Adding Fish... the easy and the hard way

[smspring]

I've read in numerous places that it's best to go slow when adding fish, CUC, and corals to a new tank, as to not overload the tank and cause a crash. So, add some snails, then a fish or two, couple of corals, then some more snails/crabs, more fish, etc....

For those just starting up, and have yet to add any fish, I recommend you add the "nicer" fish first. I added a 5 in fairy wrase yesterday and a bicolor psuedochromis about a month ago. My tank already had an Ocellaris clown, yellow tang, bi-color dwarf angel, and orange spotted goby.

My psuedochromis has to hang out in a small crevice to avoid the angel, and my little clown is picking on the wrasse, despite being 1/3 the size.

If I were to do it again, I would have added the goby and wrasse first. Then the tang. Then the clown and bi-color.

Lesson learned: Do you homework on the fish you want. Plan to add the most aggressive last. I think it would have made a difference with the harmony in my tank.

 

[jenjen]

By "nicer" are you refering to less agressive?

 

[smspring]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13011009#post13011009 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jenjen
By "nicer" are you refering to less agressive?

yes

 

[nikon187]

which is more aggressive yellow tang or male lyetail anthais?
Either way i added the yellow tang 3rd ( Christmas present) after the clowns and my anthais trio after the tang

but in general least aggressive first so they can establish some territory before the more aggressive ones can set up shop

 

[snorvich]

Well sort of. In theory this is great. However if you had a very aggressive fish to a community, there will be problems no matter the order of addition. And then there is biology. Clowns when small and not sexually differentiated will have a vastly different temperment than clowns the ARE sexually differentiated and in breeding mode. My point is, the model is useful and interesting but it will not guarantee success.

 

[sassafrass]

Another thing to consider is not all fish have the same temperament .It is always nice if you can observe the fish before purchase for a while to make sure it is a good fit. I know it may sound kind of funny but I had a bangai cardinal once that was a terror in my tank.
Lee

 

[alextheromanian]

biggest mistake is to buy a fish the day he comes in at the store...
try to give it a week before you buy...or ask the store to hold on to it if they can so you can make sure he eats and doesnt come with non visible ich that he would develop in your tank....


after a week of him surviving at the lfs youre much better off buying him than you would on the first day...from then on its your choice on wether you want to acclimate him or QT him at your own house and treat him for ich...even tho he may not have it...its good to assume anyways.

nicer fish are less agresive fish...and less territorial...most websites will list info about fish like wether they are feef compatible or not if they are agressive or not...or somewhat how large they grow what they eat etc.


so always do research before buying a fish....if you pay attention to me...youll have (1 week research )


yellow tangs are some of the meanest....clowns get teritorial aswell...it MAY help if you remove them both for a few days....rearrange the rocks COMPLEETLY different and then reintroduce them hopefully they wont recognise the tank

 

[smspring]

Good points to all... I did not mean to imply that ALL fish of the same type (for example, all clowns) behave the same way and have the same tempermant. And I agree, it's only a theory and no guarantee, but I've even read in books that certain fish should be added as the last one to the tank - like my bi-color angel.

alextheromanian - good pts on "try before you buy" - watching the fish at the LFS before buying.

 

[alextheromanian]

thank you smspring i try my best im a noob too but after learning my lesson i try to help others