Adding what number of fish to a cycled tank?

[Brodie]

One of my good friends is in the hospital (horrible car accident). A few weeks before this happened, I helped him cycle his tank. Now that it's cycled and he'll be getting out of the hospital soon, I'd like to have something nice for him to come home to. I just want to set him up with some Damsels because he doesn't have much experience.

My question is, how many fish can I add in a 75 gallon at one time? How many total Damsels could he have in there? Should I slowly increase his bio-load by adding 3-4 Damsels at a time?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Edmonton Eskimo]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend I hope he will recover. What is in the tank as far as liverock, filtration, etc. How long has it been cycled?

 

[Brodie]

He has no live rock in the tank, but has about 75 lbs of live sand. He has a wet/dry, but no skimmer.

 

[austinsdad]

I'd do a pair of farm raised clowns to start with. They're tuff like damsels also, but w/out the agression. Being the first fish in, the damsels may be agressive towards new, larger fish later and casue problems.

What has your friend mentioned about fish? Might have to consider rock first. If pre-cured rock, then OK to put fish in now. If rock is to be cured, gonna have to do that first before adding fish anyway IMO.

 

[Brodie]

My friend just wants some hardy fish. As far as rock goes, I'm buying the fish for him, and don't want to spend that kind of money on rock. I might buy 50-60 lbs of base rock and add 20 lbs of LR. Haven't really decided yet...

 

[mjvincent]

Clowns are good hardy fish... But you better find out what his intent is on the tank. Fish that you add today may not coincide with what he plans in the future. i.e A picasso trigger would not be a good playmate for clown fish...

 

[runway1]

mjvincent makes a good point. What's your friend's intent? Predator tank (eels, triggers, etc.)? Community fish only, no corals (angels, tangs, clowns, etc.)? Or, a reef tank (corals and coral safe fish).

Until you know that, it's hard to pick a fish.