A tough first tank

[bluegoose972]

Well, I made the plung and converted my 46 gal bow tank to saltwater last weekend. I followed my lfs recommendations which included equipment types and then also added some cured rock to help the cycle process. Purchased three damsels (one striped and two blue) and a 2 inch niger trigger...also recommeded by the lfs. Well, the two blue damsels only lasted about four hours before being killed by the niger. Everything seemed fine and I went out in the garage to do some chores and came back to dead damsels. He can't catch the striped damsel which is the only thing that saved him. Should I have expected this? Is this niger especially agressive? My future plans include adding a puffer to the tank...Do I need to return the niger? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[mikecoral]

Slow down , let the tank cycle first, wait about 6 weeks.Then check your water levels, if all is fine then add fish like the puffer or trigger. The guy at your lfs is not to bright. He should of known that the trigger would attack the damsels . Another thing is that you have to make a decision between non agressive or agressive fish.

 

[bluegoose972]

Well, believe it or not, both of my lfs recommended that I add the triggers. I'll chaulk this one up as a learning experience. Both shops recommended adding fish to help the cycling of the tank.

 

[bluegoose972]

I want an agressive tank. What are some colorful fishes(brighter the better) that would compliment a dog face puffer or a pork?

 

[swtanks]

Miniatus grouper. Bright red body covered with blue dots. Really sharp looking.

 

[saltfish4me]

Sorry to be the one to bring the news but none of the fish that have been mentioned will live comfortably in that small of a tank. Also triggers and puffers shouldn't be put together unless it is an extremely large tank 300+ gallons. In a 46 there just really isn't alot of chose for aggressive fish. You could get away with a snowflake eel and maybe a dwarf lion but that would be it. You may want to considewr some community fish such as clowns and a dwarf angel of some kind. Also some firefish would be nice. Read up there are some great colorful fish that you can have in that tank.
Justin

 

[teog]

what should my water levels be once i cycle my 90 gallon. I set it up on 9/18.
Nitrite .1
Nitrate 10
amonia 0
why would my nitrate be a 10. I also did a water change yesterday....

 

[bluegoose972]

I do plan on upgrading to a larger tank down the road. This is my first saltwater setup and wanted to get it running right before jumping into a large tank. From what I have read and heard, I should be able to put a young pork in this tank for maybe a year and then upgrade at that time. When I upgrade, the 46 bow will become a reef tank. Are you saying that the niger and a pork could not co-exist in the 46 at all? Even if they are both very young? My previous set-up was tropical and included oscars. I was told that the same thing....that the 46 was way too small for two adult oscars. But it takes a year to two for them to gain that size. The oscars did great and I would have upgraded, but had to move recently so I returned them to the lfs. Are saltwater fish different in this respect? Sorry about all the questions, but not very comfortable with my lfs right now and trying to learn.

 

[trigahappynigerog]

nigers are known to be peacefull. in my opinion nigers are also aggressive fish. and those striped damsels are quick. i tried to feed one to my trigger and he couldnt catch him. triggers are hardy and can survive the cycle so the lfs know whats going on. a 2 inch niger will be comfortably in there for a while. you should try to get 2 striped damsels to make up for the dead ones. the niger will eat them sooner or later.

 

[chubby trigger]

IVE SAID THIS BEFORE AND ILL SAY IT AGAIN. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS OUT THERE CONCERNING THE RULES AND GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW WHEN HOUSING CERTAIN FISH TOGETHER. WHEN I FIRST STATED I DIDNT SEE WHY I COULDNT HAVE MY DREAM TANK; A DWARF LION, BLUE SPOTTED PUFFER AND AN UNDULATED TRIGGER IN A 46 GALLON TANK. SO I DID MY RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IF I WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT IT. MY TANK HAD BEEN STABLE FOR A MONTH OR 2 AND I DECIDED TO INTRODUCE THE BLUESPOTTED PUFFERV (MOST BEAUTIFUL FISH IMO) ALLOW HIM TO BE ACCLIMATED WAIT A MONTH OR TWO AND THEN LOCATE THE SMALLEST UNDULATED(ARGUABLY MOST AGGRESSIVE OF THE TRIGGERS) AND SMALLEST DRARF LION I COULD FIND. NO PROBLEMS PERIOD. MY POINT YOU NEVER KNOW TILL YOU TRY ,ALL FISH ARE DIFFERENT, JUST BE REALISTIC. GOOD LUCK

 

[chubby trigger]

Originally posted by swtanks:
<STRONG>Miniatus grouper. Bright red body covered with blue dots. Really sharp looking.</STRONG>

A 2 FOOT GROUPER IN A 46 GALLON TANK SOND GREAT LOL. FULL GROWN YOU COUOLNT EVEN FIT A GROUPER IN A 46 G