So, i only have 3 damsels left my my tank.
Im thinking of adding:
-Blue Tang
-Wrasse - anything that eats annoing bugs/algy in the tank. (suggestions are welcome/helpfull)
i am not sure of what order to add these fish, anyone know?
take 1 part tang and mix it with 3 parts wrasse... stir and serve on ice... Tangrasse... goes nice with a piece of lime.
no issues between those fish as a general rule... add away...The blues sometimes get bossy...but not that i've observed in my system, so if my one fish out of the millions out there is not bossy, none of them are!
JMO but get rid of the damsils and add "real" fish.
In about 25 years of this S*%T i have found that 9x out of 10 "ONE" of those damsils are going to cause you greef.
A $2.00 damsil killing your $100.00 tang or whatever = damsil fish cakes.LOL
Like I sead, Just My Opinion.
hum, thats kinda offending.... my damsels are beautiful! they have great personality. they ARE real fish. they are not the route i want to go with my fish seletion, so i will eventualy be getting rid of them, but that besides the point.
thanks for the input Hookup!
I love the red tail tamarin wrasse and it's quite a useful fellow also... In the OMG category, i like the mystery wrasse but hate the price, and I do like the yellow coris wrasse and love the 4-line wrasse...
One word would be to start with the wrasse whom which you want to have the most brilliant colors... that wrasse will setup "home" and when others are introduced he/she will dominate displaying full colors... of course, this is only a general rule... if you put in a 1/2" wrasse first followed by a mature 3" two months later, i promise the 3" will be the dominant...
Anyhow, there's a host of them and those are my favorite. A pair of red-tail tamarin's and a pair of yellow-tail tamarin's are destined for my system... they just look soooooo amazing.
Red Tail Version
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi121.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fo210%2FDomboski40%2F3408389300_99d8ce0a48.jpg&hash=eced3a1352cc1723bf28224bf094f0d0d6c6e623)
Yellow tail version
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thepetstop.com%2Fadminpics%2F21901.jpg&hash=5d5bdbfad72ccca9ac24cd6cab1fd42c0164b58b)
Yellow Coris Wrasse
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3094%2F2699711701_bd9bd730f5_o.jpg&hash=8b1cf7bd2aec5d354d680c925d0dd9e4aa67fd00)
Mystery Wrasse
(https://www.ovas.ca/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themarinecenter.com%2Fmedia%2Fphotos%2F268119BED05F446FA823C38CAD6A9E19E.jpg&hash=c24004ff326aafd5b34071cf4b33c53c6d66394c)
I'm personally not a fan of the mystery wrasse but I agree with the yellow "coris" wrasse. I have one with a solorensis wrasse and radiant wrasse and all three are beautiful and play together nicely. :) As for the order, you'll have to decide what you're getting first. I put the smaller solorensis in after the larger radiant and the radiant only chased him for a day then all was well. Had it been the other way around it *may* have turned out badly.
thanks! i'v looked up the fish, they are very beatifull and would be good for my tank. I do read they are difficult to transport/acclimate. i'v had bad luck with acclimating fish. i put them in a small pail, and use air line hose to start a syphon from my tank. i tye a knot in the hose so that it drips into the pail. i let this go for about 30-40min, then add the fish to the tank.
im scared to add fish because i'v lost a clown... and just recently a small lamarck angel. (tho now that i read the lamarck wont work in my tank)
so now im back to research, and no more buying fish on a whim!
I do not like your description of your method... without doing some salinity tests, and temp tests i can see how your method would be risky.
Here's my 3 step swirlies method.
1. Take bag, put it into tank - 20min to temp adjust
2. Take a kitchen knife, poke a 1/2 inch hole (slice) into both sides of the bag - 2 hours wait
3. Squeze bag slightly, see if the temp/salnity are balanced by looking for "swirlies" in the water (different temps and/or densities will mix with swirlies) If there are swirlies, wait for 30-60min and re-check... continue till no swirlies can be seen... add fish...
