Question

The Saltwater Kid · #1 03/12/2007, 01:31 PM

I have a friend who has a 55g tank. It's a reef tank with about 60lbs. of live rock in it. He has many corals and the tank looks good (although if it were me I'd add more live rock) and he cares well for it by doing regular water changes with R/O water, skimming 24/7 and has an AquaFuge refugium. The fish he has (or are coming as he just placed a new order online for some fish): 3 Pajama Cradinals, 2 Red Firefish, 1 Purple Firefish, 1 Disbar Clown, 1 Sleeper Goby, 2 Green Chromis, 2 Blue Chromis, 1 Pearlscale Butterfly (he might be getting a different type of Butterfly but i think this is what he told me) and 1 Foxface Rabbitfish. My question is this, is he overstocking his tank? What kind of troubles will he run into? It's hard for me to critique him as he's a good friend and very excited about this hobby we share but at the same time he get's very bothered when something dies and I believe that is what's going to happen with all of those fish as he just doesn't have the room in my opinion with enough rockwork to provide each group of fish their own space plus the bioloads going to be too much for his filtration system to process and he'll be getting nuisance algae blooms. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

markzfishn1 · #2 03/12/2007, 01:37 PM

I agree with you about the LR, needs more. That is way too many fish for a 55g tank. I have a 54 corner with 80# of LR and have 3 small fish (2 percs and a fairie wrasse). I'm only going to add 1 more fish. It's also a good idea to wait at least 2 weeks between fish so the LR can catch up to the bio-load. He will have many casualties adding those fish all at once and will probably end up with only the few fish the tank can handle. I'd try to talk him out of it so he doesn't kill the fish and waste his money.

The Saltwater Kid · #3 03/12/2007, 02:10 PM

Most of the fish he already has, the order he just placed includes: 1 Foxface Rabbit Fish, 1 Pearlscale Butterfly, 2 Green Chromis and 2 Blue Chromis. I am pushing my bioload in my 29g with 4 small fish and may try to add 1 more small fish but I do do weekly 10% water changes, have 45+ lbs. of live rock, skim 24/7 and have a DIY AC70 minifuge with some chaeto in it so I think I'll be okay. For him I am guessing that 8 fish...maybe 9 would be maxing his bioload but to me 14 fish in a 55 gallon is just asking for trouble...especially two bigger fish like a Butterfly and a Rabbit Fish...unfortunately the order has been placed so the fish will be arriving tomorrow. It's his decision and his money but if it were me I think I'd take those fish to our LFS and exchange them for more live rock.

sunfish11 · #4 03/12/2007, 02:29 PM

I have 15 fish in my 210 and I keep thinking I'm pushing it. I am in the process of adding a large remote deep sandbed and fuge so I can increase my bio-load a bit further. 14 in a 55 is a bit much...You are in one of those uncomfortable postitions and I have been there. I have a friend right now who is doing all kinds of things wrong IMO. He wont listen and critters keep on dieing. I give my honest opinion (when asked) and if he doesn't want to listen then he will have to learn the hard way because I can't control him and I value our friendship. I feel terrible for the fish

The Saltwater Kid · #5 03/12/2007, 02:33 PM

Yup, same way I'm feeling now! I try to always leave it up to him in the end...I'm not going to come right out and say are you nuts, that's way too many fish. I'm just trying for his sake as well as his tanks to steer him right when I see that he's doing something wrong but in the end like i said it's his money and his decision to make as he's a well educated guy and I value our friendship too much to overstep my bounds too much for the livestock!

The Saltwater Kid · #6 03/13/2007, 08:44 AM

Well, my friend is in a quandry of what to do...his fish are due to arrive today. I tried to convince him to take turn them into our LFS for credit but he doesn't think he'll have time to make the 40 minute trip today so his only alternative is to put all the fish in his tank. He offered me the Rabbitfish and one of his Firefish but my tank isn't big enough to take on that extra burden. So he is going to have 14 fish in his 55g...what sort of problems should he be on the lookout for and how should he try and deal with said problems if taking the fish out isn't an alternative as once they are in there he would have to tear apart his tank to retrieve them and he isn't willing to do that as he has many corals? I told him to constantly monitor his water params as they will fluxuate wildly with that many fish and be prepared to battle severe nuisance algae blooms as there will be far more nutrients from extra fish food and fish poop going into the water then his filtration system can take out. Anything else?

