Correct order to add fish...

ChrisPrestidge · Mar 8, 2020

Hi all,

As some of you may remember, I am in the process of setting up a Redsea 425. I am hoping to have water in it in a couple of weeks and then start a 6 - 8 week fishless cycle.
My question for you experienced guys is what order I should add different fish. I will give you the types of fish I plan on keeping and would love some input from you all.

So here is the list, not in any particular order...

Firefish
A school of Green Chromis
Yellow tang
Mandarin Goby (this I know needs to be way down the track)

Unsure of the rest at this stage and would love some input on other species as well

Also there will be a clean up crew, Snails, crabs, sand sifting starfish. Thoughts on this and when to add them as well please...

Thanks heaps in advance
Chris

The Aquatic Arsenal · Mar 8, 2020

I would add the green chromi's first

Wolf89 · Mar 8, 2020

I would suggest to never add a sand sifting sea star

ChrisPrestidge · Mar 8, 2020

ChrisPrestidge said:
Hi all,

As some of you may remember, I am in the process of setting up a Redsea 425. I am hoping to have water in it in a couple of weeks and then start a 6 - 8 week fishless cycle.
My question for you experienced guys is what order I should add different fish. I will give you the types of fish I plan on keeping and would love some input from you all.

So here is the list, not in any particular order...

Firefish
A school of Green Chromis
Yellow tang
Mandarin Goby (this I know needs to be way down the track)

Unsure of the rest at this stage and would love some input on other species as well

Also there will be a clean up crew, Snails, crabs, sand sifting starfish. Thoughts on this and when to add them as well please...

Thanks heaps in advance
Chris

Of course I also meant to put a pair of Clownfish in that list...

ChrisPrestidge · Mar 8, 2020

The Aquatic Arsenal said:
I would add the green chromi's first

Love the pic mate!!

Is there a particular reason for that? And can I add a school of them as the first tank inhabitants?

ChrisPrestidge · Mar 8, 2020

Wolf89 said:
I would suggest to never add a sand sifting sea star

Can I ask your reason please?

Ippyroy · Mar 8, 2020

Hi Chris! Welcome to R2R!

Sosuke · Mar 8, 2020

Welcome first of all!! Green chromis tend to pair up and kill the other ones so wouldn't go with them.
As for stocking add the firefish first (this depends on if you replace the chromis) then add the mandarin and finally the tang. Though the mandarin is a challenge

DeniseAndy · Mar 8, 2020

Maybe think of going with azure damsels instead of green chromis. They are actually good and stay small. Lots of color too. I would add firefish first as they are least aggressive. The clowns can go in if they are babies or juveniles. Adult pairs (mating) will not be happy with anything you put in after they establish territory. Tang next. Tang and clowns should not bother with the mandarin later.

TheShrimpNibbler · Mar 8, 2020

First of all, welcome to Reef2reef!
As for fish order, I would add the firefish first. Next, add the chromis. As others have noted, a pair of chromis might be better. Then, I would add the clowns, and then the tang last. Once the tank is ready, add the mandarin last.

ChrisPrestidge · Mar 8, 2020

Thank you all for your replies. You are giving me awesome information. I really want to get this right and hopefully have an amazing tank!

Ome other question, are Firefish better on their own or in pairs? I have read different things.....

billandwende · Mar 8, 2020

ChrisPrestidge said:
Can I ask your reason please?

Not knowing for sure what Wolf89's reasons are but I'll toss my reasoning in.

They tend to die. Yep, all the site that sell them say they are easy. Then again they are selling. Maybe after the tank is very well established you can give it a go, but starfish typically do not survive long. That being said I will attempt to introduce one to my system in the future. My tank is 8 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet tall. So I have a lot of grazing area and I'm still not certain a starfish will survive long term.

Others will most certainly have differing opinions on the subject. As with any questions answered on the web. Research the answers given. I may be wrong.

Here is a good read http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/

and after you read that. Here is more about the Sand Sifting starfish you were asking about.

Sand-sifting Starfish: A Job (too) Well Done!

If you’ve ever shopped for a marine aquarium cleanup crew, you’ve probably noticed that these packages often include so-called sand-sifting starfish—rather bland-colored, burrowing stars of the gen…

www.saltwatersmarts.com

TheShrimpNibbler · Mar 8, 2020

ChrisPrestidge said:
Thank you all for your replies. You are giving me awesome information. I really want to get this right and hopefully have an amazing tank!

Ome other question, are Firefish better on their own or in pairs? I have read different things.....

I really like my pair, but I know that sometimes, they can fight in pairs, and one ends up getting killed. I guess it just depends on if you are willing to take the risk or not.

ChrisPrestidge · Mar 8, 2020

billandwende said:
Not knowing for sure what Wolf89's reasons are but I'll toss my reasoning in.

They tend to die. Yep, all the site that sell them say they are easy. Then again they are selling. Maybe after the tank is very well established you can give it a go, but starfish typically do not survive long. That being said I will attempt to introduce one to my system in the future. My tank is 8 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet tall. So I have a lot of grazing area and I'm still not certain a starfish will survive long term.

Others will most certainly have differing opinions on the subject. As with any questions answered on the web. Research the answers given. I may be wrong.

Here is a good read http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/

and after you read that. Here is more about the Sand Sifting starfish you were asking about.

Sand-sifting Starfish: A Job (too) Well Done!

If you’ve ever shopped for a marine aquarium cleanup crew, you’ve probably noticed that these packages often include so-called sand-sifting starfish—rather bland-colored, burrowing stars of the gen…

www.saltwatersmarts.com

Thanks mate, I really appreciate that. I'll have a read shortly