Easiest Fish to Add???

[Constantine]

Hello all,

What is the easiest saltwater fish to add to my livestock? I'm running a poor mans reef tank and can't afford 3-5 dead fish for every 1 fish I can add. I've tried different acclimation techniques, I'm careful, I inspect the fish well at the LFS, I'm not buying super delicate types. My latest effort is 4 firefish. (Read at the bottom if you want to discuss the merits of that # of firefish) I acclimated and put in my QT, they instantly ate and acted very healthy for two weeks. Two stayed on one side of the tank and 2 on the other. On day 16 one was dead when I got home from work. Day 17 I see one of the three left with maybe 30 spots looks like ich. Day 18 there are 2 dead in the morning. Day 19, I guess when I get home I'll see if my final very healthy looking and acting fish is dead. None of the others show signs of ich and after close observation every day I only saw what I think is ich on the one fish the one day. I've had other fish that seem healthy and then suddenly die, and some fish that show obvious signs and then slide away gradually which at least makes sense.

So, what is a fish that I can buy, do a reasonable acclimation process, and have a 90% it will make it to my display? I don't even care what it looks like anymore. Lol

Display:

55 Gallon reef. I test and keep parameters in check. It runs a little high on phosphate and under 5 nitrate. Have a couple lps, gsp, and shrooms. I have 2 Oscellaris Clowns and 1 Royal Gramma. Few hermits and snails. Tank is 3 years in my hands and 5 years before that in someone else's. (craigslist, told you it's a poor mans)

Help me out guys"¦ there has to be a fish that you bring home and have a really good chance it will be ok. If it helps, I live near Indy and have tried Premium Aquatics and Uncle Bills in Greenwood. I have access to The Reef in Indy.

**(My QT process is simple, which might be the problem. Acclimate to water over 30 minutes and put into tank. They obviously do well with the transition. Maybe I need a multiple day fifteen different medicines/baths/dips/drugs or something, but I don't know if I'm up for that)

***(From above on Firefish qty. I always read and study and ask questions like crazy before adding stuff to my tank. I've seen a lot of things that say 4, 2, or 1 Firefish are ideal. They are all conflicting. My guess was that 2 is most correct, but I have lots of hiding places in my main tank and based on fish actually making it through QT process I half way figured I'd only move 2 to the DT anyways)

Thanks!

 

[Taahirs]

Well. Damsels are very hardy. But they're also quite aggressive. But your clowns and royal gramma should be able-bodied to handle them. BTW, clowns are also damsels. Just a useless piece of info

 

[whosurcaddie]

Get yourself some Copper Power.http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Power-Endich-ACP0016B-Treatment/dp/B00BUFXFP6 If you don't use some type of medication you are not going to be able to kill parasites that reside on the fish. Treat with copper for 5 weeks and then monitor for 2 more weeks without copper. If they look active and healthy and show no sign of disease add them to your DT.

Stop worrying about how hardy a fish is and get a good QT procedure. You will be able to keep almost any fish that you want, within the size limits of your tank of course.

 

[joshbrookkate]

Acclimation is hard on fish, too. Check out sk8r's info on preparing the QT's salinity ahead of time to match the salinity of the water the fish are coming in, then float the sealed bag in the QT for temp acclimation only. The fish goes right into the QT once temp acclimated. Much less stressful to the new fish, she says.
I haven't added any new fish since I read this but I will be doing this from now on.

 

[OrQidz]

sorry if I missed this, but do you have decent filtration and water parameters in the QT tank? Many people use smallish tanks for QT, and adding 4 firefish all at once could overload the biofilter, leading to a slow (or fast) decline of the fish. The other thing is do they have plenty of hiding places and such so they aren't too stressed.

Hope you figure it out! It is super frustrating to lose fish, for sure.

 

[zaitmi]

Go for damsels they are extremely hardy but aggressive also. You can also try clownfish they are also very hardy. Mine survived always.

 

[Mr.Tan]

easiest (and also first) fish I ever added to my old tank was my green chromis. I had 2 of them and they went in easy and lasted until my tank crashed due to an extended power outage

 

[spieszak]

Hello all,
**(My QT process is simple, which might be the problem. Acclimate to water over 30 minutes and put into tank. They obviously do well with the transition. Maybe I need a multiple day fifteen different medicines/baths/dips/drugs or something, but I don't know if I'm up for that)

It would be helpful if you researched the difference between what QT is, and what acclimation is. If your fish are going into your tank 30 minutes after bringing them home, you do not in any way QT them
If you aren't up for caring for your fish, why keep trying?

