How often to add fish to new tank?

[rja]

Hey folks,
Having one of those modern reefer problems where I have zero po4 and no3. Filtration is just so good now. Anyway, the new system is up, cycled, and running for a month. I have a chalk bass and a melanurus wrasse. Some easy coral from my old and running system. Plan to add a small tang to the system soon. I hear of folks waiting months between fish. But I do not have really any nutrient production that isn’t getting taken out by the skimmer or sucked in by coral/GHA then eaten by CUC. I do only feed frozen which can play a part. But my fish only eat frozen. I could turn off my skimmer but I am worried about dropping my pH. (basement tank)

Should I just pull the trigger and add the tank in hopes that it can create a greater bioload? Then in a couple weeks put my clowns in that only eat pellet food? The reason I am waiting to add my clowns is because of decaying pellet food.

Any thoughts?

 

[brandon429]

introducing disease and or behavioral issues is the risk to your fish, not any sort of cycle issue. your tank could handle a massive input of fish right now without ammonia issues if you had zero behavioral and disease issues with the added lot. spacing out for cycle control does nothing; prepping for disease is where your concerns should be.

 

[rja]

introducing disease and or behavioral issues is the risk to your fish, not any sort of cycle issue. your tank could handle a massive input of fish right now without ammonia issues if you had zero behavioral and disease issues with the added lot. spacing out for cycle control does nothing; prepping for disease is where your concerns should be.

I do have the benefit of having two tanks running so in a disease event, I could QT.

 

[Indymann99]

I let QT determine the schedule. 6-8weeks QT, PER fish spaces it out nicely.

 

[Doctorgori]

there is another thread running currently on whether to get a UV or not …my advise is either get pre-quarantined fish (Dr.Reef, et) or a UV or QT yourself …
Trust me, anything less is playing with fire …

BTW, I try to get the bulk of my fish for a new tank within a month …
…or in the case of pygmy angels, tangs, chalk bass, grammas, clowns, anthias; (to name a few) maybe even all at once….
no hard fast rule, just seems easier for harem types, schooling’s fish, et. and mitigating territorial squabbling….

 

[Celestion]

Petco is having fish sale , 5 percula's $100 and many others wow

 

[rja]

there is another thread running currently on whether to get a UV or not …my advise is either get pre-quarantined fish (Dr.Reef, et) or a UV or QT yourself …
Trust me, anything less is playing with fire …

BTW, I try to get the bulk of my fish for a new tank within a month …
…or in the case of pygmy angels, tangs, chalk bass, grammas, clowns, anthias; (to name a few) maybe even all at once….
no hard fast rule, just seems easier for harem types, schooling’s fish, et. and mitigating territorial squabbling….

Totally makes sense. I never understood the rule of waiting a long time. I think as long as the fish is healthy, pre QT, etc. why not?

 

[Doctorgori]

I’m not 100% sure about the behavior of every fish in the trade, I do know there is a TON of misinformation out there so you gotta be careful…

I once read a article from a respected Aquarist/author who suggested to keep Moorish Idols in a group….
NOTHING could be further from the truth….sure I once had 3 idols in a tank, but I got 3 small 2” juveniles at once and this was back in the day when that size was common….try that now with larger idols you will end up with 1 live idol and 2 dead ones….

I keep reading you can’t keep 2 of the same dwarf angels together, again not true…you can indeed keep a small group (certain species like cherubs, et)…trick is to get them small and all at once…. Same goes for Royal grammas, Black cap basslets and chalk bass

…there are other “tricks” with different species to get groups to work and minimize aggression (like multiple tangs, clowns, et) all depends and varies by species and mix

Basically I’m saying sometimes you have to purchase fish at the same time, other not so much …all depends