The 10 gallon clownfish only experiment.

rmthompson

New Member
Hey all. New the site, but experienced hobbyist. I haven't kept a saltwater in some time, and for my birthday yesterday I received an Aqaureon 10 Gallon Deluxe Starter Kit, some Instant Ocean, chemicals, and some sand substrate.
While these aren't the ingredients I wouldn't have picked out for myself to create a salt water tank, I am going to give it a go. I am going to create and hopefully sustain a 10 gallon tank with ONE Ocellaris clownfish.
My rules to myself are:
1. No additional filtration. The "deluxe" filter claims to be 4 stage, despite it size.
2. No additional lighting. It comes with a full spectrum bulb.
[strike]3. No Liverock. [/strike]
So we're all set up, and with a specific gravity about what's needed, and today/tomorrow we'll be putting a clown in, a hardy one so he can handle the cycle himself.
What do you guys think?
:)
 

flower

Well-Known Member

Welcome to the site.

I don’t intend to sound mean, so please don’t take the following wrong....Are you trying to torture the clown on purpose? Why not at least let the thing cycle using a chunk of raw shrimp before adding a fish.

Also I'm curious as to what the experiment is. Keeping a tiny tank with no live rock???
 

meowzer

Moderator
I also think you should NOT add a clown yet..and SHOULD add some live rock.....the fish will like the rock for hiding and comfort
Why on earth do you want to put a live fish in a new tank anyway?
AND AS Flower asked...what is the experiment?
 

rmthompson

New Member
I don't see it as torture. Clown fish are hardy fish and can probably handle it's own bioload. By cycling with raw shrimp, I'd be creating an increased bioload that the fish couldn't handle unless 100% cycled.
The point of the experiment is yes, to create a salt tank, without inverts, that can support a fish or two.
 

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
While it is true that you CAN keep an Ocellaris in a 10 gallon tank, I honestly wouldn't recommend it. Most especially in a 10 gallon tank with no live rock. The clown may live for a while, but without the comfort of a hiding area you may stress him out to the point that he dies sooner than normal.
And please, pleaseplease. Cycle the tank with a dead silverside or table shrimp. I know clowns are hardy, but why do that to the guy? It's like putting you in a room with a high ammonia gas content. You could probably live through it, but why torture yourself like that?
 

meowzer

Moderator
Not to be rude or anything.....BUT I bet I can handle a little torture too w/o dieing.....doesn't mean I should be tortured
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by RMThompson http:///forum/thread/384884/the-10-gallon-clownfish-only-experiment#post_3373319
I don't see it as torture. Clown fish are hardy fish and can probably handle it's own bioload. By cycling with raw shrimp, I'd be creating an increased bioload that the fish couldn't handle unless 100% cycled.
The point of the experiment is yes, to create a salt tank, without inverts, that can support a fish or two.

UMMM...I did say to cycle the thing with a piece of raw shrimp FIRST. Not along with the clown....So YES 100% cycled first.You have been out of the hobby for a while like you said...because it's not hard to keep one little fish in a 10g tank with no inverts.
 

rmthompson

New Member
What I am saying is this:
I cycle with a shrimp, a damsel, urine, whatever... and I have a certaion amount of bioload in the tank.
Adding the little nemo is only going to add MORE bioload, and the fish is going to see a spike ANYWAY. With chemical nitrate and ammonia removers, it should be a low enough spike that the fish will likely see little to no ill effects, and I don't have the worry of diseases or working the small filter for a bioload it won't need.
As for hiding places, of COURSE I am going to have decoration ready for the fish before I put him in!
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by RMThompson http:///forum/thread/384884/the-10-gallon-clownfish-only-experiment#post_3373327
What I am saying is this:
I cycle with a shrimp, a damsel, urine, whatever... and I have a certaion amount of bioload in the tank.
Adding the little nemo is only going to add MORE bioload, and the fish is going to see a spike ANYWAY. With chemical nitrate and ammonia removers, it should be a low enough spike that the fish will likely see little to no ill effects, and I don't have the worry of diseases or working the small filter for a bioload it won't need.
As for hiding places, of COURSE I am going to have decoration ready for the fish before I put him in!

