Fish for New Reef tank?

[martinojon]

I just took out the four damsels that were in my 46 gallon bow front tank and replaced them with 25lbs of premium fiji live rock. I took them out now because I would have never gotten them out once the rock was in there and they will stress out my other fist.

I would like to add a few fish to my tank and am not sure which would be the best to start with? I don't jst want to add anything and to start would like to add some less expensive fish, especally because I need to add another 75lbs of live rock but must do it slowly because I have been paying $7.00lb.

I was told not to start with a yellow tank it is not a good first fish to add, and that a mandrin goby is not very harty and need a more established tank.

Also does anyone know anything about schooling reef catfish??? Is my tank too small.

 

[McReef1]

I do not know about the Catfish...sorry.

I would start by adding fish that are relatively small, hardy, inexpensive, not agressive by nature, and will eat a variety of foods. I know that sounds like a lot of constraints, but that includes many different fish! An important question: Will this be a reef tank, or a fish only with live rock?

Percula Clownfish are a popular first addition (get a mated pair?) because they fit the above criteria, they are pretty and have a great personality, in my opinion. One of the first fish I added was a Flame Hawk because of it's hardiness and great personality.

As a very general rule I would stay away from Tangs, Angels, Wrasses, and Triggers at the beginning. Add those later when you learn more about what you want and their compatability.

Good luck!

McReef

 

[Tremelle]

I hope I am reading your post wrong. You said you have a new tank and just took the damsels out to put in live rock? Your tank will cycle again when you put in the live rock and will kill which ever fish you decide to go with. You will need to let your tank cycle again after you put in the live rock. IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

What he said and a question. Why are you putting so much rock in there?

 

[Tony Simon]

Firefish, Bangaii Cardinal, Precula Clowns. I have succesfully kept all in my 46 gal bow front for the past year. All are very peaceful and are full of personlity not to mention reefsafe and very colorful. But if you just added 75lbs of live rock wait for it to cycle.

 

[D-Nak]

To add something to what Tony Simon said...

Bangaii cardinals are hardy and good-looking fish, however most will only eat live food. If you're willing to feed them live food, they are cool fish -- my pair even spawned a few times.

But in all honesty martinojon, I think you should do a bit more research before you continue what you are doing. Adding 75 pounds of live rock slowly, is not the best plan. Especially if you're paying $7.00 a pound for it, you're far better off biting the bullet and mail ordering a couple boxes of live rock, and letting the whole thing cycle. Then you can add your fish, and I think you'll have better results.

D-Nak

[ January 26, 2002: Message edited by: D-Nak ]</p>

 

[martinojon]

Thanks for all the advice. Let me clarify a few things.

My tank is going to be a reef tank with fish in it so I need reef friendly fish. I removed the damsels, which I have had in for about 2 months because they are very aggressive and will stress out my other fish.

Now I added about 25lbs of live rock. From what I read I need to have about 1.5lb to 2.5lb of live rock per gallon of water. So that is my goal.

I really don't want to bite the bullet and throw all 100lbs ish in at one shot. I found a store locally that I can go and pick out premium Fiji rock that I am really happy with but it is $6.99lb. www.exoticmarinefish.com

My plan is to add three fish when my readings are appropriate then slowly at a rate of 20-30lbs at a time put rock in until the tank is full.

Does this plan sound ok? Also FYI I am using the algae scrubber method, I have a Prefilter, to the algae scrubber down to my 10gallon sump and back up to the tank using 2 Rio 2500 pumps. I also have 2 55watt Compact Florescent. I just purchased this from www.eztank.com. Ohh and I am running a fluval 304 canister filter

Any more advise, what should my first 3 fish be. I like the coral catfish but am not sure if they get too big for my tank. I also want to put clowns but don't have a host for them and am reluctant to put it in being that I am going to add more live rock. I am told a yellow tang is very hardy but should not be the first in the tank. So what are the first three fish to go in?

 

[esmithiii]

Do you have a scientific name for the "coral catfish"?

Take it slowly. I have added 10-20 lbs of cured LR to my tank at a time without upsetting the balance too much, so you should be OK, but you are wasting dough by not simply buying a box and being done with it.

If you have a sand bed, you will not need 2 lbs/gal. I have 270 lbs in my 180, and it is more than enough. I like the look of a rather full tank, but I have less room for corals to grow.

Your lighting will be sufficient for low light corals only. Mushrooms, zooanthids, etc.

Ernie

 

[naesco]

The smaller fish mentioned are OK. Just add one at a time at least one month apart. I know its tough but you want to succeed.
Almost everyone will agree that your tank is far too small for tangs. (see www.wetwebmedia.com/tangs.htm ) The little ones ungrow your tank quickly.
Good Luck

 

[D-Nak]

As I mentioned before, I don't think it's the best plan, but it should work. One more thing though... consider getting rid of the canister filter, unless you're using it for carbon and you don't use it that often.

D-Nak

 

[Dragonlady]

Schooling reef catfish(Plotosus lineatus) quickly grow to up to 12 inches, and they have venemous spiines. A pair of tank raised clownfish would be a good choice.

 

[Bucktronix]

2 great fish i can recommend are a royal gramma (only one in a 46) should run you less than 10 bucks, very peaceful fish with amazing coloring.

and if you want to add a tang, try a convict, a very easy going and hearty eater. mine works the front glass all day. and it should cost you between 15-20 bucks.

 

[martinojon]

Currently I am running he canister filter until my scrubber gets established and starts to grow some algae. But then I plan on slowly phasing the canister filter away. Why wouldn’t I want to run some carbon? It seems to m the ore filtration and water movement I have the better? Can I tank the carbon out of the canister filter and just run it with the media (little plastic things) for added water movement and filtration

Thanks

John

 

[Lorac]

FYI - I have a 55G new tank and thought I had to have 2# LR per gallon. Paid $7/# for it and when I got it all in there it was way too crowded. No room for fish & corals. Reduced it to 1#/G and had to sell it back to LFS for $3.25/#.

 

[D-Nak]

I advise against continous use of carbon for a couple of reasons:

1. Some carbon, if used too long, may start leaching pollutants back into the water and cause more trouble than if you didn't have it at all.

2. Carbon may absorb trace elements that you are adding to your water.

The more filtration the better is an incorrect assumption (unless you clean the canister filter on a regular basis -- which most people forget to do). For example, let's say that you keep the canister filter and leave in the media. The bacteria that will grow on the media and may compete for the excess nutrients that the algae in your scrubber needs, and then you'll wonder why the scrubber isn't doing so well.

While on the subject, why did you decide on an algae scrubber in the first place? I'm curious to know how many people still use those things -- I know they were a hot item a few years ago but it seems that most people have turned to skimmers and/or refugium methods of filtration.

One last thing.. the key to a successful tank is balance -- you're trying to keep an ecosystem that is almost self sufficient and requires little maintenance right?. If you're off balance (in this case, too much filtration) I don't think you'll get the results that you want.

D-Nak

 

[pez]

martinojon,

I think you need to rethink your plan. If you have live rock, which it seems like you do now, it will provide more than enough biological filtration. Thus, you don't need the canister filter. Instead of the scrubber, I would recommend a deep sand bed and a good protein skimmer. But the choice is yours. FWIW, adding live rock over time will probably polute your water and cause you serious headaches.

-Tom