getting my fish VERY soon and need some advice...

[proverbs]

i've been cycling my 40 gal aquarium for close to 2 weeks and added about 20 lbs of live rocks and branches. i think i'm ready to get some fish now.

i am planning to get a percula clown and a black and white percula clown. i've been reading that the clown fishes really like having corals around - but would they be happy without any Anemones or corals?

and just a few basic q's - how often do i feed the fish? how long do i leave the light on? and should i leave it on during the evening or when i sleep?

thanks.

 

[Fluff]

Clownfish can live happily without an anemone or coral around.
I feed my fish every day small meals but it's ok to feed every other day.
My lights are on 12hrs a day but 10hrs is fine, and no don't leave the lights on while you sleep. Fish gotta rest too.

 

[Brenden]

Have you checked the Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels? You should be sure your cycle is complete before adding the fish or it will be a quick death. I feed every other day. I leave lights on 10-12 hrs. Unless you add corals lights are not a big issue. The flame hawkfish is a awesome fish. I sold mine last week. If you plan on having shrimp do not get a hawk. HTH

 

[proverbs]

thanks for the replies.

so basically it would be ok to leave the lights on the whole day and then turn them off when i go to sleep, right? do i still have to leave the lights on when it is bright in the house?

i did bring some water to the lfs and the guy told me everything was good.

 

[lando]

so basically it would be ok to leave the lights on the whole day and then turn them off when i go to sleep, right?

Just get a timer at wal-mart so you do not have to remember about turning your ights on or off.

 

[proverbs]

i will definately get the timer.

 

[DragonForce]

I would not mix 2 different species of clownfish. You can purchase 2 small clowns of the same type and they will pair up.

As far as when and how long to leave the lighting on is up to you. 10-12 hours is what most people do. Now you can choose when they would go on and when they should go off. If you prefer to have the aquarium lit up at night then adjust the lighting schedule to your preference.

I personally feed my tank daily. HTH

 

[proverbs]

I would not mix 2 different species of clownfish. You can purchase 2 small clowns of the same type and they will pair up.

As far as when and how long to leave the lighting on is up to you. 10-12 hours is what most people do. Now you can choose when they would go on and when they should go off. If you prefer to have the aquarium lit up at night then adjust the lighting schedule to your preference.

I personally feed my tank daily. HTH

i read on saltwaterfish.com that the black and white one is very peaceful and the percula is moderatley aggresive, so i thought it would be ok.
and should i get the snails and hermit crabs before i get the fish, at the same time or after?

thanks.

 

[DragonForce]

Well, they will be much happier together and will pair up and even mate in your aquarium.

And I personally did snails and hermits before fish.

 

[Fluff]

Since you are ordering online, it would be costly to order twice so I would just get the crabs and snails at the same time. Also, personally, I'd get either two orange or two black clowns but the clowns in question are both aquacultured percula clowns (amphiprion ocellaris), just different color phases. I really don't see why they wouldn't work together.

 

[tecwzrd]

i did bring some water to the lfs and the guy told me everything was good.

If you haven’t already bought a test kit I would really consider it soon as water parameters can go down hill quickly in a SW tank without you knowing it until it’s too late. SW fish in particular are less tolerant of changes than FW fish are. When first adding livestock it’s a good idea to have a 5 gal bucket of pre mixed SW on hand in case you need to do an emergency PWC. Getting your water tested at the lfs is good also to verify results or get results you don’t have tests for but not having a test kit at home could lead to deaths.

Snails in particular can catch new people starting off in this hobby off guard because of their slow nature and sitting around in the same spot for a day or two. 3 or 4 can die simultaneously and foul a tank quite quickly if you’re not careful.

The AP Master SW test kit usually runs around $30 at the lfs and tests for all the basic things you need to look for. Testing every couple of days in the beginning when adding fish is vital to make sure you don’t have any spikes, especially for NH3 & NO2. Once your tank is established after a couple of months weekly testing can be done.

Drsfostersmith has it online for $16.99 plus shipping.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4452

 

[runway1]

I would reconsider adding fish after only 2-3 weeks. Even if your ammonia and NO2's read 0. IMO, you should wait at least 2 weeks AFTER 0 reading to introduce livestock.

My reading were 0 after 3 weeks last January. I lost several fish, one at a time, by introducing them in the 2 weeks following. After about 3 weeks of 0 readings (6 weeks total), I became successful and my fish have thrived well since. It would be very frustrating if you spent $50-$100 on stock and lost it .

Patience is critical in this hobby.

 

[tecwzrd]

I would reconsider adding fish after only 2-3 weeks. Even if your ammonia and NO2's read 0. IMO, you should wait at least 2 weeks AFTER 0 reading to introduce livestock.
Patience is critical in this hobby.

So true, you see so many people using bio-spira or other “quick” cycling solutions that can make you think you are good to go only to get hit with a fish killing spike a week later.

Don't forget to feed your tank while waiting also so it continues to produce the needed bacteria or it could slowly die off.