I have let fish sit for upwards of 4 hours before... The last few fish I added, months ago, I actually used the refractometer to check the salinity of their water to give me an idea of how long it was going to take... as the salinity was quite far of 1.021 vs my 1.026 at the time, I knew that I had to really make smaller holes and let things sit for much longer than 2 hours...
Try it next time, it's pretty easy... and since i've been doing it, i've not lost a fish due to acclimation.
Here's mine, dunno if it's "right" or not: 5 minutes float in the water for temp. check salinity to make sure it's not crazy off, dump out enough water that I can replace that much again with my water. Add about 1/4 cup of my water into the bag about every 5-10 mins for 30 mins or until the water in the bag has doubled. I didn't have any problems acclimating my wrasses like that, or any other fish (I did do it a tad longer for my angels). :)
Do none of you use a quarantine tank? From store to Display tank just sounds risky to me...I have gotten to the point now that I am not going to add any new livestock until I do have a quarantine tank in place...The critical mass ("money") invested in the tank now is large enough to be a financial pain should I lose some or all of the fish to a rouge LFS borne disease.
Just my two pence worth!
Ciaus
When acclimating fish to your aquarium you need to place the bag in the water for temperature reasons. After 15 minutes you should add about a half cup of water from your tank to the bag. You should repeat this three times. Also pending on the fish and size of the bag is how much water you should add. After you complete these steps you can release your fish in your aquarium. Do Not mix the water from you the bag with aquarium water, it may cause a problem. Such as if they used copper in there system it would kill inverts, corals and some fish without scales. It also can cause parasites.
On the fish question, the reason that wrasses change dominant roles, is because they can change sexuality at any time. meaning if you buy two green bird wrasses, one will change to a brown bird wrasse.
wish i had the space for one. i don't even have room to store one to take out when needed. When we get a bigger house I will be watching adds for a QT tank, i just cant have one right now. im kinda holding back on what i put in my tank (price wize) untill we go move... but its too hard to pass up.
Thanks for the acc tips.. i was just using the method someone told me to use. maby ill use Hookup's method, then try sutt's/roxyDog's. and i think I'm going to test the store water as well, just to see how well they keep their tanks. now to find someone that will order me the fish i want. Wish Ottawa wasn't a 2 hour trip, i hate driving that long with fish on board. d
Quote from: Snider82 on February 02, 2010, 06:51:44 PM
i'v had bad luck with acclimating fish. i put them in a small pail, and use air line hose to start a syphon from my tank. i tye a knot in the hose so that it drips into the pail. i let this go for about 30-40min, then add the fish to the tank.
I use a similar method - whether directly in tank or quarantine - by running an airline hose directly to the bag on a slow drip for 1.5 to 2 hrs. Basically I set it up with a timer and walk away.
When the water level in the bag has tripled/quadrupled I empty most of it out and float the bag just to be sure the temps match then strain bag water through a net to a bucket and in he goes.
I'm not crazy about water from the bag getting into my tank, probably not a big deal but I rather nothing but the fish go in.
I use the drip method as well and the fish go into a quarantine tank. Then drip acclimate from QT to main tank.
There is no "one right way" of doing things here... there are many... the wrong way is to open-bag, dump fish... hehe...
I'm always looking for methods that require zero effort on my part... which is why the poke-holes and forget it method is my preference... I also resolve my self that my tank is for smart-strong fish... no QT so get tough or die... you chose to jump out and i'm not around to save your bacon, grow some lungs... that's just me... but I just cannot panic everytime some stupid fish does something dumb and QT'ing is not for me.
on a thread-jacking side note, there have been an abundance (ok, several) new people posting in SW threads lately as one-hit-wonders... anyone else notice this?
I guess many people do it different way, tho it is nice to see the different methods, i like hookup's "zero effort", since I've been having problems tho, ill have to put in more effort into it. reading all this I'm going to try something different.
