True Percula

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

A lfs is having a sale for a pair of true percula tank-bred clownfish for just $30. I can't pass this up but I need your guys' help before I truly settle. So heeere go the questions:

-How hardy are they on a scale of 1-5
-Will they do well without corals/nems for a while?
-What is the absolute best and most effective food under $10?
-Will they cause a mini cycle on a 6week young 14g tank if added at the same time?
-Will a 1.018 sg be ok for a little bit(i'm increasing it more now that I have reef crystals my lfs made the mistake of giving me IO which is only 1.021 and I didn't have a refractometer when I started the tank)

My lfs tested the water and said it was ready for clowns, nh3 - 0 n02 - 0 40ppm got a diatom bloom 3 days ago as well.

Intricateart · Jan 25, 2014

Best food- enriched mysis or a salt water multipack.
Pretty hardy in our personal experience
They will be fine without a nem, but they will flourish with one, and they will behave differently. A sebae nem has an instant chemical affect that draws them to it, so adding it later is no big deal
NO on the salinity, you have to raise it.
really the tank is too young. I got mine for 20 for a pair, so this isn't the end all be all of all clownfish sales.

EW_Fish · Jan 25, 2014

#1 They are pretty hardy
#2They don't need corals or a nem to live
#3Prime reef flakes
#4
#5You shouldn't add any fish till you have the right equipment
& I know this sounds bad but some lfs will tell you its okay just to get the sell.

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

Intricateart said:
really the tank is too young.

Do you mean in regards to spikes?

Intricateart · Jan 25, 2014

Did I misread that? Is the tank 6 weeks old?

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

BTW any tips on how to get salinity up faster. Oh and true percs are usually 50 a pair so I'd say this is a pretty good deal.

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

Intricateart said:
Did I misread that? Is the tank 6 weeks old?

No it's 6weeks young

Intricateart · Jan 25, 2014

Its our different locations, I'm guessing. We like elite corals here in florida, and he does ship.

EW_Fish · Jan 25, 2014

Thats really not a "killer deal". I got a pair of platniums and a pair of picasso for $75. I think there is a bit more to learn before you start adding fish to your tank. You add salt to up your salnity

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

EW_Fish said:
Thats really not a "killer deal". I got a pair of platniums and a pair of picasso for $75. I think there is a bit more to learn before you start adding fish to your tank. You add salt to up your salnity

I have a false perc that was a b-day present(forgot to tell my dad the tank wasn't ready) and the sg back then was only 1.009 and he did just fine with that. I've heard many people keep their salinity at 1.018-1.020 and their livestock did just fine. Something to think about but i don't want to start a debate, I'm trying to get it to 1.022-25.

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

And yea I know but they don't update their true perc stock very often and by the time the salinity is ready they'll be more grown.

Intricateart · Jan 25, 2014

Think of it like living at high altitude suddenly.

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

It has been rising steadily with the reef crystals water, I'd say about .001 every 2-3 days. Will they be ok if it's not exactly on point for a couple weeks?

EW_Fish · Jan 25, 2014

If you don't have any livestock in the tank? Then why not make the salinity 1.024. Is this a fish only tank?

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

EW_Fish said:
If you don't have any livestock in the tank? Then why not make the salinity 1.024. Is this a fish only tank?

I have to get my clown out, I only have the pre-mixed lfs water that's 1.025 should I try to put that all in the tank(wc of course). I've been topping it off with RC but it's been pretty slow. It's gonna be a fish only tank for a while I'd say 3-4months before I add corals.

NC2WA · Jan 25, 2014

personally, it sounds like you have a cycled tank, BUT I would not put anything in the tank until you get the salinity at the proper level...better to have the water parameters at the levels you want before adding anything..easier to maintain and easier on your mental health too.

remember clownfish are a cousin of the damsel family which are very hardy, but with that said, I still would not add anything until the salinity is at 1.024

EW_Fish · Jan 25, 2014

Don't do a wc just keep using it as rodi top off. If there is fish in there you don't want to change it to fast Slow is good in this hobby

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

NC2WA said:
personally, it sounds like you have a cycled tank, BUT I would not put anything in the tank until you get the salinity at the proper level...better to have the water parameters at the levels you want before adding anything..easier to maintain and easier on your mental health too.

remember clownfish are a cousin of the damsel family which are very hardy, but with that said, I still would not add anything until the salinity is at 1.024

I think it's highly possible they'll be ok at 1.022, just read my sg with my refractometer again, turns out it was 0.001-ish off, after some calibrating It is extremely close to 1.020.

Krimzon · Jan 25, 2014

EW_Fish said:
Don't do a wc just keep using it as rodi top off. If there is fish in there you don't want to change it to fast Slow is good in this hobby

Right, that's why I would take out my current clown.