 

[Jorgiee]

for sure go with either Damels or chromis.

 

[CStrickland]

its not clear from the post whether op is acclimating into a QT, and they are dying after a few weeks in QT; or if they misunderstand the diff between a QT and acclimation. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions.

with a gramma and 2 clowns already established, anything you add is going to have to be able to hold its own. its usually better to stock in order from least to most aggressive

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I suggest you examine your QT and acclimation procedures to increase your success rate. There is a ton of information on RC about how to do those things better. Start with the stickies.

The fish you are choosing are very hardy and should be relatively easy to handle. Firefish can be very shy and nervous but they should not be too difficult to get past QT. BTW, they should be kept as singles for the best odds of long term success.

Best of luck with your next fish!

 

[Constantine]

Thanks for all the responses. Since those firefish had ich, I walked away from the forum for awhile to leave the QT tank fishless for at least 90 days.

The QT probably had more bio filtration than most use. I had a 12lb healthy live rock in there from my DT. It was running for a couple months before adding the fish, and I used DT water, rock, and fed the tank. Don't think the bio load was an issue.

"If you aren't up for caring for your fish, why keep trying?" Yeah, little annoyed by that comment. Yes I QT my fish in a QT and not in my DT. lol I don't think I came of as completely ignorant in my first post. And I certainly don't understand how you would come to the conclusion I'm one of those guys that just buys fish after fish to flush down the toilet with hopes that a couple might live. Just because I hope to find a healthy fish and I don't yet know how to cure already sick fish, it doesn't mean I'm not up to it. I'll take the comment with a bucket of salt please. lol

I think I'll follow whosurcaddie's advice and just assume all fish are sick and need to be medicated.

 

[Stickgal]

Yeah, there are a few folk on here I notice get a bit snarky and jump to conclusions, but just ignore the tone and they usually have great info. Most people are really nice and patient!

 

[Sk8r]

Damsels will not work in a 55 gallon tank. They take 100 or they will create chaos. SEriously. They're great fish, but they need space.

Try gobies, like the yellow watchman, or blennies, like the starry or tailspot. Fairy wrasse. Royal gramma. Chalk bass. If you put ONE damsel in there it should be ok, but pick an azure or yellowtail. It is also a great tank for corals, and trading them back to the lfs can pay for fish food.

 

[A.Astore]

Sorry you are having such a headache with getting through the QT process. I know we have fought with a few fish recently that came in sick from the go (online orders so no ability to actually look at the fish) and it is never easy to watch a fish simply not be able to get through treatment. Even the best procedures sometimes do not end well.

That being said, I hope this next cycle of tries turns out better for you. If you are changing your approach and including meds for every fish that comes in you will need to check whether the rock can stay or not. I know cupramine can't go in with the rock but I have no idea anything about the powder someone suggested above (never even heard of it so it was an interesting find in the read). You seem to do your research in regard to your method of approach so I am sure you are already looking into what can and cannot be in the tank when using certain meds... just thought I would remind

It is funny how sometimes even with the most diligence things just don't work. When we had our 55 FOWLR we did probably every possible thing wrong and lost nothing... ever. We start from the beginning ourselves and try to do everything right and have issues with fish coming in sick and not making it (stupid ICH, Velvet, and internal parasites). I look back at our 55 gallon days of no QTing, no water change strict schedule, barely testing water and think of all the opportunities we had to have a lot of sick fish but they all looked to be thriving and healthy.

Keep us updated in the next fish choice!

 

[Shawn O]

Many here recommend to Tank Transfer the new fish then treat for other parasites afterwards. A fresh water dip before TTM shouldn't hurt them. Make up your receiving water @ 1.025 and dilute it to match the bag water of your fish while you're floating the bag.

 

[Constantine]

I've added a second QT so that I can medicate it. I'll keep the other QT for coral and inverts. My frustration is that I'm on a tight budget and I'm finding out that you need multiple QTs and everything to run them, plus a bunch of meds, so there is a lot to buy before even getting the next fish.

