Started a 56G FOWLR tank and could use some help with picking fish

[silverado61]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish#post_3544894
Quote:
Originally Posted by drowningoceans http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish#post_3544893
If you are looking for any more knowledge on the subject and are looking for books that can help you in the future, I have a thread called books for beginner, thats easy to understand and wont break your budget
Consider my budget absolutely demolished. I've got all my gear and just need the fish to make this hobby more a reality.

I have been reading some books and online quite a lot

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish#post_3544891
Quote:
Originally Posted by jay0705 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish#post_3544868
A qt is a good investment. The only other option is to watch fish at the lfs for a few wks. If they remain healthy, and have no new fish added w them they should be ok, no gurantees tho. I live in wny, south of buffalo
Okay Okay everyone, I now have a QT...


I will be adding a second 10G tank above it for my freshwater tank. The freshwater fish I have are currently housed in a 5G tank.
Awesome! Now we can all sleep better tonite. LOL

Now, either paint the bottom of the tank black or put a dark towel under it to get rid of the reflection so the fish can relax. When you run the airline, Don't use an air stone. Just rubber band it to a piece of PVC or fake ornament. The PVC is to give the fish a place to hide and feel safe. The air line is for more airation. Since you don't know if the display is infected, cycle the QT just like you should a display, with a piece of shrimp or ghost feeding. After the cycle finishes, QT one fish at a time for 4 weeks before adding it to the display. This will also help you slow down adding fish and gave the display time to adjust to the bio-load.
And it's best to get rid of that lid and use egg crate instead for gas exchange. You use the same light though. And I did forget to mention you need a small heater.

 

[kenman345]

Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544898

Awesome! Now we can all sleep better tonite. LOL

Now, either paint the bottom of the tank black or put a dark towel under it to get rid of the reflection so the fish can relax. When you run the airline, Don't use an air stone. Just rubber band it to a piece of PVC or fake ornament. The PVC is to give the fish a place to hide and feel safe. The air line is for more airation. Since you don't know if the display is infected, cycle the QT just like you should a display, with a piece of shrimp or ghost feeding. After the cycle finishes, QT one fish at a time for 4 weeks before adding it to the display. This will also help you slow down adding fish and gave the display time to adjust to the bio-load.
And it's best to get rid of that lid and use egg crate instead for gas exchange. You use the same light though. And I did forget to mention you need a small heater.
I plan on getting some LR for the QT. I understand it would die if I dose copper or anything, but I figured if I am just pkanning a more passive QT for now, that you guys can recommend a proper time between fish when using the same LR, then maybe I'll do that. I just feel that if I dont need to be medicated the fish, then having LR may help me not need to do water changes as often. Comments anyone?

If I go the PVC route, do I need to bath it in vinegar or something before putting it in the tank or is it fish safe after a quick rinse or wipe down?

 

[jay0705]

If u never have to medicate or hypo your qt lr is fine. If u do have to I would remove it, bc killing whats on it will cause an ammonia spike

 

[kenman345]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jay0705 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544901
If u never have to medicate or hypo your qt lr is fine. If u do have to I would remove it, bc killing whats on it will cause an ammonia spike
Thanks for the advice. I think I will go to the store tonight and buy some LR, adding it should cycle my tank faster than without it and then I can go ahead and add the first fish that I want to add to the DT. Anyone have any guesses how long a tank that has a sponge filter with a small amount of bacteria built up on it and some live rock with some waste from die off on it would take to cycle in a 10G tank?

 

[silverado61]

With a sponge filter w/bacteria there is no need for live rock.
You can't speed things up with this hobby. Well, you can but again, you'll be spinning the chamber on a loaded gun. Sooner or later its going to fire and by then it too late.
I think I'm going to just sit back and follow this thread and see where it goes.

 

[jay0705]

Ha ha ha ha silverado61 is rt. Speed isnt your friend. I use a sponge in my qt and it works fine, w how long? Honestly fill it and test. Once it cycles your good. But still w it only being a 10. 1 maybe 2 fish max at a time

 

[kenman345]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jay0705 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544921
Ha ha ha ha silverado61 is rt. Speed isnt your friend. I use a sponge in my qt and it works fine, w how long? Honestly fill it and test. Once it cycles your good. But still w it only being a 10. 1 maybe 2 fish max at a time
Yea, I only ever planned on adding 1 or 2 fish at a time to the DT anyways.

I think the biggest fish I might end up with in there would be the clownfish and eventually a dwarf angelfish.

Anyone have any comments about when I get the Clownfish if I use a egg crate to separate them so I can directly feed one to make it the stronger of the two? If doing this is okay, should I do it the long way or the short way and should it be removed when not feeding?

 

[silverado61]

Once its in the DT leave it in there unless it gets hurt or sick. Every time you move anything it causes stress. As far as clowns go, if you have a pair,whether they're both male or female, eventually one will morph into the opposite and the female of the two will become the dominant one anyway so size won't matter.

