When can I add another fish?

[leesst200]

HI all,

How long should you leave it before adding more fish?
I have 2 clowns in at the moment and they seem to be doing fine.
I want to add a flame angel next.
Opinions please?

[Sploke]

Whats the tank size, water params, how long has it been running, how long have those fish been in the tank? If the tank is cycled and stable and the clowns have been in there and healthy for a few weeks, you can probably add another fish.

[leesst200]

The tank is a 60ltr/14gall.
The clowns have been in for about 3 weeks.
The tank has been up and running for about 8 weeks in total.

[Sploke]

Has it completely cycled? What are you ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings? Don't have a whole lot of room in that tank for much more fish. What are you looking at adding?

[Grins]

If anything I'd maybe look at a smaller goby. Personally thought I'd probably leave the fish at the 2 and concentrate on inverts like shrimp.

[BeelzeBob]

3 would be overstocked IMHO.

i have 1 fish in an 18 gal, and wouldnt suggest more a'tall

and whoa, 8 weeks? thats how long i waited before i added a CUC

Your movin way too fast.

[Reefscape]

I would not add anymore fish IMO...

Niko

[salty420]

i also agree that you are maxed out with fish (sorry). a flame angel needs at least 30g as well... maybe you could get a cleaner shrimp next along with some snails and other cleaners.

[leesst200]

Thanks guys and gals,
I would have thought it could handle more than that!
Does anyone else think im movin too fast?
The tank was checked by my lfs and they said it was fine after about 2 weeks of running. Thats when I added my shrimps and crabs and snails.
I keep testing the water and everything seems ok.
Any suggestions please?
Thanks.

[BeelzeBob]

The tank was checked by my lfs and they said it was fine after about 2 weeks of running. Thats when I added my shrimps and crabs and snails.


the most devistating thing you can do in this hobby is take advice from someone who will profit from your mistakes.

do you have your own test kits?

[Grins]

Thanks guys and gals,
I would have thought it could handle more than that!
Does anyone else think im movin too fast?
The tank was checked by my lfs and they said it was fine after about 2 weeks of running. Thats when I added my shrimps and crabs and snails.
I keep testing the water and everything seems ok.
Any suggestions please?
Thanks.


If you added inverts after only 2 weeks I'd say yes you're moving faster than I would recommend.

[vorlx]

You have a small tank. You are moving a bit quick, however even under the best of circumstances you are pretty full already outside of some small goby's like a neon blue goby or something similar.

[BeelzeBob]

Yea, hey, dont take it like were like "What are you doing man oh, yer soooo wrong!"

you've just never been provided w/ the right info!!!!!

thats what us geeks are for! advice and console.

[mandy21]

Did you cycle your tank at all? the question was asked, but I didn't see an answer. I'm guessing you didn't. With that said, I would say that you are moving faster than I definitely would have with my current knowledge from the site and books.

That said, when I first started, I listened to the PetCo employee who sent me home with my first bag of salt and 2 clownfish to cycle the tank. Yes, I had fish before there was even saltwater. Scary thought. I thought that the source was a knowledgeable one, but now that I think of it, I feel horrible about doing that to the fish even though one lived over a year when my mom accidentally killed it when I was gone for a weekend and the other lived 3 years until it caught the plauge of the tank. So, just learn from it. You've found a great resource here so read up to provide the best you can for the animals.

[chucke]

Do not ADD Anymore Fish.

I know that it take me enough Courage to even think about other fish. How would you feel If it died, Losing the Fish and the money. I slowly add fish to my tank.!

[bocastork]

ok - so here's a question - what happens if you overstock the tank with fish? is it a chemical thing? a territorial thing? What guidelines do you use to determine how many fish should be in a tank?

[Grins]

All of the above. You add to the bioload, you add to the stress, sometimes overstocking can be fish that are too big or need more room than your tank provides as well. For guidelines you take the previous things into account and juggle them to come up with a good solution for your situation and in my opinion it is better to understock than overstock.