New Aquarium

[jtt]

copepods are GREAT. heaps of fish eat them, in fact, if you go to the fish section, and check out the mandarin gobies, they only eat copepods, it is their main food source. the spotted mandarin goby would rather starve to death than eat anything else. (im sure there are exceptions, and im sure that those here on swf.com with a spotted mandarin will NOW chime in and brag that they got their mandarin to eat mysis or brine, but general rule is that their main source of food is copepods)
direct quote from swf.com spotted mandarin link:
The Mandarin fish is a very peaceful creature that likes to hop and hover throughout the aquarium looking for copepods to feed on. They should be introduced into established aquariums with Live Rock, as this is where their best food source breeds -- copepods
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
if you dont care to keep a mandarin goby, heaps of other fish feed on copepods as their main source of food also. leave em alone, let them thrive, they live and breed on your live rock.
and again, welcome to the hobby! there is so much to learn

 

[dnvrbrown]

Well I have yet another issue that I need your advise on. One of my good friends thought she was doing something nice and bought me some fish. Here is my delima....she bought me a powdered blue tang (a pet store had them on sale for $23.00 and she knew it was a good deal) and 2 yellow tail damsels and after her bringing them to me, I had to try do something with them. I acclimated them to my tank and released them. After reading about the tang, my tank is not nearly big enough. I read on one site, only one, that they needed 50 gallon but most says 90 gallon. As of now, the fish seems to be doing well. It is grazing over the live rock, eating the food I put in the tank, and seems to be active. I'm worried my tank wasn't cycled enough, but the salt level was good, the amonia is still at zero, the nitrate is very low (barley any color on the strip) and the nitrite is at zero. I have had snails and hermit crabs in the tank for 3 days and they are still alive. What do you recommend? The fish is beautiful and I hate to lose it.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Gotta love when people try to do something nice for you.

Your tank is not nearly big enough for the powder blue tang. They get large and are a very active fish as well that requires a lot of swimming room. I would return him to the LFS where he was purchased otherwise there is a good chance that he will get stressed from being in such a small tank, especially a new one.
As far as the damsels go, they will end up terrorizing other new additions to the tank once they get comfortable. Do a search on damsels and read how many threads there are on here of people asking how to get rid of them because of how mean they get. If you want to keep them, it is up to you, just realize that they are not the best tankmates long term.

 

[cmaxwell39]

BTW, I applaud your willingness to ask what you should do in this situation and for being concerned about the long term health of the animals in your care. I know it can be tempting to put life into your aquarium right away, but patience pays off. Thank you for trying to research and not just throw stuff in your tank and "hope it makes it."

 

[subielover]

+1
Also slow down. You are moving WAY to quick.

 

[dnvrbrown]

I'm not the one moving too quick. I had no intentions of putting any fish in the tank until after christmas, but a friend bought them. I called the LFS and they won't take the tang back. They were reduced because they were shipped the wrong fish so they are NON RETURNABLE the guy stressed, lol. I did add the inverts from the advice of another member on this thread. The levels were at zero so I added them and they are doing fine. Like I said, I had no intentions of adding things this soon.

 

[racin24fan]

Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2876028
+1
Also slow down. You are moving WAY to quick.
Hey be nice to him. He said someone bought him the fish. It would be rude to say thanks but no thanks when the tanks readings are good.
Although the tang is probably way to big for the tank and the damsels will get mean and they are very hard to catch.

 

[subielover]

The tank readings are good?? The live rock has been in for 4 days, that is not enough time to determine if the ammonia will go up. Depending on how "cured" the live rock is a cycle is completely possible. I understand that someone gave him the fish, IMO return the fish. If you don't get credit that is fine because you really don't want any of those in your tank in the long run. Considering the amount of live rock in the tank, and the now large bioload is going to overwhelm and crash the tank most likely. I am just trying to help.

 

[dnvrbrown]

Well, Its been 14 days and I have still not had my amonia level to spike and the nitrate/nitrites have been fine as well. I have 2 damsels, 2 Shrimp, 5 hermit crabs, and the powder blue tang (can't beleive he is still alive). So far so good. I can't beleive how addicting this stuff is. I find myself on this site for hours every evening!!! I'm going today to by a new 55gallon tank to go along with my 36. My question is now, once the tank is established, I plan to take the damsels back to the LFS, so what kind of fish do you recommend for both tanks? I really would like color in the tank. I'm thinking a Heniochus Butterfly and 2 clowns. What else would be a nice addition to those?

 

[locoyo386]

Originally Posted by dnvrbrown
http:///forum/post/2885817
Well, Its been 14 days and I have still not had my amonia level to spike and the nitrate/nitrites have been fine as well. I have 2 damsels, 2 Shrimp, 5 hermit crabs, and the powder blue tang (can't beleive he is still alive). So far so good. I can't beleive how addicting this stuff is. I find myself on this site for hours every evening!!! I'm going today to by a new 55gallon tank to go along with my 36. My question is now, once the tank is established, I plan to take the damsels back to the LFS, so what kind of fish do you recommend for both tanks? I really would like color in the tank. I'm thinking a Heniochus Butterfly and 2 clowns. What else would be a nice addition to those?
Hi there,
Not an expert here, but here is my opinion. If the PB tang is doing well (swimming and eating) and he is only around 2-3 inches, I would put him in the 55 when it finishes cycling. Do know that to keep him, I would have a 110+ tank (when more than 6"). My experience has been that when placed in a small tank they get stressed very quickly (2-4 days) and get ich. If I am correct you had him for 8 days without a problem (good sign). He might just do fine in the 55g (not for long). This is just my opinion, good luck.