 

[jay0705]

+1 on clowns. The female is bigger yes but my one pair the smaller at purchase turned out to get bigger in the end. Much bigger now lol

 

[kenman345]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jay0705 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544931
+1 on clowns. The female is bigger yes but my one pair the smaller at purchase turned out to get bigger in the end. Much bigger now lol
I knew that, I was planning on getting two different colored ocellaris clowns and so i wanted the Orange one to be the bigger one since it will have the brighter colors anyways.

But I may scrap that and just get two of the cute baby Orange and white Ocellaris Clowns I saw at my LFS.

On the Pajama Cardinal Pellet acclimation front:
Yesterday I got my little cardinal to go after a few pellets but did not swallow them. It must only be a matter of time before he eats them. I will keep trying every other day till then though

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenman345 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544948
I knew that, I was planning on getting two different colored ocellaris clowns and so i wanted the Orange one to be the bigger one since it will have the brighter colors anyways.

But I may scrap that and just get two of the cute baby Orange and white Ocellaris Clowns I saw at my LFS.

On the Pajama Cardinal Pellet acclimation front:
Yesterday I got my little cardinal to go after a few pellets but did not swallow them. It must only be a matter of time before he eats them. I will keep trying every other day till then though

Hi,

I would switch to frozen Mysis for food, I never cared for flake food or pellets, they seem to pollute the tank more. If you have a fish that doesn't eat, sometimes some frozen brine shrimp will temp it enough to eat, I wouldn't use it as a steady diet because it's basically fish candy, but they love it enough to eat it if all else fails. also, there is more food in the tank then what you feed, the LIVE rock is crawling with yummy pods, that all the fish enjoy hunting down and eating.

You may already know this..... No matter what clown species you buy...one will become the female and be larger.

 

[jay0705]

Generally yes

 

[silverado61]

And it's not a matter of you choosing which one does what. It just.... happens.

Flower, I thought I read somewhere that if there's two females, One will change to a male. Same as two males. Am I wrong here?

 

[jay0705]

I believe its a maturity thing, idk if 2 mature large female clowns would change or just try to kill eachother. At a young age I believe there born male then switch at a older age to one becoming female

 

[kenman345]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544950

Hi,

I would switch to frozen Mysis for food, I never cared for flake food or pellets, they seem to pollute the tank more. If you have a fish that doesn't eat, sometimes some frozen brine shrimp will temp it enough to eat, I wouldn't use it as a steady diet because it's basically fish candy, but they love it enough to eat it if all else fails. also, there is more food in the tank then what you feed, the LIVE rock is crawling with yummy pods, that all the fish enjoy hunting down and eating.

You may already know this..... No matter what clown species you buy...one will become the female and be larger.
I know about frozen foods, I have my PJ Cardinal on brine shrimp right now. Loves it, but I need him to eat pellets for when I know I cannot make it for feeding time or am away and need to rely on a fish feeder. I plan to feed a variety of different foods to my fish to help vary their diet but ideally they need to be able to survive a week on a fish feeder when i'm away.

And i understand the clownfish thing. I think I know enough about them for now. I've been doing my research on them for a while now.

 

[jay0705]

Ok quick quiz then. How many scales are on a female adult percula clown? Both captive raised and wild caught?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544956
And it's not a matter of you choosing which one does what. It just.... happens.

Flower, I thought I read somewhere that if there's two females, One will change to a male. Same as two males. Am I wrong here?

Hi,

I know all are males and when they mature, a female will emerge. LOL... I'm leaning towards Jays opinion that once mature, the male may become female, but once the "winky" falls off there is no turning back, he remains a she forever.. I have only purchased the tiny ones and let them mature. I have never bred them and don't know, nor really cared enough about which is a boy and which is the girl.

Once I had the female beat the crap out of the little male and I tried to replace him... she killed that one too. Some fish are just meant to be loners. She lived for years, but would not tolerate any other clown fish.

 

[silverado61]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544968
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397624/started-a-56g-fowlr-tank-and-could-use-some-help-with-picking-fish/20#post_3544956
And it's not a matter of you choosing which one does what. It just.... happens.

Flower, I thought I read somewhere that if there's two females, One will change to a male. Same as two males. Am I wrong here?

Hi,

I know all are males and when they mature, a female will emerge. LOL... I'm leaning towards Jays opinion that once mature, the male may become female, but once the "winky" falls off there is no turning back, he remains a she forever.. I have only purchased the tiny ones and let them mature. I have never bred them and don't know, nor really cared enough about which is a boy and which is the girl.

Once I had the female beat the crap out of the little male and I tried to replace him... she killed that one too. Some fish are just meant to be loners. She lived for years, but would not tolerate any other clown fish.
LOL "winky"

 

[jay0705]

Ha ha ha

 

[flower]

Wow guys it's a family site, I didn't think you would laugh at the word... I thought the funny part was the falling off and not going back. I will never make it as a comedian.