Hey, just wondering...Do you have a brother named Wayner? We are not arguing with you or trying to put you down...IMO, it's a dumb experiment. Set up the tank as a nano with live sand and rock and add, AFTER
it's ready and cycled. A clown fish and yes some snails to keep things nice and clean.
I said my part and now I'm done on this subject. So possible brother of Wayner...do whatever you want to do.
 

rmthompson

New Member
I don't have a brother named Wayner. I presume this is some other person you've chosen to ridicule on the forums?
Anyway, project going ahead. I'll update everyone! :)
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by RMThompson http:///forum/thread/384884/the-10-gallon-clownfish-only-experiment#post_3373344
I don't have a brother named Wayner. I presume this is some other person you've chosen to ridicule on the forums?
Anyway, project going ahead. I'll update everyone! :)
No, Wayner was a free thinker and did things his own way. Nobody could talk him down from the ledge.
I told you I wasn't trying to ridicule, it's hard to express myself sometimes. I PERSOANLLY, think its a dumb idea...not calling you dumb. UMM lets see...an example would be.....I think tattoos are dumb and something I would never ever do. However, those who have tattoos are not dumb people and I don't ridicule them.
I gave my opinion, and said I have no more input on the subject...My opinion is "Poor fishy."
 
:O i remember when my tank had a mini break down so it did a quick cycle and my poor clown fishes suffer so much. They were literally being drifted by the water current at the top. :( I wouldn't do that to the fish even if you have the money to blow. I was sad to see it happen. I wait for a while till the cycle was done and added a firegoby instead then added a clown fish. Now there are two only in my 12 gallon :) Live rocks are pretty ;D and helps with cycle. I mean you can at least get a lb of live rock? :eek: so the poor clown wouldn't suffer so much from the cycle?
 

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
In the interests of full disclosure, I am currently keeping an Ocellaris clown in a 12g tank right now. She (for she's definitely a she by now...) is in the tank with about 15 lbs of live rock that was transferred from the breakdown of the 110g tank. Even with this setup, I have to watch the chemistry very closely. I imagine you will need to be doing water testing every day as you start out.
And please let it cycle for at least a little bit...wait for the Amm to go down at least.
 

btldreef

Moderator
I don't think you fully understand what I "new cycle" or "cycling a tank" really is.
If you cycle the tank, you're not increasing bioload, you're building beneficial bacteria to handle the bioload that then goes into the tank AFTER it can maintain itself (after the ammonia spike, etc, etc.)
While a clownfish can stay in that size tank, if it's a percula or similar smaller breed, it shouldn't go in the tank until it's cycled.
 

rmthompson

New Member
UPDATE:
OK I bought about 4 lbs of Haitian Liverock, it's very pourous so 4 lbs is about the size of 12 lbs of "base" liverock. (Pieces are nice and big) and a few crabs came attached to start moving some things along.
I am feeding the crabs fish food daily to start the soft cycle process.
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
hithiking crabs???? i hope there nice...... no offense but in the beggining of ur thread i thought you were sigmund frued using shock therepy! Wats a soft cycle mean? Ur tank being a 10 gal will prob have a decent amonia spike i would think. Ones ur levels actually level than ur ready to dump in a clown...imo
 

rmthompson

New Member
No these were not hitchiking crabs, I purchased an emerald and a few hermits that were already on the rock!
 

joltnpest

New Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/384884/the-10-gallon-clownfish-only-experiment#post_3373675
hithiking crabs???? i hope there nice...... no offense but in the beggining of ur thread i thought you were sigmund frued using shock therepy! Wats a soft cycle mean? Ur tank being a 10 gal will prob have a decent amonia spike i would think. Ones ur levels actually level than ur ready to dump in a clown...imo
do bad crabs even mater in a FOWLR tank?
 

flower

Well-Known Member
....I swear you had a no inverts rule too....LOL, before you know it you will have a wonderful little nano tank with all the trimmings. We need some pictures. I expect any time for you to say you got the SW bug and looking for a 100g tank or more.
My rules to myself are:
1. No additional filtration. The "deluxe" filter claims to be 4 stage, despite it size.
2. No additional lighting. It comes with a full spectrum bulb.
3. No Liverock.
 
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