Hi everyone + fish suppliers

[danelam]

Hi guys,

I'm a new, but excited reefer. I've wanted to do this for ages and I've just moved to NYC from Australia so my girlfriend decided to pick me up a reef setup for Christmas. Due to pricing, we picked up a great, complete setup secondhand. It's 55g, with bakpak skimmer, orbit power compact light (4x 65w), 80 lbs live rock, salts, testkits EVERTHING, even a big maroon clown.

I've been monitering it now for close to a month and everything seems to be going well - 0 levels of ammonia for the past 2 weeks and nitrite has always been 0. Nitrate is 10ppm. So I'm getting ready to add some new fish. I've had my quarantine tank running for a week now. Any recommendations of fish suppliers - either local or online? Being a student, budget is an issue.

It's great to find this site so I can meet some other reefers in the area. Thanks for the great site!
Dane

 

[jhale]

Dane welcome to New York, and to manhattan reefs

I recommend finding that big maroon clown a new home. they are super aggressive, he will take over that 55gallon tank and most likely kill any fish you try to introduce. they also have a knack for redecorating the tank with any coral you might put inside it :arg:

Also, you will now be our resident Australian, after many years in new york our good friend Aaron is moving back home to Australia. I guess he's passing the torch to you :lol:

 

[danelam]

Resident Australian huh? Sounds good.
As for getting rid of the maroon clown, do LFSs buy them? Or do I just donate her. She's quite big compared to the specimens at the LFS (I think she's about 3x the size of the other maroon clowns I saw.)

I would really like to get a small blue hippo tang, but some reefers so it's not such a great idea in a 55g.

 

[jhale]

given the maroon clowns rep, you might have to give her/him away. you can try posting it for sale here, and see what happens.

a small hippo is okay in a 55, but it will grow and you'll have to catch it and find a new home for it as well. I always suggest getting fish that will not outgrow your current tank size. catching fish out of a stocked reef tank is never fun.

 

[danelam]

what's a reasonable price for a maroon clown?

 

[jhale]

i usually look up the price on an online retailer like liveaquaria.com and price a bit less than they sell for.

here's an other maroon clown thread.

 

[crox99]

Welcome to MR. Also they are many vendors here that have great prices on livestock.

 

[masterswimmer]

Dane,
Welcome to MR. Nice to have our Aaron replacement already lined up

Enjoy the site and jump in on any conversations, the more the merrier.

Russ

 

[reefnewbe]

Welcome

 

[h20 freak]

Welcome to MR.Some basic advice, read,A LOT, be patient, and NEVER copper your tank lol.

Anyway as for selling that clown, is she goldstriped or just regular white stripes, diffrence being you can charge more for the gold striped ones :wink1:. I had a gs maroon a while back that just stuck to her nice fake coral and never bothered anyone and at worst pushed the sand around her territory a bit...until my heater decided it wanted some boiled fish:supermad: <I love that smiley

 

[NYreefNoob]

welcome to MR. and as far as the clown goes i would see if someone here can take it for you, as stated they become nasty and aggressive especially at adult size. and no to the hippo

 

[danelam]

that's a shame about the hippo. It would've been nice to have one in the tank. I think I'm pretty much convinced to find maroon clown a new home. It's been really annoying trying to plan the community with that guy to start off with! Thanks for all your replies too

 

[rookie07]

Dane,
You can use the vendors list from this site, to find some quality, reputable, and fair vendors. B/c These vendors are local, you always save $$$$$ on S&H(Remember, you are always shipping water, and sometimes rocks, which gets very expensive)
You can also check the ForSale and ForTrade(FS/FT) thread to find very cheap fish/rocks/corals and you can pickup in NYC(I think that is where you live) which means no S&H.
AVOID New World Aquarium, b/c they are crazy expensive, and I know I cant leave a store like that and not buy, which means i spend >$100,AND ITS NEVER WORTH IT.
I just picked up a nice piece(6 inch rock, withs like 150 polyps of zoas) from JHALE, check his thread in FS/FT.
Hope my advice helps you save money. This can be a very costly hobby.
SO, take it SLOW and plan, plan,plan.
Be smart now and save yourself some good cash.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Hey Welcome to MR.

 

[danelam]

Dane,

AVOID New World Aquarium, b/c they are crazy expensive, and I know I cant leave a store like that and not buy, which means i spend >$100,AND ITS NEVER WORTH IT.

Thanks for the tip Rookie07,

I've been into New World a few times, and compared to the internet, their prices were sky high!!! I was almost dissuaded from entering the hobby altogether because of the price they quoted me on starting a very basic saltwater aquarium. Thanks for the advice on where to look for livestock too!

Noone reading this wants a female maroon clown by any chance?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Dude the best LFS around is right here at MR!

 

[cb747]

Ill second the vendors here at MR. Most will bend over backwards to help you anyway they can. Welcome to NY and MR

 

[bud]

Hi

Why don't you try Aquatic Express, he hook me up with a nice pair of maroon gold stripe. So far they are very peaceful.