I will do the drip method into the bag. but this time i will float the bag in the sump, run the air hose from the DT to the bag.. this way temp will even out. i will also have the drip slower then I've been doing... and let it go for 2hours. now to find someone that sells the fish i want!
and as for the "one-hit wonders" never noticed until you posted this :)
Back to original subject.... i think i want a pair of red-tail tamarin's and a yellow coris. + blue tang. thats it! then lots of coral!
I've been told to NEVER add anyone else's water to your tank, especially fish store water. Many of the systems running in fish stores are being treated
with copper - which will do bad things to your corals... so when floating fish, float them in the bag for temperature (20 minutes)... then
scoop some water out, ad some of yours.. repeat until it's all your water. Just floated a powder blue tang for two hours on this method - getting the salintiy to to scratch - it was way off. I've read 30 minutes for each .01 that salinity is off.
Quote from: Fishhead89 on February 03, 2010, 03:38:48 PM
I've been told to NEVER add anyone else's water to your tank, especially fish store water.
Yeh, I would never ever ever add anyone else's water to my tank.
Other methods may require "zero effort" but comes at "higher risk". Many ways to do it but the wrong way would be to open bag and dump fish AND water in......
Drip method is good and letting bag float and replace its water with your water a cup at a time over a period of time and then scoop the fish out should be the bare minimal - as long as the water in the bag is kept separated from your aquarium's water.
Quote from: Hookup on February 03, 2010, 10:21:24 AM
I also resolve my self that my tank is for smart-strong fish...
Where does one buy smart fish - do you get them from a school? (sorry, couldn't resist).
Quote from: HOB on February 03, 2010, 04:14:09 PM
Where does one buy smart fish - do you get them from a school? (sorry, couldn't resist).
I pee'd a little when I read that... good one!
Quote from: HOB on February 03, 2010, 04:14:09 PM
Yeh, I would never ever ever add anyone else's water to my tank.
I strongly agree with the statement above, never add fish store water to your tank as it probably has copper and it will cause issue with inverts and corals. Drip method and floating bag to match up temperature is the best way to acclimate new fish. I recommend quaranteen all new fish in a separate tank. It will save lot of grieve later on.
Quote from: Fishhead89 on February 03, 2010, 03:38:48 PM
I've been told to NEVER add anyone else's water to your tank, especially fish store water.
For sure good advise there and everyone should consider the risks! But so I do not get called a hippopotamus I can say that I do not follow it. I've bought fish from OttawaInverts, AquaValley, MarineScape and Big Al's and never had any issues... I know, it just takes one and i've been lucky... but i don't want to lie..
Quote from: Hookup on February 03, 2010, 05:55:16 PM
For sure good advise there and everyone should consider the risks! But so I do not get called a hippopotamus I can say that I do not follow it. I've bought fish from OttawaInverts, AquaValley, MarineScape and Big Al's and never had any issues... I know, it just takes one and i've been lucky... but i don't want to lie..
Adding water from any external source carries risks, but IMHO, adding water from a LFS with the fish is just playing Russian Roulette. It is like speeding when you drive a car, sooner or later you WILL be caught.
Ciaus
Quote from: ciaus on February 03, 2010, 10:27:26 PM
Adding water from any external source carries risks, but IMHO, adding water from a LFS with the fish is just playing Russian Roulette. It is like speeding when you drive a car, sooner or later you WILL be caught.
Ciaus
Yep, true words... It's not the LFS's fault either for them to go through the process of ensuring their systems are 100% perfect the cost of fish would increase a significant factor...
and decisions Tin-Banger?
no matter what you do pls , don't take that water pour into your tank. it has diffirent salinity level not only that could cause more bad stuff in it "Ich" one of main problem never ever adding another water from a diffirent system, just give you ahead though mostly everybody knows what's the consequence might happen in your tank and just for the sake of your livestock in your tank, also think about it how much you spend money on this hobby just friendly advice ;D
i wont dump the water.... anymore. I'm too scared to now LoL next idea is 3 hours travel in a car? could this be a problem? All the good fish are in Ottawa, and when i go to Ottawa, buy my fish... i HAVE to grab dinner there plus the drive home, its usually about 3 hours the fish is stuck in a bag in the car :( maby i should be getting a SMALL pail with a lid so i can put a heater in there.... what do other people do? i guess in the summer its not bad.. but in the winder it is too cold and I'm SURE the temperature drops in the little bag of water.
