Fish stocking question

[mandy21]

tish tosh, ich? who cares? I'm not going to worry about sick fish; an overstocked tank that may result in all the tank inhabitants getting ich which then may result in them all dying. Afterall, they're just animals and I'll go and buy them all again. So long as they fit my fancy this second.

Needless to say, I don't agree with your theory and wholeheartedly agree that you shouldn't add anymore. Nevermind that we think your tank is way overstocked. You have a fish with ich and using medication that someone has experience with and said doesn't work, doesn't kill the ich parasite so it'll just come back.

 

[mcsassy]

As I understand it, ich is always in the water. Just like there are always viruses in the air. When a fish's immune system is down in the dumps it becomes more susceptible to the parasite and catches it. As long as the fish are strong they will not have an issue. This medication helps the fish fight it off, become stronger and in result keep it away. Once the parasite has no host it dies. Dumping chemicals in the tank or around the fish doesn't sound all too appealing to me either...if it can KILL a parasite, what makes me think it can't do damage to my fish as well? I can't get the fish out without stressing it into further sickness so I am sticking with what I can do and hopefully all will be fine. My fish will pull through and so will the rest of my inhabitants. I love them and they will be fine. So whatever. Bash on til your hearts are filled.

 

[gatotsu77]

The only thing I can contribute to this thread which hasn't already been stated (even though its mostly a reminder to what has already been discussed) is that a SW tank cannot be stocked like a FW tank would be. Even little fish like the firefish should be given something like 10g of the total tank volume just for themselves. Especially with so many large fish, several fish which rely on copeopods as a food source, and how new the tank is... I myself would not have so many fish in the tank. I'd probably not have many more than 5-6, depending on their size. To reiterate something which has been mentioned a couple times already; we should stock our tanks based on the ADULT size of our fish, not just their present size. Stunting our fish, though we can't actually see its effects until the fish dies, is a painful and cruel punishment to creatures which cannot do anything to fend for themselves beyond what we allow them to. We control every aspect of their environment, and as such, we should be diligent to do everything we can to provide them with the healthiest environment possible.

Now, I will give you the ability to refute (to a degree) what I just said. I keep my 55g FW tank fairly heavily stocked. See the inhabitants in my sig. I work VERY hard to try to keep them happy, but I can't help but to feel guilty for not being able to provide the discus with more room. Is a 55g adequate for 6 discus? Some say yes, some say no. Opinions are like elbows.... everyone's got 'em. Ultimately, no matter what opinions we share on here, you will have to make your decisions as to how to care for your tank.

If I could offer any one piece of advice right now, I'd suggest not worrying about adding fish at the moment, but doing everything possible (including daily w/c's if need be) to help alleviate the ich issue in your tank, and help get your fish as healthy as can be before adding anything else to the tank. I certainly agree, adding chemicals is usually not a good idea, for if it its able to kill one living creature, it must be able to do at least some damage to another living creature... its not inert stuff. Perhaps do some reading on treating with hyposalinity? I've never tried this, so please don't jump into it without a LOT of research, as it may be more stressful than its worth, but its at least worth a read. Best of luck to you bud.

 

[Mike_yo]

I have a 72 Bow front.



What is a good number of blue/green chromis to add? They are going to be the finishing touch fish wise. 3, 5 or 7?

Isn't that how all of this started?

Dude you asked everyones opinion on something, and when 10 different, intelligent, experienced and unbiased people tell you what they think you find reasons to debate them. That being said, no one is "bashing" you. From what I've read they have all continued to polite about it in the process.

 

[Catpicklesdog]

Well yes on paper that may seem like a lot of fish. But if you see in the tank how many are bottome dwellers, how many have their own "homes and hiding spots" and all that it seems pretty ample...I have had professionals of the aquaria business for years help me and complement me on my tank...everyone has different experiences with different fish and different populations. I have put stuff in, had things die and had to take things out because of agression issues...I have come a very long way in a very short time and have gotten quite a peacefull, colorful, comfortable tank out of it. I appreciate all of your concerns, but hey call me an entrepuneur...there is another guy on this forum that hasn't done a water change in what like a year? He has no skimmer...nobody is bashing him.........he has the same tank size as me and his is way more populated. Everyone has their own methods of doing things...but it does not necessarily make it better than or more "right" than the next. But I do understand what you guys are saying and I do appreciate the input. Thank you.

