling info, we'd buy less from them. At no time has any degree of fallow starved a biofilter, I have a three year test handy and it passes oxidation as if it was fed every day.

Cycles cannot be starved out in an open topped reef tank, not ever, not with fifteen years food withholding. bac still feed on natural means by the second and those means get in because the system is open topped.

 

[Flame2hawk]

in no way does fallow then re adding fish stress a biofilter, you didnt need to buy more bottle bac here at all, just add them.

behavioral interactions are the risk, not free ammonia control.

Suddenly add 20 fish to Established tank

Hi Reefers I need some advice from experts here. So my 65 gallon tank is about 2 years old and was housing 4 fish and around 20+ anemone. Recently I converted into a clownfish harem by adding 20 clownfish all at one time. Suppose 20 is a good number for them not to fight. Right now...

www.reef2reef.com

when you remove fish from a large reef, withhold them, then put them back, nothing about the biofilter changes in a negative way all the bac hold fine.

if bottle bac sellers bothered to write that in cycling info, we'd buy less from them. At no time has any degree of fallow starved a biofilter, I have a three year test handy and it passes oxidation as if it was fed every day.

Cycles cannot be starved out in an open topped reef tank, not ever, not with fifteen years food withholding. bac still feed on natural means by the second and those means get in because the system is open topped.

Not sure I understand. I’m adding allot of fish at once, so I’m adding a bio brick soaked in fritz bacteria and adding some additional bacteria a couple of day’s in advance as an abundance of caution against any spike. All is done in sump. This is totally unrelated to taking some fish out or not to stem territorial aggression. I know that adding bacteria will have nothing to do with dealing with any aggression by current established fish. Regrets for the confusion….

 

[Timfish]

I’m thinking of trying to catch the YT and Achillies to move to sump while others acclimate and find their territorial space then reintroduce….what do you guys think/

Again, depending on the personalities involved, that may help. But your fish in all likelyhood are still juveniles and as they mature you may have aggression and teritory issues arise. Aquarists always need to be ready to rehome fish.

 

[Reefer350Lighting]

As some know, I battled a pretty bad bacteria plague in my 625g FOWLR which thankfully is well behind me. Unfortunately lost some beautiful fish along the way and almost gave up on the hobby. I hung in there and am glad I did and now ready to replace some of the fish to join my tangs and angels who survived. I will soon be adding gem, Purple T, Tusk, red tail & blue throat triggers and rainbow wrasse. I’m most worried about the YT and Achilles who have been established for quite a while……..i figure i have best chance if i put in these fish all at once. Have been adding bacteria bricks and more live rock slowly also to ensure it can take increased bio load. I will add some fritz bacteria 24=48 hours prior as well. This will all happen in latter part of sept…….nervous as hell! If anyone has any thoughts about adding these all at once it w/b appreciated. (As mentioned in another thread I plan on incorporating all of the tricks to cut down on aggression ( feeding well, turn off lights during intro and some days after, mirror(s), etc.).Thx

I think add in the none tangs fish first. Make sure things go well.. add more bio media with bacteria bottles. Wait a couple weeks then add the tangs. I'd add another bottle of bacteria right after I'd add those tangs and maybe again an hour or 2 later. Realistically you might be completely fine adding those fish at once. But it's just what I'd do.

Aggression issues. You could add a large enough acclimatisation box/ you could make it using egg crate or buy a super clear box and put holes in it and use that to separate the new and old tangs for a couple weeks. Or you use egg crates and split the tank in half for a couple weeks or... you put the old tangs in a large of a box you are comfortable with for a couple weeks and hope they forget their "spots" and put all tangs in at once.



I've just read what you wrote again and realised this is extremely tricky and ignore some of the stuff I just said sorry bud. I'd definitely add the none tangs first. Wait and then add from least aggressive to most aggressive. I'd probably add the triggers. And the tusk. At the same time.


I'm just talking utter rubbish now oh god

 

[brandon429]

Where we disagree is adding bottled bacteria to a tank that's already cycled

That last Fritz purchase you’re contemplating, skip that it isn’t needed

not even the rounds before Fritz were needed, don’t use cycling bac on already cycled setups. You can add in extra rock anytime, it doesn’t need to be followed with bottle bac. It picks up bacteria free, enough to pass oxidation testing on its own in a few days.

When you would NOT buy or use bottled bacteria

We know that the sales machine behind bottle bacteria needs a counter balance. let's discuss here specific times we would not click buy, times we wouldnt add oxygen-competing bulk organisms to a reef tank. 1. anytime you are dealing with display tank rocks that are cycled All common...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[lion king]

You may be over thinking a bit in that size tank. While the Achilles can be aggressive, even toward other species of tangs, I still think in a 625g it will all play out. Considering the zebrasoma's, while the yellow can also be a butt head, they are usually less so than the purple, and even the gem for that matter. I don't think the triggers or tusk will make anyone bat an eye.