The Saltwater Kid · #7 03/13/2007, 11:57 AM

Is a 55g even big enough for Foxface Rabbitfish? Will they eat corals at all?

reverendmaynard · #8 03/13/2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Saltwater Kid
Is a 55g even big enough for Foxface Rabbitfish? Will they eat corals at all?

They won't bother any corals, but a 55g is way too small, long term.

amoryodio · #9 03/13/2007, 12:37 PM

way too much for a 55g.

The Saltwater Kid · #10 03/13/2007, 01:09 PM

Yeah, I know he's way overstocked but considering his situation what problems should he be on the lookout for?

erics3000 · #11 03/14/2007, 04:12 PM

I did the same thing in the begining. I bought a bunch of fish after my tank cycled. Then they get ick and I lost a few. I wish I was on rc last year when I got into sw tanks. ANyway I am sure all my fish were stressed.

Yeah I don't even have that many fish in my 70. I might think of getting a uv. I agree with more rock but with all that fish at once hope u don't get a little mini cycle. Maybe a litlle more rock here and there. You can run your salinty a little on the less side. Thats all I can think of I am still a rookie too..

BrianCM · #12 03/15/2007, 02:25 PM

He is going to have a bunch of problems.

The Saltwater Kid · #13 03/15/2007, 04:27 PM

What problems should he be on the lookout for?

reverendmaynard · #14 03/15/2007, 04:30 PM

Early on, ammonia and nitrite. Later, nitrate, health problems brought on by overcrowding such as ich, other parasites, bacterial infections, etc.

zach0660 · #15 03/15/2007, 05:09 PM

If he adds all those fish at once, most likely their all going to die, Foxfaces can get up to 8" so tell him to drop that idea.

The Saltwater Kid · #16 03/15/2007, 08:33 PM

too late, the Foxface is in the tank! He added 6 fish at once to the 8 he already had.

erics3000 · #17 03/15/2007, 09:01 PM

Keep an eye on the fish that don't eat and look pale. They might be the ones that will possibly get ick. I also remember when mine had it they were real slimey. Since it is already done he needs to get prepared. I would look around and get some ICK medication to be prepared. Better to be safe then sorry. Another thing you can do is to make sure the fish have enough coverage. A place for them to hide and feel safe. Less time with the light while they are first getting acclimated will help with the stress.

clevername2000 · #18 03/15/2007, 09:56 PM

I don't get why were even talking about this. YES EVERYONE (including YOU) agree that this is a bad idea.(Water problems, fish health problems, ect)

Point is, the fish are in the tank, whats done is done. If someone doesn't care to take advise then give it to someone who will listen. Move on.....

The Saltwater Kid · #19 03/15/2007, 10:04 PM

Ease up clevername2000! You don't like what this post is about then simply skip over it. I'm just trying to help a friend who bought first and can only be accused of overeagerness about this beautiful hobby of ours. Yes the fish are in the tank but all I'm asking is for advice on what trouble signs he should watch for and be prepared for, if you don't have any constructive advice to offer that's fine but no need to come off so cold!!!

zach0660 · #20 03/15/2007, 10:20 PM

Does this guy have a brain? He has 14 fish in a 55gal including a foxface. Tell him he needs to do some more reading.

The Saltwater Kid · #21 03/15/2007, 10:32 PM

That's the strange thing, he usually reads up voraciously before he buys but this time for some reason he just impuslively bought these fish. He's a very educated guy but for some reason he just threw caution to the wind this time. I just want to help him out if I can as he has been very generous helping me out when needed!

marie · #22 03/15/2007, 10:45 PM

My advice would be to do massive water changes as often as possible and to find homes for the new fish as quick as possible. Hopefully the new fish won't have any diseases or he could end up with no fish

reverendmaynard · #23 03/15/2007, 11:02 PM

Agreed. Find a new home for the foxface asap!

erics3000 · #24 03/15/2007, 11:22 PM

yeah I agree. Maybee he can take some of them back to the store for credit or something. Hopefully keep on top of it because it &@**! sucks when ever anyone looses a fish. Not just the money but the poor little guys.