same species, different color-mix?

[new2us]

Hello everyone! This is my first day on SWF and looks like you guys have a lot of info to share! We have only had our tank for one week and I have a lot more questions than answers. I got some books but can't find the answer to this one and have received different answers from different petstore owners (doesn't take long to realize that some people will answer questions on topics on which they know nothing about). Anyway here is my question: When mixing fish of the same species - let's say perculas or damsels for my case, must you only have one color of each species in order for them to thrive? Big pet chain says you do, but local pet store mixes a green colored damsel with neon blue with yellow tail. Any advice for me? I hate to assume anything in this new hobby since lives are at stake!:help:

 

[new2us]

Was this a stupid question???????? Go ahead - tell me - I can take it.
(11 views, no answer) :notsure:

 

[bustedup21]

Welcome to your new life. Just a couple of questions first. How long has your tank actually been set up? Do you have liverock and sand? How large is the tank? What type of lighting and filtration?
The saltwater tank is much more detailed than freshwater and easily rushed. I would not add any fish for a couple of weeks minimum so that your tank has an opportunity to cycle a couple of times. As far as the livestock goes you questioning what to do is real responsible because some species do not get along with more than one of their kind and sometimes do not get along with contra species. Best advice is to get plenty of books and read while your tank cycles.
Patient in this hobby will save you a lot of more and will also keep you from feeling badly because of the deaths of your livestock. We all need to remember that we are their providers just like a parent is to a small infant. They rely upon us for everything. One book I would reccommend is Marine Fishes by Scott Michael. This is full of great info on care and how each specie will react to the other.
Welcome to the community again. Caring for these guys and gals is so rewarding but remember PATIENTS is your guide to success and saving LOTS of $$$$$$.
Best wishes
Bustedup211

:cheer:

 

[new2us]

Hi and thanks for answering!
Okay - from the startup:
55 gallon tank
Emperor 400 Bio-wheel carbon filter system
Crushed coral (not live sand - is that a bad thing?)
Added the de-chlorinator and the salt, installed the heater, set temp at 76*, waited a week. Then, yesterday, we had the store test the levels and they said it was "right-on". Upon their advice, got a sebae percula, strawberry pseudochromis, teal green colored damsel and a neon blue damsel with yellow tail . The fish names aren't exact on the damsels. Added 2 rocks - one 'cured' piece and one ornamental lava-looking rock with big holes so that they can play and/or hide. I scrubbed the rocks with new toothbrush, as instructed, rinsed them very well and put them in the tank. I then added something called Bio-spira (sp?) to reduce shock potential. We acclimated the fish for 20 minutes, as instructed, by floating them in the tank in their bags before letting them in the tank. Temp and salinity levels still look good and the 3 other fish are eating and doing great today, but the blue damsel w/the yellow tail looks pretty stressed to me (beginner's eye though).It's not very active, won't eat and seems to breathing a little faster than the others. Also, I am not positive, but I don't think his color looks as good today. Feeding blood shrimp and Formula One flakes but not much so far.
We are brand new at this (husband's idea) and I am excited but extremely uncertain and not wanting to kill any of these little guys - you're right - just like parenting. Thats' why we asked 10,000 questions at the pet stores; however, looks like I will have 10,000 more before the week is out.
:scared:

 

[new2us]

Think I ran out of room !!
So the tank was set up a week before adding anything.
The lighting is just the standard lighting that came with the tank.

 

[22caddy]

Too many fish too soon. First I would see if you could take some back. Your tank won't be able to handle the bio load. You didn't say anything as far as cleanup crew. Maybe see if you can trade some of the fish back for some snails and hermits. You need more rock. Two pieces with only one being cured is not nearly enough, unless that is one huge rock. I would have used sand but crushed coral is ok. Remember to clean it though. For the acclimating it sounds like all you did was temp acclimate. Check the drip method out on here. Also how did you cycle your tank?

 

[new2us]

Hmmm....Wish I had found this site before the pet store!!! The main one we are dealing with and is giving us the most information is an hour and a half away and we have gone strictly on their advice about setting it up and getting the fish, etc. They told me that I could not get any "clean up crew" before about 2 weeks after getting the fish since there would not be enough for the cleaners to eat.
They told me that the Bio-spira would take care of the cycling of the tank issue - live bacterial stuff. They also said that 4 small fish should be okay as long as that was all we put in there, didn't overfeed them, and watched our levels. Like I said, we went strictly by their advice and that of our local, but much smaller, pet store. All we know is what they have told us and what little I've gotten from the books so far. Yes, we will clean the coral - found a vacuum type system for that which comes highly recommended from a patron at one of the stores who is a long-time aquarist. Also, the rocks are pretty good size, but we intend to add more. I know I can't add the Live rock though for a few months, right?? So, I guess until then I will have to stick with the dead kind.
As you can tell, I'm clueless - - - and did not realize that the pet store people (even though dealing with only the long-time employees) might not have a good plan. :nervous:

 

[jacknjill]

you can actually add the clean up crew before the fish. they will have plenty to eat with all the algea and stuff that grows in the tank from cycling it. you can add live rock at any time as long as it is cured. if it is uncured, the dieoff will cause an ammonia spike.

