How long until I can purchase clownfish and anemone???

[Benztech858]

I have had my 150 gallon aquarium running for about 5 weeks. I introduced
several snails, hermit crabs, and mithrax crabs this past weekend. How soon can I add a pair of false clownfish? With the clownfish can I also add an anemone or should I wait for the tank to mature?

 

[jake levi]

newtank

newtank

You can do a number of things, add live rock if you havent, and also add some of the new culture nitfrifying bacteria, several brands, if you can move them to another tank after get a dozen mollies, acclimate them in a bucket with airstone over several days to full salt water and keep them in the tank for a month, then remove them to another tank or take them to a lfs, good item for starting new tanks, then after all this add a pair of clowns, wait another month or two before adding the anemone, after checking your numbers very closely for a few weeks.

 

[Payton034]

Is your tank already cycled? If so, you can start with the pair of clowns but hold off on the anemone until the tank matures and you've done more reading on the care level of them.

DON"T put Molly's in your tank. That's just bad advice .

 

[Conrad25]

Why would you tell him to add molly's? Horrible advice to give..... If your tank is cycled with live rock, than your good to go with a pair of clowns. If not, get some live rock in it and usually it takes a month or so for a cycle to happen. Getting some test kits like nitrates,nitrites,ammonia,ph etc will help you know if its finished cycling. Also the nem I would wait atleast 6 months to make sure its matured enough and make sure you read up and have all the necessary stuff for them. LFS will sell you anything usually, so dont' ask them for advice as all the answers will be basically you can get it soon or now and everything you have no matter what is perfect

Conrad

 

[Benztech858]

Thanks for the advice. I do have 100lbs of live rock and it has been curing for 5 weeks or so. I have tested the water levels and everything is within specs. I will purchase a set of clowns tomorrow!

 

[Alysiak00]

i believe the mollies he was referring to were saltwater mollies. You can wean freshwater mollies to withstand saltwater parameters over the course of a few weeks. Them VOILA you have saltwater compatible mollies. Now, on the otherhand, do i agree with this.....absolutely not. I'm Not trying to make an elephant fly! It can be done but the elephant sure as hell wouldn't like it

 

[kduen]

i believe the mollies he was referring to were saltwater mollies. You can wean freshwater mollies to withstand saltwater parameters over the course of a few weeks. Them VOILA you have saltwater compatible mollies. Now, on the otherhand, do i agree with this.....absolutely not. I'm Not trying to make an elephant fly! It can be done but the elephant sure as hell wouldn't like it

They are one in the same actually here is a older thread about the use of mollies to rid unwanted algae.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=965490&highlight=mollies

 

[MelloW33]

I've never heard anyone say to add mollies to a tank. It should be done cycling by now if there was enough live rock/sand. You could add clowns in like 2 weeks but wait at least 4 months for anemones.

 

[kduen]

The general rule for anemones is at least six months after the cycle. This is what the consensus is for the minimum ammount of time it will take for the tank to stabalize and mature a bit. It also gives the owner time to research what type of anemone and all of its requirements.

 

[ejanastacio]

I would wait a few months after your done with cycling.

 

[sjwitt]

Adding fish to cycle a tank is just downright cruel. If you are sure you're through the cycle add the clowns but do not add an anemone. I see people saying 6 months... maybe if your tank is extremely stable and you go with something that's easier, like a condylactis. I wouldn't do it sooner than 9 months to a year if you're going with a harder specimen. And, PLEASE, read up on what a 'healthy' anemone looks like, do NOT believe the LFS when they say a white anything is "normal" or "special" but "needs to be fed more often."

 

[kduen]

Adding fish to cycle a tank is just downright cruel. If you are sure you're through the cycle add the clowns but do not add an anemone. I see people saying 6 months... maybe if your tank is extremely stable and you go with something that's easier, like a condylactis. I wouldn't do it sooner than 9 months to a year if you're going with a harder specimen. And, PLEASE, read up on what a 'healthy' anemone looks like, do NOT believe the LFS when they say a white anything is "normal" or "special" but "needs to be fed more often."

I don't think anybody was saying to cycle with the mollies at least I wasn't. I was just pointing out that mollies can be fully acclimated to salt water and live and breed in a marine environment.

 

[sjwitt]

I don't think anybody was saying to cycle with the mollies at least I wasn't. I was just pointing out that mollies can be fully acclimated to salt water and live and breed in a marine environment.

My mistake then ... I took the post wrong. Sorry.

 

[kduen]

My mistake then ... I took the post wrong. Sorry.

No worries. I actually thought you were referring to the post a couple above mine.