Which Fish Clowm or Chromis

[catahoulas]

I am ready to get FISH

. Just not sure which order to start with.
I have a 46g with 40lb LR, 60 LS been going since 8-5-06. Have QT up and running.
I would like 2 percula clowns and 3 green chromis. Any suggestions on which type first.
Oh yeah the QT is 10g. Beth suqqested getting a mated pair. How do know they are a pair? How can you tell male from female?
I have a one morw question, remember I'm a newbie, why not buy from P3tsm*rt? If the fish looks healhy, no signs of problems in the tank, and it's going in QT anyway does it matter where it comes from? Please be gentle on me I just don't understand all. I went to a nice new lfs and both tanks with my fish had ick in them and one had a dead fish. I have only visited the stores and asked questions. I just want to do waht is right.
Please someone help.
Thanks a bunch

 

[xdave]

When did WetsFart start carrying salt water fish?
You should add the more peaceful clowns first, if the waters ok and you're sure it's cycled.

 

[jdragunas]

i don't think they carry saltwater fish. There's nothing particularly wrong with buying them from a store like that, but most people won't because you don't know what you're getting. When you buy from a privately-owned company, chances are you'll get healthier fish because they know what the heck they're doing. With larger corporate-owned companies, all you have is dumb teens working there that know nothing.

 

[catahoulas]

Oops, I meant the CO one . I saw that after it was sent and thought I caught all the mistakes. I fixed the one in the heading didn't catch it in time so two got started and I don't know how to fix this , I'M SO SORRY FOR THE OOPS

I just don't know if I have faith in the lfs' either. I have only 2 locally. I live in the woods!
I have found things wrong with all 3(CO, 2 lfs).
From what I have read aren't green chromis peaceful, also?

 

[xdave]

Heres the problem with the chains, travel. let me show you the typical fish route
Collection station> boxes to national distributor tanks> boxes to smaller distributor tanks> boxes to your LFS
Chain store route
collection station> boxes to national chain distributor> boxes to regional chain dist> boxes to state serving dist> boxes to the local chain store
On the other hand, as you say, if it looks like a healthy fish and acts like a healthy fish....
The lack of knowledge the help has is of no cosequence to a customer that does have it, except for when they care for the fish. Get them the day after they come.

 

[jdragunas]

sorry i cut it short, but i had to go. i disagree with getting them the day after they come. That's why i love ma&pa shops is because they properly acclimate the fish before they sell them. Those chains, however, just dump them into the display boxes and sell them right away. They don't wait to see if the fish are healthy before selling them. A fish may look and act healthy, but then die a few days later. Also, if they were by chance infected with ich, but didn't show the signs yet, and you brought them home the next day, you've just infected your whole tank without even knowing it. This is what a qt tank is for, but i would prefer to buy fish that have been properly nutritioned after the week-long shipping fiasco, than to take the risk of buying them and them dying a few days later.
as far as which ones to add first, do the chromis first. They are less agressive than the clowns. That way, when you introduce the clowns, they will have to establish their own territories around the cromis' existing ones.
now, for a mated pair of clowns, it's kinda hard to tell if they're truely mated. Just because they swim together does not mean they're mated. When clowns are babies, they are all born male. as they grow, the largest will become female, and the other one will stay male. That's when they will likely mate. Clowns are very finicky about mating, so your chances of getting a pair that are already mated are slim. but if you buy two babies, there is more of a chance they will mate. That doesn't meant they WILL... so keep your eye on them.

 

[catahoulas]

Thank you very much for the advice and taking the time to quide me in the right direction.
You respones helped clear things up for me. Ya'll have been very helpful

:cheer: :happyfish

 

[jdragunas]

glad to be of assistance!

 

[catahoulas]

Okay I have 1 more. my QT hasn't finished it cycle, however I believe my display has.
I have the brown algae(?) growing on the rocks. Can I start with the cleaner crew, so I won't loss my cycle? And if so what to start with, remember its a 46g FOWLR?

 

[jdragunas]

i'm a little confused about your question. So you want to add the cleaner crew so your tank will still be fully cycled? If so, a cleaner crew isn't going to do much to keep the tank cycled, as they don't put off too much waste. The cycle won't just die off instantly, but if you worried about it becoming un-cycled, just add some food every once in a while to create ammonia to keep it going.

 

[catahoulas]

Yes, that was my question. When should i add a cleaner crew?

 

[jdragunas]

you can add a cleaner crew any time after your tank is fully cycled. you just have to make sure you give them stuff to clean since they don't have fish to clean up after. They make shrimp pellets that my shrimp and hermies go after like crazy!

 

[shogun323]

I was weighing out the idea of putting in Chromis first or Clowns and I chose the Chromis due to the fact that they cost 4 bucks a piece. I thought it be better to practice with $4 Chromis than $17 Clowns. Just my Thoughts. Best of Luck to you!!!!