 

[new2us]

I sooooo appreciate the help! So, I should go ahead and get some of the clean up crew now or wait until the tank cycles since I already have 'too many fish too soon' ??
I know 2 wrongs don't make a right, but it seems that maybe I might make the first wrong worse if I don't add the cleaners.....................................???

 

[jacknjill]

everyone makes mistakes so dont feel bad about it.
well first off, what are you going to do with the fish you have now?

 

[bustedup21]

Wow did you get some help quick. First thing you should do is check with the lfs about taking back most if not all your fish. If they will trade you for some more live rock then that would be your best bet. You can still add some live argonite sand now, about a 20lbs bag should do. Get yourself about 50 to 60 lbs of live rock as well total in your tank. I could not remember if your setup included a protein skimmer, if it did not you need one to pull off all the floating lipids and proteins. Adding the snails and hermits should be ok but do not add more than 10 to 15 of each right now because of the food issue. Make sure you are testing for the top five water prob. nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, ph, and calcium. You might also want to get a phosphate and a alk test as well. Test your water every 3 or 4 days right now and change about 50% of your water once a week. Make sure that you are using distilled water and adding your own salt or buying salt water from your lfs. Top off your tank with distilled water. You also need a specific gravity tool. Just one that you did in the water and read. Your water sg should range about 1.022 to 1.026 IMO.
You should ask for cured live rock and ask how long they have had it in their tank. If they have had it for a couple of months in their water you can be pretty certain that the rock is ok to add straight in. If I can help more let me know.

 

[bustedup21]

Lastly about your lighting. You need to ask about getting some more. If you are not going to have coral but mostly fish you can get away with less light but your fish will not be as brilliant. At the lfs they probably were running Hallides or VHO or PC or a combination of the above. With your tank you probably IMO could use a pc with about 4 55 with two being 10k bulbs the other 2 being actinincs. You can get a number of this with moon lights so you can have 24 hr lighting. Just my suggestion on the light question. I have a 75 gallon and am only running 320. I am upgrading now to 6 55 watt t-5 because of some of the corals I have need the extra pop.
good luck:jumping: :jumping: :jumping: :jumping:

 

[new2us]

Yes, I do have an sg reading that is good but I do need to get the other testing kits you mentioned.
So, from the sounds of it, you guys are telling me that there is no way that my 4 little fishes are going to make it under the present circumstances.......
Well, the fish store where we got the 2 best (and a little more expensive of course) are almost 2 hours from us. By the time I get off work and over there, they are closed. That means I couldn't get those 2 back to the store until Saturday which would be 7 days in this tank and I doubt they would be too eager to accept them back then. However, I did call them today and they insist that the bio-spira is going to take care of them thru the cycling period and they 'should be just fine'. The store where we purchased the other 2 is local so they would probably be easier to convince - especially if I didn't request a refund but just asked them to "hold" them for me.
They, too, had told me that the fish should be fine to begin with but that I could add shrimp or snails if I wanted as long as I didn't add too many................
Thanks again for all your input and wish us luck as I do you with your "busted up" condition.

 

[new2us]

By the way, JacknJill, glad to see you are a fellow "Bush" fan - looks like the next 4 years won't be so bad after all!:joy:
Even in trying times, it's comforting to know we have a leader who is at least competent. Nuff said about that!
Thanks for your advice and encouragement - I will check on my options with my pet store tomorrow and see how it goes.

 

[bustedup21]

Go Bush Go. One word about your fishes. If there is a fish that is tough enough to make it through the cycling it would be the damsels. I moved and during the move we poured out one of the buckets into the sink. About 15 minutes later I look down into the sind because something caught my eye......It was one of my devil damsel. He is still going stong today. LOL
take care

 

[jacknjill]

Yeah i am so glad Bush won. you are welcome for the help. i know what you are going through because i will be starting a tank soon too. good luck!

 

[cnlight]

Hi and welcome to salt water fish keeping. Its a trying time, I know, because I went off what my lfs said to me and gave me a lot of wrong information and then I came here and everyone helped me to start off right.
The best thing you can do is get live rock as much as you can afford, let that sit for a week, get your water tested, then add some hermit crabs and snails. Wait another couple of weeks and then test your water again, do a water change, if everything is ok, then you can add a fish, just one or two maybe. The clown fish is a good idea, but I would stay away from damsels, they tend to be very mean.
For the crushed coral substrate, I don't like it. I had in in my tank for six months, all was fine but then I had a huge red algae problem and then switched over to a sand bed and all is well, and my snails are happy now.
Good luck and ask here first before asking the local fish store.