Order for Introducing Fish

[FishingLovingSons]

Current tank is 20 gallon long with HOB Tidal 55 and Fluval/AC 20 modded as a small refugium; sea lettuce. Tank has been running since beginning of the year, just over 8 months. Live sand and dry rock used; about 1 month in added CUC from ReefCleaners. End of March I added 5280 pods from Algae Barn, fed phyto for a few months. We were going through some home renovations so knew I wanted to wait to add more life (fish/corals) until it was over. Full circle to today, tank has been running for 8 months and almost no nuisance algae. I ordered some fish and hermit crabs through Blue Zoo Aquatics that will be arriving tomorrow!!! Stock ordered:

Royal Gramma, over .75"-1.5"
Six Line Wrasse, 1"-2.5"
Orange Spot Goby, over 1"-2"
Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp, .75"-1.5"
2x red leg hermit
2x blue leg hermit

My question is the title. Who should take the first swim?! All stock arriving in the morning; according to Fedex they must literally be in the plane right now! Any insight please and thank you!

 

[JumboShrimp]

Just got a chuckle because of the sheer number of fish people say is “a good fish to add last.” How can 20 different fish all be added “last”? Ahahahahaha! (But someone may have an opinion on your particular fish prospects.) Best wishes.

 

[ichthyogeek]

None of them. Quarantine your fish. And then take them out one by one from the QT and introduce them into the display tank. You can add the inverts right away, but keep in mind that if you do that, you'll be keeping the fish in quarantine for ~76 days to keep ich out of the tank. Then, and only then can you add the fish safely into the tank without fear of disease.

Stocking order (AFTER QUARANTINE) is : orange spot goby, then royal gramma 1 week later, then sixline wrasse 1 week after that.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

None of them. Quarantine your fish. And then take them out one by one from the QT and introduce them into the display tank. You can add the inverts right away, but keep in mind that if you do that, you'll be keeping the fish in quarantine for ~76 days to keep ich out of the tank. Then, and only then can you add the fish safely into the tank without fear of disease.

Stocking order (AFTER QUARANTINE) is : orange spot goby, then royal gramma 1 week later, then sixline wrasse 1 week after that.

Thank you for your input. Not starting an argument here; will be using Safety Stop. If signs of distress then they will go into hospital tank. Thank you for the order of intro!

 

[eatbreakfast]

The sixline will eventually not coexist in that small of a tank with the royal gramma and it may go after the hermits.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

The sixline will eventually not coexist in that small of a tank with the royal gramma and it may go after the hermits.

I figured as much; I have a 40g breeder just waiting to drill... been needing an excuse for my better half to go along with it. She helped pick the fish so I can say “... kinda your fault I have to upgrade this tank!”

I’ve had 40b since the end of last year plus all equipment- overflow box, skimmer, 2 gyres (1 in the 20long), lights, return pump, etc. Already sketched out the stand I’m building! That 6 line is my ticket to a larger DT!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I figured as much; I have a 40g breeder just waiting to drill... been needing an excuse for my better half to go along with it. She helped pick the fish so I can say “... kinda your fault I have to upgrade this tank!”

I’ve had 40b since the end of last year plus all equipment- overflow box, skimmer, 2 gyres (1 in the 20long), lights, return pump, etc. Already sketched out the stand I’m building! That 6 line is my ticket to a larger DT!

Even a 40b is pushing it. I find that sixlines get more aggressive as they get older and don't tolerate other wrasses or fish that "claim" a territory.

I take care of fishtanks and there is no fish that I get asked to catch out more than sixlines due to aggression.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

Even a 40b is pushing it. I find that sixlines get more aggressive as they get older and don't tolerate other wrasses or fish that "claim" a territory.

I take care of fishtanks and there is no fish that I get asked to catch out more than sixlines due to aggression.

Wow ok... did not know they got so bad. Could rock scaping specifically to deter aggression help for an older sixline? Is it because of volume or footprint- ie 60g cube, or got up to a 4’ like a 75?

 

[eatbreakfast]

A bigger footprint and lots of rockwork can help, but not necassarily eliminate all the aggression.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

Understood... can only hope it remains as passive as possible for as long as possible. Thank you for the heads up!

 

[Acros]

I have a six-line wrasse who is a model citizen. It might not last long. She is only an inch long. My tank is a standard 29g.

I have a longfin fairy wrasse, a red head solon fairy wrasse and a lawnmower blenny as well in the tank. I added them all together so that no one establishes their territory before the other.

There was some aggression for a week and then they settled down. There was no chasing each other, but the longfin fairy wrasse would flare his fins and make himself look bigger when any fish come near him. He doesn’t do that anymore.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have a six-line wrasse who is a model citizen. It might not last long. She is only an inch long. My tank is a standard 29g.

I have a longfin fairy wrasse, a red head solon fairy wrasse and a lawnmower blenny as well in the tank. I added them all together so that no one establishes their territory before the other.

There was some aggression for a week and then they settled down. There was no chasing each other, but the longfin fairy wrasse would flare his fins and make himself look bigger when any fish come near him. He doesn’t do that anymore.

So while small that may temporarily work, but as they grow and mature all of those wrasses will need more space.

 

[Acros]

So while small that may temporarily work, but as they grow and mature all of those wrasses will need more space.

That is my understanding as well. How fast do they grow? Will they be considered mature adults in 1 year form now? If they grow faster.. I will have to just re-home them. Luckily the LFS gives credit (70%) when trading in fish.

 

[eatbreakfast]

That is my understanding as well. How fast do they grow? Will they be considered mature adults in 1 year form now? If they grow faster.. I will have to just re-home them. Luckily the LFS gives credit (70%) when trading in fish.

Fish growth and maturity rates can vary due to numerous factors, but I would anticipate some trouble in less than a year.

 

[Acros]

Fish growth and maturity rates can vary due to numerous factors, but I would anticipate some trouble in less than a year.

I will keep an eye out and re-home them when needed.