 

[Flame2hawk]

I think add in the none tangs fish first. Make sure things go well.. add more bio media with bacteria bottles. Wait a couple weeks then add the tangs. I'd add another bottle of bacteria right after I'd add those tangs and maybe again an hour or 2 later. Realistically you might be completely fine adding those fish at once. But it's just what I'd do.

Aggression issues. You could add a large enough acclimatisation box/ you could make it using egg crate or buy a super clear box and put holes in it and use that to separate the new and old tangs for a couple weeks. Or you use egg crates and split the tank in half for a couple weeks or... you put the old tangs in a large of a box you are comfortable with for a couple weeks and hope they forget their "spots" and put all tangs in at once.



I've just read what you wrote again and realised this is extremely tricky and ignore some of the stuff I just said sorry bud. I'd definitely add the none tangs first. Wait and then add from least aggressive to most aggressive. I'd probably add the triggers. And the tusk. At the same time.


I'm just talking utter rubbish now oh god

All good. Thx. would be concerned that if I added non tangs first, they would be bullied…especially these type triggers and tusk which are pretty shy at first when going into an aggressive and active tank of established tangs and angels. If added with the 2 tangs, hoping for enough displacement that they all do better as they all adjust. If not I would probably lean towards removing the 2 likely trouble makers, YT & Achilles, for a while…..I’m likely going to take the chance of adding them all and see what happens. Again I will mitigate with darkening tank for some days, ,mirrors, keep well fed, etc. I know there is no absolute here….and yes be ready to take other action if things go off the rails!

 

[Flame2hawk]

Where we disagree is adding bottled bacteria to a tank that's already cycled

That last Fritz purchase you’re contemplating, skip that it isn’t needed

not even the rounds before Fritz were needed, don’t use cycling bac on already cycled setups. You can add in extra rock anytime, it doesn’t need to be followed with bottle bac. It picks up bacteria free, enough to pass oxidation testing on its own in a few days.

When you would NOT buy or use bottled bacteria

We know that the sales machine behind bottle bacteria needs a counter balance. let's discuss here specific times we would not click buy, times we wouldnt add oxygen-competing bulk organisms to a reef tank. 1. anytime you are dealing with display tank rocks that are cycled All common...

www.reef2reef.com

I see your point. When receiving bio brick they do advise to soak it in live bacteria for 24-48 hrs if going into an established tank. I will not add an additional fritz after and will test/ observe what happens. Thx

 

[Reefer350Lighting]

All good. Thx. would be concerned that if I added non tangs first, they would be bullied…especially these type triggers and tusk which are pretty shy at first when going into an aggressive and active tank of established tangs and angels. If added with the 2 tangs, hoping for enough displacement that they all do better as they all adjust. If not I would probably lean towards removing the 2 likely trouble makers, YT no Achilles, for a while…..I’m likely going tot take the chance of adding them all and see what happens. Again I will mitigate with darkening tank for some days, ,mirrors, keep well fed, etc. I know there is no absolute here….

Good luck bud. It's a tricky one.. I introduced velvet, came in with some snails. I lost my yellow eyed kole, YT blonde naso, 2 clownfish a royal gramma, I midas belly 6 Anthias and about 7 wrasse. I was 2 seconds away from quitting. I'm glad I didn't. My tanks still empty I've got fish in QT at the moment. But honestly just heart broken over it

 

[Flame2hawk]

Good luck bud. It's a tricky one.. I introduced velvet, came in with some snails. I lost my yellow eyed kole, YT blonde naso, 2 clownfish a royal gramma, I midas belly 6 Anthias and about 7 wrasse. I was 2 seconds away from quitting. I'm glad I didn't. My tanks still empty I've got fish in QT at the moment. But honestly just heart broken over it

I am so so sorry to hear about your losses. It’s devastating to experience something like this. I almost gave it up because I felt horrible being responsible fir so many deaths, not to mention the costs fot these rather expensive but beautiful specimens. ..but I’m at it again. No real obvious answers…..MY wife says the best option is to do nothing and enjoy fish as they are now……hmmmm it is something to consider also…..

 

[Reefer350Lighting]

I am so so sorry to hear about your losses. It’s devastating to experience something like this. I almost gave it up because I felt horrible being responsible fir so many deaths, not to mention the costs fot these rather expensive but beautiful specimens. ..but I’m at it again. No real obvious answers…..MY wife says the best option is to do nothing and enjoy fish as they are now……hmmmm it is something to consider also…..

It's so rough because everything was going extremely well... no aggression, no fish died over 2 years and all over the course of a week I lost 80% of the fish.