4 fish for newly cycled tank?

[Zionas]

Hi all, I am wondering if 4 new fish would be too many for a newly cycled tank. My tank, as some of you already know, is a 6-foot by 2.3 foot by 1.8 foot tank. It’s not a small tank, 183 gallons, so I wonder if 4 fish would strain the bioload too much early on.

I’m thinking of doing Yellow Watchman Goby + Ocellaris pair + Royal Gramma / Marine Betta

As my first 4 fish.


*To clarify, they will be introduced at the same time into a tank with cultured and cycled live rock and a couple of soft coral fragments to kick start my tank.

 

[Squidward]

I think you should be fine since they're on the smaller side of fish.

 

[Zionas]

Sounds great. Think I’ll go ahead with 4 small fish or 3 small 1 medium fish.

The good news is I think my LFS sells pre-paired Ocellaris Clowns. If I can’t find them when I start my tank I’ll pair them myself with about a 25% size difference.

I’m most worried about nitrates exceeding 15ppm in a new tank. Not sure if that’s a dangerous level for a new tank and I don’t think any of the fish that will be going in (on my stocking plan) initially are high bioload fish, but I just want to make sure as to not overstress the system and possibly cause even an ammonia resurgence.

Would a 2-3” sandbed be enough for the YWG?

 

[SPR1968]

You should be fine with that, infact you could probably add a few more with that size tank. They'll look lost in there

Just start researching what you need to possibly add to control nitrate/phosphate levels if they increase, a good target is 5-10 nitrate and very low phosphate at around 0.03.

 

[Zionas]

If there’s one thing it’s that my single most expensive piece of equipment is a top of the line protein skimmer. A Bubble King Eco Max 250, looked it up and it says it can be used for a tank up to 400 gallons (which is twice the size of mine).

 

[shadesatsetbreak]

Worst thing that happens is you lose four fish. Go for it.

 

[Zionas]

Are you saying I’ll likely lose all of them with that number in a very new tank? lol.

 

[shadesatsetbreak]

Are you saying I’ll likely lose all of them with that number in a very new tank? lol.

Is that what it sounds like I'm saying? Allow me to clarify. I'm saying that without knowing anything else, that's the worst that could happen. If you were crossing a very busy intersection to purchase the fish, I'd say the worst thing that could happen is you get hit by a bus on your way home. Then you, and all your recently purchased fish, would die. But without making any assumptions, worst case scenario is you lose the four fish.

 

[SMSREEF]

did you end up getting the live rock from the store that you had pictures of?
It had tangs in with it right?

If so, you’re ready for fish. nless you planned on keeping rock fallow for 76 days without fish.

I know the rock I got from my LFS has sick fish in with it so I do a fallow period. I buy it from that store because the rock is gorgeous (no other stores have colors and life like it).

I don’t mean to turn this into Quarantine or not thread, but this is kinda the time to make that decision.

 

[Zionas]

Ahhh I see. Thanks for clarifying.


Yes, I am not sure if that’s their “only” holding tank for culturing live rock, but the one in the pictures I showed does have a group of Blue Hippo Tangs and a Sohal in them. Would a 76-day fallow period still be highly suggested?

 

[SMSREEF]

Ahhh I see. Thanks for clarifying.


Yes, I am not sure if that’s their “only” holding tank for culturing live rock, but the one in the pictures I showed does have a group of Blue Hippo Tangs and a Sohal in them. Would a 76-day fallow period still be highly suggested?

There are a few ways of thinking... One is that everything needs quarantined and if you do this, you can keep ICH and velvet out of your tank.

there are others who don’t quarantine Anything ever...

I am quarantining and putting all non fish through 76 day fallow. There are people that think this is crazy. ButI don’t ever want to deal with mass fish dieoff

There is a lot of fantastic info in the quarantine forum. Look at some of the threads that are sticky’d up top.