If you're comparing yourself to Noskimmer, his tank is 120gal (from what I can calculate) with less fish then you. But the main difference is that his tank has been running for 4 years, whereas yours has only been running for 6 weeks and already you have 16 fish.

All we're trying to say is to slow down and deal with the issues you currently have.

 

[Grins]

As I understand it, ich is always in the water.

I don't subscribe to that theory. Not after researching how the parasite cycles and knowing that it needs a host. In my opinion proper qt procedures and fallow periods in the event you introduce it into the display can rid your system of ich.

 

[clown-lover]

As I understand it, ich is always in the water. Just like there are always viruses in the air. When a fish's immune system is down in the dumps it becomes more susceptible to the parasite and catches it. As long as the fish are strong they will not have an issue. This medication helps the fish fight it off, become stronger and in result keep it away. Once the parasite has no host it dies. Dumping chemicals in the tank or around the fish doesn't sound all too appealing to me either...if it can KILL a parasite, what makes me think it can't do damage to my fish as well? I can't get the fish out without stressing it into further sickness so I am sticking with what I can do and hopefully all will be fine. My fish will pull through and so will the rest of my inhabitants. I love them and they will be fine. So whatever. Bash on til your hearts are filled.

you know I've posted in several of your threads. I have been nice, polite shared information about my inverts, haven't stood on my soapbox even though it has been hard. But you have asked questions and they have been answered but you pick at those answers like an open wound.

It is our job as hobbiests to read and learn because even in your sig you put that fish are friends not food. Well over the course of the last several days I've seen you get defensive when someone offers an opinion that you don't agree with, I've seen you bash right back when time and time again information that is within the general concensus of good fishkeeping doesn't fit your bill.

I understand that you are new to this side of the hobby and excited and want to see all kinds of cool stuff in your tank. But I'm here to tell you that you are going to suffer a crash and the death of your fish are going to be the result. So go ahead and sit there on your ivory throne and continue to ignore what is solid and beneficial information about your tanks and how best to proceed. The only casualties are going to be your friends. I'd hate to see how you treat an enemy.

 

[Reefscape]

I believe the general consensus has been stated here plenty of times regarding the stocking levels of this particular aquarium. The thread OP posed a question and many answers have been given based on their own personal experience.

What i would suggest is the information posted in the responses to the the OP question be absored and your own decisions made.

A point to note is that there has been no bashing, but rather, people leaving a response. We all need to realise is that when a question is posed, that we may not readily accept the answer given or even agree on them, but, we need to be able to listen to them..As with a lot of situations of fish keeping, sometimes we dont like to hear truthfull answers, but only the answers that we, as thread OP, want to hear.

Thanks...

Niko

 

[mcsassy]

Ok i apologize to everyone for getting a little out of hand but that was just me getting emotional about the situation that I am in right now and i feel like i have my back against the wall. I am going to take out my inverts (shrimps, star, crabs, snails and anemone) and drop them all off at my LFS tomorrow and do a hypo-salinity treatment on my tank and hope for the best. Also on a side note, if i were to return my tank to a proper population how many fish should i be taking out here? My top priorities to keep are my tangs, my pigmy angel, my clowns, my puffer and the diamond gobies.

 

[Grins]

From your revised list I'd say the kole might be OK, but that is dependent upon what kind of blue tang you have. If the blue is an acanthurus there is a good chance it will pick on the kole. An acanthurus would also need a larger tank. The 2 gobies if a mated pair should be fine, although I'd be very observant that they are getting enough food in such a young tank. The clowns should be fine. The puffer should be fine, but good luck in trying to have ornamental crustaceans again. The flame should be fine. Is your mimic a true mimic tang (also called a chocolate) Acanthurus pyroferus? Or is a lemonpeel angel Centropyge loriculus? If it is the mimic tang I'd again worry about it harrassing the kole. If it is the angel I feel it will outgrow your tank.