I was at a fish store the other day and the guy there seemed knowledgeable. However, he doesn't QT fish. He says he can tell if they are healthy and just feeds them with medicated food or something. Says I don't need medicine in a QT. Then he proceeds to show me several $20 bottles of meds that I could use. lol I feel pretty hopeless.

So, I'll do all the work and get all the items ahead of time and maybe the next fish will make it through the medicated QT. The tank looks a bit empty with just 3 small fish.

When I got the tank on Craigslist it came with an Azure blue Damsel. When I put the 2 clowns in there it wasn't having any of it. I gave the damsel a time out for a week in my QT and rearranged the rock work. When I put it back in the DT it behaved perfectly. Added the Royal Gramma and no problems. Then after two years with that Damsel it started to go nuts. It would spend all day harrassing the other fish, but it would only bother them until it got bit, then go bother another fish. It never did any damage, it was just provoking a beating. It died about a month later. IDK how old it was because the previous owner had it, but it seemed like it hit old age and had a death wish. That's one reason why I didn't start with the shyest fish like firefish. No more damsels. (other than my clowns of course) I thought maybe I would just stick to adding coral because I don't have any problems with them. But I'd really like the movement of at least 1 or 2 more fish in there.

 

[lottie_pufferfi]

Damsels will not work in a 55 gallon tank. They take 100 or they will create chaos. SEriously. They're great fish, but they need space.

Try gobies, like the yellow watchman, or blennies, like the starry or tailspot. Fairy wrasse. Royal gramma. Chalk bass. If you put ONE damsel in there it should be ok, but pick an azure or yellowtail. It is also a great tank for corals, and trading them back to the lfs can pay for fish food.

Or a couple months from now you'll be calling Chad Vossen to "fish" a tiny damsel fish out of your tank with a tiny little fly fishing hook. It's been done.

 

[lottie_pufferfi]

I've added a second QT so that I can medicate it. I'll keep the other QT for coral and inverts. My frustration is that I'm on a tight budget and I'm finding out that you need multiple QTs and everything to run them, plus a bunch of meds, so there is a lot to buy before even getting the next fish.

I was at a fish store the other day and the guy there seemed knowledgeable. However, he doesn't QT fish. He says he can tell if they are healthy and just feeds them with medicated food or something. Says I don't need medicine in a QT. Then he proceeds to show me several $20 bottles of meds that I could use. lol I feel pretty hopeless.

So, I'll do all the work and get all the items ahead of time and maybe the next fish will make it through the medicated QT. The tank looks a bit empty with just 3 small fish.

When I got the tank on Craigslist it came with an Azure blue Damsel. When I put the 2 clowns in there it wasn't having any of it. I gave the damsel a time out for a week in my QT and rearranged the rock work. When I put it back in the DT it behaved perfectly. Added the Royal Gramma and no problems. Then after two years with that Damsel it started to go nuts. It would spend all day harrassing the other fish, but it would only bother them until it got bit, then go bother another fish. It never did any damage, it was just provoking a beating. It died about a month later. IDK how old it was because the previous owner had it, but it seemed like it hit old age and had a death wish. That's one reason why I didn't start with the shyest fish like firefish. No more damsels. (other than my clowns of course) I thought maybe I would just stick to adding coral because I don't have any problems with them. But I'd really like the movement of at least 1 or 2 more fish in there.

So this is off topic and mighty high but Wow. I've been studying brains lately and how temper,emotions and actions like impulse control can change when there is any slight head trauma, swelling, or toxicity in the brain. It sounds to me like something happen that changed him subtly enough to make him act different.

 

[Fishmaster13]

If the tank is 8 years old it's extremely established. Something is probably wrong with filtration, water params, parasites, over feeding, etc, though I rarely test water or anything so I can't help you out with that. Fish like fire fish are usually pretty easy, it's strange that they're dying so somethings up. Anyway, for the hardy fish, I really enjoy gobies/blennies and there are literally hundreds of choices, many of them being super hardy and easy to care for. Also, many wrasses are hardy and some like fairy wrasses are also reef safe. Bangaii's/pajamas aren't quite as hardy but I've always found them extremely easy to care for. Same with dwarf Angels like flames and coral beauties. Chromis are another hardy fish, and they can be fun since they school and if you want more fish activity they are a great choice. They look kind of like damsels but aren't near as aggressive. Whatever you end up doing, good luck!