Stocking Question... Order, Time To Wait?

[sparklefuzz]

Hi, Just added a pair of black ocellaris to my new tank. They've been in since friday, so 2 1/2 days... ammonia & nitrite have tested 0 every 12 hours since I added them. Nitrate is between 0 and 2.5, more towards 0. I plan on the following fish eventually, and I'd like advice as to which order to add them, and how long to leave between each fish... is 4 weeks long enough to wait now before I add my next one?

Royal Gramma or better still, a Bicolor Pseudochromis... any advice on which would work better??
Bangaii Cardinal
Purple Firefish
Possibly a Blue Green Chromis.... any other suggestions for a suitable 6th fish??

Thanks for any advice!

p.s it is a 48 usg tank, with 55lbs liverock.

 

[Brenden]

It all depends on your filteration ect. Some systems handle large bioloads better then others. With my new 325g system I am going to be adding 2 Blue Hippo Tangs, 2 Yellow Tangs, 4 Clown Fish, 1 Auriga Butterfly all in the same day. Seems like about but after doing research, talking, and researching my filteration system I will be capable of doing soon. Then about 1-2 weeks later after letting these fish settle I will add 2 Brown Banded Bamboo Sharks, followed by a Porcupine Puffer about 1 week later. So In about 1 month my tank will be fully housed. So really depends on your filteration, try adding 1 fish per week, if your parameters stay down, add another, and keep doing so until you see a jump.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, the biggest problem you'll have there if you have one will be with the Gramma/Bicolor and the firefish. Since both are long slender purple color morphs you might get some significant aggression going on there. Grammas/Bicolors would definitely be the aggressor in this instance. So what I'd do is this: Put the cardinal in first, followed up by the firefish as these are the least aggressive. Then for your 6th fish, I'd totally add a fairy wrasse cause I think they're gorgeous. Finally, I'd try a bi-color psuedo as from what I've heard they're the least aggressive of the two.

 

[hyrookin]

I would just say that if you get the bangaii, they fare much better with at least a pair,
the same also goes with the green chromis.

 

[sparklefuzz]

Well, the biggest problem you'll have there if you have one will be with the Gramma/Bicolor and the firefish. Since both are long slender purple color morphs you might get some significant aggression going on there. Grammas/Bicolors would definitely be the aggressor in this instance. So what I'd do is this: Put the cardinal in first, followed up by the firefish as these are the least aggressive. Then for your 6th fish, I'd totally add a fairy wrasse cause I think they're gorgeous. Finally, I'd try a bi-color psuedo as from what I've heard they're the least aggressive of the two.

Thanks Mike So, I'll add the cardinal next... how long should I wait before adding him?? and subsequent fish...? is one a week too much oh, and would it help if I got an orange firefish, instead of the purple, do you think?

I would just say that if you get the bangaii, they fare much better with at least a pair,
the same also goes with the green chromis.

Hmm... ok, could be an issue then.... I'll give it some thought, thanks!

 

[SkiFletch]

Less likely to have aggression problems with the red-orange firefish

Edit, Id go no faster than one fish every 2 weeks

 

[sparklefuzz]

Less likely to have aggression problems with the red-orange firefish

Edit, Id go no faster than one fish every 2 weeks

Okey dokes... what is your opinion on quarantining? Also, do you think it would be ok to add the firefish, THEN the cardinal? As it seems my LFS isn't expecting any cardinals in until the new year, and we were hoping to get our next fish before then

 

[SkiFletch]

My oppinion on quarantining? I wish I had the resources to do so... I've very lucky in that I work very closely with the two owners of my LFS and now know them well. They hold fish for me for 2 weeks to make sure they show no signs of disease before they sell them to me, so its nice to have that piece of mind. What I really wish I could do is quarantine my corals since you can get lots of nasty coral-eating flatworms, nudibranchs, or red bugs that can ravage the corals in a tank. Again, I dont have the resources to do so, so I have to work with my shopowners to have a second-best thing.

 

[Mr.September15]

My opinion is that if you have the means of a quarantine tank then go for it. It won't be such a hassle to set one up, you just need to set it up as any normal tank. I just bought a 10gallon quarantine tank. I'm still not sure if I want to make it a community FW or a quarantine tank.