Vince. i guess in not a Tin Banger anymore... well right now, I'm unemployed ATM ( shortage of work )
3 hours in a bag is nothing... most fish spend 30+ hours in a bag when they are shipped here.
Do make sure that there is approx. 1/3 water and 2/3 air in the bag.
I think three hours is fine... now if it's -20 C in your car and the fish is in there for 3 hours that is another story... that water will get cold way fast.. even in a styrofoam box might get too cold.
You could rig up a bucket, throw in a little powerhead or air pump for aeration and a heater. Run it off a 12vdc to 120vac converter you can get for cheap at crappy tire or the like.
I have an "eliminator" that has 2 plugs in it. i guess my best bet is to use a bubbler and heater with it.. it would have to be a very small heater, (fish store doesnt give alot of water) i could go all out and build a live-well in my car! LOL!
just watch your temp as others have indicated... 3hrs is nothing to worry about..
Yeah you'll only need the heater if the fish will be in the car without heat and it's pretty cold in there for an extended period.
I bought a 6 line wrass today! he is Beatifull! there was a yellow corris wrasse there too, but it was in QT, so i couldnt buy him. i'v been acc. my fish for 2 hours now, adding 1 cup of water ever 30 min. its night time, lights are out.. so it will be a good time to add him to the DT. he seems to be doing well so far.
I added one of the most sensitive fish to my system tonight.... an Achilles Tang.. It took about 3 hours with my method... He had spots of what could be ICK on him from the store, who got him in only a bit ago... this tang is known for ICK related deaths much like the power blue and power brown tangs... without doubt, at the cost I'm nervous but so far, he is doing ok.. he ate a very little amount, but is watching others and I think he will start to eat frozen and pellet food soon.. he does pick at rocks, but there just isnt anything to pick at...
Good luck iwht your 6-line... They are OMG awesome at everything maintenance and functional... a great fish for sure...
the morning after acclimation my 6 line wrasse didn't looks so good, he was swimming into rocks and the glass. i also was worried about the cocoon around him till i found out it was normal. i went to the LFS to chat with the owner, he figured i did a good acclimation and didn't know what would be wrong. While i was there i picked up another 6 line (for some reason i never leave empty handed). So i did an another acclimations the same way, this time i tested the LFS water, it was good results.
The good news! BOTH fish are doing very well! they both ate a little food, and both claimed there space in the tank. my bad luck streak is over!
Yeah!!!
watch out for the 6 line wrasse jumping.. (if it's as issue.) I've lost one like that.They are great fish - really busy, fast swimmers. My toddler named ours "purple"
Quote from: Fishhead89 on February 08, 2010, 09:13:45 AM
watch out for the 6 line wrasse jumping.. (if it's as issue.) I've lost one like that.They are great fish - really busy, fast swimmers. My toddler named ours "purple"
I added two fire fish to my tank this weekend... (I know i'm stupidly overstocked).. anyhow, one of them lasted approximately 34seconds... and was found crusty the next day... we thought it jumped back into the tank and hid... I hate jumpers... (went and replaced him with a less suicidal looking fire-fish the next day).
i have a glass cover over the tank, i don't like it, but it prevents fish that think their birds from "flying" out.
Another discreet advantage to a tank top, is that it also drastically reduces evaporation...So much so that I am considering putting one onto my new tank...
yea i guess thats an advantage too, but it seems like i still get lots of evaporation.... the fuge light doesnt help with that. ah well, doing top offs keep me checking my salinity so i guess its a good thing
Blues Need a large tank, (if we are talking about dory and not a powder blue) Something about 170+ gallons, they get big fast and they are very active fish.